Following on from the list of places to visit in August, I’ve put together even more ideas for days out in and around Bucks. The guide includes places that have reopened their doors this month, brand new activities, plenty of indoor options for rainy days and a few others that I think you’ll love.
Outdoor Fun
Jakes Play Farm
We visited Jakes Play Farm last week and absolutely loved it! It’s split into two Jake’s Farm and Jakes Playbarn. The farm is all outdoors and the barn is an indoor soft play centre. You need two separate tickets if you wanted to do both. There is absolutely loads to do on the farm – play in a construction themed playground complete with diggers, jumping pillows, hire a boat, ride a mini safari train, pedal go karts, lots of animals, play musical instruments, loads more playgrounds, the list goes on.
For more information and to book tickets visit jakesplayworld.com
Bucks Goat Centre
This is a great little place to visit for an hour or so. It’s not huge but it’s a lovely way to spend a morning or afternoon. The centre in Stoke Mandeville is home to several types of goats, pigs, alpacas, rabbits, chickens, a fox, pony and a ferret. You can feed many of the animals, plus they’ve got a playground and sandpit to ensure it’s a winner with your little ones. There’s also a farm cafe with indoor and outdoor seating.
Read our full review here www.babyinbucks.com/bucks-goat-centre
There’s no need to book tickets, just turn up on the day. For more information visit www.thebucksgoatcentre.website
Cotswold Wildlife Park
I’ve not included this one in previous months as I’ve heard it’s been fairly busy. However I’m hoping that with the schools going back it will calm down a bit and be quieter mid week. The adventure playground, skymaze and train are still closed, along with a few animal zones. This is a real shame as these are great, but there’s still lots to see without them.
Tickets must be purchased online the day before you visit. For more information and to book tickets visit www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk
Chiltern Open Air Museum
I mentioned this one last month but I’ve included it again as they’ve now extended their £5 entry to September. Read more about the museum in the August post.
For more information and to book visit www.coam.org.uk
Bekonscot Model Village
Bekonscot is one of the oldest original model village’s and is a great place to explore with your mini train spotters. The village is filled with model trains weaving around the tracks and a ride on miniature railway. We first visited Bekonscot when it first reopened after lockdown and found it all a bit busy, but we revisited last week and it was lovely and quiet! This doesn’t mean it is always quiet now as the following day it was completely sold out for nearly every session.
Read the full review for tips on how to book the quietest session: www.babyinbucks.com/bekonscot
For more information and to book visit www.bekonscot.co.uk
Life in Hughenden Valley Scarecrow Trail
Seek out the scarecrows in the Hughenden Valley from 1st – 8th September. Pick up your map at the Hughenden Village Store and grab some tasty treats whilst you’re there!
For more information click here.
The Look Out Discovery Centre
The Look Out Discovery Centre playground is open for pre-booked sessions. Your session costs £5 but this is redeemable in their cafe. The indoor part of the Lookout Discovery Centre is still closed, but the playground looks amazing!
@Toddler.lockdown recommends pairing your visit to The Lookout Discovery Centre with Coral Reef Waterworld as it’s just across the road. See below for details on Coral Reef Waterworld.
For more information and to book visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/leisure-services/visit-our-playground-and-coffee-shop
Indoor Fun
Coral Reef Waterworld
Coral Reef Waterworld is in Bracknell and is one of the largest interactive water worlds in England. With giant waterslides, an erupting volcano, a pirate ship, rapids, bubble pool and little corals children’s area there’s something for everyone.
It gets booked up quickly, but it’s worth knowing that you can move your bookings up to 12 hours before.
For more information and to book visit www.everyoneactive.com/centre/coral-reef-waterworld
Little Walkers Childrens Cafe
This independent children’s cafe in Amersham runs private soft play sessions on it’s small soft play frame. The sessions are 1.5 hours long and is suitable for under 4’s. Read our review on private soft play’s for more information.
Read full review here: www.babyinbucks.com/private-soft-play
They get booked up well in advance so visit their Facebook page for availability and to book www.facebook.com/littlewalkerscafe
Bojangles Creative Cafe
This is another place offering private soft play sessions. Again the soft play area is small and only for under 4’s. I’d particularly recommend this one for younger toddlers and crawlers. As well as soft play they also offer pottery painting and have a huge range to choose from. It’s great for keepsakes like footprint mugs or to let older children get creative and paint their own pottery.
Read our post here: www.babyinbucks.com/private-soft-play
For more information and to book visit www.bojanglescreativecafe.co.uk
Jakes Playbarn
See details above under outdoor fun. The giant indoor playbarn is suitable for children up to 11 years old. It is 3 floors high with a 3 lane wave slide, a snake slide, arial glider, ball canons, a mini football court and a brand new interactive games mat! They also have a separate area for under 4’s with climbing areas, a slide, interactive panels and even a baby sensory area.
We haven’t visited the playbarn ourselves, but if the cleaning process is anything like as thorough as we witnessed on the farm then I’m sure it’s great.
For more information and to book visit jakesplayworld.com/playbarn
Stay and Play Aylesbury
I’ve heard great things about Stay & Play who have recently reopened their doors. They have 2 play areas, one for toddlers and a 2-tier soft play frame for children up to 12 years. Stay & Play are running 1.5 hour long sessions with limited numbers and thoroughly clean in between each session.
They don’t currently have an online booking system but are working on one. For more information visit stayandplayaylesbury.co.uk/soft-play
The Roald Dahl Museum
This wonderful museum in Great Missenden is reopening it’s doors on 10th September. They will be running things a bit differently and you’ll only be able to book for guided tours, but for older children they sound fab. You’ll get to see what you’d look like in Roald Dahl’s school uniform, see exclusive behind-the-scenes content, chant like an Oompa-Loompa and more.
We were regulars at the museum’s Chiddlers’ Hour before lockdown which is a special story telling session for 0-3 year olds. This isn’t running yet but I’ll be keeping a look out for when it does!
For more information and to book your guided tour visit www.roalddahl.com/museum
Dragon Sensory
This lovely centre in Homer Green have multiple activities for you to choose from both inside and out. All summer they have been running sessions in their sensory garden with tuff tray play, making potions, a play shop, water play and more.
They have now also opened up some of their newly refurbished rooms inside. You can book their jungle and underwater themed sensory room for 45 mins for babies up to two years for a maximum of 2 adults and 2 children. The room is filled with bubble tubes, nature noises and a variety of sensory toys to play with. For a larger sensory room you can book the lounge for up to 5 adults and 5 babies.
More rooms are opening up this month, including the creative room where you’ll be able to make your own little dragon.
For more information and to book visit www.dragonsensory.co.uk
Fun Nights Out for You
I thought I’d throw in a couple of options for you as well, without the kids.
Missenden Abbey – Outdoor Cinema
On the 10th September Missenden Abbey are holding an outdoor cinema evening showing Pretty Woman. Tickets are £15pp plus there are several food and snack options for you to purchase. This sounds like a really fun evening in their beautiful grounds.
For more information and to book tickets visit missendenabbey.co.uk/event/outdoor-cinema
Odds Farm – Drive in Moo-Vie Nights
From the 24th-26th September Odds Farm are hosting 3 different drive-in Moo-Vie Nights. You can choose from Jurassic Park, Greece and the Greatest Showman. There will be a range of movie snacks and refreshments to choose from on the night including popcorn, ice cream and chilli cheese nachos. Prices range from £35-£45 per car depending on where you’re parked.
For more information and to book tickets visit www.oddsfarm.co.uk/drive-in-movie-nights
Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Marlow
Some of you will have seen me do this a few weeks ago and I absolutely loved it! A group of us that I know from NCT and yoga met up to have a go at it, with most of us having either never done it or only once or twice before. We hired boards from Marlow Paddle Boarding and set off from Gossmore Park in Marlow. The boards cost £25 to hire from 5.30pm to 8pm or £35 for a tandem board. I can’t recommend it enough, we had so much fun!
For more information follow @marlow_paddleboarding on Instagram.
For even more ideas on days out check out my list of places to visit in August, as nearly all of them are still running this month.