29 things to do in Dorset in the rain with kids

From its fossil-filled coast to some stunning countryside, in addition to a string of household sights, there’s loads to tempt you to Dorset – but when the climate isn’t as attractive because the surroundings, yow will discover loads of issues to do in Dorset within the rain with children too.

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Whether or not you’re visiting in the summertime holidays (as anybody who’s explored the UK is aware of, there’s no assure of fine climate in July and August!) or escaping the crowds by exploring exterior peak season, there’s heaps to find throughout the nation.

From quirky museums to animal sights, energetic enjoyable or a historic website, right here’s my decide of the perfect household days out for a wet day in Dorset with children.

Sea Life Centre, Weymouth

Escape the rain to find creatures who’re totally at house within the water. Weymouth’s Sea Life Centre is house to sharks, rays and crafty octopus, alongside creatures native to Dorset within the Harbourside Zone – plus the UK’s solely colony of fairy penguins.

In addition to an enormous number of marine creatures, there’s an out of doors rockpool and also you’ll discover momentary actions throughout college holidays, such because the Halloween ‘a-scarium’ spooky path, plus an journey playground and mini golf to find.

You must prebook tickets on-line for Sea Life Weymouth.

The Oceanarium, Bournemouth

On the different finish of the county, you possibly can uncover penguins and sea turtles, together with dwarf crocodiles and otters (plus enormous numbers of fish, after all) on the 12 themed environments of The Oceanarium in Bournemouth.

There’s an Journey Quiz Path to finish, whereas children can measure themselves towards a penguin (in addition to watching them waddle).

Preserve a watch out on the day’s actions for talks and feeding occasions, with an opportunity to see otters, penguins and sharks getting fed. Plus there are particular animal experiences so as to add some VIP enjoyable to your go to.

Take a look at my Bournemouth Oceanarium overview after our personal go to throughout a really wet day in Bournemouth with children

Lyme Regis aquarium

A lot smaller than Dorset’s different two sealife centres, the Lyme Regis marine aquarium continues to be value conserving on the listing in case you want wet day concepts – throughout our journey to Lyme Regis, the waves have been crashing excessive over the ocean wall at one level so heading indoors was undoubtedly tempting.

The aquarium solely consists of some rooms, so don’t plan to spend all day, however there are nonetheless a number of enjoyable choices to entertain youthful children. Within the first room, you possibly can feed gray mullet, a swirling mass of silver our bodies which converge on each flake thrown in – my daughter’s delighted look was definitely worth the small additional payment.

On the opposite facet sit the primary of the tanks, with extra within the second room exhibiting the marine lifetime of Lyme Bay and the native space: we noticed crabs, lobster, vibrant wrasse, watched blennies peek out of the rocks and you may typically maintain a starfish too.

Within the closing room, there are movies to observe, together with one of many dreadful 2014 storms which battered the coast: the waves deluging the Cobb again then put our occasional breakers into perspective!

Etches Assortment, Kimmeridge

Well-known for its Jurassic coast, Dorset is a incredible place to seek out fossils, from the ammonite pavement at Lyme Regis to the fossil-packed seashores round Charmouth and Kimmeridge Bay… but when it’s lashing down with rain, trying to find historical indicators of life open air is a bit much less enjoyable.

As a substitute head to the Etches Assortment in Kimmeridge – the Museum of Jurassic Marine Life is filled with fossils and takes guests on a journey again in time to the Kimmeridgian Seas, 157 million years in the past. 

Discover sea monsters and prehistoric predators, in addition to wildlife courting again to the occasions when the Jurassic Coast was a shallow tropical sea. There’s CGI imagery to carry creatures to life as you see the fossils, in addition to household occasions and actions on in the course of the college holidays.

Hengistbury Head Customer Centre

The proper place to go to to find extra in regards to the space’s wildlife and geology, the Hengistbury Head Customer Centre is stuffed with interactive shows and makes a fantastic place to begin in case you’re planning to move to Dorset’s nature reserves or go fossil searching when the solar does come out once more.

The exhibition right here takes you again 65 million years, in addition to 12,000 years of human occupation, together with the time when Hengistbury Head was certainly one of Britain’s most essential Iron Age ports. There are common momentary exhibitions too, so there’s all the time one thing new to find.

Should you’re solely braving the drizzle, hop on the little land practice for some nice views of Christchurch harbour (the land practice doesn’t run throughout winter months however is an effective choice for a wet day in Dorset in summer time).

Portland Citadel

Portland Citadel will not be the oldest fort in Dorset, however it’s nonetheless a venerable 470-something years outdated – constructed by Henry VIII to guard towards French and Spanish invasion.

And with loads to find indoors, it’s choice for a day trip in Dorset within the rain with children – they’ll gown up, discover a Tudor kitchen and uncover its personal wartime historical past, from the Civil Struggle to the Second World Struggle.

If the rain lets up, head as much as the gun platform for some nice views as effectively. Tickets don’t need to be prebooked however it’s suggested at peak occasions.

Kingston Lacy, Wimborne Minster

This stunning English nation home has a much more dramatic historical past than the elegant façade may recommend – remodelled to appear to be a Venetian palace, its former proprietor was additionally a famend Egyptologist so you possibly can see the most important personal assortment of historical Egyptian artefacts at Kingston Lacy too.

The artwork gallery is house to art work by Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Brueghel, resulting in it being known as the South West’s ‘nationwide gallery’.

If the rain lets up, the large property can also be house to Iron Age hill forts, the world’s oldest pedigree herd of Ruby Pink Devon cattle, and gardens so spectacular that Queen Victoria despatched her gardeners right here to get inspiration. There’s a woodland path and walks galore too.

Restricted numbers are allowed in the home, so you have to guide timed tickets while you arrive.

Highcliffe Citadel, Christchurch

Constructed within the 1830s, Highcliffe Citadel has performed host to royalty through the years – however with children’ actions and a few spectacular rooms to find, it’s additionally a fantastic place to go to with household in Dorset within the rain.

Strive some dressing up or different actions, together with make your individual stained glass window, plus there are common seasonal occasions in the course of the yr.

As ever, in case you’re solely braving a little bit of drizzle, you can too try the formal gardens and woodlands within the grounds, plus a seashore and nature reserve. Prebooking will not be important however is suggested at busy occasions.

Lulworth Citadel and Park

One other of Dorset’s stately houses, the seventeenth century constructing was initially supposed as a searching lodge to entertain royalty and the aristocracy earlier than turning into a household house – and now you can discover inside Lulworth fort, which was restored after a hearth in 1929.

There’s a children path to seek out bats as you discover, plus you can too climb the tower and there are typically household actions in the course of the holidays. If the rain isn’t too heavy, there are woodland walks – and the kids’s playground is tempting sufficient even within the drizzle.

The fort isn’t open daily, so do examine earlier than you go to and prebooking tickets is really useful. Entrance is free to English Heritage members.and there could also be tickets accessible on the day. 

Athelhampton Home and Gardens, Dorchester

This Tudor manor home dates again 500 years – excellent in case your children love being transported again to the previous, plus there are household occasions on some weekends.

The Nice Corridor at Athelhampton Home was in-built 1485 and nonetheless has its (primarily authentic) hammerbeam roof, amongst different Tudor options, which have survived down the centuries.

For older children, there’s an opportunity to find how the Catholic household survived the spiritual conflicts of the later Tudor reigns, whereas there’s additionally an opportunity to see what life would have been like for servants in addition to the rich homeowners.

Should you fancy a couple of spine-chilling tales, it’s also called some of the haunted homes in England, with ghosts together with a gray girl, a hooded priest and an ape!

Swanage Railway 

Should you’re seeking to discover Dorset with out getting too moist, this pretty heritage steam railway chuffs by means of the countryside alongside the outdated Southern Railway line between Swanage and Norden, stopping on the ruins of Corfe Citadel – so you can too use it as a extra uncommon method to get from A to B as effectively if the climate brightens up.

Look out for the companies marked with an ‘O’ when the particular Remark Automotive can also be working, with its enormous home windows for the perfect views, in addition to particular themed companies on the Swanage Railway year-round.

Bovington Tank Museum

With 9 totally different galleries, the museum tells the story of tanks – and different armoured automobiles – from the First World Struggle onwards, however with loads to maintain even youthful children entertained, together with interactive actions and the possibility to go for a experience in one of many museum’s automobiles.

In addition to greater than 300 on show, you’ll discover exhibitions to inform the tales of the individuals behind their invention and who’ve pushed them all through historical past on the Tank Museum.

Bournemouth Aviation Museum

In case your children love all issues transport, Dorset can also be house to the Bournemouth Aviation Museum the place you possibly can sit contained in the cockpit of a wide range of planes and helicopters, in addition to getting arms on with a few of the interactive shows, to not point out a flight simulator.

As an added bonus, it’s close to the airport for some added airplane recognizing! It’s value understanding that the plane are all open air, so the museum does sometimes shut in very dangerous climate, notably if there are excessive winds – finest for a drizzly day when you possibly can sprint from one airplane to a different.

For extra concepts of the perfect issues to do in Bournemouth with children, try my high picks

The Tutankhamun Exhibition, Dorchester

Though you possibly can’t see the actual artefacts recovered from Tutankhamun’s tomb (these at the moment are on show in Egypt, besides for infrequent loans to exhibitions), you possibly can see these incredible recreations on the Tutankhamun Exhibition.

The little museum additionally homes a recreation of the pharaoh’s tomb on the day that Howard Carter entered it, again in 1922, so you possibly can relive the joys of his discovery.

Whereas the exhibition isn’t massive, it’s a good way to be taught extra in regards to the discovery of the tomb: higher for older children although, as there’s not a fantastic deal that’s interactive.

It’s value understanding too that no photographs are allowed inside (the picture beneath of a reproduction of Tutankhamun’s golden masks is simply to whet your urge for food!)

The Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester

Set not removed from the Jurassic Coast, the place Mary Anning famously discovered her ichthyosaur fossil, the Dinosaur Museum is the right place to be taught extra about these prehistoric creatures – together with the possibility to the touch fossil shows (together with tooth, heads and poo!) and even odor the breath of a T-Rex.

There are additionally varied interactive shows too, with puzzles, digital flashcards and an excavation pit to make your individual discoveries.

Dinosaurland Fossil Museum, Lyme Regis

You’re not wanting locations with hyperlinks to fossils and dinosaurs in Dorset however the Dinosaurland Fossil Museum has the bonus of a hyperlink to Mary Anning, the inspiration for the rhyme ‘she sells seashells on the seashore’ and the girl who found the icthyosaur.

Set inside Mary Anning’s outdated church, the museum has its personal massive assortment, with hundreds of reveals starting from tiny microfossils to a part of an ichthyosaur, discovered within the native space.

And together with fossils galore, crystals, dinosaurs and the pure historical past room, there’s additionally a intelligent Time Line working up the steps, a good way to get a way of the immensity of geological time (and humanity’s tiny place inside it).

Dorset Teddy Bear Museum, Dorchester

Dorchester appears to concentrate on quirky museums – in addition to historical Egyptian artefacts and dinosaurs, you possibly can uncover a household of people-sized bears, plus a set of teddies from antiques to present TV favourites (from Winnie the Pooh and Paddington to Sooty) on the Dorset Teddy Bear Museum.

They’re all organized in a Victorian constructing, arrange as a home – so you possibly can uncover Edward Bear and his household going about each day bear life with their very own assortment of teddies. There are presently restricted opening hours, so you possibly can solely go to at weekends and through college holidays.

Dorset County Museum, Dorchester

The Dorset County Museum in Dorchester tells the story of 250 million years of Dorset’s previous, spanning the pure world, archaeology, historical past, artwork, and tradition, with loads of fascinating exhibitions.

The museum is extraordinarily family-friendly, with interactive shows, enjoyable household trails, and object-handling trolleys. The museum’s John White Studying Centre additionally has loads of messy craft actions for little ones to take pleasure in.

Preserve a watch out for household occasions happening on the museum too, with particular excursions, storytelling periods, and extra happening all year long. 

Shire Corridor Historic Courthouse Museum, Dorchester

Get a style of crime, punishment and justice on the Shire Corridor Museum in Dorchester, which goals to carry two centuries of regulation (and injustice) in Dorset to life.

There’s loads that’s appropriate for households as effectively – you possibly can discover the cells, and uncover what it could have been like in case you have been held prisoner right here, together with tales from kids in addition to adults tried on the Shire Corridor.

There’s a path with tokens to gather, whereas children also can get arms on with dressing up (together with wigs and robes), digital interactives, quizzes and video games, in addition to pretending to be a journalist at one of many trials.

There are common household actions and different occasions in the course of the yr too, particularly in class holidays.

The Preserve Army Museum, Dorchester

Situated inside a Nineteenth-century stone tower designed to resemble a Norman Citadel, The Preserve Army Museum is house to 4 tales detailing the historical past of native army regiments.

Younger historical past buffs will benefit from the many desirable reveals that includes uniforms, medals, army gear, and extra. There are additionally loads of interactive digital shows, enjoyable actions (together with the possibility to fireplace a rifle), household trails, and life-sized fashions to maintain the museum partaking for teenagers of all ages.

And if the rain does cease for a couple of minutes, don’t overlook to move out onto the museum’s rooftop terrace for some incredible views over Dorchester. 

Mr Mulligan’s Bournemouth

This loopy golf course is actually out of this world – and because the intergalactic course (assume area invaders quite than sci-fi) at Mr Mulligan’s is all indoors, it’s a fantastic choice for wet days in Dorset.

Enable round an hour for the 18-hole course (relying on the variety of gamers) which sees you attempt to putt previous aliens and spaceships. Over-18s solely after 8.45pm however in any other case households are welcome to tackle the problem.

Oasis Enjoyable Indoor Centre, Bournemouth

Oasis Enjoyable Bournemouth is the last word rainy-day vacation spot in Dorset with children of all ages. 

The big indoor play centre has greater than sufficient to do to maintain kids and teenagers occupied for hours, together with a spacious delicate play space for little ones, 6 bowling alleys, an journey golf course, arcade video games, pool tables, and a restaurant.

The number of actions makes Oasis Enjoyable a fantastic spot if in case you have kids with totally different pursuits too, as everybody can discover one thing to entertain them in the course of the day, and with among the finest delicate play areas in Dorset, it’s a should with toddlers.

Seals Cove, Bridport

There’s one other nice choice in case you’re in search of household enjoyable at Dorset’s leisure centres – Seals Cove indoor journey centre is filled with wet day actions.

With has every thing from the Reef Smooth Play to the Jurassic Ridge Climbing Centre, it’s designed to encourage and empower children, with loads of alternatives to problem themselves and get their hearts racing.

In addition to the climbing wall, which welcomes novices (age 5+) seeking to have a go, the three-level Reef Smooth Play has tunnels, slides and interactive zones over 550 sq. metres…. in addition to a 4m drop ‘Huge Wave’ demise slide! Smooth play is for teenagers below 1.4m solely.

Madness Gaming Arcade, Poole

Madness Arcade is a household pleasant retro gaming arcade in Poole, with over 60 traditional arcade video games and gaming consoles for all children and adults of all ages to take pleasure in. 

You’ll discover every thing from Guitar Hero and Avenue Fighter to Mario Karts, Sonic the Hedgehog, and extra, so you possibly can share a few of your favorite childhood video games together with your little ones. 

Moderately than utilizing the usual token system, the arcade fees a per-hour entry payment which will get you limitless free use of all the video games and machines. There’s additionally an on-site bar and grill to seize lunch when you’re finished gaming, making Madness the right rainy-day exercise in Dorset for households.

Strive an Escape Room

An escape room is all the time a incredible indoor household exercise for when it’s pouring exterior, particularly with older children and teenagers. You possibly can take a look at your loved ones’s teamwork abilities as you race to seek out clues, clear up puzzles, and try to flee the room earlier than the time runs out. 

There are some nice escape rooms in Dorset, together with Marvo Mysteries and the Lockey in Bournemouth, The Nice Huge Escape in Dorchester, and Participant Prepared VR escape rooms in Weymouth.

Centre VR Bournemouth 

Centre VR Bournemouth is the most important VR Centre within the UK and has one of many largest choices of video games and titles in all of Europe. 

The indoor centre has an enormous number of multiplayer VR experiences that the entire household can take pleasure in, from capturing zombies or defending Mars from assault to taking part in a digital recreation of loopy golf or laser tag collectively.

Whereas there isn’t a strict age restrict, the centre means that VR is simply appropriate for kids above 7 years, whereas some video games are finest for these 12+.

Splashdown, Poole

Should you’re in search of one thing enjoyable to do on a wet day in Dorset with children, why not make getting drenched enjoyable with a go to to Splashdown waterpark in Poole.

Nice whether or not you’re visiting Dorset with toddlers or older children, there’s the Ricky’s Reef for youthful ones, Buccaneers’ SplashZone for below 8s  and 13 flumes starting from light to high-speed thrills, and slides that includes black holes.

Some do enterprise open air however you’ll largely be inside. There’s a minimal top restriction of 1m. Children can’t go on the slides with dad and mom. Tickets have to be prebooked.

Rock Reef, Bournemouth

Deliberate to spend the day at Bournemouth Seaside however obtained caught out by the rain? Head to the top of Bournemouth Pier and search for Rock Reef, an thrilling indoor exercise centre for teenagers that’s preferrred for adventurous children.

Finest-known for its zip-wire to the seashore (save that for a sunny day), the adrenaline-fuelled journey centre additionally has 28 themed indoor climbing partitions with totally different levels of problem for teenagers 4 and above (and adults too, after all).

There’s additionally a vertical drop slide, a excessive ropes aerial impediment course, and an indoor caving expertise to strive.

Flip Out Poole

Flip Out Poole is Dorset’s greatest indoor journey park, with loads of all-weather enjoyable for households.

Situated contained in the Dolphin Purchasing Centre in Poole, the thrilling journey park contains actions comparable to interactive soccer, laser tag, bumper vehicles, a battle cannon space, a curler skating rink, arcade video games, and a delicate play space for toddlers.

You possibly can guide a 2 or 3 hour expertise which will get you limitless entry to all the park’s actions. The park is open to children of all ages, however some actions do have a top or age restrict, so be sure that to examine prematurely.

In contrast to a number of different Flip Out places, it’s value understanding there are not any trampolines at Flip Out Poole.

Disclosure: This put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee

Bournemouth Oceanarium/Swanage railway copyright MummyTravels, Preserve Army Museum courtesy Picfair, all different photos courtesy of Depositphotos

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