All this rain we’ve been having lately has forced me to have a good think about what we can do to get out of the house on a rainy day. Crafts and baking are all very well, but there comes a time when you all need to get out of the house! Here are our favourite rainy day activities for kids in Surrey…

 

Mercedes-Benz World {Weybridge}

This one is a well kept secret! Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands in Weybridge have a wonderful Little Learners activity for ages 3-5, where they can learn all about road safety and driving. They get to drive small motorised cars around a track, with an instructor to help them, and even get their own little driving licence card at the end.

 

 

You just book in at the front desk and pay a £4 fee. We went on a weekday morning and it was so quiet that it was just Max and his cousin - they had the whole track to themselves! It does only last 15 minutes though, so if you’re looking for another activity, why not try Brooklands Community Park and Cycle Track, just opposite…

 

 

Brooklands Community Park {Weybridge}

Brooklands Community Park is one of our favourite rainy day activities. It has a small play park, but the real draw is the big cycle track. Ok, it’s outdoors, but kids are never bothered when they’re whizzing around on their bikes or scooters, so if it’s just light rain then we find this one a good option. It always has huge puddles too which are perfect for puddle jumping, or for racing rubber ducks!

 

 

The Garden Centre

I never saw the appeal of a garden centre for children until I had a toddler! But it really is a great free trip out for kids. I’ve not been specific here, as everyone has a garden centre near them! Our local Wyevale is brilliant - it has a fish section, so every trip involves a look at all the little Nemo’s, as well as looking at all the pretty flowers. And I have to admit that I don’t mind the Wyevale Garden Centre soft plays - they’re always small, which means that you can sit outside with a coffee and still watch, and insist to your child that you couldn’t possibly go in as it’s too small for adults.

 

Ceramics Cafe {Hersham}

A bit of pottery painting is the perfect rainy day activity. There’s something calming and therapeutic about painting. I do find the temptation to make our items perfect often gets too much though, so if you’re like me, get one thing for you to paint and another for your kids so that you can enjoy perfecting your own and let them do their own thing. Booking recommended.

Ceramics Cafe, On the Green, 1 Berry Lane, Hersham, Surrey, KT12 4HN

Ceramics Cafe Hersham

 

RHS Wisley {Wisley, near Woking}

Not the most obvious choice for a rainy day, but if you have an RHS membership (which we do) it’s a great option. There is the Glasshouse to take shelter in if it’s raining really heavily, and the two cafes are so good that Max makes a beeline for them as soon as we arrive. And if it’s not raining too heavily, there are lots of opportunities for puddle jumping.

 

 

Chessington World of Adventures

We are lucky to have Merlin Annual Passes, so when you don’t have to pay for entrance, a theme park is a great day out on a rainy day. It’s so much quieter, so we always manage to go on far more rides than usual! We had a visit to Chessington in the rain recently and had a great time - indoor features like the aquarium were pretty packed, but we walked straight onto every ride we went on, and I don’t think the children even noticed it was raining!

 

Bockett’s Farm {Leatherhead}

A farm is always better on a sunny day, but it’s the kind of activity that really doesn’t matter too much if it’s rainy. Bockett’s is great, as there are lots of indoor activities - the ride on tractors and motorbikes at the entrance, the big animal barn, the small animal petting area, the trampolines, and, if you’re feeling really brave, the soft play! You can read our full review of Bockett’s Farm here.

 

Little Street {West Byfleet & Frimley}

Ok, it’s edging towards soft play! But Little Street is a role play centre aimed at preschoolers and I absolutely love it (as does my 4 year old). They have a range of different ‘shops’ - a supermarket, doctors surgery, building site, and school - all perfect for your little one to play at being a grown up. The sessions are all limited in terms of numbers, so it never gets too overcrowded and doesn’t have quite the manic feel of soft play. We have one on our doorstep in West Byfleet, and there is another one over in Frimley. You can read my full review of the West Byfleet branch here.

 

 

Do you have a favourite rainy day spot? I’d love some more options to add to our list!