Family activities in the Cotswolds

Looking for family activities to do in the Cotswolds. There are a variety of fun family activities throughout Gloucestershire for full family days out.

Cattle Country

Once a small farm showcasing cows, Cattle Country has now grown into a large family-friendly attraction site.

Cattle Country has both indoor and outdoor activities so families can have fun on both sunny and rainy days.

The outdoor activities include mini golf, tractor rides, and trampolines. Indoor activities include large play areas, including the newly added “Cowshed”. There’s also the opportunity to meet with farm animals from goats, to bunnies, to you guessed it – cows.

All things wild

Named “All things wild”, this park provides family fun all year around.

See a variety of exotic animals such as parrots, monkeys, and kangaroos, in addition to lots of farm animals. Explore Bug Land to see a variety of smaller creatures.

What makes this park stand out is the dinosaur-themed displays. See large dinosaur figures as you go through either the Dinosaur Walk or the Dino Barn.

Another couple of attractions include go karts and an outdoor beach.

Slimbridge

Explore the wetlands habitat at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. There’s a variety of wildlife to see, from birds to amphibians, in a variety of both free and paid activities. There are also wheelchair-friendly activities available.

Jump into a canoe and get up and close to nature. Glide across the wetlands in a canoe and spot wildlife as you move across the kilometre-long trail.

Speaking of wildlife, discover up to 60 colourful species of frogs, toads, and salamanders in Toad Hall. The amphibian collection at Slimbridge is one of the largest in Europe.

Learn more about the life of researchers as you learn about living conditions, food rations, and clothes worn. You can then test your skills by studying bird leg rings and taking part in science fieldwork activities.

There is also an outdoor play area with a wet play section. It’s designed for playing in the water so wellies are advised!

There are also a variety of pop-up events throughout the year. One of the latest seasonal events is water illustrations with famous illustrator Quentin Blake.

West Midlands Safari Park

West Midlands Safari Park is popular for its drive-through safari experience. Watch out for a variety of animal species from across the world, including tigers, rhinos, and deer.

You can still enjoy safari features outside of the drive-through experience, as there are walking trails with viewpoints over giraffes, rhinos, and elephants.

Also to see by foot is the Land of the Living Dinosaurs, an area of the park dedicated to lifelike animatronic dinosaurs including triceratops, velociraptors, and the infamous t-rex!

You can then explore the ice age, with other iconic species such as the woolly mammoth and sabre-tooth tiger. One lesser-known species is the paraceratherium – the largest mammal to have ever walked the earth and you can see a life-size replica.

For younger visitors, there is Boj’s Giggly Park – a multi-sensory play area, with five interactive zones.

That’s not all – there’s an adventure theme park with rides suitable for different ages (please note: this is an additional ticket type).

Cotswolds Wildlife Park

See a wide variety of animals, from all your “typical” zoo animals such as lions and giraffes to less common sights such as a pack of wolves. It looks a little different to a zoo though, as a Victorian Manor House is central to the park. The park is also just very scenic to walk through.

Cotswolds Wildlife Park has a couple of stand-out attractions including the lemur habitat in which you can walk amongst lemurs. It’s a very unique experience. The other stand-out attraction is the green anaconda which is one of the largest snake species in the world and is truly a sight to behold.

There’s not much to say about Cotswolds Wildlife Park, other than it’s a lovely day out regardless of your age.

Warwick Castle

There have been a lot of animal-focused family activities but Warwick Castle offers something a bit different.

Given that its setting is a castle, it makes sense that a lot of the activities are medieval-themed. There is a live jousting – an experience not many have seen before.

There is also the Castle Dungeon, a theatrical event not for the faint-hearted. You’ll meet a variety of characters including a plague doctor. This activity is full of jumps and scares so may not be suitable for young children.

There are history talks throughout the day that deep dive into the castle’s weaponry collections.

You can also experience the largest bird of prey display in the Falconer’s Quest attraction.

Westonbirt Arboretum

If you’re looking for a more relaxed family day, Westonbirt Arboretum could be your top choice. It’s a beautiful place to visit with 15,000 plant specimens and 2,500 species of trees from around the world.

There are various trails for families to explore, including seasonal pop-up trails. For example, there is currently a Zog-themed trail, based upon the popular book character. There are also seasonal light shows including at Christmas time.