16 exciting things to do with kids in Norfolk on your holiday
Norfolk is among the most popular holiday destinations in the entire United Kingdom. That’s because family holidays in Norfolk can take a wide range of forms. You can take long walks along pebble-strewn beaches or sun on sandy stretches of coast. You can visit historical buildings and monuments in quaint villages or head for the excitement of pulse-pounding thrill rides at classic amusement parks. Your kids can wonder at a pirate experience or the chance to get up close and personal with animals. On days out with the kids in Norfolk, you’ll never lack for something to do, and you’ll make memories that you’ll carry with you for years.
Check out amusement theme parks in Norfolk
1. Visit a park just for kids at Joyland Children’s Fun Park
You’ll find tons of fun, exciting, quirky and unique things to do on your family days out in Norfolk when you visit Joyland Children’s Fun Park. Here you’ll find traditional thrill rides and roller coasters as well as great games and a sit-down diner. You and your kids can spend an entire holiday enjoying the Tyrolean Tub Twist, Toytown Mountain, the Spook Express kiddie coaster and a wide range of adventure activities, games, food and fun without ever having the same experience twice.
2. See life-sized prehistoric monsters at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure
Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Norwich lets you get up close and personal with real live dinosaurs, or as close as you can get, anyway. These creatures are life-sized monsters from the dawn of time, brought to life by state-of-the-art animatronics. While you’re here, you can learn about fossils and palaeontology, walk an educational Dino Trail, navigate a maze, ride go-karts or hit the splash zone to cool down on a hot day. Even better, this attraction has both indoor and outdoor activities, so you’ll find adventures even if it’s raining cats and dogs.
3. Visit a theme park based on the BeWILDerwood book series
BeWILDerwood in Wroxham is an entire theme park based around the beloved children’s book series ‘A Boggle at BeWILDerwood’. It takes you on an active adventure deep in the forest and is a brilliant way to bring adults and kids together on one of the more exciting Norfolk family attractions. Not only will kids get to meet Swampy and all the other dwellers of the forest, but they can also ride zip wires and navigate a sky maze through the trees. You can take marsh walks or cross a jungle bridge to a treehouse escape. Ride the BeWILDerboat on the river or check out a puppet show and other activities.
4. Have a buccaneer adventure at Pirates Island Adventure Golf
Every kid loves pirates. There’s just something about letting them run about and yell ‘Arr!’ at an approaching costumed character that makes you glad you chose a pirate-themed option for your attractions in Norfolk for families. That’s exactly what you get at Pirates Island Adventure Golf in Blofield. Here you can navigate a crazy golf course that’s pirate-themed and avoid hungry crocodiles, explore forbidding caves, navigate treacherous waters, dodge exploding cannons and search for hidden treasure, all with costumed characters guiding the way. It’s pushchair friendly and disability accessible, so you’ll have fun for all.
5. Seek thrills at Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth
Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth is renowned by thrill-seekers from all over the UK and makes for an excellent funfair experience for things to do with kids in Norfolk. You’ll find plenty of thrill rides and excitement for adults and kids, such as the 22-metre Skydrop Freefall, spooky ghost rides, dodgems and an 85-year-old wooden coaster. You can also find a wide range of activities for kids under 5. The carousel has seats that date back to 1901, and kids can also enjoy the Flying Dumbo ride and the cups and saucers. The park has a water attraction area and offers tons of good food, games and entertainment options.
6. Watch the kids soar at High Altitude Trampoline Park
Bouncing up and down is a time-honoured childhood activity. If you’re tired of telling the kids to stop jumping on the bed and you want to let them blow off some steam, it’s hard to go wrong with a trip to High Altitude Trampoline Park in Norwich. This wall-to-wall trampoline park features 8 trampolines that are all interlinked so kids can bounce from one to the next. In addition, children can head for the soft play area, shoot hoops at the Slam Dunk lanes or play on the dodgeball court. If you get hungry, you can grab a bite at the on-site coffee shop.
Get up close with Norfolk family holiday animal adventures
7. Go on a deer safari at Snettisham Park
For an exciting wildlife experience, head for Snettisham Park. This park encompasses 133 hectares of farmland where you can go on a guided deer safari ride to see herds of deer roaming in their natural habitat. You can also see the birthing of lambs, help to collect fresh eggs from the chicken coops and even take a pony ride. Three different hiking trails each offer their own experiences. There’s the educational wildlife Discovery Trail, the Farming Trail where you can learn about life on a farm and the Archaeology Trail that teaches you about artefacts of the past.
8. Ride a horse at the Woodland Park Equestrian Centre
Most kids love horses, and when you have the chance to make a new equine friend, it’s something not to pass up. The Woodland Park Equestrian Centre in South Walsham offers plenty of things to experience with kids in Norfolk, from the gentle ponies for young kids to have their first riding experience to more seasoned horses for advanced riders. Lessons are available to help kids at any level improve their skills, and the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. You don’t even need to buy a riding hat because the site offers hat hires so you’ll have the temporary gear you need if you’re not sure it will be a long-term thing.
9. Cuddle with bunnies at Wroxham Barns
Located in Norwich, Wroxham Barns offers a truly interactive farm experience that little ones will thrill over on your family days out in Norfolk. Not only can the kids see farm animals close up, but they can also feed lambs and cuddle with bunnies, guinea pigs and newborn chicks. They can help to collect eggs for food and have tons of other active, living farm adventures. They’ll even get the chance to milk a cow. For those days when the weather doesn’t cooperate, the barn has a ton of playhouses, Lego sets to build, tractor rides and even a soft play centre for toddlers to enjoy.
10. See animals and ride rides at Pettitts Animal Adventure Park
Pettitts Animal Adventure Park offers kids the opportunity to see smaller creatures up close and personal, including some exotic mammals and reptiles. On days out with the kids in Norfolk here, they can watch lemurs, see meerkats and monkeys, visit with pigs, chipmunks, raccoons and squirrels, check out owls and parrots and even feed the fish. There’s more fun when you’re done with the animals as you can ride roller coasters and thrill rides for all ages. The park even offers indoor play facilities for those rainy, unpleasant days. These include a special Toddler World for the littlest ones, so there’s something for everyone.
Explore other outdoor adventures in Norfolk
11. Take a nature walk at High Lodge Thetford Forest
Norfolk offers a whole wild world of outdoor activities to enjoy. On your family days out in Norfolk, stop at High Lodge Thetford Forest to explore 4 different walking trails, 3 cycling trails, an archery range and a wide range of outdoor play areas for the kids. It’s a dog-friendly park, and people love to pack a picnic lunch and make a whole day out of exploring the unspoiled land on display here. The designated Family Trail is filled with kid-centric activities to keep the young ones excited, entertained and educated.
12. Learn about farms at Holkham Hall and Woodland Play Area
Kids with a passion for farms and woodlands will love spending a day at Holkham Hall and Woodland Play Area in Wells-next-the-Sea. The ‘Field to Fork’ exhibition teaches visitors about farming and animal husbandry and how food gets to our table through interactive activities. The Discovery Trail presents fun and educational attractions in Norfolk for families with facts about the natural world and ends with a clever quiz. You have 3 options to explore: a bike hire for cycling trails, hiking the trails on foot or hiring a canoe or kayak to do it on the water. Kids also love to try out the virtual tractor driving experience.
13. See the countryside on the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway
Trains are fascinating to a lot of kids. You’ll often see them playing with them and yelling “Woo, woo!” as they pump their fists in the air. The Wells & Walsingham Light Railway in Wells-next-the-Sea allows kids to get on a real, historic steam train and ride through the countryside. You can explore towns and villages across the Norfolk countryside with a historic and magical feel to them as you enjoy the chugging sounds and the feel of traditional steam rail travel. Along the way, keep an eye out for the abandoned railroad platform and catch photos of wildlife. It’s a mystical way to enjoy family days out in Norfolk.
14. Navigate a treetop world at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse
Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse is an entire magical world of treehouses connected by walkways and adventures above the ground, all located on a real working farm. Things to do with kids in Norfolk here include a wide range of activities spread over 20 hectares of unspoiled countryside. Besides scheduled events and interactive experiences, kids can explore gardens, an adventure playground and the Museum of Norfolk Life and Workhouse Galleries. Kids can also get the chance to see a real farm in action, how the farmers work and the role that horses play in farm work. It’s an exciting and educational way to spend family breaks in Norfolk.
15. Play an epic round of crazy golf at Lost World Adventure Golf
Crazy golf is a time-honoured family fun activity, and when it comes to days out with the kids in Norfolk, Lost World Adventure Golf offers some of the best quirky golfing fun. This seaside course offers 9 holes of puzzles and trick shots that are all themed around ancient worlds. You’ll have to navigate Aztec springs, avoid dinosaur bones and bypass water hazards. After you’re done golfing, you can find plenty of other options for fun and excitement like panning for real gold by hand in a stream like they did in days gone by, or you can race remote control cars to see who can get the glory of the win.
16. Take young adventurers to the Hilltop Outdoor Centre
If you’ve got little ones who are true outdoor adventurers, always climbing, bouncing, jumping and swinging, they’ll love a trip to the Hilltop Outdoor Centre in Sheringham. This adventure park designed just for kids has a wide array of things to do. You can take on climbing walls, ride zip wires, navigate high ropes or try a free-fall experience in total safety with the Air Jump attraction. You can visit the archery course to try for a bullseye, play strategy games on the assault courses or try your hand at wilderness orienteering. It’s a good idea to book your visit in advance to be sure there’s room where you want to play, and it’s best for kids over the age of 8.