Discover more in Liverpool and Lancashire
Journey from a Tudor house to the childhood homes of Lennon & McCartney via coastal pinewoods and a photographic time capsule.
Family-friendly places in Liverpool and Lancashire
Plan your family day out in Liverpool and Lancashire. From the beauty of the great outdoors and amazing histories to play areas, balance bikes and even a maze, there's something for the whole family to enjoy rain or shine.
Family days out in Liverpool and Lancashire
Discover natural landscapes, historic houses, play areas and outdoor adventures with all the family.
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Speke Hall, Liverpool
There's always adventure to be had at Speke Hall, whenever you visit. Have you ever played vegetable musical instruments? Solved a mind-boggling hedge maze? Zoomed along a zip wire? Made your own woodland den? Discover the fun activities your family can enjoy here.
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Rufford Old Hall, Ormskirk
There’s so much for families to do – you can borrow a balance bike, explore the surrounding gardens and woodland, discover the dedicated area for nature play and set your imagination free inside the house.
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Gawthorpe Hall, Padiham
From discovering the majestic woods where children can enjoy the natural play area and views across Pendle Hill, to exploring inside the Hall’s stunning historic rooms that show what life was like in the Victorian period for the Kay-Shuttleworth family who once resided there.
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Heysham Coast, Lancashire
Explore this hidden gem on the Lancashire coast, with magnificent cliff-top views and plenty of room for little legs to run free.
School holidays in the North West
Get ready for a summer packed with adventure and imagination across the North West. Play together and make new memories with Summer of Play, sponsored by Starling Bank, at Speke Hall, Dunham Massey, Rufford Old Hall and more from 19 July.
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Adventurous play at Speke Hall
From mud pie making to running races, building and creating, or getting cosy with a good book from the second-hand bookshop, there’s lots of ways for families to play together at this Tudor manor house. Zip through the air on the 30-foot zipwire too!
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Get active at Rufford Old Hall
Enjoy garden games and self-led activities at Rufford Old Hall. Take parts in sports like cricket, rounders, tennis, or create your own sports day with skipping ropes, hula hoops, race markers, beanbags and more.
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Different activities each day at Dunham Massey
Follow the colourful bunting to the Play Hub in the North Park where you’ll find giant deck chairs, a tipi and games to play with the whole family. And from circus skills to fancy dress, there's different activities to try every day of the week.
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Play your way at Quarry Bank
Come rain or shine, there’s fun for all the family at Quarry Bank. Inside the huge mill, there's a brand-new Play Hub where little ones can dress up, put on puppet shows dive into soft play and enjoy giant board games. Outside you can play nature bingo, race through the maze or build your own adventure. Different activities daily.
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Step back in time at Lyme
Experience the locations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice through the eyes of a child at Lyme. Inside the house you can play with shadow puppets and recreate the Egyptian adventures of Thomas Legh, an explorer who lived at Lyme, or dress up in period costume.
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Travel through time at Little Moreton Hall
Travel through time, without the need for a time machine, from Tudor to present day, as you delve into the history of games in the outdoors. Will you come across a familiar favourite or discover a new game to give a go?
Play areas in Liverpool and Lancashire
There’s nothing quite like playing outdoors. Swooshing down slides, clambering over logs and letting your imagination run wild. It’s no wonder that play areas are an essential part of many family days out. Here are some top places to play in Liverpool and Lancashire.
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Speke Hall
There are two play areas at Speke Hall. Let older kids run wild, take on exciting challenges or zoom down a zip line in the woodland play area. The gated play area, with wheelchair-accessible equipment, is a safe place for littler adventurers to explore while you enjoy a coffee on the nearby picnic benches.
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Gawthorpe Hall
Kids can skip along woodland paths, play hide 'n' seek and get closer to the natural landscape at Gawthorpe Hall's woodland play area. With stepping stones and walls to climb on, they're sure to be tired out in no time!
Rainy day activities for kids
When it rains you have two options: find some indoor fun or grab your waterproofs and get stuck in! Luckily we have loads of suggestions for both…
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Explore the house at Speke Hall
Step inside the Tudor house to see if you can find the portrait of local legend, the Child of Hale who was said to have been over 9 feet tall! Make sure to bring your waterproofs and explore the fun Giant Child of Hale play trail in the woods if the weather clears up.
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Play pretend at Rufford Old Hall
The house at Rufford is filled with fascinating treasures and stories. Imaginations will run free when little ones spot the suits of armour in the Great Hall – and they can escape even further into their own story by dressing up like a Tudor lady or gentleman!
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Top ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ activities to do when it’s raining
We've compiled a selection of items from the ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ list that are perfect for rainy days, so grab your waterproofs and get involved.
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Embrace the rain at Gawthorpe Hall
Don’t let the rain keep you at home – there’s plenty of activities that you can get up to no matter the weather at Gawthorpe Hall. Put on your wellies and splash in muddy puddles, or create a modern art masterpiece from squishy mud – you can find inspiration with ’50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ activities.
Best activities for teenagers
Discover a world of endless adventures with our pick of some of the best things for teenagers to do in Liverpool and Lancashire. Round up your friends and family and get exploring.
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Become a budding photographer
Full of far-reaching views and picturesque buildings, the places we care for are a young photographer’s dream. The black-and-white Tudor houses at Rufford and Speke make for striking photos, while the Lancashire views from Holcombe Moor will help you hone your landscape shots. Visit Hardmans’ 1950s photography studio to get some inspiration or click here for our top photography tips.
Create art with nature’s materials
Build dens or create natural masterpieces as a family. Rufford Old Hall has a dedicated nature play area that is full of brightly coloured leaves, twigs and fallen branches. There’s plenty of woodland to explore at Speke Hall too.
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Follow the footsteps of Charlotte Brontë
Did you know that Charlotte Brontë visited Gawthorpe Hall in 1850 to stay with her friends Sir James and Lady Kay-Shuttleworth? The author of Jane Eyre described the Hall as ‘...grey, stately and picturesque, a model of old English architecture’. Today Gawthorpe is the final stop on the long-distance ‘Brontë Way’ walking route.
Tuck into a sweet treat
Rounding off the day with a sweet treat and hot drink are a key part of any visit. From breakfast baps and toasties, to doughnuts and brownies, and lots of vegan options, we’ve got something for everyone. Or grab a coffee to takeaway before your walk – we’ll even give you 25p off your drink if you bring your own reusable cup.
Family adventures further afield
Discover more family days out in the North of England with plenty of places to play, explore, and create memories.
Family-friendly places in Cheshire and Greater Manchester
Plan your a family day out in Cheshire and Greater Manchester. We've got play areas, activities for kids, wildlife to spot and plenty of things to do when it rains.
Family-friendly places in the Lake District
Plan your next family day out in the Lake District – seek out natural play areas, scramble over rocks and spot wildlife on your way. Make the most of your membership and visit somewhere new.
Family-friendly places in Yorkshire
Plan an adventure in Yorkshire this summer. With play areas, activities for kids, wildlife to spot and plenty of things to do when it rains. Bring the whole family to make memories during your time together.
Adventure awaits: family fun in the North East
Make the most of summer with fun-filled family adventures across the North East—whatever the weather. From sunny nature trails and garden games to indoor trails, and historic houses to explore, there’s something for every kind of day. Whether you're chasing butterflies or dodging rain showers, discover exciting ways to play, learn, and make memories together.