Castle Howard, North Yorkshire
The backdrop for the 1980s TV series Brideshead Revisited is spectacular. Unfortunately, so are the admission fees. This is not a cheap day out. A modest lunch of sandwiches for three adults and a toddler meal costs over £20 - a bit steep after forking out a similar sum to get in.
We decided to visit only the garden and grounds; the house would have severely tested my daughter's attention span. A tractor with carriages attached to it takes you to the lake, a tranquil oasis next to a restaurant and adventure playground. A 20-minute boat trip offers wonderful views of the mansion, elegantly perched on the hill above the lake. We returned to the grounds in front of the mansion where a 50p bag of seed attracted all manner of wildfowl, ducks and peacocks pecking at our feet. HC
Opening times: Every day until November 3 this year. The grounds and gardens open at 10am and the house opens an hour later. Last admission to the house is 4.30pm.
Admission: tickets for house and grounds cost £8 for adults, £7 for students and pensioners, and £5 for children aged 4-16. Tickets for just the garden and grounds cost £5 for adults and £3 for children.
Further information: 01653 648333, castlehoward.co.uk.
Stockley Working Farm, Arley, Cheshire
An organic working dairy farm set in 400 acres of countryside on the Arley estate. Visitors park their cars and are transported to the farm via tractor and trailer with hay bales for seats.
It's a very friendly place, with lots to do for children of all ages - from messing around in a straw bouncy area to face painting, stroking rabbits and looking at the farm animals. The farm has a herd of 150 friesian/holstein cows. There are also goats, chickens and pigs. One of the sows had given birth to a litter of piglets which were dozing beneath a heat lamp. My daughter spent 20 minutes with her nose pressed against the pen gazing at them.
We also helped to feed the lambs with a bottle of milk and my daughter had her inaugural ride on a horse.
The whole day was well organised, with both parents and children in mind. A nice touch was the children's entertainer who kept the tired, grumpy kids amused as we waited for the tractor to take us back to our cars. HC
Opening times: 11am-5pm weekends and bank holidays. During the school summer holidays, it is open daily (apart from Mondays) until September 1.
Admission: £4.50 for adults, £3.50 for pensioners and children over3.
Further information: 01565 777323, stockleyfarm.co.uk.
Tate Liverpool
Small children should be introduced to cultural activities at an early age, and Tate Liverpool is an excellent space for toddlers. This view was severely tested, however, when one male member of staff gave us a withering look as my daughter noisily refused to leave one of the galleries and proceeded to lay on the floor in protest. The gallery is housed in a converted warehouse in Albert Dock, and is home to the national collection of modern art in the north of England.
Every weekend, the Tate runs Art Quest and Great Adventure (1.30pm -4.30pm on the first floor), a drop-in programme aimed at children between five and 12 (accompanied by adults). Despite my daughter's young age, we both got a lot out of the workshop - doing rubbings of shells and starfish and using pastels and crayons to draw pictures. The staff were friendly, too. HC
Opening times: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5.50pm. Closed Mondays (apart from bank holidays).
Admission: free, although special exhibitions cost £3 with £2 concessions and £6 family tickets.
Further information: 0151-702 7400, tate.org.uk/liverpool.
Day Out With Thomas The Tank Engine
Most young children fall under the spell of Thomas the Tank Engine, and I have never seen as many kids gathered in one place as I did at Bury train station for the East Lancashire Railway's event.
My daughter was overwhelmed by the noise, the crowds and the real-life Thomas the Tank Engine chugging along the track, his whistle blowing and belching smoke into the air. A rather thin Fat Controller patrolled the platforms, and the Daisy diesel train took us to Ramsbottom station, just 15 minutes away.
At Bury, Thomas the Tank Engine pulled brightly coloured cattle carriages (called Poppy, Bluebell, Buttercup, Emerald and Marigold) for a short trip from platform 4. Lollipops were handed out after the children (and parents) yelled loudly: "Thank you, Thomas."
At the neighbouring transport museum, there was Bertie the bus, a bouncy castle and a Punch and Judy show. A long queue snaked along the platform for face-painting. HC
Dates: The next Day Out With Thomas takes place on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on June 7 and 8. The next Days Out With Thomas on the East Lancashire Railway take place on August 8, 9 and 10, then October 4 and 5.
Admission: Adult £8, child (3-15 inclusive) £6, family (2 adults and 3 children) £23.
Further information: North Yorkshire Moors, northyorkshiremoorsrailway.com; East Lancashire, 0161-764 7790, east-lancs-rly.co.uk/thomas.htm.
Conkers, near Ashby de la Zouch, Derbyshire
Conkers, which lies at the heart of the National Forest, provides a hands-on experience for eco-warriors, with discovery and entertainment rolled into one. The attraction comprises four discovery zones where you can get really close to the forest: see through the eyes of a spider, hear like a bat, crawl through a living leaf, climb inside a seed pod and whizz through the four seasons. Outdoor activities include mazes, nature trails, and an assault course. FH
Opening times: 10am-5pm daily.
Admission: £5.50. adults, £3.50 children (3-15yrs), £15.95 family.
Further information: 01283 216633, visitconkers.com.
Diggerland, Devon, Durham and Kent
Children and adults alike can have a go at driving or riding as a passenger in a full-sized JCB dump truck, together with a variety of other construction machinery, at Diggerland in Stroud, Kent, Langley Park in County Durham, and Cullompton in Devon. Smaller children are given mini-JCB diggers to drive, and fully trained instructors are on hand to ensure safety. FH
Opening times: 10am-5pm weekends, half-term and school holidays.
Admission: £2.50 entry (for all), £18 all day unlimited access to machinery.
Further information: 08700 344437, diggerland.com.
Explosion! The Museum of Naval Firepower, Gosport
Located in the heritage area of Priddy's Hard, overlooking Portsmouth Harbour, this two-year-old museum's galleries contain an extensive collection of cannons and other arms, with displays charting the development of firepower as well as the lives of those who worked at the harbour.
The exhibition of underwater archaeology, Treasures Of The Deep, reveals the secrets of HMS Invincible, which foundered on the Solent in 1758, as well as other 18th-century wrecks. You can also explore the Grand Magazine, a vault once packed with gunpowder. FH
Opening times: 10am-5.30pm daily.
Admission: adults £5, children (5-16yrs) £3, family £13.
Further information: 023 9250 5600, explosion.org.uk.
Ewe-phoria, Corwen, Denbighshire
Watch a woolly beauty contest as you meet 13 different breeds of sheep in a barn-cum-theatre setting. The amusing and educational Ram Parade highlights the different breeds of British and European sheep and their various characteristics. Families can learn which breed has the best fleece to make woollen sweaters, watch shearing, and meet the sheepdogs. FH
Opening times: 10.30am-4pm during school holidays, otherwise 10.30am-3.30pm.
Admission: Sundays and bank holidays, adults £4.20, children (over 3) £3.20.
Further information: 01490 460369, ewe-phoria.co.uk.
Linley Sambourne House, London W8
Behind the department stores and boutiques of Kensington High Street hides a Victorian time capsule. The home of the 19th-century Punch illustrator Linley Sambourne and his family has reopened after being painstakingly renovated. A costumed actor - who plays the part of Mrs Sambourne - their son and a maid take you around the townhouse, which is crammed with period furniture and artefacts of the era. The dining room is set for a meal, and the artist's studio has work in progress. Tours must be booked in advance, but as a taster, why not take a trip around the house via the website. FH
Opening times: 11.15am-3.30pm, Saturdays and Sundays. Pre-booking essential.
Admission: £6 adults, £1 children (under 18yrs).
Further information: 020-7602 3316, rbkc.gov.uk/linleysambournehouse/tour/default.htm.
Milestones, Basingstoke
Hampshire's living history museum will fascinate children of all ages. Travel in time from the late Victorian era to the 1950s by walking through beautifully recreated streets containing houses, people and vehicles, market stalls, fully fitted shops (including a sweet shop with products of the day), and even a working pub. Everything is interactive and designed with families in mind. Milestones Steam & Vintage Show takes place outside the museum from today until Monday. FH
Opening times: Tuesday-Friday and bank holidays: 10am-5pm, weekends: 11am-5pm, closed Mondays.
Admission (museum only): adults £6.50, children (5-16) £3.50, family £16.50. Additional 50p to see the show.
Further information: 01256 477766, milestones-museum.com.
The Museum in Docklands, London E14
This museum opens today in one of London's oldest warehouses. Interactive exhibits explore the lives of those who built and shaped the port, from the arrival of the Romans to the rise of Canary Wharf. In the Sailortown section, you can wander through 19th-century alleyways, smelling the exotic spices and hearing the chatter of people from all over the globe as you go. The opening day will be full of family events, including traditional craftsmen, street entertainers and a host of colourful characters celebrating 2,000 years of life in the docklands area. FH
Opening times: 10am-6pm daily.
Admission: adults £5, children (under 16) free.
Further information: 0870 4443857, museumindocklands.org.uk.
National Space Centre, Leicester
This is the UK's largest attraction, dedicated to space science and astronomy. Five galleries contain exhibits with themes such as Planets and Orbiting Earth. You can be transported across the galaxy, through rings, moons, rocks and gases, and you can even explore the depths of a black hole in the show that takes place in the Space Theatre. FH
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday: 10am-6pm, Monday: noon-6pm during half-term and school holidays.
Admission: adults £8.95, children (4-16) £6.95, family £28-£34.
Further information: 0870 6077223, spacecentre.co.uk.
National Wetlands Centre, Llanelli
The centre, on the eastern side of Carmarthen Bay, is a popular place to spot migrating birds, such as green-winged teals, short-eared owls, whitethroats and whimbrels. Until June 1, you can get close to ducklings, with special tours of the hatchery and duckery. Follow trails to find out how tough life can be for a duck. FH
Opening times: 9.30am-5.30pm daily.
Entry: adults £5.50, children £3.50, family £14.40.
Further information: 01554 741087, wwt.org.uk/visit/llanelli/howto.asp.
Warwick Castle, Warwickshire
There is so much to see and do here that you need to devote a day to it. All the castle characters and exhibits are interactive: in the armoury, children can feel the weight of the swords that soldiers would have taken into battle, and get a soldier's eye view through the visor of their helmets. The Kingmaker attraction has a number of authentically recreated smells, so you can experience everything from the garderobe to the warhorse in its stable. The spooky Ghost Tower has creaking doors, flickering lights and scary music, and a dungeon and torture chamber. Half-term entertainment includes jousting (until Monday) and, as well as measuring up for battle every day, the soldiers will teach sword skills to budding knights. A medieval puppet show runs May 31-June 1. FH
Opening times: 10am-6pm daily.
Entry: (peak) £12.50 adults, £7.50 children (4-16), £34 family; (premium: weekends and bank holidays) £13.50 adults, £8 children (4-16), £36 family.
Further information: 0870 4422000, warwick-castle.co.uk.
· Useful websites: visitbritain.com; visitwales.gov.uk; visitheartofengland.com; visitlondon.com; visitsouthernengland.com.
