In the first two years of compulsory education (Key Stage 1/5-7 years), pupils begin to explore their local environment. If the school is lucky enough to have a museum nearby, it will be an important starting point in their development. Further afield, there are activity-based museums such as the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, the Science Museum and the Wellcome Foundation museums in London, or the various museums of childhood in Derbyshire, Edinburgh and the Victoria and Albert in Bethnal Green; all of which are popular venues for Key Stage 1 students.
Many providers cater for both day and short-term residential adventure activities, and both the National Trust and Forestry Commission run activities specifically tailored for the KS1 age-group.
Children are often interested in the theatre and music, and usually begin with trips to pantomimes and musicals in Key Stage 1. You can find guidance on ‘kids’ theatre in London here, and over in East Anglia there is the Norwich Puppet Theatre with Bristol Old Vic in the West Country; there’s bound to be a good venue near you!
Penn Woods are achingly explorable, ideal for minibeast hunting, leaf collecting, pond dipping, ladybird spotting, snail racing, picnicking and almost anything else you like to do outdoors with the kids!
In an area renowned for its rich stock of ancient woodland, Penn Wood, at its very heart, stands out as one of the largest.
Woods Mill is a 44-acre Nature Reserve that covers a variety of habitats including meadow with hedgerow, freshwaters and woodland. Most of the reserve is now accessible by wheelchair. There is a classroom with a wide range of equipment for indoor and outdoor studies suitable for all age groups.
Take a walk around Rodbaston Visitor Centre Animal Zone and say hello to over 750 animals, from meerkats to monkeys, rabbits to alpacas.
Red squirrels, natterjacks, prehistoric footprints and miles of coastal walks are just waiting to be discovered - part of Formby's amazing and ever changing landscape.
Enjoy breathtaking sea views or a picnic; head out on a bracing coastal walk or find out about Formby's fascinating coastal history with links to asparagus growing and the early days of aviation.
Welcome to the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford.The Cathedral is situated on Barronstrand Street in Waterford City.
Nature reserve with bird hides, a visitor centre with wildlife explorer backpacks and picnic area. Free to visit.
These packs include trail notes, games and spotter sheets with different wildlife to look out for. Kids can follow the trail through the grassy glades, woods and pond at their own pace.
Come on board and put yourself in the shoes of the crew who sailed this world-famous ship around the world over a century ago.
Majestic views across mid Wales, and a 72m high dam holding back 50,000 megalitres of water, makes this one of Severn Trent Water's most spectacular visitor sites.
Multi level adventure play zone with loads of features with separate age zones for under 5s and under 12s. They also offer a variety of themed parties for kids, including Laser Storm which can also be done Pay and Play.
What secrets lie behind the bright red door? Step inside the TARDIS and experience more than 400 years of history in the museum where you feel you have left the modern world behind. From ‘royal party house’ of the 16th Century to Victorian reform school for girls, see how the lodge has changed over time. Free entry!
Brunswick Park was opened in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. The park offers a range of facilities including outdoor gym equipment, children's play area, multi gamed area, tennis courts, skate park area, bandstand, football and circular walks.
Education and outreach are important parts of the Cathedral's mission. Henry VIII's Charter which established the Cathedral required the Cathedral to be a place of learning, and led to the creation of the King's School. Today we continue with this objective.
The facilities include a main play frame complete with slides, ball pool, ball cannons and sports activity area. New management for 2014 so worth a revisit.
Bristol Cathedral is full of rich learning opportunities for children of all ages. Our aim is to engage children with the past as we explore the history of this amazing building; with the present as we show them how the Cathedral impacts lives today; and with the future as we consider together how we can grow and develop as individuals and as a community.
Spelthorne Leisure Centre can be found in the heart of Staines- upon-Thames in Middlesex. This leisure centre provides a range of different sports and activities for the local community.
BedZed (Beddington Zero Energy Development)is the UK's first and largest carbon neutral eco-community. Situated in the South London borough of Sutton, BedZed provides 100 comfortable and futuristically-styled homes with community facilities and workspace for another 100 people, without contributing any extra CO2 to the atmosphere.
Fascinating displays and a few hands on experiments inspired by local mathematical physicist George Green, housed in his families' working windmill. Really interesting stuff plus lots of community and family events like seasonal crafts and cooking classes.
3 hectares of green space, with a children's play area, sports areas and a park for skating and BMX. Their latest feature is the waterfall, which is lit up at night.The vast yet friendly Kidwells Park's latest feature, The Waterfall, features a bridge, ornamental planting and is lit up at night! It's an enchanting little stop on the way through, but there's actually plenty to do here too!
Daventry Country Park was created in 1968 as part of the nationwide Countryside Act. This movement sought to provide communities with green spaces to use and enjoy. The reservoir (130 acres of open water) was dug out and completed in 1804, taking eight years to finish.
A great park in the heart of Matlock with bowling greens, children’s boating lake, interactive play area, miniature railway and a skateboard park. There are also tennis courts and a putting green. Free to visit.
Offers crazy golf and children's play area for 3-12 year olds as well as natural green space and a cafe.
Welcoming over 400,000 visitors through its doors every year, the V&A Museum of Childhood in London's Bethnal Green houses the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection of childhood-related objects and artefacts, spanning the 1600s to the present day.
Nearly 350 heactares of ancient woodland that is full of butterflies and moths. 2 trails have been set up so that everyone can enjoy them. Information boards along the way provide details of the species that you may see.
Situated in the Tees valley close to Middlesbrough, Nature’s World is “the North of England’s pioneering eco-experience”. Opening in 1992, we are a thriving visitor attraction, training centre and educational facility with over 29,000 visitors every year.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.