Rainy Day Activities for Families

What to do when the weather’s blue?

Welcome to the Summer Holidays! There are plenty of outdoor spaces for you and your family to enjoy in and around Colchester, but in case of wet weather we’ve got some ideas below for activities to enjoy indoors, so you can still make the most of your visit, even if it’s raining!

Colchester Castle 

The Castle is one of England's most important heritage sites and one of the most popular visitor attractions in the East of England. A visit to Colchester Castle Museum is now bigger, brighter and better than ever before, with brand new interactive displays including new finds and star exhibits like the Colchester Vase and the Colchester Mercury statuette. The average visit takes 1-2 hours, and there’s lots to see and do, so it’s well worth the entrance fee.

Firstsite

This contemporary art gallery has a secret – it has a cinema onsite that screens fab family movies at affordable prices in the holidays. They also have multiple exhibition spaces to explore, and a lovely shop and café which serves kid friendly grub. 

Hollytrees Museum & The Natural History Museum

This pair of family friendly museums sit almost opposite each other at the east end of the high street. Hollytrees focusses on the history of the home, with displays of longcase clocks & toys, and the Natural History Museum is full of taxidermy animals and fossils. Entrance to both of these museums is free.

Leisure World

When its wet outdoors, embrace it, pop on your cossie & go swimming! The family fun leisure pool has two flumes, rapids, waves and a fun interactive beach area, and they often have extra ‘inflatable’ fun during school holidays.

Jump Street

Get active indoors at Jump Street – great fun for children and grown ups alike. This trampoline park is ‘a world where the wall becomes the floor’ and has areas and activities for children of all ages and abilities.

Go Bananas

This soft play area has been a favourite with local families for years. It has a jungle themes 3 storey climbing frame for bigger kids to explore, and an area called Tiny Town which is suitable for toddlers. There is also a café on site for grown ups to sit and enjoy a coffee.

Cinemas

Colchester Town Centre is home to 2 cinemas: The Curzon on Queen St, showing family films alongside independent gems across 3 screens, and The Odeon on Head Street, which is 8 screen cinema showing wall to wall blockbusters.

Hopefully this list has given you a few ideas so you’re able to enjoy your visit to Colchester with your family, even when the sun isn’t shining.

Let us know if we missed anything out in the comments below!