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Colchester and its surrounding area is full of child-friendly venues and can provide one of the best family days out in Essex and the East of England.
With one of the best zoos in the country and a historic and family friendly castle for starters, Colchester is an appealing destination for children and their parents alike. When the sun is shining you can discover beautiful local beaches, nature discovery centres, the magical Wyvern Wood, or the newly opened Colchester Sports Park. On wet weather days there's still plenty to enjoy including a roller rink, trampoline park, and leisure pool.
Visit during the school holidays and you'll find a special programme of events put on by many of Colchester's best attractions, and there's always something available to do for free so a visit needn't break the bank.
Events for Children in Colchester
Discover a fun and entertaining selection of events for children and families running throughout the year ranging from kids sports, art activities for children, as well as nature clubs and games. From pre-schoolers to teenagers there's always something to keep the children entertained (and plenty to do that adults can secretly enjoy as well) making it the perfect destination for a family day out - or even a longer stay.
Wet Weather Ideas
Bad weather needn't put a dampener on your trip to Colchester. You'll find plenty to do under cover, sometime in the least likely of locations!
In the city centre, all the musuems and art galleries are child-friendly and within two minutes walk of each other. Most are also free entry. Perhaps you could catch a kids show at the Theatre or Arts centre too?
Colchester Zoo has a special 'duck under cover' route, keeping you dry and indoors (where many of the animals will be sheltering too)
Or if you've really been stuck inside too long, burn off some energy at an indoor activity centre - take your pick from Leisure World, Rollerworld, Jump Street, or one of Colchester's numerous Soft Play centres. Jump into our blog post on the subject to find out more.
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Browse our specially selected events listings for the perfect family activity that's right for you.- Find out how you can entertain the family without breaking the bank. From beaches to free festivals - it's all here.
- Don't let the rain ruin your holiday with our quick guide to easy solutions of what to do in a downpour.
Number of results: 39
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Address
St Osyth Road, Alresford, Essex, CO7 8ASAlresford
Wyvernwood is an immersive story-led experience near Colchester, Essex, for families with children aged 2-12.
Come and join in with the magic at WyvernwoodAddress
Maldon Road, Stanway, Colchester, Essex, CO3 0SLTelephone
01206 331292Colchester
Colchester Zoo is set within over 60 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes and is home to over 155 different species, including the critically endangered Amur leopards, Black and White Ruffed lemurs and Bornean orangutans.
Colchester
Colchester Castle is the largest Norman Keep in Europe and houses the town's main museum
Address
Church Road, Layer-de-la-Haye, Abberton, Essex, CO2 0EUTelephone
01206 738172Abberton
Conservation centre run by the Essex Wildlife Trust, at a site of international importance for winter wildfowl. Nesting cormorants, common terns and nightingales. Nature trails for all the family and bird hides. Shop selling gifts, optics and…
Address
Roman House, 19 Queen Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2PHTelephone
01233 555644Colchester
Curzon Colchester is an independent arthouse cinema wih three screens, showing the best of quality mainstream including family films, independent gems and events. Two cafe bars and a roof terrace.
Address
9-10 Mason Road, Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1BXTelephone
01206 761762Colchester
Go Bananas Play Centre, soft play with Tiny Town for the under 5's, a 3 storey Aztec Adventure frame for those aged 5-12yrs and also a 6m Climbing Wall.
Address
JobServe Community Stadium, United Way, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5UPTelephone
0845 437 9089Colchester
Colchester United was formed in 1937 and the club currently plays in League 2.
In August 2008 the club played their first match in their new stadium, now the JobServe Community Stadium, which is situated to the north of Colchester.
Address
Northern Gateway, Off of Junction 28 of the A12, Colchester, EssexColchester
A 76-acre sport and leisure facility providing indoor and outdoor facilities.
Colchester
For over 50 years the East Anglian Railway Museum has been transporting visitors of all ages back in time to discover the unique history of the region’s railways.
Address
Roman Circus Visitor Centre, Roman Circus Walk, Colchester, Essex, CO2 7GZTelephone
01206 501785Colchester
The site of the Colchester Roman circus (chariot-racing arena) was discovered in 2004. It was built in the early 2nd century CE and seems to have been in use for about 150 years. It is the only known Roman circus in Britain.
Address
Visit Colchester Information Centre, Hollytrees Museum, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1UGTelephone
01206 282920Colchester
Discover a series of concrete murals around Colchester Town Centre depicting its history and famous characters from it's past.
Address
Peartree Retail Park, Moss Road, Stanway, Colchester, Essex, CO3 0LETelephone
01206 561032Stanway, Colchester
Jungle Adventure is a multi award winning (15 times) family run soft play adventure centre located in Stanway, Colchester. We have been established for 8 years and are the parents preferred choice of play centre for so many reasons. From the moment…
Address
Chappel And Wakes Colne Station, Station Road, Colchester, Essex, CO62DSTelephone
01206 242524Colchester
Father's Day Steam Unlimited Steam Train Rides Come along this Father's Day for Steam Train Rides, where one of our full sized steam engines will be operating, hauling the vintage Freight Train. Also in operation will be the Miniature Railway. You…
Address
Unit B&C Global Park, 12 Moorside, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2TJTelephone
01206 791194Colchester
Essex's only dedicated bouldering centre, Colchester Climbing Project allows you to scale walls up to 4m high. No ropes are used and instead the floors are covered with deep mats.
Address
Chappel And Wakes Colne Station, Station Road, Colchester, Essex, CO62DSTelephone
01206 242524Colchester
Classic cars, vintage motorbikes and modern head-turners, alongside the museum exhibits and FREE steam train rides.
Address
Visit Colchester Information Centre, Hollytrees Museum, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1UGTelephone
01206 282920Colchester
One of the best things about Colchester is that there's so much to explore that's completely free. Download a Family Heritage Treasure Trail, follow the map, and discover some of the town's historical highlights. With the choice of two routes; a…
Address
Visit Colchester Information Centre, Hollytrees Museum, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1UGTelephone
01206 282920Colchester
Take a walk through Colchester Town Centre and discover fascinating facts about the Roman history right under your feet!
Colchester
Get up close to nature as you discover an interesting perspective on the local natural environment from the Ice Age right up to today.Explore the garden trail and stag beetle exhibition.
Address
Lewis Gardens, High Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1JHTelephone
01206 713700Colchester
Firstsite is Colchester's contemporary art gallery.
Address
Bourne Mill, Bourne Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8RTColchester
An opportunity to visit this Elizabethan fulling mill, which has an 18' working waterwheel.
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