Rain in the forecast doesn’t have to mean a day of restless children at home. Sussex has plenty to do under cover, and with a little planning you can have a day out that everyone enjoys. The trick is that on wet days everyone else has the same idea, so the families who plan ahead tend to have the best time.
Choose the right kind of place for your children
Think about ages, energy levels and attention spans before you pick somewhere:
- Soft play and trampoline parks are good for burning off energy, especially for under-tens. Check age ranges and whether there’s a separate area for toddlers.
- Museums and galleries often have trails, dressing-up boxes or hands-on activities for children, and many local museums are free or inexpensive.
- Swimming pools and leisure centres usually run family or fun sessions at weekends and in the school holidays.
- Climbing walls, bowling, cinemas and escape rooms work well for older children and teenagers.
- Farms, garden centres and attractions with indoor areas can be a good compromise, as you can dash outside if the rain eases.
- Libraries are free, warm and dry, and often run storytimes, crafts and holiday activities. Many take part in the Summer Reading Challenge during the summer holidays.
A mix often works best: something active in the morning, lunch, then something calmer in the afternoon.
Check before you go
Opening times and rules vary a lot, particularly outside the summer holidays. Look at the attraction’s own website, or call, and check:
- Opening days and times. Some places close on certain weekdays in term time or have shorter winter hours.
- Age and height limits. Some activities, rides and climbing walls have minimum ages or heights.
- What to bring. Soft play and trampoline parks often require socks, sometimes special grip socks, which you may have to buy if you forget them.
- Food. Can you bring a packed lunch, and is there somewhere indoors to eat it? Is there a café, and does it cater for allergies?
- Supervision rules. Many places require an adult to stay with children of a certain age, and some limit how many children each adult can supervise.
- What happens indoors if it’s partly outdoors. If half the attraction is outside, ask what is still open in heavy rain or wind.
Book ahead, especially in the holidays
Popular indoor places can fill up quickly on wet weekends and in school holidays, and many now use timed sessions. If you can, book online in advance. As well as guaranteeing a place, booking ahead is sometimes cheaper than paying on the door. Before you pay, check the cancellation policy — some places will let you move the date, but others won’t refund.
Keep the cost down
A family day out can add up quickly. A few ways to make it go further:
- Look for family tickets, which are often cheaper than buying individual tickets.
- Check who goes free. Many places let babies and toddlers in free, and some offer free or discounted entry for carers of disabled visitors.
- Consider annual passes or memberships if you’re likely to go back. Some attractions let you upgrade a day ticket to an annual pass.
- Ask about off-peak and term-time prices, and look for quieter weekday sessions for pre-school children.
- Remember the extras. Parking, food, gift shops and paid add-ons can cost as much as the entry. Taking snacks and a refillable water bottle helps.
- Make the most of free options, such as libraries, free museums and parks with covered play areas.
Accessibility
If anyone in your group has access needs, check before you travel:
- step-free access, lifts and accessible toilets
- whether there’s a Changing Places toilet, with a hoist and adult-sized changing bench, on site or nearby
- quiet or relaxed sessions, with lower music and fewer people, which some soft play centres, cinemas and attractions offer for children who find busy places overwhelming
- whether pushchairs or wheelchairs can get around the whole site, and whether there’s somewhere to leave a pushchair
Most attractions have an accessibility page on their website, and staff are usually happy to answer questions by phone.
Getting there in bad weather
Plan the journey as carefully as the day out. Check road and rail updates before you leave, allow extra time, and have waterproofs and a change of clothes in the car. The coast can be wild in a storm — enjoy the waves from a safe distance and keep well back from the seafront in strong winds and big seas. If the Met Office has issued a weather warning, consider saving the trip for another day.
Embrace the drizzle
Not every rainy day has to be spent indoors. With waterproofs and wellies, light rain can make a walk in the woods, rock pooling or puddle-jumping on the Downs more memorable, and you’ll often have the place to yourselves. Finish with a hot chocolate somewhere warm and it can become everyone’s favourite day out.
Browse family-friendly places and days out across Sussex on Go Sussex, and always check opening times with the venue before you set off.