The Play Equipment

The play equipment is for children under 12 years old and includes:

• toddler swings
• two rocket springers
• a multiplay with two slides, easy to climb steps, a ladder and a corkscrew pole
• two games boards – noughts and crosses and spinning planets
• a sun, a moon and a star painted on the floor.

 

 

Choice of Walks

From the Twyford Close Play Area you have a couple of choices of walks, which you can also cycle or scooter. 

 

Elvetham Heath

Elvetham Heath Nature Reserve is a short walk away. Leave the play area from the gate under the trees. Follow the path to the left and it will take you over a road and then down a hill.

The gate to the nature reserve is a little way down this path and on the left. 

 

A Second Play Area

If you stay on this path, you will eventually come to the Post Haste Play Area.

This takes about ten minutes at an adult pace.

Nearest Town: Elvetham Heath
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU51 1JU

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Picnic tables.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: You can park on the road by the play area. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Cows, birds, insects and squirrels. 

Information Written: February 2017
Information Checked: June 2022

 

The Zones

The Discovery Centre is divided into five zones, each looking at a different area of science, nature and engineering.

 

Build It!

In this zone, children can dress up in hi vis jackets and hard hats and then use dumper trucks, wheelbarrows, chutes and pulleys to construct a house from bricks and lay a roof with slates.

 

 

 

Woodland and Water

This area includes an indoor stream with boats, waterfalls and dams and musical pipes to play.

Be sure to bring a change of clothes if you are going to play with the stream, my children get very wet!

 

 

Note that the Build It! and Woodland and Water Zones are inside the centre but somehow open to the air outside. They can both be cold so be sure to bring warm clothing in the winter.

 

 

 

Body and Perception

The centre piece of this zone is a huge magnetic board with moveable pipes and chutes you can arrange to form a ball run.

When the ball reaches the end it is blown back to the start!

 

 

There are also activities like the mysterious treasure chest and an electronic table with games to play

 

 

 

 

and a test your reactions machine!

 

 

 

 

 

Insect Enclosure

There are different animals to see, including a snake, stick insects, cockroaches, toads and leaf cutter ants – one of my favourites!

 

 

 

 

Forces and Movement

Here you can launch a hot air balloon and a rocket, play in a sand video game,

 

 

 

 

investigate space, play a huge piano with your feet, build a bridge, or shop in the mini-supermarket.

 

 

 

 

Light and Colour

Last but certainly not least, this zone has experiments with light and the fun Optimusic, which is an interactive game you play by stepping into light beams.

 

 

 

 

 

Cafe and Kiosk

Inside the centre is a cafe that serves hot and cold food and also a gift shop.

Outside is a kiosk that sells refreshments and lots of picnic tables.

 

 

 

The Adventure Play Areas

The Look Out has two of the bet adventure play areas we have come across – one for ages 3 to 6 years and another for ages 7 to 11 years.

We love the Look Out Discovery Centre Adventure Play Areas and visit regularly.

 

 

The Swinley Forest

The Look Out centre is surrounded by the Swinley Forest, which has cycle trails and three signposted walks to try, including the Heritage Trail, which leads you to an iron age hill fort and the site of a Roman town.

 

 

 

Orienteering

There is also a permanent orienteering course, which you can buy from the reception desk in the Discovery Centre for £1.

Nearest Town: Bracknell
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG12 7QW

Adult Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Free if: Under 4

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Picnic tables and a cafe.
Facilities: A shop, cafe, ice creams, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a large pay and display car park but this can be very busy.
Cost of Parking: From £3.10 for the first four hours.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds and insects.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: January 2022

 

The Story Trail

The story trail is called “Time Trouble at Royal Victoria Country Park” and is one of Hampshire CC’s Story Trails*.

The trail starts at the chapel, goes along the seafront, into the woods and ends at the Royal Victoria Country Park Play Area.

 

Along the way you have to answer questions and enter numbers into Professor Nutrino’s Great Agent Device for Gaining Extraordinary Time (‘GADGET’) so be sure to bring a pen!

 

 

 

The Adventure Play Area

The Royal Victoria Country Park Play Area is a well-equipped play area with a large wooden castle, slides and a jeep. 

 

 

 

 

Netley Hospital

Royal Victoria Country Park itself stands on the site of Netley Hospital, a vast Victorian military hospital that was the world’s longest building. All that remains today is the central chapel section. 

 

 

 

The Beach

The park overlooks Southampton Water and has a shingle beach where we found lots of tiny shells and a couple of crabs.

 

 

 

 

Other Things to Try

Royal Victoria Country Park has seafront walks as well as a permanent orienteering course and a miniature railway

They also have regular family events.

 

 

 

*Hampshire CC’s Story Trails

This is one of Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails.

These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, which are told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and divided into numbered sections. Numbered markers prompt you to read the sections of the story along the trail.

 

 

Find a Story Pack

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a copy of a story trail from the internet in written or audio form.

Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail. 

Nearest Town: Netley, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO31 5GA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are several good sized, pay and display car parks around the park.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour to a maximum of £4 per day.

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, ducks, seabirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: May 2017

 

Netley Park

Royal Victoria Country Park stands on the site of Netley Hospital, a vast Victorian military hospital that was the world’s longest building.

 

 

 

Today all that remains of the quarter of a mile long building is the central chapel, but by walking around the park you can get a sense of its enormous scale.

This photo was taken from one end of the hospital building – the chapel was the middle of the building, there was a whole other wing on the other side!

 

Southampton Water

The country park overlooks Southampton Water, which has a busy, slightly industrial feel – boats of all sizes regularly sail past and there is what looks like a refinery on the opposite shore.

 

 

 

The Beach

The shingle beaches are covered in little shells – we collected about thirty in ten minutes. There is a ramp down onto the beach for easy access.

 

 

 

 

The Story Trail

The Royal Victoria Country Park Story Trail is called “Time Trouble at Royal Victoria Country Park” and follows Professor Nutrino, a Time Agent, as she battles to fix a tear in time…with a little help from your children.

 

 

And There’s More

The park also has fields to play in, a miniature railway called the Royal Victoria Railway, a permanent orienteering course (course map available from the Visitor Centre) and family activities.

 

 

The Paths

The fields were dry and the paths were flat and easy to push a buggy along.  

 

 

 

The Adventure Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a basket swing
• a climbing wall
• a roundabout
• zip wires
• flower ‘telephones’
• a sensory garden
• a jeep
• a small multiplay with a slide and a wobbly bridge and
• a trampoline.

Nearest Town: Netley, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO31 5GA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are several, good sized, pay and display car parks around the park.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour to a maximum of £4 per day

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, ducks, seagulls, waterbirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: May 2017

 

The equipment includes:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a small obstacle course
• a multiplay with a slide, ladder, space-themed climbing wall and climbing bars
• a roundabout
• spinners
• springers
• a basket swing.

Nearest Town: Godalming
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU7 2NR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. 
Facilities: None.

How Long We Spent There: About three hours.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: You can park on the road by the play area. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: April 2017

 

Dippy the Diplodocus

I’ve always loved the Natural History Museum and couldn’t wait to take my children there. I had a specific mission today – to show my children Dippy the Diplodocus skeleton before it leaves on 4th January 2017.

The children were amazed by Dippy’s size. The concept of a skeleton seemed a little abstract for them but they recognised it as being a dinosaur.

I wrote this in January 2017. Dippy has now left the Natural History Museum and has been replaced by the skeleton of a blue whale. 

 

The T-Rex

Next stop was the Dinosaur Gallery. Its first exhibit gives you the chance to get up close and personal with a life-size T-Rex that roars and eyes the crowd.

 

 

 

The Dinosaur Gallery

The Dinosaur Gallery is displayed on two levels. There are several dinosaur skeletons suspended from the ceiling that are viewed from a suspended walkway.

There are also specimens on the floor, including a Diplodocus skull, dinosaur and alligator skin comparisons, hatching dinosaur eggs and a Triceratops skeleton.

 

The Mammals Gallery

There was so much to see in the Mammals Gallery. Sadly, it was packed with visitors so I struggled to get the children a good view of anything.

 

 

 

We retreated to the blue whale room and were relieved to find it less crowded and the blue whale itself as mind-blowingly massive as I remembered.

 

 

The Marine Invertebrate Room

The last room we had planned to see was the Marine Invertebrate room. Sadly, it was closed for a puppet show so we decided to call it a day and go for some lunch in a local cafe.

 

So, So Busy

Choose the timing of your trip carefully. I visited during a peak time and the museum was so busy that the children struggled to see many of the exhibits. 

 

 

Using a Buggy

I brought a buggy but it was difficult – many walkways were narrow, the lift in the blue whale room was not in use and manoeuvring was hard because the rooms were so full of people.

Next time I will leave all our stuff in the cloakroom.

 

Useful to Know

1. The museum can be really busy.

Google suggests that the museum’s busiest times are school holidays, weekends and Fridays from about 12 noon until about 4pm.

2. Entry queues can build up.

When we drove past at 10am the museum had just opened and there was an enormous queue but by 10.50am it was down to about five minutes. When we left the museum at 1pm there was no queue at all but when we drove past at 2pm an enormous queue had built up again.

3. Step-Free Access

The front entrance (Cromwell Road) into the Museum has steps but no ramp. The Exhibition Road entrance has step free access.

4. The Cloakroom

Children under 3 can leave items in the cloakroom for free. Buggies can be left but need to be folded.

5. Check Before You Go

You can check the museum’s website to make sure that all the galleries you want to see are open on the day you plan to visit.

 

The Natural History Museum at Tring

If you are interested in animal specimens then consider the Natural History Museum at Tring but note that there are no dinosaurs there.

Nearest Town: South Kensington, London
County: London
Nearest Postcode: SW7 5BD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe, picnic area and nearby restaurants and pubs. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, shop, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy friendly in theory but difficult when it is busy.

Parking: The museum does not have a car park and but there are NCP car parks in the area, some of which can be booked online.
Cost of Parking: Varies and can be expensive.

Information Written: January 2017

 

The Winchester Planetarium

Within the Science Centre is Winchester Planetarium, a planetarium cinema with a 360 degree screen.

 

 

 

 

The Chatterbox shows are a good option for young children as talking and shouting out is allowed.

You can choose whether to buy a ticket for the Science Centre, the Planetarium or both.

 

 

 

 

The Science Centre Exhibits

The Science Centre exhibits are aimed at a range of ages.

Many were the right height for a young child and others had toddler stools. 

 

 

 

Amongst our favourite activities were matching photos with x-rays,

 

 

 

 

using pendulums and magnets,

 

 

 

 

 

 

bouncing light beams around corners,

 

 

 

 

 

piecing together a human skeleton from x-rays and

 

 

 

 

playing on the outdoor balance course and

 

 

 

 

soft play area (for ages 6 and under).

 

 

 

 

 

Each exhibit explains how to use its equipment and then poses questions for you to answer by doing an experiment.

 

 

Nearest Town: Winchester
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO21 1HZ

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: £10 to £14.99
Child Cost Range: £10 to £14.99
Free if: 2 years and under

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Indoor and outdoor picnic tables, cafe, snacks, ice creams, drinks, toilets, accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 5 hours.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: December 2016

 

A Chatterbox Show

We went to a Chatterbox show, which means talking and shouting out is actively encouraged.

The show was fantastic – interesting, high energy and lots of fun. My children were yelling out answers, laughing and joining in. At £2.80 per seat (as an add-on to the Science Centre tickets) it was great value too.

The show lasted about 30 minutes, which was just right for the children.

 

 

 

The Planetarium

The Planetarium has a 360 degree screen that surrounds and immerses you in the show. The cinema is quite dark when you first walk in and becomes darker once the show starts.

The seats are permanently reclined so you lie back and gaze up at the screen as soon as you sit down. 

 

 

The Winchester Science Centre

The Planetarium is attached to the Winchester Science Centre. You can choose whether to buy a ticket for the Science Centre, the Planetarium or both.

Nearest Town: Winchester
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: PSO21 1HZ

Adult Cost Range: £5 to £9.99 (but less if bought at the same time as a Science Centre ticket)
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99 (but less if bought at the same time as a Science Centre ticket)
Free if: 2 years and under and sitting on a lap

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Cafe and picnic area. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, shop, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 40 minutes (4 hours when including a visit to the Winchester Science Centre)
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: December 2016