Bucket & Spade Days – Head down to Avon Beach, Hengistbury Head or slightly further afield in Bournemouth and Sandbanks.

Hengistbury Head Beach & Nature Reserve – Combine a trip to the sandy & pebble beach, safe for swimming, with a walk on the famed nature reserve great for exploring and wildlife spotting. The area is served by a land train ride (a.k.a. Noddy train).

‘Noddy’ Train ride – (aka Hengistbury Head Land train) journey between Hengistbury Head and Mudeford Sandbank through the entire nature reserve passing heaths, woodlands and wetlands. With great views over Christchurch harbour and the Priory, it makes for a fun trip out.

Crabbing along Mudeford Quay – Hours of entertainment along the quay and easy enough to can buy all the paraphernalia in town or in the lttle shop next to the Haven Pub on the quay.

Splash Park on Christchurch Quay – fabulous for those warmer days when the kids want to splash around in the water.

A round of Crazy Golf at The Boathouse at Christchurch Quay. A good spot for all round Family fun.

Walk around Stanpit Nature Reserve – Amazing views across Christchurch Harbour and you may even get to see the odd wild pony. A great spot for avid bird watchers.

Ferry rides – between Mudeford Sandbank, Tuckton and Christchurch quay for walks along the beach, river or town.

Feeding the ducks & swans – either on Christchurch Quay or along the river opposite the Kings Hotel in central Christchurch. Superpet, the local pet shop on the High Street sells duck feed or bring your own bread!

Adventure Wonderland Theme Park – Voted Dorset’s top, award winning family all-inclusive theme park, mixing rides, fairy tale activities, animal cuddling, with both indoor and outdoor adventure play. This place will keep little (& big) kids amused for many hours.

Horse Riding in the New Forest – if you fancy some forest hacking, a lesson or even just a gentle horse-back ride through the New Forest, check out Burley Villa Riding School in New Milton who provide a variety of options for children aged 4 or over.

Rent a little power boat – from Christchurch quay to sail up to Tuckton and back. Good family fun even for the little ones.

Get crafty at Christchurch’s Clay Studio – Great for that rainy day activity and to bring out the budding artist from within.

Old fashioned playground fun – closest is around the corner, alternatives include Barrack Road, The Quomps, Mudeford Quay & Recreation Ground and Bluebell close.

For the optimal Spa Pampering experience – try out the Harbour Spa at Christchurch Harbour Hotel or the Chewton Glen Hotel in New Milton.

SnowTrax, Christchurch (< 6 miles) – Located on the edge of the Forest, this dry slope ski centre, provides a range of exhilarating activities for the adventurers out there. Try your hand at the ringos and ski-bobs or stick to skiing. www.snowtrax.eu

Oceanarium, Bournemouth (< 7 miles) – Meet Nemo and his friends at this lovely oceanarium. Perfect for those rainy days and conveniently centrally located near Bournemouth pier. www.oceanarium.co.uk

RockReef, Bournemouth (< 7 miles) – For those aged 5 years and over, this is an amazing indoor adventure park that includes clip and climb challenges, vertical drop slide, leap of faith feature, a highline aerial obstacle course, pier cave tours and the famous Pier Zip – a dual racing zipline from the pier to the beach! www.rockreef.co.uk

Liberty’s Falconry, Ringwood (< 8 miles) – Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre is located in the town of Ringwood and houses the largest collection of birds of prey in the area. www.libertysfalconry.co.uk

New Forest Cycling, Burley (< 8 miles) – Voted a top 10 Family Day out by the Independent Newspaper, they have rides for all ages and abilities on the stunning New Forest cycle routes. A kid friendly set up, providing childseats, trailers or tag a longs. Starting at Burley, cycle along our famous Old Railway, visit the Deer Sanctuary, enjoy the Woodland Trail and relax at a real New Forest pub or indulge in a sumptuous cream tea. www.forestleisurecycling.co.uk

Brownsea Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Poole Harbour (< 10 miles) – Famous for red squirrels and the birthplace for scouting and guiding movements, Brownsea island sits in the middle of Poole Harbour, with dramatic views across the Purbeck Hills. A National Trust icon, in the summer months, the island plays host to an Open Air Theatre and at a mile long and wide, makes for great all year round walks. Get there by boat from either Poole Quary or Sandbanks. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brownsea-island

Hurst Castle, Milford on Sea (< 10 miles) – Located at the end of a 1.5 mile long shingle spit in the Solent, this makes for a beautiful walk with amazing views across the Solent and the Isle of Wight. Rest assured there’s a basic café at the end to stock up on supplies as needed. www.hurstcastle.co.uk

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Ringwood (< 10 miles) – A fabulous country park with a lot to offer for all ages; peaceful walks and cycle paths through the forest, a lake with a picnic area, surf and paddle boarding, an authentic narrow-gauge steam train and even the home of Go Ape for a high wire forest adventure. www.moors-valley.co.uk

New Forest Waterpark, Fordingbridge (< 11 miles) – From wakeboarding, waterskiing, kayaking to racing your family and friends on the UK’s 1st wibit outdoor inflatable sports park, this aqua park is made for the water enthusiast. www.newforestwaterpark.co.uk

Lemur Landings Soft Play, Poole (<11 miles) – Boasting a huge multi-level playframe, multi-slide, bridges, tunnels, ball cannons, climbing wall and dedicated areas for under 5’s, this is one of the biggest soft play centres in Dorset. www.lemurlandings.co.uk

New Forest Open Top Bus Tour, Brockenhurst (< 14 miles) – Run during the summer months, this is the easiest way to see a little bit of everything the New Forest has to offer. Currently offering 3 routes, combine with stops at New Forest Wildlife Park, Longdown Activity Farm or Hythe waterfront and ferry. www.thenewforesttour.info

Longdown Farm, Ashurst (< 16 miles) – A family run farm with a daily schedule of hands-on farming activities for the kids to enjoy. Try your hand at bottle feeding the kid goats and calves, hold a duckling to cuddling a rabbit or even a piglet. With tractor rides, pony rides and a large outdoor picnic area, this is a great family day out. www.longdownfarm.co.uk

New Forest Wildlife Park, Ashurst (< 16 miles) – Follow the woodland trails to encounter an array of local animals (from otters, bison, pole cats to deer) in their natural habitat. This beautiful park has a fabulous adventure playground and special events all year round. www.newforestwildlifepark.co.uk

Sandy Balls, Fordingbridge (< 16 miles) – 120 acres of parks and woodland in the New Forest National Park offers a great getaway and has a variety of entertainment for the family including a swimming pool. A really good place to hire bikes and not worry about roads. www.sandyballs.co.uk

Farmer Palmers Farm Park, Poole (< 18 miles) – A great ‘farm’ themed day out for the under 8s, with a range of attractions including animal handling, pig racing, pony rides, bumpy tractor-trailer ride and the Little Farmer Fun Barn for some indoor soft play action. www.farmerpalmers.co.uk

Paultons Park / Peppa Pig World, Romsey (< 18 miles) – Voted the UK’s number 1 Family theme park, Paultons is the home to Peppa Pig world and the new Lost Kingdom with a whole host of dinosaur attractions. Book and plan your day well in advance as there is so much for the family to do here. www.paultonspark.co.uk

Buckler’s Hard and Beaulieu River, Beaulieu (< 21 miles) – An 18th century shipbuilding village, located on the banks of the beautiful Bealieu river. Take a walk through the village, take the river cruise, visit the Maritime Museum and grab lunch at either the Captain’s Cabin Cafe or the Master Builder’s House Hotel, with views across the river. www.bucklershard.co.uk

Corfe Castle & Swanage, Corfe Mullen (< 25 miles) – a National Trust property, Corfe Castle is one of Britain’s most iconic survivors of the English Civil War. Combine with a walk along the Purbeck taking in the vistas across Corfe Castle and Old Harry rocks, with the option to return by steam train on the Swanage Railway. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/corfe-castle

Lulworth Cove and Durdles Door (< 28 miles) – Part of the famous Jurassic Coastline, a World Heritage Site, here we have a famous natural limestone arch and a beautiful secluded cove. Visit the Heritage Centre and take a walk along the cliff top and on the beach to enjoy the wonderful views. The beach here is recommended by the Marine Conservation Society for excellent water quality. www.jurassiccoast.org/walkthroughtime/highlight-lulworth-cove-and-durdle-door/

Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre, nr Wareham (< 28 miles) – Set in a 65 acre woodland park, with over 230 rescued and endangered apes and monkeys to see, this is a must for any monkey lover. www.monkeyworld.org

Marwell Wildlife Zoo, Winchester (< 35 miles) – a bit of trek but so much to do for the avid safari lover. A 140 acre park, with train, 3 adventure playgrounds, food court and many, many animals. www.marwell.org.uk/zoo/