A good family day out depends on the child more than the venue. A toddler wants animals and something to run at, a nine-year-old wants a tree house, and a teenager wants to be somewhere they can pretend not to enjoy. These five Surrey places cover that range. Prices are "from" figures and change with the season, so check the venue's own site before you set off.
For animals and soft play
Godstone Farm & Playbarn, Godstone
Tilburstow Hill Road, Godstone, a short distance from Junction 6 of the M25. It is a working farm with an indoor soft play barn, which makes it a sound choice when the weather turns. It opens daily except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, from 10am.
Pricing is peak and off-peak. Peak applies in Surrey school holidays and bank holidays. Booked online in advance, adults and children aged 2 to 16 pay from £16.95 off-peak and £19.95 at peak. A child aged 1 is from £8.50 off-peak and £9.95 at peak. On-the-day tickets start at £18.95 off-peak, and booking ahead saves up to £2 a ticket. Cheapest of all is booking online the day before. Details are on the farm's prices page.
It suits toddlers to around eight, and parents who want a day that survives rain.
Bocketts Farm Park, Leatherhead
Bocketts Farm Park is another farm day, listed at Leatherhead. Standard prices are £19.50 for an adult and £21.50 for a child aged 3 to 17. A child aged 2 is £18.50, a one-year-old £7.50, and under-1s are free. Off-peak days are cheaper: £16.50 for an adult and £17.50 for ages 3 to 17. A five-visit pass is £86 for ages 3 to 17 and £78 for an adult, which pays off if you plan to return. The full list is on the Bocketts site.
For space to roam
Painshill, Cobham
Portsmouth Road, Cobham. Painshill is an 18th-century landscape garden of about 160 acres, with one of the largest working water wheels in the country and a Crystal Grotto. Children aged 5 to 16 pay £7.50, adults £15.00 and concessions £12.50, and under-5s are free, according to Historic Houses. Proceeds go to the Painshill Park Trust charity. A family membership covers two adults and up to four children aged 5 to 16, worth a look if you will come more than a couple of times.
The landscape is open 10am to 6pm from April to October and 10am to 4pm from November to March. The Crystal Grotto opens Tuesday to Sunday. It suits families with children who like to wander, climb and look for things.
Hatchlands Park, East Clandon
East Clandon, near Guildford. This National Trust property is a good one for children who want to build, balance and get muddy. The National Trust describes a natural adventure area in Great Wix Wood with balance beams, a tree house and a bug burrow, along with resident donkeys and natural play areas.
With Gift Aid, adults pay £15.40 and children aged 5 to 17 pay £7.70, with under-5s free. A family ticket for two adults and up to three children is £38.50, and one adult with up to three children is £23.10. The house keeps shorter hours because it is a family home, and the cafe, car park and park walks have their own times, so check the National Trust page first. A Summer of Play runs daily from 18 July to 6 September, free once admission is paid.
RHS Garden Wisley, near Woking
Wisley Lane, Wisley. The garden has a free car park, cafes, an indoor soft play and an outdoor playground, and it covers the Glasshouse, RHS Hilltop and the Old Laboratory. Pre-booked adult tickets start from £14.80, with £19.80 at the gate. Ages 5 to 16 are £5 and under-5s are free, according to Day Out With The Kids. It suits mixed-age groups, where grandparents want flowers and children want a playground.
For older children
If you have older children after thrills, Surrey also has Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park, near Chertsey. Both run seasons into November, with Chessington opening 20 March to 1 November and Thorpe Park 27 March to 1 November. Thorpe Park lists online tickets from £39 and a walk-up price of £66, and it is the more thrill-led of the two, so suits older children. Check each park's own site for prices, height rules and addresses.
Tips for booking
Book online and ahead where you can. At Godstone and Wisley it is cheaper.
Avoid school holidays and bank holidays if you can, as peak pricing applies.
Check ages carefully: child tickets start at 1, 2, 3 or 5 depending on the venue.
Look at membership or multi-visit passes if you expect to return.
