5 fun things to do in Portsmouth for kids

There are some fantastic things to do in Portsmouth for kids that will keep them entertained for hours during your family holiday. Portsmouth is well known for being an important naval port and there are some wonderfully unique attractions to see that you won’t find anywhere else. Here we pick our 5 favourite fun things to do in Portsmouth with Kids.

1. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a wonderful place to visit with kids and provides them with a unique opportunity to have fun and learn some interesting maritime history at the same time. While here families can visit the Mary Rose Museum and learn about Tudor life, see the mighty HMS Warrior, see the glorious HMS Victory and take an interesting tour of the harbour.

There is also the popular Action Stations attraction that is chock full of fun physical challenges and games, and includes one of the tallest indoor towers in Europe, a Royal Marines motion simulator and a crazy play zone mostly suited to older children and teenagers. The Historic Dockyard is open all year round at 10am and costs £26 for adults and £19.75 for children - tickets last a year and after the initial cost you can return any time within a year free of charge.

2. Staunton Park

Staunton Country Park is a charming 1000 acre park with plenty of areas for kids explore. The park has stunning gardens and a Victorian glasshouse full of interesting flora and fauna - kids will love the giant lilly pads in the pond. The park also has a farm will friendly animals to see including llamas, alpacas, deer, piglets and goats. Children can feed the animals too if you purchase some animal feed from the little shop.

There’s a fantastic indoor play barn suitable for toddlers and ideal if the weather isn’t too great. There is also an outdoor playground and maze as well as loads of places to relax and enjoy a family picnic. Adults will love the regency style tearooms where you can stop for cake and a cuppa. A family ticket to the park is £21 based on 2 adults and 2 children and it is open all year round. Remember to take your camera so you can pose with the free-roaming peacocks!

3. Portsmouth National History Museum

Portsmouth National History Museum is a great way to spend an afternoon and, even better, admission is completely free! Visitors to the museum can learn about the variety of wildlife habitats located in Portsmouth. There is all kinds of information about the animals that live in the area near the riverbank, in the woods and marshes and even in the urban parts of the city. You can also learn about the city’s ancient geology.

Between May and September you can walk through the wonderful Butterfly House where kids will delight in seeing the beautiful insects flying all around them. The museum’s website has great factsheets that kids can take along with them and spot the creatures in question.

4. Clarence Pier

Clarence Pier is located in Southsea and is a great way for the family to enjoy a few hours of entertainment. There are some good rides here, like the daring Swing Tower or Skyways rollercoaster which are ideal for older children, while the little ones can enjoy the teacup ride, carousel and balloon wheel. There is also the Sky Trail – an obstacle course suspended in the air made up of rope ladders, platforms and bridges.

If you get bored of the rides, you can hit the amusement arcades and very young children will love Pirate Pete’s adventure playground. There is a good family restaurant and traditional seaside chips and ice creams are available too. Don’t miss this wonderful seaside gem!

5. Mini Port

There are two Mini Port locations in Portsmouth, one in the popular Historic Dockyard and a second at Gunwharf Quays. At the miniport visitors get the chance to drive their very own mini ships, including a destroyer, a lifeboat, a freighter, a torpedo boat and the Miniport Ferry. The electrically powered boats are quiet, easy to operate and safe to enjoy on the water - any child will love this experience!

Kids can learn about careful manoeuvring as they try to drive between floating buoys without hitting them. The ships can hold up to 5 people, prices are £8 for two people or £12 for 4 people and kids will be fitted with a life jacket to ensure their safety. If you visit before 12.30pm you will get 50% longer on the ships.

 
Portsmouth is an ideal place to visit if you’re looking for some great things to do with the kids. And if you are looking for something to do at the end of a fun day, try the Blue Reef Aquarium located on the seafront where you can see underwater creatures such as sharks, sting rays, otters and even piranhas. Don’t miss out on all the family fun Portsmouth has to offer!