For the Children, fun in Mid Wales

In Kerry village, we have a new children's play ground  with swings, climbing wall, monkey bars and a zip wire. There are plenty of benches and tables for a picnic - all in beautiful surrounding countryside. The local shop is only a few minutes walk away for icecreams (and the pub!) Dogs are not allowed in this park.

Newtown also has a large park (dogs are fine here) with childrens play area and riverside walks. There is a a skate board park for older children and cycle paths. There is a small art gallery with cafe at the edge of the park and there is ample parking.

The nearest beaches are at Cardigan Bay about an hours drive away. Aberdyfi and Borth are both Blue Flag sandy beaches with lots to offer the family.

Aberdyfi is a thriving little harbour resort with golden sandy beaches within the Snowdonia National Park. There is crab fishing from the pier, many water sports and a steam railway nearby. 

Borth consists of three miles of gently shelving golden sand with great surfing and impressive sand dunes at the Dyfi National Nature Reserve end.

Both Newtown and Welshpool have leisure centres with indoor swimming pools open to the public. Newtown's swimming pool is a traditional 25 metre pool whilst Welshpool's is more of a fun pool with a 30 meter flume slide, spa and rapids.               

• Maldwyn,  Newtown: Swimming pool and sauna, soft play

• Flash,  Welshpool: Swimming pool, sports hall and soft play

Both leisure centres have fitness studios, squash courts, soft play zones and sports halls and outdoor facilities. Newtown has a pool side sauna for over 14s.

Mickey Millers is a larger soft play centre in Craven Arms - great for wet weather days.

For a rainy day there are cinemas and ten-pin bowling alleys nearby

• Regent Cinema Newtown: 2 screens, films shown all week

• UCI Cinema Shrewsbury: 8 screens with 3D shown all week

• uStrike Bowling Newtown: New ten-pin bowling centre with laser shooting and bar

In Craven Arms the Mickey Miller Play Barn is a great indoor activities for children of all ages and they encourage the adults to go in and join in the fun with their children. It is an all weather attraction providing family entertainment all year round. There is also a kiddies corner for the very young with a newly installed toddlers play frame and a whole section of additional play equipment slide and bridges. The cafe sells good food - our children have had several Birthday celebrations here.

Machinations, the only permanent exhibition of contemporary Automata (mechanical moving models) in the UK. The hands-on interactive moving model characters spin, whirl or bob up and down with fascinating mechanisms displaying cogs, cams and levers - an infinite variety of movement.
 There is also a rabbit village where visitors can watch rabbits in their own rabbit scale houses and a play barn with climbing equipment, slide, soft play for small children.

Experience daily life at Acton Scott Farm, an upland farm at the turn of the century. The waggoner and his team of heavy horses work the land with vintage farm machines. Each day, in the cottage, the farmer's wife goes about her chores; cooking on the range, baking bread and doing laundry. Located between Church Stretton and Carven Arms it is open from March to October and gives a children a great insight into the lives of working farms across Wales.

Our children particularly enjoyed the Judges Lodging museum as they were able to dress up and unlike most museums, sit on/touch the articles and furniture in the rooms.Once, the lodgings were called ‘the most commodious and elegant apartments for a judge in all England and Wales’ (Lord Chief Justice Campbell, 1855). Now, aided by an interior hardly touched by time and original furnishings discarded in attics, extensive research and restoration has re-awakened this ‘Victorian fossil’.

King Arthurs Labyrinth is an exciting underground adventure unfolds as you sail along a subterranean river, through the great waterfall, deep inside the spectacular Labyrinth and far into the past.

Dramatic tales of Dragons, Battles, Giants, torrential floodings and much more are brought to life through dramatic tableaux and thrilling sound and light effects. The Arthur they tell of is the hero of the earliest legends, a Dark Age warrior fighting the Saxon invader to bring peace to Britain.

Close to this attraction is Corris Craft Centre and The Centre For Alternative Technology

Llywernog Silver Mine is an authentic 18th century silver mine. A visit to Llywernog offers an insight into life nearly 200 years ago, when the mine employed over 60 people. Today, Llywernog is a fascinating and educational family adventure, and continues to be developed as a major all-weather attraction. Friendly and knowledgeable guides are always on hand to answer your questions and identify your geological finds

Visitors wear helmets with lights to go into one of the old mines just like real miners. There is a museum and cafe and the 'Miners Trail' is a self-guide footpath around the old workings of the mine site.

This attraction is close to Devil's Bridge, a steam train line and a Red Kite feeding centre and visitor park.

Park Hall near Oswestry is one of the region’s most exciting family visitor attractions. With 40,000 square feet of indoor attractions, regular hands-on animal activities, lots of outdoor play and driving activities there is never a dull moment for the kids.
The 130 acre farm promises hours of farming fun and energetic activities.