Things to do in the UK

[NicF]

Well, I’m here in the UK and over the jet lag and now I’m looking for ideas of things to do with a 16 year old and a 12 year old.  The 12 year old is high functioning autistic and can’t do anything that involves sitting somewhere with other people, like cinemas or the theatre, but otherwise is a pretty typical 12 year old.  We are based in Rotherham, I have a hire car but don’t want to be spending too long driving so things reasonably close would be good.  The kids are also lacking coats so we can’t be outside for too long if it’s really cold or wet.

I’m always reading that there are loads of things to do in the UK so I’d love to hear some ideas.  I’m getting a bit fed up of sitting around in my mums living room and really need to get out and about somewhere.

[Quoll]

York for a day - Christmas markets, Cathedral, Museum, Clifford’s Tower (singing the Grand Old Duke of York as you go), Shambles, do a Ghost Walk. But get out of Rotherham for sure!

[Perthbum]

NATIONAL TRUST HAVE SO MUCH FOR KIDS TO DO, GET A FAMILY TICKET

[Perthbum]

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/search?type=place&query=ROTHERHAM&lat=53.43260350&lon=-1.36350090

[VERYSTORMY]

how about the Magna Science Centre? Aimed at kids of that age and looks fun

[NicF]

1 hour ago, VERYSTORMY said:

how about the Magna Science Centre? Aimed at kids of that age and looks fun

Forgotten about Magna.  Been before but not since we moved.  Only problem with it is it’s freezing, but the kids would get completely different things out of it these days.  Will look in to it, thanks.

[NicF]

2 hours ago, Perthbum said:

NATIONAL TRUST HAVE SO MUCH FOR KIDS TO DO, GET A FAMILY TICKET

A lot of National Trust things don’t really do it for the youngest but I will have a look at what they have as some of the gardens might be nice for a walk if nothing else.  They pretty much all have cafes these days and cafes always go down well.  A family ticket might not be much good as it’s just me and the kids as the OH is still at home, but I’ll look in to the tickets, thanks.

[NicF]

4 hours ago, Quoll said:

York for a day - Christmas markets, Cathedral, Museum, Clifford’s Tower (singing the Grand Old Duke of York as you go), Shambles, do a Ghost Walk. But get out of Rotherham for sure!

I love York.  We did a day trip before we moved, but that would have been well over 5 years ago now.  Bit of a drive from here but will see if the kids fancy a day trip out, thanks.

ETA - if the kids don’t fancy it I might have to leave them with my dad and take my mum out for the day instead.

Edited December 12, 2017 by NicF

[Guest241083]

........just a suggestion about coats

........I bought mine from a charity shop 

........donated it back after a dry clean

........would mean the kids could enjoy some countryside walks ...

[blondie]

Well looking at the weather at the moment (freezing) I would be off to the shops for cheap coats.  Try Sports Direct, charity shops, supermarkets etc.  plus a hat or scarf and your all set for some lovely long walks. 

[NicF]

You’d think cheap coats would be the answer wouldn’t you?  Unfortunately I think I would end up carrying them around just in case with the kids refusing to wear them.  And the youngest doesn’t really do long walks anyway.  Not unless it involves kicking or throwing a ball.  I might google and see if there are any (warm) science or sports type places nearby.

[Parley]

Who goes to England in the middle of a freezing winter and doesn't take heavy coats with them ?

Answer NicF.

[NicF]

Just now, Parley said:

Who goes to England in the middle of a freezing winter and doesn't take heavy coats with them ?

Answer NicF.

I have a heavy coat that I took to Australia from the UK but the kids don’t need heavy coats in Adelaide so don’t have them to bring them with us.  Last time we came at this time of year it wasn’t nearly as cold and jumpers were perfectly adequate.

[bristolman]

19 minutes ago, NicF said:

I have a heavy coat that I took to Australia from the UK but the kids don’t need heavy coats in Adelaide so don’t have them to bring them with us.  Last time we came at this time of year it wasn’t nearly as cold and jumpers were perfectly adequate.

It is an interesting time to choose but in fairness winters have been so mild of late you are incredibly unlucky to have hit this cold spell. I can't really help with places to go as our experiences are based on the Midlands and South I'm afraid. 

[Perthbum]

43 minutes ago, Parley said:

Who goes to England in the middle of a freezing winter and doesn't take heavy coats with them ?

Answer NicF.

[LKC]

I don't know if your kids would be interested in this sort of thing, but if you go to York there is the Jorvik Viking Centre which is supposed to be good.

[NicF]

1 hour ago, LKC said:

I don't know if your kids would be interested in this sort of thing, but if you go to York there is the Jorvik Viking Centre which is supposed to be good.

It is.  We went before we moved but I’m not sure the youngest could cope with it these days.  His sensory issues have got much worse as he has got older and I have to be careful about being somewhere with other people that we can’t get out of easily (flights are a nightmare).

[LKC]

2 hours ago, NicF said:

It is.  We went before we moved but I’m not sure the youngest could cope with it these days.  His sensory issues have got much worse as he has got older and I have to be careful about being somewhere with other people that we can’t get out of easily (flights are a nightmare).

Our 11 year old has Asperger's, so I completely understand where you're coming from.  She'd be okay with something like that because it would hold her interest, but it is a bit of a nightmare if she decides she doesn't want to go/be somewhere.  She gets worked up in to such a state that she has been known to vomit.  Not great on a flight!

[BacktoDemocracy]

23 hours ago, NicF said:

Well, I’m here in the UK and over the jet lag and now I’m looking for ideas of things to do with a 16 year old and a 12 year old.  The 12 year old is high functioning autistic and can’t do anything that involves sitting somewhere with other people, like cinemas or the theatre, but otherwise is a pretty typical 12 year old.  We are based in Rotherham, I have a hire car but don’t want to be spending too long driving so things reasonably close would be good.  The kids are also lacking coats so we can’t be outside for too long if it’s really cold or wet.

I’m always reading that there are loads of things to do in the UK so I’d love to hear some ideas.  I’m getting a bit fed up of sitting around in my mums living room and really need to get out and about somewhere.

There are the Royal Armouries at Leeds, i believe there are new developments at Salford like the tv studios and there is the angel of the north and I think there are new museums on the Tyneside, there is York, there is Harrogate, there is Buxton,, a lot further is Bath with its Roman baths, a bit of a rip off but an architectural gem, there is York minster, there are any number of the great cathedrals which are a fantastic feature of England,  

There are all the great castles but check prices because some of them are rip off prices

London has all the great museums, I would recommend the Imperial war museum which should appeal to boys

There are sales on at all the outdoor sports warehouses where you can get outside coats, scarves and hats at really reasonable prices, you really will need those with the weather like it is, this weather  is a serious business especially for your family being unused to it , don't take risks with chills. 

[bunbury61]

21 hours ago, LKC said:

I don't know if your kids would be interested in this sort of thing, but if you go to York there is the Jorvik Viking Centre which is supposed to be good.

it is good .....they have a Madame tussaud style thingy at Warwick castle as well

[BacktoDemocracy]

On 12/12/2017 at 13:47, NicF said:

Well, I’m here in the UK and over the jet lag and now I’m looking for ideas of things to do with a 16 year old and a 12 year old.  The 12 year old is high functioning autistic and can’t do anything that involves sitting somewhere with other people, like cinemas or the theatre, but otherwise is a pretty typical 12 year old.  We are based in Rotherham, I have a hire car but don’t want to be spending too long driving so things reasonably close would be good.  The kids are also lacking coats so we can’t be outside for too long if it’s really cold or wet.

I’m always reading that there are loads of things to do in the UK so I’d love to hear some ideas.  I’m getting a bit fed up of sitting around in my mums living room and really need to get out and about somewhere.

There is HMS Belfast on the Thames and there is Nelson's flagship Victory at Portsmouth, I think you can get access to the Houses of Parliament and The Lords, you'd have to investigate that tho now in the times of security, those are all things which you would not get in Australia.

 

[NicF]

3 hours ago, BacktoDemocracy said:

There is HMS Belfast on the Thames and there is Nelson's flagship Victory at Portsmouth, I think you can get access to the Houses of Parliament and The Lords, you'd have to investigate that tho now in the times of security, those are all things which you would not get in Australia.

 

Bit far from where we are and ships are not really something the kids would be interested in - science and sport are more their thing.  I can’t stand London and would not make a special trip down for a visit give the cost and time it would take plus we spent 4 days in London last time we came and did most of the touristy stuff we are interested in then.  The eldest has actually been to Parliment House and the Governor General’s house (and met the Governor General) in Canberra recently.

[BacktoDemocracy]

2 hours ago, NicF said:

Bit far from where we are and ships are not really something the kids would be interested in - science and sport are more their thing.  I can’t stand London and would not make a special trip down for a visit give the cost and time it would take plus we spent 4 days in London last time we came and did most of the touristy stuff we are interested in then.  The eldest has actually been to Parliment House and the Governor General’s house (and met the Governor General) in Canberra recently.

I was not having a dig at Australia, I was only high lighting that in terms of an experience different to Australia these were what might make a visit to the U stand out and yes it is always about what interests individuals, London is difficult I agree but unfortunately it is, and always has been the capital, and  unfortunately that is what makes the UK a stand out in terms of history because it has so often been central to the history of the western world, it is both its delight and its downfall. 

I was highlighting the things that come to my mind when asked what might I want to see in the UK on a visit from a very different country and where there are some constraints about what can be dealt with in terms of space and immediacy.

[NicF]

3 minutes ago, BacktoDemocracy said:

I was not having a dig at Australia, I was only high lighting that in terms of an experience different to Australia these were what might make a visit to the U stand out and yes it is always about what interests individuals, London is difficult I agree but unfortunately it is, and always has been the capital, and  unfortunately that is what makes the UK a stand out in terms of history because it has so often been central to the history of the western world, it is both its delight and its downfall. 

I was highlighting the things that come to my mind when asked what might I want to see in the UK on a visit from a very different country and where there are some constraints about what can be dealt with in terms of space and immediacy.

To be honest, that’s kind of why I’m a bit stuck for ideas.  I know there are loads of great things to do further afield but given my kids interests (or lack of them) and our location it’s a bit hard to think of things to do to keep us all entertained.  Unless the youngest is interested in the place we are going to it can be a painful experience and just not worth the effort.  He would be happy if he could spend a few hours bowling and batting with someone in a cricket net everyday, but that’s not going to happen.

[LKC]

Do you think you could manage a day to Birmingham?  If so there is quite a lot to do.  We took the kids to the Thinktank museum last year, which is a kids science museum.  They loved it, really interactive for science-interested kids.  There is also Cadbury World and the National Sealife Centre.  In Tamworth, which isn't so far away, there is the Snowdome which has skiing, snowboarding and ice skating, and Drayton Manor park.