From energetic activities to calming creative days out - here is how you can make sure you still have fun even when it is raining.
Anglian indoor karting
You can still have an exciting fun packed day even if it is pouring down of rain at this venue. Anglian indoor karting has a number of activities for the whole family to enjoy. There are Kubz Karts for those aged 5-7, Cadet Karts for those aged 8-16 and Adult Karts for those over 16. You can have an adrenaline pumping race against your family or friends by participating in the Full Grand Prix option or you can do something slightly calmer with the Arrive & Drive choice - these are just two of the many options on offer. For more information and to take a look at prices visit their website here.
Ceramic studio
Suffolk is home to a number of great ceramic studios which are perfect for a creative day out and to hide from the rain. Spend a damp afternoon decorating a plate, bowl, money bank, a plant pot or an ornament with your own quirky colourful design. They make great gifts and are something you can keep forever. There are ceramic studios dotted all over Suffolk and north Essex to name a few there is Jars of Clay in Rendlesham, Hatter Street Studio in Bury St Edmunds, Studio Scribbles in Newmarket, and Blue Owl in Great Horkesley. Some of the venues require you to book in advance so take a look at their webiste before you go.
Rollerworld Colchester
The rain doesn’t have to stop you from having an active energetic day, just head to Rollerworld in Colchester. With skating and quasar on offer there is plenty of fun to be had with family and friends. Whether you are an expert skater or a newbie this facility is a great place to have a laugh with family and friends while you glide around the rink. If you like a competition why not try quasar? The aim is to get yourself and your team as many points as possible by shooting your opponents with your quasar gun. For opening times and prices visit their website.
Visit your local cinema
There is nothing better than getting wrapped up in the drama, adventure and emotion of a film at the cinema. Leave the cold wet day behind you as you get transported to another location where your favourite actors tell you a story you hopefully won’t forget.
Bowling
A great competitive game which the whole family can play and is offered all over Suffolk and north Essex. Ipswich is home to a brand new bowling facility called Superbowl, here visitors can have a game of bowling but also enjoy Ninja Tag, soft play and SEGA amusements.
Swimming
Suffolk and Essex are home to a number of great pools with wave machines, flumes and inflatables. Crown Pools in Ipswich has a wave machine, three pools and puts inflatables up during the summer holidays on certain days. Colchester Leisure World is another exciting pool with water rapids and water slides which is fun for all the family. Felixstowe Leisure Centre has two pools, the main pool and a children’s pool, and a great slide. There is also room to swim lengths for those who want more of an opportunity to exercise and get fit.
Museums
Enjoy an educational day with your children at one of our great museums in Suffolk. They are great when the weather is bad and there is always lots to do. You can meet the woolly mammoth and the Ipswich Museum in High Street while you learn about the town’s history. Ipswich Transport Museum is great fun as here you get the opportunity to climb aboard some of the buses which were once used in Ipswich. Or maybe head to Felixstowe Museum and take a look at the 14 galleries displaying the military and social history of the popular seaside town. With over 80 museums to explore in Suffolk you are spoilt for choice.
Indoor play
When your kids need to blow off some steam and seem louder than normal indoor play is a saviour. You can sit on the side with a drink watching them enjoy themselves or you can get involved with the great activities on offer. There is Play2Day in Martlesham which also has Lazer-Tag, Jumppin Jacks Funhouse in Mildenhall which has a three tier colourful indoor adventure playground, Curve Motion in Bury St Edmunds which also has roller skating and many more.
Bounce indoor trampoline centre
Warm yourself up after the rain with a jumping session at Ipswich’s Bounce. The facility has lots to offer with an open court, a kids court, dodgeball games, over 18’s bounce sessions, fitness programs and more. You can watch your children have fun or enjoy the activity with them. Prices are cheaper online than on the day so it might be worth booking in advance. If your child is over five an hour bounce is £9.99 online and £11.99 in the centre, if they are aged three-four it is £4.99 online and £6.99 in the centre, for parents to assist it is £4.99 an hour. To read more about the facility click here.
Specific events coming up - Multi-sports camps
August 20-25
If your child is aged between six and 13 you can sign them up for a fun multi-sports camp at the Ipswich school sports centre. Children will learn a range of sports in a social and competitive environment where they gain leadership, communication and organisation skills. Sporting activities available are dodgeball, badminton, hockey, football, frisbee, tennis, netball, cricket, tag rugby and rounders. The camp begins on August 20 and finishes on August 25 and will run each day from 9am to 4pm. It costs £22 per day or £100 for the week and includes lunch. To find out more and to book click here.
Workshop Wednesday at The Long Shop Museum
August 22
The Long Shop Museum in Leiston is hosting an afternoon of unusual museum objects and artefacts. There will be Victorian items, cabinets of curiosities, bug hunting, arts and crafts and more. The day runs from 1pm until 4pm and is suitable for those aged between 5-12 years-old. All the activities are included with normal admission price which is £6.50 for an adult, £3.50 for children (4-16 year-olds), £5 for young people and under 4s are free. You can visit their website here.
Come and sing Disney at Snape Maltings
August 25
If you have a Disney lover in your life this event will be perfect for them. Over eight decades of Disney classics will be played at the Snape Maltings Britten Studio ready for you to sing your heart out. Ben Parry and his band alongside Aldeburgh Voices will put on a family sing-along of some of the most-loved Disney songs from The Lady and the Tramp, The Jungle Book, Toy Story, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Read more about the event here.
Play and Display at East Anglian Life
Until October 28
Escape the wet and cold by enjoying a new exhibition at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket. Play and Display is an interactive look at paper and card toys over their long history and the fun they have brought to generations of children. More than 75 objects and prints will be on display, as well as a variety of traditional toys and paper games for visitors to play with and make. The exhibits date from the 1880s through to the 1960s and include moving books, models, dolls puppet theatres and more. Famous names like Barbie, Disney, Cadbury’s, Bluebird Toffee, and Cinderella.
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