Amazing Things To Do In Wales with Kids

Wales is a stunning country with hills and mountains, beautiful beaches, woodland, castles (many many castles!) and historic towns and villages. We may be a little biased given this is our homeland, but if you haven’t been it’s really time for a visit. There is a wealth of family friendly activities all over Wales, catering for children of all ages. Here we’ve collaborated with other family travel bloggers to share some of the best things to do in Wales with kids.

We’ve split the list into south, west, mid and north Wales to make things easier.

SOUTH WALES

ST FAGANS, THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES 

St Fagans, located on the outskirts of Cardiff, is by far one of the best things to do in Wales with kids. This huge open-air museum chronicles the historical life, culture and architecture of the Welsh people and includes buildings dating back to the 12^th century.

Each building that sits within St Fagans has been moved brick by brick and reconstructed at the Welsh National Museum of History. Each building has also been decorated and furnished in accordance with the era it was built and inhabited. So, you get an insight into what life was like for the people who lived or worked in each building. Many are open to the public for exploring or have roped entrances so you can peer in.

There are buildings of every type from churches to miners’ houses, from tea houses to tannery buildings and more. There are even two reconstructed Iron Age Roundhouses which reminded me of Irish crannógs. You can enjoy a visit to St Fagans with kids and there are open areas for them to run around and explore and one or two cafes if you need to refuel. There is a large playground near the entrance and farm animals to delight little ones. Best of all it’s free, you only pay for parking. If you are ever near Cardiff with kids, I highly recommend you visit St Fagans. You won’t be disappointed.

By Cath at Passports and Adventures 

CAERPHILLY CASTLE

With dragons, mazes and a pooping statue (complete with sound effects!), Caerphilly Castle is without a doubt one of the best things to do in Wales with kids.

Home to Wales’s only known dragon’s lair (there are definitely more hidden out there in the mountains), a visit to Caerphilly Castle will bring you face to face with not one, not two, but four real-life dragons! I mean, what kid doesn’t want to meet a dragon?

Okay, so they’re animatronic, but they look, sound and act like real dragons. Aside from the occasional holiday to some of the other beautiful castles in Wales, Dwynwen and Dewi the dragons permanently reside at Caerphilly Castle with their cute little dragon pups Dylan and Cariad. Their whole family is so much fun to visit with your own family.

But the dragons aren’t the only attraction that make Caerphilly Castle an awesome day trip with kids. As well as your typical castle attractions (moats and forts, old cannons and suits of armour etc.), Caerphilly Castle really makes an effort to be welcoming to all ages. Periodically throughout the year they put on scavenger hunts and other events for young ‘uns, and the recently semi-permanent installation of Gilbert’s Maze (currently closed for renovation) has provided that extra bit of fun for the whole family.

Last but not least, in one of the towers there’s a statue of a startled-looking medieval man who sits on a toilet. Where’s the draw in that? If you press a button, he poops. Or farts, I don’t really know, but it’s enough to bring the giggles out in big and small kids alike.

Incredibly well-connected by road and public transport, look no further than Caerphilly Castle for a fun and eventful day out with kids in Wales.

By Rhiannon at Wales To Wherever

STAY IN A MONGOLIAN YURT IN MONMOUTHSHIRE

Set deep within the Monmouthshire countryside is Hidden Valley Yurts, a beautiful selection of Mongolian yurts. Nestled among ancient woodland, with wonderful views of the Welsh countryside, are five Mongolian yurts. Each yurt has a brightly coloured door, all traditionally hand-painted, and its own private decked area with a BBQ and chiminea. The yurts sleep between five and seven people making them perfect for families.

Not only is the natural setting beautiful but everything has been thought of to make this a premier glamping experience. This is the place to head for a back to nature experience, without the distractions of technology. Children and adults alike are in their element, building dens in the ancient woodland, playing hide and seek amongst the trees, meeting the farm animals and collecting eggs from the hens. Further afield, South Wales, with itscastles, pretty towns, and mountains, can be easily explored.

The combination of the outstanding yurts, the beautiful Welsh countryside and the excellent facilities make this place a winner for families.

By Nicky at Go Live Young

THE SENEDD (WELSH ASSEMBLY BUILDING) 

The Welsh Assembly Building is popularly known as the Senedd. It is one of the most striking buildings you’ll see in all of Wales, not just Cardiff. The building cost a cool seventy million pounds to build and was designed by award-winning architect Richard Rogers to make full use of natural lighting. Best of all, it’s free to visit!

Guided tours, suitable for children, are given around the building. If the Assembly is in motion during your visit, you can have a peep at what’s going on through a glass door. You can also visit during off-peak hours.  I was very fascinated with the mace that gives Wales its character. Once you see the way light filters inside the rooms or how acoustics are handled to reach every corner of the room, you’ll feel like each of those seventy million pounds were well spent. Access throughout the building is easy and suitable for children in strollers.

The Senedd is beautifully designed on the inside although its main appeal is from outside where it appears you might be walking into a modern opera building rather than the seat of Welsh Parliament. Its location in Cardiff Bay also means that it is largely free of tourists who spend most of their time near the Cardiff Castle environs.

By Priyanko at Constant Traveller 

CARDIFF CASTLE

You cannot visit Wales with kids, and especially the capital, without taking them to Cardiff Castle. Located in the city centre, it is a medieval castle whose Norman Keep dates back to the 11^th century. Home to the Marquess of Bute until the 1940’s, it is now in the care of the City of Cardiff and is a big tourist attraction in Wales.

Along with the Norman Keep, there are the Castle Apartments to explore with their ornate and exquisite internal decorations and furnishings. Venture back outside and wander the grounds before walking inside the tunnels which form the battlement walls. These hold a secret which you wouldn’t realise unless you visit the castle. They were once used as air-raid shelters during World War II and you can walk through them, getting a feel for what the 1800 people they could hold went through during air-raids in the 1940’s.  There are even sounds from that era piped within the tunnels. Just be careful of very young children as they might get a little uneasy in there.

Cardiff Castle is a great place to visit with kids in Wales and often holds special events which are advertised on their website. Medieval re-enactment days are popular during the summer and there are often other events held during the school breaks with kids in mind such as warrior training and shield making workshops. The Castle is also used for musical events and concerts throughout the year. Cardiff Castle is a must-visit place in Wales with kids.

By Cath at Passports and Adventures 

WEST WALES

CASTELL HENLLYS IRON AGE VILLAGE 

You’re never short of history in Wales – ancient castles and even more ancient tales of King Arthur await around every corner. But at Castell Henllys Iron Age village, you can step back even further in time to a recreated settlement showing how life would have been lived here 2,000 years ago.

With endless opportunities to get hands on, plus some enthusiastic staff peopling the site, my daughter got her face painted in blue (easier to get off than woad) and dressed up in a cape, we practised making flour with heavy stone querns, discovered more about basket making and being a blacksmith, and wondered just how warm animal skin bedding might be as we wandered between round-houses.

There’s also an app to download (do it before you go, data is patchy) and a self-guided trail which features a barefoot walk, plus extra activities in school holidays. Before you start, the little exhibition includes a short video to introduce kids to the era, as well as more interactive games on everything from Iron Age children’s shoes to druids – plus a café on site too.

By Cathy at Mummy Travels

CALDEY ISLAND

Caldey Island is a small island just a short boat ride from Tenby on the south coast of Pembrokeshire. It is a fantastic location for a family adventure in Wales. The boats leave daily in the summer months from the beach in the centre of Tenby. Turn up and queue. There may be a wait, but the boats shuttle backwards and forwards all day.

Once you reach the island, the road from the harbour takes you through a small woodland and then the monastery and church come into view. It is really beautiful. There is a small café here and a shop selling items made by the monks. Heading uphill the path leads to the older buildings of the island and hidden away is a chocolate factory. This was a great treat and the chocolate tasted delicious. Following the main path the road eventually turns to grass and at the very end of the path on the cliff top is the lighthouse. This is a perfect spot for a picnic before heading back across fields to the café and the small play area.

Wandering back to the boat there is the chance for some time on the small beach which has clear water, perfect for paddling and rock pooling. The return boats shuttle all day long.

Check out these family friendly campsites in Pembrokeshire.

By Suzanne at Meandering Wild

DOLPHIN SPOTTING IN NEW QUAY

The children all adore going on holiday to Wales. There are so many different things to experience, but there is one special activity that we could do over and over again and that’s going on an adventure to spot dolphins. Whether it’s a full on boat trip out to sea to spot them, or you may be lucky enough to see a pod of them swimming into the harbour, it really is a magnificent sight, to see these beautiful creatures up close.

The dolphins are regular visitors to New Quay on most days from June to October, but we have also seen them at Aberystwyth, in fact anywhere in Cardigan Bay you may get a glimpse of bottle nosed dolphins and harbour porpoises, along with Atlantic grey seals. So if you have any animal mad children like we do, it is definitely an activity that we recommend. If its education you are looking for why not pop into the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre which is free and has lots of information about the dolphins.

If you are not lucky enough to spot any dolphins on your boat trip, don’t panic because there’s always tomorrow, they are that frequent in the area, you’ll probably catch a glimpse when you least expect it. My husband was out exploring the rocks one morning, he sat down to admire the view and less than five feet away a dolphin appeared!

By Mandi at Big Family Little Adventures

NANT YR ARIAN NATURE RESERVE

The Nant yr Arian Nature Reserve is around a 10 minute drive inland from Aberystwyth in mid-west Wales. The reserve is based around a lake, that has a flat managed path all the way around it (so is buggy and wheelchair friendly). There are various mountain biking and walking routes that start and finish at the visitor centre, along with children’s nature quizzes. Maps for all of these can be collected in the relatively new visitor centre, which also contains a lovely café/restaurant, with panoramic views down to the lake. There is a large outdoor patio/decking area, perfect for dog owners; I particularly like sitting here as they have lots of different bird feeders that attract lots of beautiful small birds to get close.

The highlight of the reserve, and the reason lots of people visit every day of the year, is that at 3pm in the summer and 2pm in the winter, a warden walks a bucket of food around to the back of the lake, where there’s a grass clearing next to the lake. When the food is scattered, hundreds (not an exaggeration) of red kites swoop down to feed. It is the most incredible sight. People line the banks of the lake, and sometimes a red kite flies really close to you. Children love it – it’s something you never forget.

Oh, and it’s free – apart from the pay and display car park. Though I do recommend the coffee and homemade cake in the café!

By Tracey at Pack the PJs

MID WALES

POWIS CASTLE

We made half a day available for our visit to Powis Castle. The kids voted that we should have given it much longer. We found it in the lush rolling hills of the mid-Welsh border. Friendly deer gaze at you on the approach through a woodland park.  Even before we parked the car, the girls were out making friends with the wildlife.

Powis is unique because one family has occupied it since the reign of Elizabeth I. A century later, complete remodelling made it into a magical rabbit warren, where each room and gallery is richer than the last.

Staff offer a treasure-hunt card to children. Our girls love “thing-finding”, and they needed no encouragement.

The Castle sits on an enormous outcrop of rock. Lichen-covered stone and old brick terraces cascade down the garden face.  Explore balustraded gardens enriched with lead statues, an orangery and 300-year-old yew trees. On the valley floor, an old garden-house looks out over the arbours of an ornamental orchard.

The castle is also home to the Museum of Clive of India who in his day was the wealthiest self-made man in England. It is a magnificent collection of historic Indian craftsmanship.

Powis Castle, near Welshpool, is owned by the National Trust.

By Ania at The Travelling Twins

NORTH WALES

CAERNARFON CASTLE

Wales’ castles have to be one of the biggest draws for kids, surely? Any country with a dragon on its flag promises myths and legends well worth exploring, and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint!

Whether you’re on a Welsh roadtrip, popping by for a weekend or staying much longer, Caernarfon Castle belongs on your list. It’s got polygon towers, a huge grand entrance and a wide open grassed courtyard inside with beautiful photo opportunities.

Once you step through you’ll be able to tour the battlements, letting the kids rain imagining arrows down from its slitted windows. Inside the chambers, holographic projections and banners bring alive the story of King Edward. He was a nasty English king (naturally) who used the local legends to manipulate the Welsh lords into accepting his rule. The whole sly story is told interactively and is fascinating for children.

Right opposite (and temptingly visible from the battlements) is a delicious ice cream shop, which looks to be the perfect way to round off a day out with family.

By Danielle at Live in 10 Countries

HIKING MOUNT SNOWDON

I’ve always been a big fan of staying active and discovering new places to hike in the UK. And even as a kid, one of the spots I was most excited to head to was Mount Snowdon in Wales, the highest mountain in England and Wales. On visiting Snowdonia I was really stunned by just how incredibly rugged and spectacular this part of Wales is.

Hiking Mount Snowdon is one of the best hikes anywhere in the country. There are a number of routes for hiking Snowdon, ranging from the more easy to the technically challenging. Many people make the ascent but it must be remembered this is a mountain hike taking between five – eight hours, so children must be competent walkers before embarking on this trek.

A massive sense of accomplishment is felt upon reaching the top and the wonderful panoramic views make the climb totally worthwhile. If children are really young or you don’t fancy the walk, then you can still enjoy the summit views. The Snowdon Mountain Railway transports you all the way to the top of the mountain in just under an hour!