There are some vital ingredients to having a great camping holiday with kids. Wales, happily, has all of them and there are many many things to do in South Wales with Kids.
From water sports and indoor activities to museums and adventures, a family camping adventure in Wales will be one to remember. And, with a great choice of sites on Campsited, you’ll never be short of things to do and places to stay.
The hardest decision is going to be what you plan to do first…
10 Best Things to Do in South Wales with Kids
Let’s have a look at the Things to Do in South Wales with Kids so to plan the perfect camping holiday in the region.
1. Get technical in Cardiff Bay
Kids who fiddle, fidget and can’t stop themselves from getting their hands on everything won’t have any trouble at Techniquest. The whole place is one great big science lab where kids and toddlers (and their grown-ups) can find out all about our wonderful planet and the stars above. There are 160 hands on exhibits that educate and inform as well as provide a lot of fun. And there is a busy programme of events in school holidays and at weekends to keep them quiet until closing time.
2. Life is a rollercoaster at Oakwood
Oakwood is a theme park that’s outgrown its ‘Neverland’ theme. While the Peter Pan part of the park offers Lost Boys and croc shaped fun, the rest of it has become all about thrills and spills and having a great time. As such it’s got a lot of adrenaline fuelled rides that sound like common psychological conditions like ‘Vertigo’ and ‘Megafobia’, but that’s ok. The big kids can go on those while the little ones enjoy bobsledding, mini golf and pedalos, as well as a pirate ship, treetops coaster, waterfall ride and a 3D ghost train…and they can fly like Tink too…
3. See how they used to play at the West Wales Museum of Childhood
Leave the ipad at the door and step into another world!!! This is the world of Victorian dolls, Dinky cars, clockwork Daleks and every other kind of toy that your Grandma and Granddad would have killed for in their day. The West Wales Museum of Childhood houses a collection of thousands of individual toys crammed into a series of old farm buildings that will transport the child inside every one of us to a simpler world. The kids of course will love it too. It’s quirky and fun, with a café and a warm welcome.
4. Digging for gold at Dolaucothi Gold Mines
Everywhere you go in Wales you’ll stumble upon some kind of mine workings. From coal to slate and even gold, like at Dolaucothi, you’ll find it all in Wales’ hillsides, valleys and mountainsides. Here, however, it’s a different story. The entire landscape has been shaped by man’s activities.
The Romans were the first to exploit the gold seams in the area with a vast open cast mine that lay forgotten until Victorian times. Tours of the mine can lead you through the Roman workings or down Victorian shafts. You might even find a few flecks for yourself when you pan for gold. All in all, a rich and rewarding day out in beautiful, if man-made, countryside.
5. Explore a magical, watery landscape
Bosherston Lakes are a part of the Stackpole Estate, created in the 18th and 19th centuries. They are often known as the lily ponds as their fresh water springs support vast floating rafts of lilies and exotic aquatic plants. In turn these provide homes for fish and their cutest of predators, the Bosherston Otters. A gentle walk around the lakes is magical for toddlers and tots, with enough animal, insect and plant life to keep little ones enthralled for hours. And if they go quietly they might just spot an otter…
6. Dolphin watching and rapid racing with a boat adventure
The west coast of Pembrokeshire has spectacular sea cliffs, caves and tidal rapids, as well as a huge amount of marine life. There are seals, dolphins, seabirds and even the odd whale or two frequenting these waters too. That means it’s the best place for a boat trip. Y
ou’ll see natural architecture at its best when you motor into sea caves and gorges and will get as close as it’s possible to get to seals and dolphins. You might even spot a whale or two… kids love it!!!
7. What’s SUP dudes?
Stand Up Paddle boarding is a brand new way to see the coast. Anyone from 8 upwards will get the hang of it easily and will be able to enjoy a taster session with the rest of the family. Start by kneeling, then, when you have got your balance, stand up and see the sea from a different perspective. You can explore creeks and rivers, bays and headlands under your own steam. And if the wind gets up and paddling gets tricky, Dad will tow you home…
8. Amazing water play in Swansea
We love flumes!!! We love lazy rivers!!! We love surf machines!!! Do we need to say any more? LC is a leisure venue in Swansea that’s buzzing with just about everything a kid could want on their hols. Apart from the flumes, pools, surf machines and lazy rivers it’s also home to a climbing wall, indoor play area and ball pools as well as a gym and sports hall for the more serious minded.
If you’re camping and it’s wet there’s no better place to go for a decent wash and brush up and a whole lot of fun!!! Highly recommended.
9. Go Ape at Margam Country Park
Go Ape! is an adventure company that has been swinging their way to the top of the thrill seeking business over the last 10 years or so. With locations all over the UK they offer tree tops adventures for Gorillas over 16 and Baboons between 10 and 15. The course is designed to test your nerve, balance and judgement with a series of zip wires, crossings and Tarzan swings high up in the forest canopy. It’s the best way to see the forest for the fearless and fearsome. They – and you – will go ape to go there – so just take them and have done with it!
10. Crabbing in Aberdovey
Forget ipads, zip wires and complicated and expensive theme park entertainment. Crabbing on the quayside is about as much fun as kids can have on a day out. And the quayside on the River Dovey at Aberdovey is a great place to try it.
The local fishmonger sells ‘crab bait’ and the local shop sells lines, so you can be fishing in a couple of minutes for just a few pounds. It’s better than any theme park ride and you’ll have them squealing with delight in minutes as they pull hungry crabs from the water. But who caught the biggest one? You’ll just have to pick them up to find out. Just watch out for the little nippers…
How to find campsites in South Wales
South and West Wales offer so much for the family campers. Not only are there plenty of great sites to choose from, but there are also a whole bunch of fantastic activities and days out to enjoy.
The emphasis, as it is in the rest of Wales, is on enjoying the outdoors, which, happily, is Wales’ best asset.
You can find them all on Campsited! So decide what of the best things to do in South Wales with kids you wanna organise and start planning your next adventure in South Wales!
Your dream camping holiday in Wales is just a few clicks away!
