The 28 best things to do in Essex with kids

The more I explore Essex, the more I’m reminded of just how much variety there is in this county – as well as how many things to do in Essex with kids there are.

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From the coast to the countryside, pretty historic towns to Romans, some fantastic animal attractions and walking trails, not to mention some of the most unusual crazy golf I’ve come across, Essex is fantastic for families.

It’s easy to plan days out in Essex with kids on day trips from London, or if you’re based around Colchester, it’s easy to cross the county border and try out a few of the things to do in Suffolk with kids too.

Colchester Castle

If you can’t decide whether to visit a castle or a museum, Colchester Castle lets you do both. The Norman castle was built by the ruins of the Roman Temple of Claudius and now houses a museum on the city’s history.

It’s a perfect place to discover more about Britain’s oldest town in the very spot where much of that history was made, from Iron Age settlers to its importance in Roman times as Camelodunum, Boudica’s Revolt and later history including the Witchfinder General and its role in the English Civil War.

There’s also a fantastic interactive option for kids, with a tablet using AR to bring the castle and some of the exhibits to life, along with other hands-on fun, such as a chance to try virtual chariot racing.

You can discover part of the Roman walls in the castle gardens surrounding the museum too.

For more things to do in Colchester with kids, check out this post

Audley End, Saffron Walden

The Jacobean mansion and grounds at Audley End are unmissable, with historic servants’ quarters to wander around as well as an amazing art collection inside the house itself.

From the ornate Great Hall to the library, with a first edition of Doctor Johnson’s dictionary, there’s enough to make every jaw drop as you explore – plus a trail for kids to follow.

Videos in the service wing show what the exhausting reality of servants’ lives must have been, from toiling with the gleaming copper pans in the kitchens to working the huge butter churn and mangle in the dairy and laundry.

Along with the formal gardens, there are several other gardens to explore, along with an orchard and space to burn off any leftover energy too.

Check out my review of a day out at Audley End with kids

Hylands Park, Chelmsford

Set on the outskirts of Chelmsford, Hylands Estate is a Grade II listed country park surrounding an elegant 17th century villa. 

And there’s plenty to explore across the 574 acres of historic parkland, including several scenic walking routes, a large lake with lots of ducks and geese to feed, ancient woodland, beautifully manicured gardens, artist studios, a cafe and even a Go Ape high ropes course.

For kids, the highlight of the park is definitely its award-winning castle-themed adventure playground, with 4m high castle battlements and a drawbridge, as well as plenty of climbing areas and slides of various heights. Be prepared to spend a large part of your visit here! 

The play area is suitable for children older than six years old. There’s also a smaller area for younger children.

Mountfitchet Castle, Stansted

If your kids love history, the open-air museum of Mountfitchet Castle and Norman Village lets you experience life as it would have been in a medieval castle – the only one reconstructed on its original site in the world.

The site of an Iron Age hill fort, then a Roman fort, Saxon and Viking settlement, you can trace England’s history on this spot – it was even used as royalist base during the English Civil War. But a visit transports you back to Norman times, after William the Conqueror’s forces had built their first motte and bailey castle.

Roam through the Norman village, watching living history with lots of hands-on activities, as well as a few darker sides to medieval history, including ghost stories and a rack on display.

Your ticket also gives you entry into a toy museum with 80,000 items from Victorian days onwards, plus you can add in animals – including dinosaurs! – for a truly unique day out in Essex with kids.

Colchester Roman Circus

Colchester is home to the only known Roman Circus in the country, built in the early 2nd century – and you can still explore it today.

The huge arena may have seated up to 8,000 spectactors, watching chariot races as well as other spectacles until it fell out of use around 150 years later.

Wander around the site by yourself and check out the displays in the visitor centre, or take one of the tours to bring the circus to life, including the secrets of chariot racing, and stories of how it was discovered in 2005.

Explore historic Saffron Walden

Head into the Essex countryside and you can find a string of fascinating little towns and villages to explore, but one of the loveliest has to be Saffron Walden.

Named for the saffron crocus which was the source of its wealth, there’s a fun trail around the town past some of the historic buildings, including the 14th century Old Sun Inn.

There’s also the remains of the castle and town museum to visit, a small art gallery and the lovely Bridge End Gardens, with a mix of formal gardens, the ‘wilderness’ and a hedge maze.

Check out my review of our short break in Saffron Walden on a weekend in Essex with kids.

Spy a windmill & highwayman

For another quirky historic village with a twist, head to pretty Thaxted, not far from Saffron Walden. John Webb’s windmill helped provide flour for 100 years and still towers over the village, a stone’s throw from the graveyard of Thaxted’s impressive church, one of the biggest in the county.

Even more unexpected, for a village with fewer than 3,000 people, there are links to two very different famous names – composer Gustav Holst, who worked on The Planets in Thaxted before moving here in 1917 (you can see the blue plaque at his house), and notorious highwayman Dick Turpin.

Whether the 18th century villain really lived in the village, let alone in the building now called Dick Turpin’s cottage, is hard to say for sure… but it makes a good story, and it’s a lovely old building, not far from the higgledy-piggeldy 15th century Guildhall.

Find the witchfinder general

One for older kids rather than easily scared little ones, but the story of the Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins is straight out of Horrible Histories.

As well as links to Manningtree, where he tried women suspected of being witches and where Hopkins himself died, he also owned the Mistley Thorn in nearby Mistley – now a boutique hotel where I stayed with my daughter.

If you visit the castle museum in Colchester too, there’s a display about his life and reign of terror in the old jail.

Mersea Island

You can’t talk about things to do with kids in Essex and miss out the seaside – one of my favourite picks if you want to hit the beach is to head to the small estuary island of Mersea, for a chilled-out day out.

As well as enjoying the peaceful sandy beaches, you can try your hand at crabbing, hire a paddleboard or kayak from Mersea Island Watersports and head out onto the water, before snapping a few photos of the colourful beach houses that line Victoria Esplanade.

And if the queue isn’t too long, be sure to stop for lunch at The Company Shed which has a reputation for serving the tastiest fish and seafood on the island: kids are welcome.

Southend-on-Sea pier

For proper classic British seaside, it doesn’t come much more traditional than Southend-on-Sea, famously home to the longest pleasure pier in the world.

Featuring a crazy golf course, and several small shops and cafes, you can either walk 30 minutes to reach the end of the pier (told you it was long!) or jump on the electric railway. 

There’s even a little museum to discover more about the history of the pier, while it’s set within a nature reserve, so it’s a good place to try a bit of wildlife spotting.

You can also stroll along the pebbly beach (there’s a bit of sand among the shingle as well), although if you’re visiting with a dog, there are restrictions from April to October, and no dogs on the pier itself.

Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea

As well as beach and waves to enjoy in Southend, you’ll also find plenty of family-friendly attractions, including the Adventure Island amusement park.

Free to wander around, you can pay for individual rides or buy a day band which lets you go on as many as you want – plus one big bonus for parents with younger kids is that it’s free if you’re accompanying a child under 120cm tall.

There are gentler options including rollercoasters for kids 100cm tall and shorter, as well as a helter skelter slide, carousel and mini train ride for the littlest. Bigger adrenline-seekers can try Axis, where you have to be 10+ and 130cm to ride.

You’ll even find indoor rides if you’re looking for something to do on a rainy day in Essex with kids.

Clacton-on-Sea

For another traditional seaside resort, head to Clacton-on-Sea, which has been attracting holiday-makers for well over 100 years, with plenty of family friendly things to do.

There’s a large sandy beach here if you’ve got your hear set on making sandcastles, plus a pier at Clacton to explore as well, which dates back to 1870.

Along the pier, you’ll find an arcade, theme park rides, a go-kart track, bowling alleys and even a small aquarium.

Check out my list of beach essentials with kids

Clacton Pavilion Fun Park

Next door to the pier, you’ll find Clacton’s Pavilion Fun Park, with even more fun rides, amusements, an adventure golf course and a water park for younger kids.

Home to Clacton’s 150th Anniversary Wheel as well, you can get some of the best views out across the seafront and gardens from the gondolas as you soar up above the ground – the wheel is over 30 metres high.

When the sun’s shining, it’s hard to beat the waterpark though, with splash zones that younger kids will love, as well as the chance to scramble into shipwrecked boats as they cool off and play.

Frinton-on-Sea

Another fantastic sandy beach, Frinton-on-Sea, further along the coast towards Suffolk, is a slightly quieter spot to enjoy the seaside, with a string of Victorian-style beach huts lining the sand.

Once a favourite seaside retreat for the aristocracy – and even royalty, with the sons of George V escaping there in the 1920s and 30s.

Perfect for a relaxed day by the waves: wander the esplanade with an ice cream, stop for fish and chips and kick back on the sand.

Aqua Park, Lakeside

For the ultimate summer activity for kids in Essex, slip, splash and slide around at the fun-filled Aqua Park Lakeside.

The huge inflatable water park has over 30 obstacles, including giant slides, monkey bars, trampolines, bounce pillows and balance beams, all floating in the middle of Alexandra Lake next to Lakeside Shopping Centre.

The Aqua Park is suitable for children 6 years old and above. Plus adults of any age are welcome too so parents won’t have to miss out on any of the fun!

Golf World, Stansted

The 1066-themed adventure golf course at Golf World Stansted combines history with a quirky twist in a very fun family attraction.

There are 18 holes to play (and a bonus one in a longship) which wind between everything from wooden knights to a mock castle keep, a working water wheel, along with other little towers and figures to spot as you play.

Some of the holes look deceptively simple with cunningly disguised slopes and mini sand traps, as well as the chance of losing your ball in the rough, but it’s a nice balance between giving you a bit of a challenge and still being possible for kids to play.

Essex Police Museum, Chelmsford

Head to the county capital of Chelmsford to discover one of the most interesting and kid-friendly museums in Essex; the Essex Police Museum.

This fascinating little museum tells the story of the history of the police in Essex, from the Victorians to modern day, including the tales of many real-life cases.

The interactive displays are perfect for getting all ages engaged too, such as stepping inside a Victorian prison cell, trying on a police uniform and learning how to take fingerprints. 

The museum also runs regular special events for children, including treasure trails, craft workshops and monthly toddler classes.

Colchester Natural History Museum

Set in the old All Saints Church in Colchester, the Natural History Museum collections here focus on north-east Essex as well as British wildlife.

Looking at wildlife and the environment from the Ice Age to today, there are some great family-friendly activities, including the chance to peek inside a badger’s sett, a garden trail and a stag beetle exhibition.

You’ll also find some quirky facts, including an exhibit on the 1884 earthquake, and discover the drowned world underneath the North Sea.

Sealife Adventure, Southend-on-Sea

When it comes to animal attractions, who needs to debate whether to visit a zoo or aquarium when you’ve got Sealife Adventure?

This ‘Zooquarium’, as it terms itself, has everything monkeys and meerkats, as well as penguins and marine life, plus a tunnel through the ocean tank to discover life on earth from underwater to jungle and desert.

There’s even a chance to discover more about prehistoric creatures in the Pangea area for kids who love dinosaurs.

Colchester Zoo

There are 200 species to spot at Colchester Zoo, from Komodo Dragons to kudu (along with rhino, giraffes, zebras, elephants, tigers, orangutans, bears…)

And that’s only the start of it: you can follow a Top Trumps trail, check out the interactive area to make your own landcape, hop on the road train, discover the walkthrough enclosures with a chance to get close (ish) to lemurs, watch sealions through an underwater tunnel, plus an app to help you learn more as you explore.

You could even join a zoo photography workshops, and if you’re lucky, spot the animals being fed, as well as indoor and tropical areas which are perfect for a rainy day in Essex with kids.

Old McDonalds Farm, Brentwood

You’ve sung the nursery rhyme with them, so why not treat the kids to a day out at Essex’s real life Old McDonald’s Farm in Brentwood.

Other than the fun name, the farm park has a huge variety of animals, amusements and activities, easily one of the best places to visit in Essex with kids who love animals.

From the usual suspects such as cows, sheep and chickens, to more uncommon residents including llamas and alpacas, you’ll be able to get up close with plenty of the animals that call the farm home.

There are also adventure play and climbing areas dotted all over the park, as well several exciting rides and roller coasters suitable for kids of all ages.

Hopefield Animal Sanctuary, Brentwood

Another of the best things to do in Essex with kids who love animals is a visit to Hopefield Animal Sanctuary.

Run as a non-profit organisation, Hopefield looks after and provides a home for unwanted and mistreated animals around Essex. 

Children can visit the animals including horses, donkeys, goats, alpacas, cats, rabbits and reptiles, and learn about the incredible work the sanctuary does rescuing and caring for them. 

There’s also a small children’s play area, tea room and many special events held throughout the year.

Redwings Horse Sanctuary, Roydon

Home to donkeys and mules as well as horses and ponies, Redwings Horse Sanctuary rescues abandoned, mistreated and neglected horses and donkeys from across the UK, responsible for around 2,000 animals at its centres across the UK.

There are around 80 inhabitants at the Essex site, Ada Cole, near the border with Hertfordshire, one of the biggest after Caldecotte in Norfolk, including Shetland pony Tinkerbell.

There’s no entry charge, if you’re looking for a free day out in Essex with kids, although donations are welcomed. Opening hours are currently limited and you need to prebook a timed ticket.

The Gruffalo Trail at Thorndon Country Park

Join the mouse on a stroll in the deep dark wood on a self-led adventure along Thorndon Country Park’s family-friendly Gruffalo Trail, where you can spot the lovely statues of characters from The Gruffalo.

While you’re watching out for foxes, snakes and owls, the trail takes you through Thorndon North’s beautiful woodland and aims to help children to learn more about the native woodland and abundant wildlife within it.

The Gruffalo Trail is completely free, however, I’d definitely recommend picking up a map at the Countryside Centre when you first arrive to help find your way around, which does have a small charge (as does parking).

Stick Man Play Trail at Weald Country Park

Another great way to add some fun to a countryside walk for little adventure seekers, who will love the Stick Man Play Trail at Weald Country Park in Brentwood.

The 2km walking trail takes you through the scenic country park, which is dotted with a number of fun sculptures, climbing frames, swings and slides, all based around the illustrations from Stick Man.

All of the equipment is designed to blend seamlessly with the natural environment in which it sits, encouraging imaginative play and teaching children to appreciate the natural beauty of the park.

Peter Rabbit Woodland Trail at Langdon Nature Discovery Centre

You can’t go wrong with a trail themed around a favourite kids’ character – I lost track of how many we’ve done over the years, and along with Julia Donaldson, Beatrix Potter is always a winner.

So hop to it, and head to Langdon Nature Discovery Centre, where you can find Peter and friends – including Jemima Puddleduck and Mrs Tiggywinkle, as well as escaping from Tommy Brock the badger along the way.

Not far from Basildon, there’s free parking on site, animals to spot and various other trails to explore the countryside, plus a cafe and toilets once you’ve finished.

Cammas Hall Farm, Bishop’s Stortford

Does any fruit taste quite as good as berries you’ve picked yourself? And at family-run Cammas Hall Farm on the Essex-Hertfordshire border, you can find a whole string of treats to pick throughout the year.

From June to October, kids can pick everything from strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and blueberries to blackberries and blackcurrants. There are also pick-your-own pumpkins during October – so camera at the ready for some fun pumpkin patch photos to brighten up autumn too.

The farm also has a kids play area, an under 5’s sandpit, an impressive six-acre corn maze – you could get lost in here for an hour alone! – a nature trail through the surrounding farmland and woods and a Tea Barn for a spot of lunch, making it somewhere you could easily spend the entire day!

*last updated 2026*

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Colchester/Audley End/Saffron Walden/Thaxted/Frinton-on-Sea/Golf World/Gruffalo copyright MummyTravels, all others courtesy Depositphotos

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