Check our handy map to help find Things to Do in Gateshead with Kids, with something for all ages including play cafes, soft plays, bowling, laser tag, the best parks, walks & playgrounds, and lots more. More details in our A-Z below
Details are subject to change, please check directly with providers for the latest updates, opening times and booking requirements.
📌 Chopwell Woods, High Spen, Gateshead
Alpaca walking in the beautiful surroundings of Chopwell Wood. You will fall in love with these beautiful gentle creatures. A lovely family adventure. Duration of walk: Approximately one hour
👉 For more info, visit @alpacasinthewoods
🎫 Adults £35 per alpaca | Additional adults: £15 | Additional children (8-16 years): £10
Alpacas are gentle animals, but all children must be supervised by an accompanying adult, who must be responsible for their safety.
Open access.
Durham Road, Low Eighton, Gateshead, NE9 7TY
A regional landmark with a wingspan of 54 metres, it’s a fun photo-op and a pleasant short paved circular walk around the base on a panoramic hilltop.
Free.
📌 St Hildas Church, Stella Road, Blaydon, Gateshead, NE21 4NN
Three-tiered castle-themed soft play in a real castle-like church. Separate area with soft play shapes for babies and young toddlers. Regular timetable of baby, toddler and after school activities included in admission price. Cafe serving lunch and treats.
👉 For more info, visit @atthecastlestella
🎫 From £1-£4.50 per child (under 6 months free)
📌 Gateshead Quays South Shore Road, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
You can enjoy a changing programme of exhibitions, stunning views, a cafe bar and gift shop. There’s also an open area on Level 2 where kids can get creative with crafts and toys, plus a sensory room and sensory wall for infants.
👉 For more info, visit @balticgateshead
🎫 Free entry, donations welcome.
📌 Bill Quay, Gateshead, NE10 0UE
An organic rare breeds farm with large and small animals. Free to visit, plus regular events and activities and Bill Quay Cafe on site.
👉 For more info, visit @billquayfarm
🎫 Free (charges may apply for events)
Open selected dates throughout the year, see website for schedule.
Springwell Village, Gateshead, NE9 7QJ
Tel: 0191 416 1847
Originally a colliery railway built to carry coal, it’s an exciting visit for train and history enthusiasts. Including old disused trains, model trains and a toy train set, plus events and workshops.
Aged 16+: £2.00.
Aged 5+: £1.00.
📌 Dunston Activity Centre, Ellison Road, Gateshead, NE11 9SS
Pop-up weekly soft play sessions on Saturdays with bouncy castle, inflatable bouncy slide and soft play shapes, plus screening of family movie. Cafe serving snacks.
👉 For more info, visit @dunstonactivitycentre
🎫 £4 per child
📌 Heworth Leisure Centre, Gateshead, NE10 0PD
The ultimate surfing and body-boarding experience suitable for children and adults, and holds up to eight people at a time so your friends can all get involved.
👉 For more info, visit @GO Gateshead
🎫 From £10-£12 pp
Age 5+ (plus height restrictions)
📌 Princesway, Team Valley, Gateshead, NE11 0SX
Indoor entertainment centre with large soft play with cannonball arena, rubber ring slides, trampolines, go karts and football court. Separate toddler areas with soft play, hard play and role play village.
👉 For more info, visit @FunShackGateshead
🎫 From £1-£12.50 pp (siblings under 1 year free)
**Toddler discount, weekdays 10am–3.30pm: £8.50 (term time).
**Kids Eat Free, after 3pm Mon-Fri term-time only (online bookings only, normal admission applies).
📌 Gateshead Leisure Centre, Alexandra Road, Gateshead, NE8 4JA
Four storey soft play for under 12s, with cargo sky walk, climbing towers and ball pool with suction pipes. Plus a baby and toddler area with soft play shapes and a cafe.
🎟️ Over 1 year: £3 – £5 (under 1 year free)
**From 21st July 2023, Gateshead Leisure Centre and Birtley Swim Centre will close while the transfer process takes place from Gateshead Council to Gateshead Active and Gateshead and Whickham Swimming Club. Look out for updates on reopening plans.
📌 Dunston, Gateshead, NE8 2RB
Over 40,000 sq ft of trampolines, with ninja court, wipe out, battle beams, reaction wall, foam zone, dodgeball and basketball, plus dodgems and separate under 5’s soft play area. Open Jump sessions, along with Junior Giants sessions for under 5s, and Stay and Play for age 3+.
👉 For more info, visit @jgnewcastle
🎫 Jump session from £10.50pp | Family from £36
Soft Play £3.50 (£5 weekends)
📌 37 High Street, Felling, Gateshead, NE10 9LU
A family run children’s role play area, with a police station, beauty salon, café, vet and doctors surgeries, construction area, road and ride on vehicles and more. Plus designated baby area, onsite café, weekly activities and special events.
👉 For more info, visit @Lilyput Lane
🎫 From £2-£6.
📌 1-4 Saltwell View, Gateshead, NE8 4JS
Home of the Progressive Players, producing ten shows per year, ranging from comedy to drama, thriller to romance (and more!).
👉 For more info, visit @progressiveplayersatlittletheatregateshead
📌 intu Metrocentre, Gateshead, NE11 9YG
‘Fun Buggy’ ride-on cars can be hired from customer service desks, and a mini train ride from Exhibition Square.There’s also a small outdoor play area outside the Qube entrance for ages 3-10. Click here for info on NAMCO Funscape, Angry Bids Golf, Odeon Cinema & Clip ‘n’ Climb.
👉 For more info, visit @mymetrocentre
🎫 Activity prices vary, from £3
Monday – Friday: 9.30am – 7pm
Saturday: 9am – 7pm
Sunday: 10am – 7pm
Unit 15E Follingsby Park, Wardley, Gateshead, NE10 8YG
Tel: 0191 415 5550
Over 4 storeys of soft play and a separate toddler area, plus a trampoline zone with a balance beam and soft pit. ‘Toddler Time’ discount on weekdays with up to 4.5 hours access to softplay and trampolines for £5.
Softplay: £3.50 – £5.95
Softplay & trampolines: £6.00 – £10.50
(depending on age/day/time)
Compulsory grip socks: £2
Namco Funscape: 10am – 11pm
Pacman Soft Play: 10am – 7.30pm
Unit 244 Garden Walk, Metrocentre, Gateshead, NE11 9XY
Tel: 020 3475 5268
There’s something for everyone with bowling, dodgem cars, pool, arcade games and a multi-tiered Pacman themed soft play (for up to 8 years), plus a restaurant.
Kids bowling: £5.50
Adults bowling: £6.50
Dodgems: £3
Soft Play: £4.95
📌 King Street, Gateshead, NE8 2YE
Indoor paintball, laser tag, airsoft or NERF wars in a 15,000 sq ft, 2-floor indoor arena. Different game zones with cool props, such as a full size tube train, two stories train station, shops, hospital, autopsy room, and ‘infected’ town.
👉 For more info, visit @nolimitsnewcastle
🎫 Laser Tag/NERF from £15pp | Airsoft from £28 | Paintball from £30
Age 6+ for Laser Tag/NERF, age 11+ other activities
📌 Ryton, Gateshead, NE40 3JB
Offering unique falconry experiences from a number of locations. Watch demonstrations with a variety of hawks and owls, take part in courses or take a Hawk Walk through the woodlands where you can take one of the birds for a private flying experience.
👉 For more info, visit @North East Falconry
🎫 Prices start from £50pp, by appointment only.
Mention ‘Gateshead Mumbler’ on booking for a discounted price on the falconry experience at only £20pp.
📌 Metrocentre, Gateshead, NE11 9XZ
17 movie screens, including IMAX and D-Box (seats that move with the on-screen action). Odeon Newbies are screenings designed to make things easy for babies with softer volume and slightly raised lights, and you don’t have to worry about noise complaints.
👉 For more info, visit @ODEONMetrocentre
📌 Spa well Road, Blaydon, Gateshead, NE21 6RT
Play cafe with enclosed multi-level wooden playhouses with slides, ride-on toys, role play and crafts. Regular baby and toddler classes and events. Serving snacks and treats.
For more info, visit @pineappleandbearsplayhub
📌 St Mary’s Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 2JR
Enjoy fun, creative and engaging family concerts and workshops. You can also make a visit for the free children’s playspace, crafts, and cafe.
👉 For more info, visit @Sage Gateshead
🎫 Free entry, performances prices vary
*FREE metro travel to/from Gateshead, retain concert ticket for inspection on Metro
📌 East Park Road, Gateshead, NE9 5AX
A Victorian park with well-kept gardens, lake, streams, sports facilities, small maze, pet’s corner with rabbits and birds, including peacocks, and toddler and junior play areas, including a sand pit. There is often a Thomas the Tank Engine train ride which drives around the park.
👉 For more info, visit @Gateshead Council
🎫 Free
📌 Prince Consort Road, NE8 4JB
Five gallery spaces showing a range of exhibitions, with regular events including family activities. There is a children’s play space with toys and books, plus you can request a ‘Magic Carpet’ play mat or Toddler Backpack with additional toys and creative activities.
👉 For more info, visit @Shipley Art Gallery
🎫 Free entry, donations welcome.
📌 Oakwellgate, Gateshead, NE8 2AU
Medieval, grade one-listed building formerly a parish church, with displays about local history and a heritage bookshop. Also events and workshops including children’s activities, local history talks, tours, concerts and performances.
👉 Free entry. For more info, visit @stmarysheritagecentre
Runs on selected dates, see website for schedule.
Old Marley HIll, Marley Hill, Gateshead, NE16 5ET
Tel: 07508 092365
Steam trains run Sundays and Bank Holidays for a 6 mile round trip on the world’s oldest railway. Explore Europe’s oldest working engine shed and the world’s oldest railway bridge.
Adults: £10.50
Child: £6.50
Family (2 & 2): £27.50
(unlimited all day travel)
📌 496 Durham Road, Low Fell, Gateshead, NE9 6HU
Paint your own pottery studio & café where you can choose from a huge selection of items including mugs, plates, tea pots, money boxes, collectable animals, trinket boxes and pirates and princess pieces.
👉 For more info, visit @The Kiln Pottery Studio
🎫 Pottery individually priced, starting at £5.
📌 Unit 9, Old Durham Rd, Birtley DH3 2PS
Family-friendly eatery with a gated play area for little ones to explore and fun swing seats! Serving gourmet food, kids menu, vegan & gluten free options, and a dog menu & treats. Hosting workshops and special events for both children and adults.
👉 For more info, visit @themoodfoodbirtley
🎫 Free entry, walk-in (although table bookings recommended for large parties)
📌 Trinity Square, Gateshead, NE8 1AG
A range of deals on family cinema tickets, plus Mini Morning sessions at 10am every Saturday and Sunday (and throughout school holidays) with kids and family films for just £2.49 per ticket.
👉 For more info, visit @VueGateshead
📌 Watergate Park, Consett Road, Lobley Hill, Gateshead, NE11 0AN
A social enterprise cafe with toys, books and crafts, with special workshops and activities for kids. Dog friendly, with enclosed doggy playground and canine events.
For more info, visit @Watergate Cafe
🎫 Free entry (charges may apply for some activities)
