COVID-19 UPDATE: There have been so many changes for businesses lately it’s hard to keep up! This section will be updated in due course as things return to normal, in the meantime you can use the ideas here as a rough guide or can check our A-Z of Days Out here for more recent info and links. You can also like our Facebook Page here for updates
📌 37 High Street, Felling, Gateshead, NE10 9LU
📆 Open Mon–Sun for 90 min play sessions.
👉 Weekdays: £5. Pre-walkers: £2. Weekends: £6. Book here.
A family run children’s role play area, with a police station, house, beauty salon, café, shop, vet and doctors surgeries, construction area, road and ride on vehicles, dress up area, designated baby area, onsite cafe and more.
Plus weekly activities such as Messy Play, and plenty of special events and workshops.
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)
Wednesday – Monday: 10am – 6pm
Tuesday: 10.30am – 6pm
Gateshead Quays South Shore Road, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Tel: 0191 478 1810
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.
Free.
Hainingwood Terrace, Bill Quay, Gateshead, NE10 0UE
Tel: 0191 441 9715
An organic rare breeds farm with large and small animals, ran by Chrysalis Services. Free to visit, plus regular events and activities and Bill Quay Cafe on site.
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
📌 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).
Monday – Friday: 8am – 8pm
Saturday: 8am – 6pm
Sunday: 8am – 7pm
Gateshead Leisure Centre, Alexandra Road, Gateshead, NE8 4JA
Tel: 0191 433 5733
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.
Under 1 year: Free
Over 1 year: £3 – £5 (depending on GO Gateshead card)
(per two hour session)
Monday – Friday: 9am – 9pm
Saturday: 9am – 7pm
Sunday: 11am – 5pm
intu Metrocentre, Gateshead, NE11 9YG
Tel: 0191 493 0200
There’s a small free toddler area with soft play shapes upstairs in the Forum, and a free outdoor play area outside the Qube entrance for ages 3-10. ‘Fun Buggy’ ride-on cars can be hired from customer service desks, and for older children there are bungee trampolines in Exhibition Square. From here you also can take a train drive around the centre.
Free play areas.
‘Fun Buggy’ hire: £3 – 4 per hour (£10 returnable cash deposit)
Monday – Friday: 10.30am – late
Saturday – Sunday: 10.00am – late
(school holidays vary)
Forge Road, Dunston, Gateshead, NE8 2RB
Tel: 08444 141 141
Home to 28,000ft of trampolines and a 8-lane entry foam zone. There are plenty of games and activities to try, including dodgeball, basketball, or slam dunk. Under 5’s can slide, climb, crawl and jump around the Soft Play.
£5 – £15 (plus £2 Grip Socks)
Soft Play: £3.50 (£5 weekends)
Free Jump Zone: Age 3+.
Soft Play: under 5 years.
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
Monday – Sunday: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Heddon View, Ryton, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE40 3JB
Tel: 07592 932533
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.
Prices start from £50pp, by appointment only.
Mention ‘Gateshead Mumbler’ on booking for a discounted price on the falconry experience at only £20pp.
📌 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
Open from 9am, 7 days a week
St Mary’s Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 2JR
Tel: 0191 443 4666
Enjoy fun, creative and engaging family concerts and workshops. You can also make a visit for the free children’s playspace, crafts, and cafe.
Free entry for visit, performances prices vary.
(FREE metro travel to/from Gateshead, retain concert ticket for inspection on Metro).
Tuesday – Friday: 10am – 4pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Monday & Sunday: Closed
Shipley Art Gallery, Prince Consort Road, NE8 4JB
Tel: (0191) 477 1495
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.
Free entry, donations welcome.
Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 4pm
Sunday: closed
Oakwellgate, Gateshead, NE8 2AU
Tel: 0191 433 4699
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.
📌 4-5 High Street West, Sunderland, SR1 3EX
Packed program with family-friendly theatre shows.
👉 For more info, visit @SunderlandEmpire
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)
📌 417/419 Durham Road, Low Fell, Gateshead, NE9 5AN
A cafe with a baby and toddler play area with plenty of toys, books and dress up costumes, plus regular baby and toddler classes and family activities. If you like good food, great coffee and fun times then come on over.
Free to visit (charges may apply for some activities).
For more info, visit @TheNestLowFell
📌 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)
