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When the sun has got its hat on and the whole family feels like going out to play, who wants to spend their day strolling dead-eyed around some retail park? We must not have gotten the memo that said that shopping was suddenly a fun family activity, but it’s not a theory that we necessarily subscribe to. After all, we want fun, challenging and absorbing days out for our kids that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives, we don’t merely want to teach them to be good little consumers. The trouble, however, is that ethical families can find themselves wringing their hands when it comes to ideas for a day out, especially if they love animals. While a day at the zoo might seem like a family friendly activity, even the best maintained zoos represent a particularly shaky patch of ethical ground. Not to worry, however, any of the following can be a fun family day out that not only does good for the planet and the local environment but brings you closer together as a family.
Visit an animal sanctuary
Zoos are ethically problematic because they represent a degree of captivity which is distressing for the animals and limits their ability to be released back into their natural environment where they’re happiest. However, zoos are becoming more and more conscious and most of them take part in conservation programs or show other efforts to not only display animals in captivity.
But focusing on sanctuaries now, there are many in the UK to visit. One of the country’s many sanctuaries for animals who have been rescued from the animal agriculture or tourism industries. You’ll get to see happy and healthy animals in a compassionate environment and your kids will get to understand just how important animal advocacy is in a caring society. These places do great work and your business will not only make for a fun day out but help them to rescue and care for more animals.
A couple of great animal sanctuaries to visit:
- The Farm Animal Sanctuary – Evesham, Worcestershire – A lifelong refuge for over 600 neglected and abused farm animals.
- The Big Cat Sanctuary – Smarden, Kent – Dedicated to conservation, they have around 40 big cats from 11 different species (lions, leopards, tigers and more), many of which are at risk of extinction. You can book lodges. and all sorts of different day outs, including Afternoon Tea with Paul Hollywood!
- Cornish Seal Sanctuary – Helston, Cornwall – a Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Release centre for seals, and most seasons they rescue over 60 pups, dating back to 1958.
- Hopefield Animal Sanctuary – Sawyer’s Hall Farm, Brentwood – 600 rescued animals, located on 53 acres of beautiful Essex countryside, with cafe on site with plant-based food and drinks.
- The Monkey Sanctuary – Looe, Cornwall – an active rescue centre, with around 40 residents to visit,
- Hillside Animal Sanctuary – Frettenham, Norwich – Most of the rescued animals have been saved from the farming industry and over 2500 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules.
- Suffolk Owl Sanctuary – Stonham Aspal, Suffolk –
- Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary – Kidderminster, Worcestershire – a 92-acre site is home to over 300 rescued animals including sheep, pigs, goats, chickens and also two alpacas.
- Redwings Horse Sanctuary – (6 centres UK wide) – Their mission is to rescue abandoned, mistreated and neglected horses and donkeys from across the UK. You can even stay at the Sanctuary Rooms.
- The Retreat Animal Rescue – High Halden, Kent – Some of the residents include: ex-race horses, ex-riding school ponies, sheep, goats and cows, injured birds, and many more. Vegan cafe on site.
Visit a nature reserve
If you live in a busy town or city centre it can feel like urbanisation is slowly robbing the country of its natural beauty. However, it rarely takes more than half an hour’s drive to find some truly breathtaking and expansive nature reserves that not only make for a great walk amongst stunning surroundings but allows your children to see plants, animals and birds in their natural habitat rather than caged and under stimulated for the amusement of humans. Pack a pair of binoculars for bird watching and a picnic lunch and your kids won’t want to get back in the car!
A couple of great nature reserves to visit:
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Donna Nook, Lincolnshire – seal watching spot
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Skomer, Pembrokeshire – puffin-spotting
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Inversnaid, Stirling – waterfalls
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Chapmans Well, Durham – bird watching paradise
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Smardale Gill, Cumbria – beautiful limestone landcape
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The Stiperstones National Reserve, Shropshire – unspoilt and wild
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Loch Garten, Abernethy – beautiful loch and ancient pines
- Ashdown Forest, East Sussex – Home of Winnie the Pooh’s 100 Acres Wood
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Tout Quarries – Dorset – Stone sculptures and wildlife
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Gibraltar Point – Skegness – sand-dunes, salt marshes and fresh water habitats
Active Days Out
Active holidays, spent time outside, together as a family – the best memories in everyone’s childhood. Staycationing in the UK is more popular than ever and if you choose to do that – active and adventure day outs are a great way to make the most of the local area, get all the fresh air, connect with the kids through fun activities and enjoy being on the move.
A couple of great active day out ideas:
BikePark Wales – Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan – for small and big mountain bikers to spend a day in the Welsh mountains
Water sports at Camber Sands – East Sussex – huge sandy beach for Kite-flyers and windsurfers of all ages
Guided fossil walk – Charmouth Beach, Dorset – fossil hunting walk along the dramatic stretch of coastline
Canyoning – Bowness, Cumbria – canyoning routes around Keswick, Windermere and Coniston
Paragliding – Yarmouth, Isle of Wight – Tandem Flying is the easiest way to experience paragliding
Camping – Kielder Village Campsite, Kielder, Northumberland – remote and quiet, perfect for stargazing