Looking for things to do in Kent when it’s raining? We have over 50 suggestions for rainy days around Tunbridge Wells, Kent and East Sussex!
Only one thing is certain about the weather in England, and that is that it is completely uncertain. This is not such a bad thing when you have only yourself to entertain, but what about when you have your children in tow? Whenever we make the decision to stay in the house I always end up climbing the walls with the squabbling and inevitable whining. For sanity’s sake, here are 50 things to do in Kent when it’s raining, as well as a few places in East Sussex and London too…
Please note, these venues are suitable for a mix of ages, some of which are aimed at much younger children, and some for slightly older ones. We will try to keep this post as up-to-date as possible but please check with the places beforehand to ensure they are open.
Our top things to do in Kent when it’s raining….
♥ Bounce, climb and play at AirHop Tunbridge Wells – a brilliant indoor activity for kids (and grown-ups!) with wall-to-wall trampolines, exciting challenges, Laser Tag and plenty of ways to burn off some energy! There’s also a café for a well-earned break and/or for parents to relax and sit in if they fancy just watcing. Read our full review and find out more here.
♥ Try something completely different at REALMS in Crowborough – an exciting indoor entertainment venue with Virtual Reality escape rooms and games, Augmented Reality Darts and a TrackMan Golf Simulator all under one roof. The VR games are suitable for ages 7+ and there’s plenty for older kids, teens and grown-ups too, making it a brilliant rainy-day option for the whole family. Read our full review of REALMS here.
♥ Kidsbury Roleplay Villages at Royal Victoria Place, is a fun-filled, creative adventure! Perfect for children aged 1 to 7, this unique roleplay village and café provides a safe, stimulating environment where kids can explore real-world scenarios and let their imaginations run wild. It’s the ideal place for little ones to develop key skills while having tons of fun.
♥ Allow your little maniacs to run wild at Amazon Adventure – a super soft play centre in Frant, which we have been going to for years (you may remember it was called Minor Mania)! It is located right opposite Frant station so parents of railway fans may want to combine their day out with a train ride! As well as a HUGE multi-tiered, multi-coloured, multi-FUN soft play jungle, Amazon Adventure have a cafe with hot and cold food, plus WiFi which is very handy! Bookings can be made here.
♥ Mix things up with one of the events and activities that take place at Bluewater throughout the year. With 17 screens each with fully customisable reclining seats as standard, enjoy the latest blockbusters in style at Showcase Cinema de Lux Bluewater. Or visit Dinotropolis – a dinosaur adventure park, complete with animatronic dinosaurs, three storeys of soft play, interactive games and raptor racing. Read our review HERE. If that’s not enough for you, jump until your heart’s content at Gravity trampoline park or take on the 13 unique climbing walls at Gravity Rocks!
♥ Have you been to the free, mini museum at Pooh Corner in Hartfield which was refurbished recently? It’s brimming with artwork, toys and books, showcasing 95 years of Winnie the Pooh and his creators – well-worth a visit. Why not enjoy some cake or lunch from the themed tea-rooms too and a story in the reading-corner?
♥ Visit the awesome Amelia in Tunbridge Wells! The children’s section of the library is such a fab space, and you can wander around the shiny new museum, learn lots about local history, try on clothes and more! Finish up with something yummy from the onsite cafe – Fine Grind. My kids really enjoy hopping on the bus when we go and it certainly helps with carrying all the books we always end up borrowing!
♥ Treat the family to a fun day out at Bogeys in Tunbridge Wells with its exciting and challenging 9-hole course, the whole family will love this funky retro-themed course, that’ll put your golfing skills to the test.
♥ Broaden your children’s culture quota by taking them to see a show at Trinity Theatre. Trinity is an intimate theatre which lends itself towards non-overwhelming, child friendly performances for younger children. They often have a children’s performance on Sunday afternoons and they screen some fantastic family friendly films too.
♥ Get building at the Build-a-Bear workshop in Bluewater, Fremlin Walk (Maidstone) or Brighton (Churchill Square). This is a truly interactive experience and once your little one has made their furry friend they’ll have another toy to play at home!
♥ Visit one of the Child Friendly Cafes near Tunbridge Wells which we have written about here! Quite a few new ones have opened recently so why not give one of them a go?
More of the best things to do in Kent when it’s raining…
♥ Explore Buzzy Bees Playbarn and cafe in Ash (Approx 45min drive from Tunbridge Wells). With three separate areas for different ages it is the perfect place for your 0-12 year olds to let off steam. Open Mon-Fri.
♥ Head to PaintnGo on Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells and paint the walls. From toddler sessions to grown ups, they have everything from splatter labs to artist inspired mural painting. Book online via their website.
♥ Unearth interesting stories through objects, paintings and play at Chatham Dockyard. Little dockyard explorers can walk the decks of warships and complete a special mission called Mission Explore, containing lots of fun facts and a map to help you on your way!
♥ Clamber and climb to your heart’s content at Chimera Climbing Centre in High Brooms, Tunbridge Wells. They have drop in sessions for children aged 5 and over and boast some of the finest indoor bouldering in the South East of England.
♥ History and mystery fans will enjoy a guided tour around Chislehurst Caves. Best for the under 3’s, with a downloadable fun fact sheet to complete after your visit!
♥ Test your resolve and determination at Clip n Climb in Tonbridge and try out one of their many climbing walls, as well as the infamous Drop Slide and Stairway to Heaven. This is such a favourite with cheeky little monkeys who have energy to burn!
♥ Located in the bustling shopping centre at Lakeside in Essex, there are a whole host of indoor family attractions. Puttshack is a series of tech-infused mini golf courses which I hear are great fun! Explore five zones of fun with well-loved characters at Nickelodeon Adventure amusements and theme park. Get ready for an immersive, team adventure or 2-6 players, 8+ years of age at Immersive Gamebox an interactive digital room with a mission to make IRL screen time social again. Flip Out is the ultimate indoor adventure park with dozens of trampolines, a ninja tag game, obstacle course, battle beams, travellator, parkour stunt area and the UK’s longest traverse climbing wall!
♥ Take a ‘shelfie’ with a mermaid, explore the underwater world and learn about reptiles at Hastings Aquarium. With over 40 naturally themed habitats there’s sure to be something to catch your little one’s eye. There are two free (though donations welcome) museums nearby too – the Fisherman’s Museum and Shipwreck Museum.
♥ Hone your aim with a bowling session at Hollywood Bowl at Knight’s Park in Tunbridge Wells. Nothing like a bit of competition for some family fun – let the good times roll!
♥ Get with the in-crowd and visit the Horniman Museum, named by the New York Times as one of the top 10 coolest museums in the world and awarded the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2022. There is so much to do, including an aquarium and a butterfly house and exciting temporary exhibitions and bookable workshops – from global cultures to natural wonders!
So many places to go in Kent when it’s raining!
♥ Visit the Kent Firefighting Museum in Sevenoaks and browse hundreds of artefacts such as firemen’s helmets and engines through the years. Based at Woodland’s Garden Centre – where the Twig and Spoon restaurant has an emphasis on organic, free-range and sustainable produce. The museum is open on Friday to Sunday and closes for the winter.
♥ Splash about to your heart’s content at Larkfield Swimming Pool. Cannons, slides, waves and rapids make for a really fun swimming session for kids and they also run ‘splasharound sessions’ with giant inflatables at the weekend.
♥ Watch your children learn and play through role-play at Little Street’s mini town in Maidstone and Sevenoaks – with a variety of themed rooms, scaled down just for little people, and carefully designed and filled with props to offer a creative and educational play experience. Perfect for little ones from walking to age 7 – read our review HERE.
Let us know where you like to go in Kent when it’s raining? Please comment below!
♥ Pique your children’s historical interests at Maidstone Museum and learn about ancient Egypt, local and natural history. Also look out for the great value craft workshops during the holidays – another budget friendly option for things to do in Kent when it’s raining. Check seasonal opening hours before travelling.
♥ Create a masterpiece at the conveniently placed Manic Ceramix on Camden Road. Choose your model, plate, vase to paint and then collect a week later once the kiln has worked its magic! Ideal for making presents. Combine with a visit to one of the many cafes in the area or visit the soft play in Royal Victoria Place.
♥ Thrill animal and dinosaur fans with a trip to the Natural History Museum in London, only a 5 minute walk from South Kensington and worth the extra journey time to see the excitement on their faces when they see the world-famous roaring T-rex.
♥ Discover an amazing under-water world at the Sealife Centre in Brighton. Have a ride on a glass bottom boat and take a stroll through the ocean via the glass tunnel, watch out for sharks!
♥ Exercise your scientific skill at the Observatory Science Centre in Hailsham. At the Observatory you will find a hands-on science centre which aims to bring science and creativity to life.
♥ Marvel at the big screen and visit the Odeon to catch the latest kids films. Try to get tickets through the Odeon Kids scheme to let imaginations run wild at family friendly prices. Going to the cinema on a weekend morning is another one of my favourite things to do in Kent when it’s raining. We also love Showcase Cinemas in Bluewater – where all of the seats are reclining…
♥ Get your skates on at Planet Ice and have a family day at an ice skating rink. It’s located in Gillingham and offers toddler skate sessions as well as teenage disco sessions too!
Where are your favourite places to go in Kent and East Sussex on a rainy day?
♥ Grow scientific interest with a trip to the Science Museum in London. Good, free, educational fun and the train ride to the city can be fun too!
♥ Design, paint and glaze your own pottery at Slap ‘n Dash in Hawkhurst. After you’ve finished your creation why not stop by the onsite Waterside Cafe for a spot to eat? A picturesque view included.
♥ Make your own delicious confectionary at a terrific Temper Temper Chocolate workshop in Southborough, Tunbridge Wells. Workshops are aimed at children (4+) and involve 2 hours of pouring, moulding and decorating chocolate treats.
♥ Develop their water confidence at the parent and toddler fun sessions at Tonbridge Pool, or for bigger kids look out for Splasharound (4+) and Mini Splash (7 and under) which are sessions with a giant inflatable and water toys galore.
♥ Get your skates on at the Sevenoaks Leisure Centre Roller Disco on Saturday evenings. The family session is from 5.30pm to 7.30pm while the open session (age 8+) is from 7.30 to 9.00pm. Perfect way to end the week on a rainy evening!?
I hope this post about the best places to go in Kent when it’s raining is useful? If you have any recommendations for things to add – please do let us know in the comments box below. Stay dry!