Birch Farm Complex, Hintlesham by Becky Spall

There are several indoor play centres in Suffolk, but I’d say one of the best for young children in the Ipswich area is Birch Farm in Hintlesham. We have been coming to Birch Farm with our son Joe, nearly 4yrs, since he was only a few months old, and he still loves it. The thing I like most about Birch Farm is the size – not because it’s massive but actually because it’s relatively small compared to competitors such as Snakes & Ladders. There is plenty of equipment to play on, but everything is in easy view from the seating area, unlike the larger centres where you can easily lose sight of your little one. Because of the size however, the centre is really best for younger children, and they do have an age limit of 5 years and under.

Birch Farm is found off the A1071 road that goes from Ipswich to Hadleigh, and just before you enter Hintlesham from Ipswich you’ll see the sign on your left with an entrance to the complex. If you follow the drive down you come to a large car park where we’ve never had a problem parking, even on a busy day. The complex has three elements, the play barn, a nursery school and a swimming pool. We’ve only used the play barn but have heard good reviews from others on the swimming pool too. The play barn costs £3.75 for 2 hours (£1.75 under 12 months & under 6 months are free), but although you sign in on arrival we usually stay longer than 2 hours and have never been asked to leave! You can also combine a play and swim which costs £5.75. As the name suggests the play barn is one large barn, filled with soft play areas, a ball pool, slides, a bouncy castle and lots of trikes/play cars etc. Also there is a separate carpeted area for babies and a small outdoor area that is open in warmer weather.

In addition to the main play barn there is a cafe that sells hot & cold food and drinks. They ask you not to bring in your own food & drink, which is fair enough as they have plenty of choice for a light lunch etc. They will also kindly warm up bottles for babies if required. There are clean toilets that are combined with the swimming pool changing area, and baby changing facilities. The toilets also have potty’s in the cubicles. We were so impressed with the centre and the helpful staff that we decided to hire the barn for Joe’s 3^rd birthday party. Parties can be booked on Saturdays and Sundays; on the Saturdays you get a reserved table in the play barn and it is still open to the general public, whereas for Sunday parties you get exclusive access to the barn for your time slot. There are a few different party options to choose from, but the standard Sunday party that we went for is for 2 hours and costs £9.95 per child (minimum £100 spend). This includes and hour and 15mins play, followed by 45mins for party food. Birch Farm supply a good amount of party food and drink, and you take along the cake, party bags etc as you wish.

Verdict.

Birch Farm is a small but well equipped play barn that is great for ages 5yrs and under, especially on a rainy day. There is plenty to keep the kids occupied for a good couple of hours, the only problem is they usually don’t want to leave! We have met friends there many times and Joe always has fun, and for the parents it is good value and a safe environment for your children to play while you enjoy a hot drink. It is a shame that Joe will only be able to go there for another year, following which we’ll have to embrace the more chaotic larger play centres! 

  

Thorpeness by Becky Spall mother of 1

Every summer we make a point of taking our son Joe (nearly 4yrs) to Thorpeness for a day trip and this year we went with my brother, sister-in-law and nephew (Alex 5yrs) as well. Thorpeness is not far from Aldeburgh which is also a ‘must visit’ for the summer, so it’s possible to go to both on the same day if you wish.

Both are found by following the A12 north from Ipswich and are well sign posted from there.
Thorpeness is a small coastal village with lots to offer. This year, and last year we happened to go when the Thorpeness Regatta was taking place over the August bank holiday weekend so it was busier than usual, and there was more going on. The main attraction in Thorpeness has to be the boating lake or ‘meare’.

This is a large artificial lake where rowing boats, punts, canoes and even sailing boats can be hired to take the family out on the water. However, as the Regatta was on we were unable to hire a boat as the lake was being used for boat races, so I can’t tell you the exact cost but it’s in the region of £20 for 4 people to take a boat out for 2 hours. We had good fun watching the boat races though which were going on throughout the day. 

Close to the lake there is a village green with a duckpond and picnic benches. There is also a shop selling all sorts of things from snacks, drinks and ice-creams, to bucket & spades and crabbing gear, and a café selling hot and cold food with plenty of outside seating overlooking the lake. There are public toilets near the lake and the other side of the shop was another green which had a few rides and stalls set up – I expect these were just there for the regatta week. Make sure you look out for the local landmark ‘The house in the clouds’ that is visible from the boating lake.

Once we’d spent a while at the lake we decided to head to the beach with our picnic. The beach is about a 10minute walk from the lake, and the main large public car park is about half way between the two. The beach is lovely, although pebbly (like neighbouring Aldeburgh, so no good for building sandcastles. There are lovely views up and down the Suffolk coastline and the beach was perfect for kite flying which kept the boys happy for a while. 

Verdict

If you’re planning a summer trip to the beach in Suffolk then I’d highly recommend Thorpeness. As well as the beach there is the added attraction of the boating lake, where at most times during the summer months it is fun to hire a rowing boat. The village doesn’t have the popular boutique shops and fish & chip shops like Aldeburgh, but as a result it feels quieter and more relaxed. The village does still have all the facilities you will need close by however, for having a great day out by the sea.

Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm

Last year a friend of mine introduced me to this farm, we took the bus from Ipswich town and off we went with our three children 2 five years old and one toddler.

Today, we went again, Sept 28th, we have been having such wonderful weather we decided to go to different farms every weekend, before the weather gets too cold to enjoy outdoor activities for long periods of time.

The main area of the farm is wheelchair and push chair friendly and a disabled toilet and baby changing facilities are available in the Visitor’s Centre. It has changed since last year, the main picnic area now has a very original playground, the have piled up huge tractor rubber tyres and has built a tunnel. They call it the TellyTubby mountain; a scrambling hill for kids, with a hiding tunnel.

It was nearly midday when we arrived so we paid the entrance fee which included a bag of food to feed the animals and we headed to the picnic area. The children ate and then played happily whilst we had a chat and had lovely scones with cream and jam. The picnic area is enclosed so my friend’s son ( 3) walked around happily and she could relax without having to chase after him.

We then headed to the trail to see the animals, as soon as we walked in little goats came to greet us it was wonderful as they have them roaming around the trail and they are very friendly the children loved feeding them and looking at the other animals.

Almost at the end of the trail they have built a 3-Maze. A stack of straw bales which they have put together it form a tunnel maze There are a couple of entrances and I have to admit to be a bit scared to try it myself at first as it is quite dark but once you have done it once is quite a lot of fun and the children loved it!

Once they had enough of the maze we headed back to the main picnic area for another play, after a nice session of hide and seek we decided it was time to go home at around 4.00pm.

We had a great time, I was surprised there weren't many families around, the weather was nice and the playground and tunnel Maze are such original fun.  Days like this are what the kids will fondly remember, old fashion fun, fresh air and laughter. Highly recommended.

Needham Lake by Becky Spall from Otley mother of 1

If you’re after some fresh air and somewhere to take the kids for some exercise, without spending any money, then Needham Lake is a great place to go. We regularly take our son Joe (nearly 4yrs) and often meet up with friends and family. Each time we go we have a different experience, but always have a nice time. Naturally the lake is most enjoyable in the summer but we’ve also had some lovely visits in the spring & autumn when the trees are alive with colour, and even some brisk winter walks.

The man-made lake is on the outskirts of Needham Market and is only a few minutes drive from the A14. There are two car parks, one on each side of the lake and they are both free for as long as you want. Usually we park up at the first car park we reach (Ipswich side) which has a large grassed area that is great for football/games etc. There is also a ‘den’ that has been formed by a group of trees that the kids spend ages playing in. There are several picnic benches around, a kiosk (open at weekends and during school holidays) that sells cold drinks and ice-creams, and a large play area suitable for all ages.

Before any of this however we usually get Joe’s bike or scooter out and head off for a trip around the lake. To reach the lake from this side you take a footbridge that crosses the river adjacent to the lake, you can then follow the footpath that runs all the way around the lake. For those with small children be warned, you have to keep a close eye on the kids as there are no barriers around the edge of the water. I would describe the lake as ‘medium’ size, it takes about half an hour to walk all the way round at a leisurely pace, but there are a few things for the kids to see and do along the way, like den building, climbing logs, sculptures etc. There are also quite a few resting points along the way with wooden benches scattered around. We always see a

 few fishermen dotted around the lake as well so if you’re into fishing it’d be worth finding out the rules/cost etc but I don’t personally know the fishing etiquette!

Our son also loves the fact that on one side of the lake you are close to the railway – Needham station is next to the lake on the Needham side, so the kids love it when the trains speed past. On the Needham side of the lake, where the other car park is, there is a block of public toilets that are very handy, although not overly clean. There is another smaller play area on this side, probably more suitable for younger kids, and a few more picnic benches. We usually stop here for a play and to feed the ducks. There is also a launching platform for the model boat club so we often see people from the club with boats out on the water – or you can take your own of course.

There are seasonal car boot sales held twice a week in the large field next to the car park (Ipswich side), on Sunday & Wednesday mornings. These are quite large and very popular and hence the lake/car parks get very busy at these times.

In addition, a few events are held at the lake throughout the year. This year we went when the annual raft races were taking place in June which was a fun event involving several teams in fancy dress racing on the lake in their home-made rafts! There was also a small funfair on that occasion.

Verdict

This is a lovely place to go in all weathers for a walk, cycle, scoot and play and if it’s warm enough it’s a very nice place to stop for a picnic. The great thing about it of course is that it’s free, with the possible exception of an ice-cream. The lake is enjoyed by all ages, young and old, and is also a nice place to walk a dog. Don’t forget to take some bread for the hungry ducks – there are usually loads around!

Rendlesham Forest by Becky Spall from Otley (mother of 1)

My partner & I took our son Joe (3yrs 9mnths) to Rendlesham Forest for the first time over the summer holidays and were really impressed. The main forest entrance is easy to find, by taking the B1084 Woodbridge to Orford road and following the road signs. The entrance takes you into a large car park, around which all the facilities are based. You do have to pay for parking but this is the only unavoidable expense, and at about £3 for the day it is well worth it. Once you are parked up you can explore the forest as you wish.  

As soon as Joe spotted the first play area he rushed off to have a go. This was a large climbing frame with a great twisting enclosed slide and it’s easily accessible for all ages, although very little ones may need some help.

 Once we had finally persuaded Joe to move onto something else we got the bikes out of the car and decided to set of on a bike ride. There are free leaflets by the parking ticket machine showing you what trails are available to suit your cycling ability. Basically, there are two walking trails (0.75 & 3 miles) and two cycle trails (6 & 10 miles), all of which are colour coded and can be easily followed by tracing the coloured marker posts along the way. This did however present us with a problem – our son is not yet 4 and has only just taken his stabilisers off, there is no way he would manage a 6 mile cycle ride! However, it seemed a real shame not to have a go so instead we started off with the short walking trail. As it says on the leaflet this is not strictly allowed, but fortunately nobody seemed to mind. Both of the cycle trails are classified as ‘easy’ and are suitable for beginners, as long as you can manage the distance, or can successfully switch to the long walking trail as a shortcut back to the start. We took our own bikes although there is a bike hire shop on the site with a variety of bikes for hire – we can’t comment on prices though as we didn’t use them.

In addition to these trails there is also a special ‘UFO Trail’, which is 3 miles long. This is designed to give you an insight into the 1980’s alleged UFO sightings, so you can see the areas involved, read the story, consider the reports and decide whether the mystery is true….kids (and grown ups) interested in the paranormal will be in their element. 

 After the cycle ride we got a hot drink from the kiosk (not great quality, I’d recommend taking a flask!), and sat and ate our packed lunch. The kiosk also sells cold drinks and ice creams. There are lots of picnic benches scattered around and also a big open space of grass where you can sit with a picnic blanket. There are also toilet facilities that were kept clean. After our lunch we explored the other play areas that are all within easy walking distance, our son loved them all but a few were for older children so he needed a bit of help. There was a zip wire (age 5+ but Joe was able to have a go), lots of things to climb on, den building, swings, games and more. 

Verdict

This really is a wonderful active day out for kids of all ages, but ages 4-10 would probably get the most out of it. The forest is beautiful and if you go on a lovely sunny day and take a picnic then you can spend a whole day there for very little cost. The forest trails are great for walking and cycling enthusiasts. There is plenty to keep the kids occupied and they are guaranteed to go home exhausted and happy!

Crabbing at Walberswick by Miriam Spall (40) from Ipswich mother of one

Ever since I read about the crabbing championships in Walberswick I wanted to come and have a go at crabbing with my son. It sounded like so much fun..! So we went shopping for a crabbing kit and off we went. Sadly the championships stopped in 2011 due to the overwhelming response but hopefully it will open again sometime in the future. http://www.walberswick.ws/crabbing/

We drove through the village looking for parking, we passed the village hall and a small playground before we found the car park (£3.00 all day) There was an ice cream van that was selling catching nets for £1.50 which came in handy because we needed to grab the crabs  with the net right away or they would fall off back into the water.

There were a couple of dozen people, some on the bridge and some on the banks of the river, everyone has their own “technique” to catch crabs and it was quite interesting to observe the various methods. It didn't take long before we caught our first crab, which was quite exciting.. It was nice to see so many children having so much fun, and there were some children who quite happily played knee deep in the mud! Families gathered around the river bank with their folding chairs whilst their children were crabbing.

It was fun, Alex enjoyed telling us what to do and letting the crabs go at the end. We decided to go for lunch after letting the crabs go back to the river

 We went to the village town and went to a restaurant located through an alleyway, it had a nice outside seating area and the menu sounded great! I had to say the food was amazing, the soft goats cheese melted in my mouth, the paninis were clearly freshly made. The cherry tomatoes were very sweet surely grown in someones back garden, and for dessert award winning Honeycomb ice cream from Alderburgh. Prices weren't the cheapest but worth every penny..!

We headed to the beach at around 3.00 pm it was very windy, perfect day for flying kites and we saw a few. The beach was like coming down to a perfect family portrait, sandy beaches, kites flying in the blue sky, children's laughter, the seagulls flying above the sea and even an artist painting near the sea shore.

Verdict:

What a beautiful place this is, lovely food, friendly people, idyllic landscape, what a Suffolk gem. The crabbing was fun and very simple to do, Alex loved letting the crabs go back to the river and wanted to come back for more after the beach. 

Walton on the Naze – Gold sandy beaches perfect for small children

We haven’t gone to the beach too much since Alex was born,  the cold water and waves always scared him and he ended up running away. I was worried at one point as I saw most toddlers playing happily in the water but someone told me children will enjoy it when they are ready and this is now Alex’s case at 5 years old.

I really liked the town center, small and friendly, the streets adorned with colourful hanging baskets and buzzing with families shopping for beach items. Compared with Clacton, it is relatively quiet. We parked nearby and we headed to the beach.  There were two things that initially caught my attention, firstly, the colour of the sand! smooth and golden, and secondly, how shallow the water was on the beach, which is perfect for babies, and toddlers that are first being introduced to the sea.  

The texture of the damp sand is perfect to make sand castles. The sea forms pools on the beach for very small children and we all know how much they love jumping in them! We went to the Pier and bought a wristband for Alex for £10.00 which allowed him to have as many rides as he wanted,  there were a good selection of rides ideal for younger children (4-6) (adults can also go on with the children for free) . Big arcade, ten pin bowling...and a pub for the mums and dads!

We then went to get something to eat at the Piers restaurant which I don’t recommend, its best to go to a nearby restaurant not many healthy choices and not great quality food. I would rather pay a bit more for better quality food. 

We went to the beach near the Pier, the beach was clean and you could see through the clear water, there weren’t many people as it was a Monday, Alex had his bucket and spade ready and off he went. He enjoyed jumping in the beach puddles and felt confident enough to walk further into the water; he also said he wanted to go swimming! This was a first for Alex!. Very smooth little waves, almost non existent, which is what usually scares Alex. You can hire windbreaks, sun umbrellas and of course deckchairs which were around £2.50 per day. Beach huts are also available for hire, TDC Tourist Information Office Open During High-Season Tel: 01255 675542

When we were finished we headed out onto the Pier for a walk and what a view.! Just beautiful, there were a few people fishing and some crabbing. Nice to take a walk down the end of the pier and look at Walton from the end of one of the longest piers in the world.

Walton on the Naze is also famous for unusual specimens such as prehistoric turtle fossils. The eroding “red crag” clay cliffs here are thought to be two million years old. Together with Walton-on-the-Naze’s gently shelving sandy beach, they have yielded some dramatic prehistoric finds. Discoveries include some of the best bird fossils in the world, alongside extra-large sharks’ teeth specimens, and unfathomably ancient turtle fossils.

Verdict:

Clean and sandy beaches ideal for small children, the small pools formed by the sea are ideal for babies and toddlers. The funfair on the pier is great value for money with rides mostly for smaller children. I don’t recommend eating at the Piers restaurant, but finding a local pub or restaurant instead. We had a great time, one of the best beaches I have been to in the area.

For more information visit the Walton on the Naze website at:

http://www.walton-on-the-naze.com/Guide/guide.htm

www.wheretotakeourchildren.co.uk
@SuffolkKids