Wildwood Trust is well worth a visit if you are staying in the local area.  You can experience close encounters with native wildlife - all in a beautiful forest setting.  You will find this attraction between the coastal town of Herne Bay and the ancient city of Canterbury.  There is a wide variety of animals to see including badgers, foxes and otters. Kids will also love the animal encounters sessions, playground and games and quizzes.  Check out their website for the latest admission prices which are excellent value for a family day out in Kent.

Great Kent attraction and actually the biggest play centre in Kent.  From babies right through to toddlers and juniors there is something to suit all ages.  For roddlers the under 5s play frame has a host of activities including a tube slide, ball pool and funny mirrors. Juniors will be attractoed to the Imagine Village where they can drive little cars on the specially designed roadway. If you live locally this is also a great place to meet people and make new friends.

Adventure Island costs nothing to enter and there is an array of rides and attractions on offer. The Big Adventure rides include the Dragon's Claw, Rage and Vortex.  For younger children there is just as much fun on offer with rides like the Cow Jump, Over the Hill and Dragon. Mini Rides include the Choo Choo Train, Crooked House and Flying Jumbos.  When you have ran out of energy you could have a wander round the gift shop and perhaps buy a souvenir of your day.

Brockhill Country Park once formed part of a large estate dating right back to Norman times. Today the old manor house is part of Brockhill School but the grounds are still open to the public and are a popular place to enjoy a picnic on a summer day. The park is abundant with wildlife including butterflies and birds.

Port Lympne - The Aspinall Wild Animal Experience in nearby Kent is one of the regions most popular attractions and should be top of your list if you have animal lovers in the family. The site is home to over 500 rare and endangered animals from all around the world including the beautiful Siberian Tigers and the largest breeding herd of Black Rhino outside of Africa. The park was set up to protect endangered species and while enjoying the experience visitors can learn about the dangers the animals face in the wild and the reasons for their decline. The centre aims to return animals to the wild wherever possible and the enclosures are designed closely match the animals natural habitat.

The Hop Farm offers fun for children of all ages and the fun starts as soon as you enter with Giant Jumping Pillows and huge Outdoor Play Area and Frame with Slides, Bridges, Towers and much more. There are also a number of rides including the gentle Victorian Carousel. A ride on a Shire Horse is a great way to explore the park and as you wander around you will find the fantastic Lost World Maze, the Magic Factory and the crazy 3D Great Goblin Hunt.

Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest is another very popular attraction and is great for families as there is loads of open space for children to run around. Bedgebury is home to the beautiful National Pinetum and a further 2000 acres of forest as well as an excellent adventure play trail. Families can explore the site via the miles cycling routes and for the more experienced rider there are also 12 km of mountain biking tracks. The specially designed play area features a butterfly climbing wall, a spider's web, a ship wreck and tree stump nest tunnels. Other activities include Go Ape aerial ropes and a brand new zip wire course.

Bodiam Castle (National Trust) was built in 1385 and much of the exterior of the castle is still in tact although most of the interior was destroyed during the Civil War. The castle and grounds are a popular attraction in Sussex and have a children's activity area and a year round events programme including Bonfire night firework displays and Halloween spooky pumpkin parades. On selected date's visitor's cam meet real castle characters and get an insight into castle life.

Colchester Zoo is a fantastic place to visit with something for all the family.  Wander around and see the array of animals in excellent habitats.  Don't forget to visit the Leopards at Ussuri Falls, this new expansion can be located opposte the White Tiger Valley and the Medellin Momkeys.  Other popular areas of the zoo include Tiger Taiga, Chimp World and Wallaby Walkabout.   Look out for special events throughout the year such as Shriek Week on Halloween.  If you book tickets online you can obtain a discount of 10% and are also fast tracked on entry to the zoo - a great idea in the school holidays.