Our top 6 Children's Dinosaur adventures for summer 2018
Do you have a dino-obsessed little one? Yep, we do too. Here are six of the best totally roar-some days out to do now
1. Dinosaurs in the Wild, London
Made by the makers of BBC TV series Walking With Dinosaurs. Take a trip in Chronotex’s time machine, and be transported back 67 million years to the Cretaceous period. Once the time machine is docked, you’ll transfer to the off-road vehicle (aka simulator) and ride across the plains, safari-style, taking in the most remarkable creatures ever to roam the earth; think Triceratops, Alamosauras, and the king of all dino’s, the T-Rex. You’ll get to visit TimeBase 67, the brilliant research station where you go behind-the-scenes with the scientists, see prehistoric animals in cages, watch babies emerging from their shell, and witness an autopsy on a giant dinosaur.
Get up close and personal to the hatchlings, discover an Alamosauras’ beating heart, play with claws and eyeballs, and even dissect some dino poo. But be careful, all is not as it seems at TimeBase 67 – and you never know what will happen next, as you get immersed in this time-travelling Jurassic escapade, featuring brilliant animatronics, 3-D cinema effects, and some excellent live action with actors. It adds up to one entirely believable adventure that will spark their imagination for years to come.
When: Running until 2 September 2018
Where: Dinosaurs in the Wild, The Greenwich Peninsula, London
Tickets: Adults £25, children £22, family tickets available
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Good to know: The experience is ideal for children aged 5 and above. Parental discretion is suggested for all younger or sensitive children.
More info: www.dinosaursinthewild.com
2. Dinosaur Forest, Kent
Journey through the UK’s largest dinosaur forest, where you’ll come face to face with a T-Rex, take a peek at a Stegosaurus, feel the terror of the Pterodactyl, and delight at the sheer size of the diplodocus. Download the virtual reality app - where an interactive map, exciting and useful facts about the animals, as well as a handy spotter’s guide - really bring the animals to life.
When: All year round
Where: Port Lympne Reserve Nr. Ashford, Kent
Tickets: Adults £20, children £16.80, under 3s free
More info: www.aspinallfoundation.org
3. Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure, Norfolk
With over 85 acres of dinosaur fun including a Dinosaur Trail with a towering T-Rex, plus, Brachiosaurus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Triceratops, it’s the perfect day out to burn off steam. Brilliant for under 7s too with a Tiny Terrosaurs play area and Dippy’s Splash zone when the weather is warm. Plus, catch the ‘Dino of the Day’ show, which is scheduled during peak times.
When: All year round
Where: Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure, Lenwade, Norfolk
Tickets: Adults £14.15, Children £16.10, Under 3s free
More info: www.dinosauradventure.co.uk
4. The Dinosaur Museum, Dorset
Britain's original prehistoric attraction, where you can Smell Dino poo; have your pic taken with a lifesize T-Rex or dig for fossils in the sand pit. Don’t miss the cinema room, playing a brilliant fact-tastic palaeontologist film and get involved with the activities, like spot the dino trails.
When: All year round
Where: The Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester, Dorset
Tickets: Adults £8.50, Children £6.50, Under 3s free
More info: www.dinosauradventure.co.uk
5. The Lost Kingdom, Hampshire
The Lost Kingdom is home to a whole host of Dinosaur attractions including two roller coasters, life-like animatronics dinosaurs, Jurassic themed family rides and a prehistoric dinosaur adventure play park. Every day there will be an opportunity to meet the tame (ish) walking realistic dinosaurs at ALIVE - Dinosaur Encounter. Plus, the park also has Little Africa, where you get to meet wildlife from a meerkat to a millipede and the famous Peppa Pig World, for when your all dino’d out.
When: All year round
Where: The Lost Kingdom, Paultons Park, Hampshire
Tickets: Adults and children £29.25, children under 1 metre free
More info: www.paultonspark.co.uk
6. Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular UK tour
The award-winning BBC Television Series springs to life with this awesome arena spectacular. It took a team of 50 including engineers, artists, painters and animatronics experts a year to build; requires 21 trucks to move it and cost £15-million to produce. The star of the show (other than the realistic nine-species of dines on the crew, of course) is Michaela Strachan, who plays ‘Huxley’ the palaeontologist.
She tells us, “I fell in love with the Ankylosaurus, with it’s cute, dopey look and a club tail, that very haphazardly whacks things – he is just so much fun. Children will love it.” After watching the show, we couldn’t agree more. Expect to see realistic dino's, roar, fight and bound around, along with eggs hatching, flora and fauna growing on set, and lots of rib-tickling fun for all the family. We caught it at the Birmingham Arena however, the show is touring the UK until December 2018. Catch it before it becomes extinct!
When: July – December 2018
Where: UK wide
Tickets: From £29 pp
More info: www.dinosaurlive.com