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ā˜”ļøRAINY DAY IDEASā˜”ļø

  • FamilyFunDarloMum
  • Oct 19, 2023
  • 6 min read

Updated: 16 hours ago


Last Updated May 2026


This article lists indoor play venues with options suitable for babies right up to teens, across Darlington and the North.


Iā€™ve hyperlinked where I have written individual blogs or if I have created a video reel/detailed post from a personal visit. Click the hyperlink to take you to it (venue name/activity is underlined if itā€™s a hyperlink)


Some facilities/info may have changed since I have written the blogs/posts, so please check directly with the venue too. I keep updated as much as possible.


šŸŒŸROLE PLAY CAFES, SOFT PLAYS AND SENSORY PLAYšŸŒŸ


Darlington;

šŸ’§Roarsome Soft Play, near Morton Park, Morton Park Way

šŸ’§Under the Sea Soft Play, Dolphin Centre. Thereā€™s a decent baby and toddler section here too.


Under the Sea Toddler Area at The Dolphin Centre
Under the Sea Toddler Area at The Dolphin Centre

Aimed more for toddlers (Darlington);

Corner in the Cafe, Borough Road (blog based on a previous creative play ā€˜Fairytale Forestā€™ -Creative Play change seasonally but other facilities available year round, themes of crafts/activities/toys may change)


Play Corner in the Cafe at The Hullabaloo (activities vary)
Play Corner in the Cafe at The Hullabaloo (activities vary)

Other areas;

šŸ’§Gretna Green Wacky Warehouse, Newton Aycliffe

šŸ’§Ruff n Tumble, Newton Aycliffe

šŸ’§Fun Shack Soft Play, Stockton on Tees and Middlesbrough

šŸ’§Planet Kidz, Redcar Seafront

šŸ’§Crazy Kingdom, Northallerton

šŸ’§Kosmic Kingdom, Bishop Auckland

šŸ’§Crazy Tykes, near Wetherby

šŸ’§Temple Fun, near Northallerton


Crazy Kingdom, Northallerton
Crazy Kingdom, Northallerton

Aimed more for babies/toddlers ;

šŸ’§Daisy Lane Play Cafe, Newton Aycliffe

šŸ’§Little ExplorersĀ at Peters Place, Barnard Castle

šŸ’§Little Acorns Play Cafe, Skelton

šŸ’§Imagination Village, Hartlepool

šŸ’§Land of Make Believe, Stockton on Tees

šŸ’§Clart about Sensory Cafe, Consett

šŸ’§REPEAT for kids, Hartlepool (Sensory play venue, private sessions available)

šŸ’§Peek a Brew Play Cafe, Seaton Carew

šŸ’§Daisy and Beas Play Cafe, Hartlepool

šŸ’§Cloud Nine Play Cafe, Guisborough

šŸ’§Charlieā€™s Soft Play at Hemlington Lake & Recreation Centre

šŸ’§Make Believe Play Cafe, Hartlepool

šŸ’§Little Play Place, Willington



Repeat4Kids, Hartlepool
Repeat4Kids, Hartlepool

šŸŒŸINDOOR ANIMAL VENUESšŸŒŸ


šŸ’§Butterfly World, located inside Preston Park, Stockton on Tees

šŸ’§Tynemouth Aquarium, Tynemouth

šŸ’§Newham Grange Farm, Middlesbrough. Although many animals/activities are outdoors it also has some indoor animals and petting/handling sessions as well as a small indoor softplay and role play area (small entry cost so may be worth it even if you spend most of the time indoors)


Potters World, near Durham
Potters World, near Durham

šŸŒŸGAMING/ARCADE VENUESšŸŒŸ


šŸ’§Arcadia, Darlington

šŸ’§The Gaming Hideaway, Bishop Auckland

šŸ’§Retro Bay Cafe, Whitley Bay

šŸ’§Arcades at Hollywood Bowl, Stockton

šŸ’§The Gaming Hideaway Teesside, Bishop Auckland

šŸ’§Arcades at Game On, Bishop Auckland



Arcades at Hollywood Bowl
Arcades at Hollywood Bowl


šŸŒŸMUSEUMS/EDUCATIONAL VENUESšŸŒŸ


šŸ’§šŸ†“Darlington Libraries, Darlington and Cockerton Library often hold free events/activities or at a small cost. Regular free weekly toddler rhymetime sessions and afterschool sessions for school aged kids too. They have Lego Club on Saturdays in term time. They also have Rhymetime specials in the school holidays, which usually have a small cost as they offer a bit extra.

šŸ’§šŸ†“ Hopetown, Darlington Museum (free to visit the museum which has lots of trains, role play area, interactive learning activities and screens). They often run indoor interactive family exhibitions/play too.

šŸ’§Captain Cook Birthplace Museum, Middlesbrough (currently only open during summer holidays due to funding)

šŸ’§Preston Park Museum and Grounds, Stockton on Tees

šŸ’§The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

šŸ’§šŸ†“Kirthleatham Museum, Kirkleatham, Redcar (free entry, donations welcome)

šŸ’§Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens

šŸ’§National Museum of The Royal Navy, Hartlepool

šŸ’§šŸ†“Oriental Museum, Durham

šŸ’§šŸ†“Durham Cathedral

šŸ’§Life Science Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne

šŸ’§šŸ†“Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne (free entry, donations welcome)

šŸ’§šŸ†“Seven Stories: The National Centre for Childrens Books, Newcastle upon Tyne (free entry, donations welcome)

šŸ’§šŸ†“Discovery Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne (free entry, donations welcome) . Watch my reel on the science maze area here


Science Maze at The Discovery Museum, Newcastle
Science Maze at The Discovery Museum, Newcastle

šŸŒŸSWIMMING/LEISURE VENUESšŸŒŸ

šŸ’§The Dolphin Centre, Darlington-Swimming (Check schedule for different sessions), Bowling and Softplay.

šŸ’§Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre, Darlington-Swimming, basketball, martial arts, gymnastics, youth club, holiday activities.

šŸ’§Ashgrove Lodge and Swim Spa, Middlesbrough-available for private family swim sessions in a heated poool

šŸ’§Northallerton Leisure Centre-wave machine, water slide, water jets, cannons (during Big Swim Sessions)

šŸ’§Spennymoor Leisure Centre-wave machine, water slide (waves, slides and splash sessions). South Durham Gymnastics located in the Leisure also run baby and toddler play sessions

šŸ’§Firtree Swimming Retreat, near Sedgefield - private hire swim sessions in a heated pool



šŸŒŸTEES ACTIVE LEISURE VENUESšŸŒŸ


šŸ’§Billingham Forum-Swimming, Climbing, Ice Rink, Soft Play, Racquet Sports

šŸ’§IB Leisure, Ingleby Barwick-Swimming and Soft Play

šŸ’§Thornaby Pavilion-Multi Use Sports Court, Squash Courts, Bio Bounce Inflatable Park

šŸ’§Thornaby Pool-Swimming

šŸ’§Stockton Splash-Swimming with water flumes and wave machine and racquet sports.

šŸ’§There are also fun float and giant inflatable sessions available at IB Leisure, Thornaby Pool and Billingham Forum (fun floats only) as well as Stockton Splash which also has Big Splash sessions where the waves and flumes will be on.


šŸŒŸTHRIVE LEISURE VENUE

(COUNTY DURHAM)šŸŒŸ


šŸ’§Spennymoor Leisure Centre-Softplay, Multi-Sensory Room and Swimming. South Durham Gymnastics located here also run family play sessions during school holidays and on weekends (or toddler sessions during the week term time)

šŸ’§Louisa Sports Centre, Stanley- Swimming, TAG Active Arena, Softplay, Swimming and Clip n Climb

šŸ’§Abbey Leisure Centre, Durham- Swimming, Softplay, Tag Active Zone and Trampolines



šŸŒŸOTHER ENTERTAINMENT VENUESšŸŒŸ


šŸ’§Rof 59, Newton Aycliffe-climbing, trampolining, laser combat, small soft play. They also run regular Little Angels Toddler Sessions as well as occasional Bounce and Beats sessions for all ages.

šŸ’§Ruff n Tumble, Newton Aycliffe-bungee trampolines, climbing wall, tenpin bowling, sports court, soft play and a death slide (7-12yrs)

šŸ’§Hollywood Bowl, Stockton on Tees-Ten Pin Bowling and Crazy Golf

šŸ’§Planet Leisure, Newton Aycliffe-Ten pin bowling, crazy golf, rollerskating, laser quest, trampoline park, axe throwing

šŸ’§Valhalla North Axe Throwing, Newton Aycliffe (for ages 8+)

šŸ’§Putter Chaos Adventure Golf, Middlesbrough

šŸ’§Jump 360, Stockton on Tees, Hartlepool and Newcastle upon Tyne-Trampoline Park

šŸ’§Level X, Middlesbrough-Bowling, Karting, VR, Mini Golf, and Arcades

šŸ’§ District 23 paintball, Airsoft And Nerf Arena, Billingham

šŸ’§Ninja Warrior UK Teesside, Teesside Park, Stockton on Tees

šŸ’§Inflatespace, Middlesbrough (ages 4-11)- Large inflatable park, dodgems and VR games

šŸ’§Infinite Air, Durham-soft play area for 6 months up to 5 years, Valo Gaming, Crazy Golf and trampoline park for ages 1-8 and accompanying adult.

šŸ’§Game On, Bishop Auckland. Ten pin bowling, adventure golf, arcades, pool table and darts.


Ninja Warrior, Teesside Park
Ninja Warrior, Teesside Park

šŸŒŸARTS AND CRAFTS/ CREATIVE šŸŒŸ


šŸ’§Pottery Loft, Billingham for pottery painting, build a bar and has a small softplay for babies

šŸ’§Cherry Hill Garden Centre, Middlesbrough has regular pottery painting and build a bear and often runs indoor creative activities

šŸ’§Arcadia Garden Centre, Middlesbrough has pottery painting and thereā€™s also a soft play (mostly for under 8ā€™s)

šŸ’§Create and Paint, Darlington for pottery painting

šŸ’§Brush and Bloom, Northallerton offers different themed craft events


šŸŒŸCINEMAS TO WATCH A FAMILY MOVIEšŸŒŸ


šŸ’§Vue Cinema, Darlington

šŸ’§Showcase Cinema de Lux, Teesside Park, Stockton on Tees

šŸ’§Everyman Cinemas, Northallerton and Durham

šŸ’§Station Cinema, Richmond

šŸ’§Odeon Luxe, Durham

šŸ’§Empire Theatre and Cinema, Consett

šŸ’§Odeon Luxe, Middlesbrough

šŸ’§Roxy Movies, Middlesbrough

šŸ’§Reel Cinema, Bishop Auckland


Everyman Cinema, Northallerton
Everyman Cinema, Northallerton

šŸŒŸTHEATRES TO WATCH A FAMILY SHOWšŸŒŸ


šŸ’§The Hippodrome, Darlington

šŸ’§Theatre Hullabaloo, Darlington

šŸ’§Darlington Academy of Performing Arts (Darlington Community Theatre)

šŸ’§Middlesbrough Theatre

šŸ’§Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, North Yorkshire

šŸ’§Forum Theatre, Billingham

šŸ’§The Stockton Globe, Stockton on Tees

šŸ’§Empire Theatre and Cinema, Consett

šŸ’§Sunderland Empire

šŸ’§The Forum, Northallerton



šŸŒŸESCAPE ROOMSšŸŒŸ


šŸ’§Project Escape, Middlesbrough (suitable for all ages, children accompanied by adults)

šŸ’§Cluedini Escape Rooms Darlington and Yarm (no age restriction when with adults but recommended ages 8+)

šŸ’§Escape Rooms, Durham


ā€¦.And ofcourse there are lots of events/activities on throughout the year, many running at these venues.


Plus, there are also lots of regular playgroups/baby toddler sessions available. Check out my blog on my website link here. I have broken down the sessions for each day. Make sure to check directly with the venues for changes to these sessions during school holidays



THANKS FOR READING AND I HOPE YOU FIND THIS USEFUL šŸ’œ


If you would like more family ideas for places or events to visit please follow my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/familyfundarlomum

Or my Instagram page for more video content at https://instagram.com/familyfundarlomum


If you are a local business offering family activities or events and you are interested in collaborating with me and to request my media kit then please complete the form here and I will be in touch



Charlotte ~ @familyfundarlomum

-Mum to 2 boys, Kamron-9 and Leo-3 and stepmum to Damon, 17

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