Poringland: the home of popstar Ronan Park, a couple of good pubs and of course the Poringland Play Barn!
This children’s play activity centre combines indoor and outdoor play for kids, as well as small collection of animals. A great fun day out for families with your kids.
Kid’s View:-
7 year old (reminiscing):- When I was little this was my favourite play area. I especially loved playing on the tractors or seeing the goats go over the little bridge. Sometimes Dad had to help me to get down on the indoor play area because I was scared of going down slides!
4 year old (after spending several hours running around Playbarn with his best friend!):- I liked going up the steps and staying up the top of the climby thing. Then zooming round on the tractors outside, that was ‘mazin when we went super fast! I asked his best friend what he liked the most and he said the slide – and it’s true, he went up and down so many times I got dizzy watching him!
Parent’s View:-
The Play Barn in Poringland is great for little ones. The indoor play area consists of a soft play frame, where the more mobile kids climb around, go across the net bridge and through the bish-bash things. There’s a soft padded areas where smaller ones can play with soft play shapes. Outside there is an activity structure, pedal/ride-on tractors, plus some animals to see.
I’d say it’s a good introductory play centre for the little ones because only kids up to 7 can play on the equipment, so there’s less of a problem with bigger kids knocking them over. The animals are bonus really because my 3 year old always asks to see animals whenever we go out so this way he gets to see some and play too!
Field notes
In winter time Poringland Play Barn close off the animal areas and maze, so whilst you can go outside to the patio area there’s not much to do out there.
Hot drinks are served in mugs and although drinks/food is not allowed in the indoor play area some parents with a lack of consideration for health and safety wander straight through the indoor play area to get to the dining area. So, please be careful!
It’s worth having some wellies in your car because when the Play Barn’s animal areas are open it can get a bit muddy if it has rained.
Duration of Visit: We would typically stay for about 2-3 hours (long enough for the kids to run out of energy!)
