What to Do in Redditch in Half-Term?
Thu 18 Oct 2018
Redditch is a fairly large town 15 miles south of Birmingham. It has brilliant transport links onto the M42 and the M5 as well as direct access into countryside such as The Malvern Hills and The Lickey Hills. Its location means there is a lot of variety on offer when thinking about what to do in Redditch in half term.
Curtains Up!
The Palace Theatre is a beautiful grade II listed building in the heart of Redditch. This October brings a varied choice of entertainment from the interactive monthly drum clinic to a performance of Judith Kerr’s “The Tiger That Came to Tea”. The Palace Theatre has recently been refurbished including a bar for pre-show and interval drinks as well as a new lift which makes the building accessible to all.
Step Back in Time.
Redditch might be an unlikely location for a site of historical significance, but nonetheless you can find the ruins of a medieval abbey here. Bordesley Abbey is a 16th century Cistercian abbey which has been extensively excavated. The site is free to visit, and you can learn all about the rise and fall of the abbey from the 12th century, right up until the point when King Henry VII knocked in down in 1538!
The Forge Mill Needle Museum is located on the same site which is one of the most unique museums in Worcestershire. Proud of its industrial roots, Redditch can boast of having once made over 90% of the world’s needles! Forge Mill illustrates the manufacturing process and of course you can take home a souvenir from the onsite gift shop.
Use Your Imagination
We appreciate indoor soft play might not be everyone’s idea of a fun half-term activity, but we can’t help getting excited about slides and a ball pit! Imagination Street is a 20,000 square foot children’s play and party centre which also houses a trampoline park and is absolutely the biggest indoor play centre for miles around. There’s a section for both younger and older children which are both adult friendly too!
If you’d rather watch all the climbing around, you can relax in comfy sofas and take advantage of the free WIFI and café whilst you wait for your little ones to tire themselves out!
Go Green.
Redditch has a number of parks and large open green spaces, the largest of which is the 29-acre Arrow Valley Country Park. There are walks of various lengths and difficulty around the central lake, a lot of which are tarmacked so are great for accessibility. You can always go off the beaten path and explore across the fields and woodlands where you will undoubtedly come across a skate park, basketball courts and park-gym equipment which are all free to use.
The Arrow Valley Visitor Centre in the centre of the park houses a café with stunning views across the water, and this beautiful setting also includes a play park for the children which is sectioned for different age groups.