Keeping the Kids Happy in South Devon

Guest Blog Post - Coast and Country Cottages

From animal attractions to art cafes, there’s so much to keep kids occupied in South Devon. Here are some family favourites to enjoy on your holiday.

Visitors to South Devon return year after year for all kinds of reasons, one of which is that there is so much to do that it’s impossible to tick everything off after just one holiday – or two, three or four, for that matter!

Still, keeping up with your kids’ demands for ever-more exciting ways to spend their days can be a challenge wherever you are. To make it easier, we’ve put together this rundown on some of the most popular local attractions for children of all ages.

For a more general list of activities, our locally-based team at Coast & Country Cottages has put together this feature on our favourite things to do in South Devon.

All creatures great and small… but mostly small

The larger animal attractions of Paignton Zoo, Dartmoor Zoo and the National Marine Aquarium (Plymouth) are less than one hour’s drive from most of the South Hams. But if you don’t wish to travel that far, we have some local suggestions which are considerably closer, cuter, cuddlier and more compact. This makes them ideal particularly for younger families.

Dartmoor Otters and Buckfast Butterflies

Dartmouth Otters and Buckfast Butterflies are both found right by Buckfastleigh Steam Railway Station. Watch and learn about various species of otter, terrapin and butterfly, and save money by picking up either a joint or triple ticket (which also gives admission to Totnes Rare Breeds Farm).

Totnes Rare Breeds Farm

Get up close and personal with adorable animals, including hedgehogs, red squirrels and even a European eagle owl. Totnes Rare Breeds Farm is great for children who want to pet, stroke and snuggle up to animals rather than watch them from afar.

Pennywell Farm

Pennywell Farm similarly perfect for families who want to get close to their favourite animals, which range from rabbits, mice and guinea pigs all the way up to horses. Pennywell, which is located just south of Buckfastleigh, also has a packed programme of events particularly during the summer.

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s Visitors Centre at Coombe Park is not a petting zoo but rather a place where animals are cared for and rehabilitated. Admission is free (although donations are gratefully received and there’s a café and gift shop on site. Please note that the visitors centre is only open in the summer (10 am to 4 pm).

Beautiful beaches

South Devon has 17 designated bathing waters which includes two Blue Flag Beaches (Bigbury-On-Sea and Blackpool Sands) but doesn’t include the countless ‘secret’ coves you can find nestling between rocky headlands along our long craggy coast.
• For building sandcastles, you can’t beat our family-friendly sandy beaches like Bantham, North Sands and South Sands and the two beaches at Hope Cove. Blackpool Sands, although a fine shingle beach, provides a couple of sandpits for kids to play in.
• Many of our beaches have great rockpools for kids to explore. These include South Milton Sands, Thurlestone Sands, Hope Cove’s beaches.
• Some of our best beaches for older children include Bantham, South Milton Sands and South Sands, where families can try their hands at watersports like kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and surfing.

Soft play

If you’ve had enough of the sun or are on the lookout for things to do on a rainy day, why not visit one of our region’s soft play centres?
These include:
• Kidz and Co Soft Play Café (Island Street, Salcombe)
• The Playstation Totnes (next to the railway station)
• Bumble (Fore Street, Kingsbridge)
Don’t forget that just a few miles from Dartmouth on the A3122 you’ll find Woodlands, which is Devon’s largest family theme park. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor attractions – the indoor adventure centre is five floors high, each the length of a football pitch!

Art attack

South Devon is as popular with artists as it is with holidaymakers, so it’s fitting that the two come together in the form of a handful of art-related attractions in the region. Most of these are aimed at children but adults can usually join in too.
• Art Café (Fore Street, Kingsbridge) is a place where youngsters and their parents can try a range of arts and crafts.
• China Blue’s Ceramic Studio (Station Road, Totnes) gives visitors the chance to paint some pottery or even try throwing it themselves.
• Paper Bird Island (Island Street, Salcombe) is a lively art space where kid and adults can decorate papier mâché animals and boxes to take home with them.

We hope this post have given you some ideas for ways to have fun with your kids whatever the weather. Book your next holiday with Coast & Country Cottages and start planning for a break filled with non-stop family fun!