Top 10 Best Things To Do With Children In Bristol in 2026

Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BQ.

Two 18-hole courses wind through a made-up rainforest at Treetop Golf, complete with the kind of obstacles that turn a quiet round into a contest.

The fun activity is simple enough for the youngest in the group, so nobody is left standing around waiting for a turn

It is all indoors, which helps when the Bristol weather does its thing, and you can turn up on the day or book a slot for a party.

Highchairs, baby changing and step-free access mean it works with a buggy and a toddler along.

For food, there is pizza at Pizza Cabana and a sit-down at the Jungle Buzz Café, with The Thirsty Toucan covering cocktails for the grown-ups.

➡️ Walk-ins are fine, but a booking is recommended.

Location: Cabot Circus, Glass House Lane, Broadmead, BS1 3BX.

ODEON Luxe Bristol runs eight screens on the top floor of Cabot Circus, among them the first IMAX the city has had since 2007 and an iSense screen built for sound and scale.

The pull here for families is simple: children can get in for £1* at weekends and every day of the school holidays for movies on selected movies.

➡️ When booking your tickets, all applicable films will have a green "Kids" label, which will let you know that they are participating ODEON Kids screenings.

The seats all recline, each with its own tray table, and there are VIP beds in screens 4 and 7 plus two-seater pods up in the Luxe Suite if you want to push the boat out.

You can order ahead on the ODEON app, and you can have snacks waiting, whether that means a Costa, something from the bar or the usual popcorn and pick 'n' mix.

➡️ Tickets and snacks can both be booked on the ODEON app before you arrive.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BX.

Bowling is the main activity at King Pins, though it is far from the only thing going on in its corner of Cabot Circus.

Once the kids have rolled a few frames, there are pool tables, a big arcade, karaoke, tech darts and even ice-free curling to move on to.

The lanes are forgiving enough that nobody needs to have bowled before, which keeps things competitive in a good way.

There are also highchairs, baby-changing facilities, step-free access, and a wheelchair-friendly entrance.

You can eat there too, with a proper food menu and a long drinks list, so there is no need to wander off mid-visit.

You can look out for the £1 ice creams, which are set to return at King Pins this summer and tend to vanish fast.

➡️ No need to book for a casual game, though party groups should reserve a slot.

Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BX.

Escape rooms are an easy win with slightly older kids, and Escape Hunt keeps a few at Cabot Circus that suit families.

Eye of the Sun God drops your team into an Aztec jungle on the hunt for a hidden diamond, while Blackbeard's Treasure has you working out how to get off a sinking pirate ship before the clock beats you.

You are looking at about 90 minutes start to finish, roughly 60 of those locked in the room itself.

➡️ The popular slots go early, so book the room and time you want ahead of the day.

When you need a breather between activities, a handful of Cabot Circus shops are worth ducking into with children:

Flying Tiger Copenhagen

Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground floor, BS1 3AU.

Flying Tiger Copenhagen is the Danish shop where a quick errand turns into a basket of small, colourful, low-cost finds.

Expect games, craft kits, party supplies and homeware, which makes it a cheap way to keep small hands busy on the way round.

LEGO® 

Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, BS1 3BX.

The LEGO Store stocks sets and collectables for builders of every age, with a bit more going on than rows of boxes.

Children can build their own minifigure or fill a cup at the Pick and Build Wall, while the demo table shows off the latest sets.

LEGO® Insiders members get rewards and early access, and there are gift options if you are buying for a birthday.

Miniso

Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, Brigstowe St, BS1 3BH.

Miniso combines cute and affordable, from plush toys and blind boxes to licensed bits from Sanrio, Pokémon and One Piece.

Older children who follow those brands can lose a happy ten minutes in here.

Typo

Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, George White St, BS1 3BX.

Typo covers stationery and gifting with a design-led streak, from notebooks and pens through to travel odds and ends.

It is a good shout for a small treat or some back-to-school bits, with Click and Collect if you would rather order ahead.

The Entertainer

Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BX.

Toys are the whole point at The Entertainer, aimed at children from babies up to around eleven and beyond (although they also have a nice Early Learning department worth checking out too!).

Stock runs from craft sets and games to bigger buys like a first bike or a garden playhouse.

There is Click and Collect, and if you are stuck on a present, the staff are good at pointing you to the right thing.

Location: Philip Street, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4EA.

Windmill Hill City Farm gives younger children the rare chance to get nose to nose with sheep, goats, pigs and ducks, a short way south of the centre in Bedminster.

Beyond the animals, there are community gardens to wander, an outdoor play area and grass to flop on with a picnic.

Entry is free, since it is a registered charity, though a donation helps keep the place going.

It opens seven days a week most of the year, so it suits both a quick stop and a slow morning.

On a fine day, toddlers can happily potter about here for hours, well clear of the city noise.

Location: Various spots across Bristol, with Stokes Croft, the harbourside and the city centre good places to start.

Hunting down Banksy is a free way to get older kids walking without them noticing they are on a walk.

Several of his early works survive around the city, including Mild Mild West in Stokes Croft, Well Hung Lover near Park Street and Girl with a Pierced Eardrum, found round the back of the docks near the SS Great Britain.

The route between them takes in murals by other Bristol artists, so the whole thing plays out like a city-wide gallery with no entry desk.

Half the appeal is the search itself, which beats trailing round behind a guide.

Note: the city's street art shifts over time and pieces do get covered or removed, so check a current map before you set out.

Location: Bristol Harbourside, city centre, around Prince's Wharf and Canon's Marsh.

Bristol Harbourside is where the old floating harbour now carries ferries, moored boats and a flat walk that suits small children.

You can take in Brunel's SS Great Britain and the replica of the Matthew, the ship John Cabot sailed to North America back in 1497.

M Shed, the free museum on the quay, has historic boats moored just outside it. Crossing Pero's Bridge and counting the boats can easily fill an hour, and the ferries are a fun way to hop between landing stages.

Location: Castle Park, central Bristol, between Broadmead and the Floating Harbour.

Right in the centre, beside the floating harbour, Castle Park is the spot to let everyone off the leash for a bit.

There is open grass for running about and spreading out a picnic, plus a bandstand and the ruined towers of two old churches to poke around.

The remains of Bristol Castle, which the park is named after, are at the eastern end if you fancy a bit of history.

The S-shaped Castle Bridge crosses the water to Finzels Reach and is good fun to walk over with smaller children.

Best of all, it is free and open whenever you like, which makes it an easy filler between bigger stops.

Location: Oldbury Court Estate, Oldbury Court Road, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2JH.

Out in Fishponds, Oldbury Court Estate trades the city centre for woodland and a stretch of the River Frome.

The play park is built for under-13s, and around it there is open grass for games and a web of paths, including the Frome Valley Walkway.

Follow the river, and you will reach Snuff Mills, where the woodland and riverside walks carry on.

It costs nothing to get in and stays open at all hours, with car parks at the estate and at Snuff Mills where charges apply.

Cabot Circus works as the easy base for planning a fun family day out with mini golf, bowling, escape rooms, a cinema and the shops gathered under one roof.

From there, the rest of Bristol is close enough that an afternoon with us pairs easily with a farm visit, a park or a street art walk.

You can plan your visit on our website, which outlines how to reach us by car, taxi, train, bus, and bike.

There are plenty of family parking bays in our multi-storey car park, as well as baby changing facilities and a quiet family room with a changing and feeding chair.

Most of our restaurants also have a children’s menu.

If you are driving, our smart parking solution is set up to keep things straightforward and spare you the queues and tickets.

You’ll also find our science-backed, personalised sensory well-being solution, Cubbie, which provides a calm, safe, and quiet environment.

It is specifically built to help neurodivergent individuals and anyone experiencing sensory overload take a short retreat from the hustle and bustle of shopping