Where do you Take your Toddler For Fun? Need Advice

So I live in a somewhat isolated area in the UK, and it seems there are a lot less things for kids to do here than the states. We would love some ideas as to what places your toddler enjoys. Ours is just under two years old. Here's what we've tried and not really liked so far:
-The local playgrounds unfortunately are questionable due to the recent discovery of lead paint on many surfaces.
-He enjoys the local parks, but the closest ones fill pretty quickly with older children (some of which bully the little ones)
-There are a few soft-play places but these tend to be pretty pricey and honestly not that great for toddlers.

Any other places you'd recommend? He will be going to nursery a few days a week, but they're all booked for a few months at least.

There are a lot of classes (Music with Mummy/Daddy, swimming, toddler sensory, tumble tots), but they do start to get expensive quickly.

We spend a lot of time in the back garden this time of year.  Is it wrong that my 2 year old is happiest when we give her a cup so she can scoop up gravel and dump it in a pile on the picnic table?   

There are a lot of classes (Music with Mummy/Daddy, swimming, toddler sensory, tumble tots), but they do start to get expensive quickly.

We spend a lot of time in the back garden this time of year.  Is it wrong that my 2 year old is happiest when we give her a cup so she can scoop up gravel and dump it in a pile on the picnic table?   

No that isn't wrong! But we don't have a garden. Long term I'm looking for a place with one, but I have to renew my FLR(M) soon, so saving for moving, deposit, fees, etc isn't in the cards right now. This flat will have to do.

Whatever it is.....at two, it usually ends in tears.

I had three kids in England (they are now 24, 18 and 15) and I've really had to think hard about what I did to entertain them at the toddler stage...I came up with nothing to help you and I lived in Reading and outside of Bolton and definitely not out of the way places! Even with the benefit of hindsight, I can't give you much help. We did have a garden and I drove to various parks but there's very little for toddlers. My husband reminds me that we spent endless hours doing crafts at home and a great deal of reading books until we could take them to private nursery a few hours a week and it was expensive. I also took them to swimming lessons and sports clubs but it all added up! I'm thinking that KFdancer has it right with a cup and sand. My daughter spent hours with flour, lentils and staking cans!

Hi there, I was / am in a similar boat as you. I may not be as remote as you (Hampshire, Tadley) but I also wasn't close to any of the activities that bigger areas had to offer.  I was told by people to check out netmums.com and found that there happened to be a small group that gets together with mothers and little ones up at the local community center in the mornings.  You may get lucky and find something similar for your area.  My daughter turned 3 and joined our local Montessori school on a farm which she begs to go to several times a day now and it seems to come sooner than you think.  I will warn you, as they get older they demand more involved activities even more!  So it's good that you're thinking about these things now.  We just had our first break for a week and I felt so bad that I didn't have anything exciting to offer and I can see how this is going to take some planning and research.  Good luck!


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Do check out your local churches and library.  Most have something on one morning a week and are free or about a pound.  Mostly social, but could help you meet people in the area.Q

I would search social media sites too. We have a five year old, and I found some places that do crafts on Saturday mornings and daddy and me days. It's at a local child centre and the price is very minimal.

My daughter is about the same age as your child, almost 2.

It is tough to entertain them.

She does 1 class a day (which lasts an hour) except Friday and Sundays. These are: a dance class, a music class, a sing a long, rhyme time. Most we pay for, but rhyme time is free at the local library. We often do long walks, bus rides, errands, letting her loose at playgrounds (which fortunately are not overrun by older kids) or even shopping centers. We live in London, so I am not sure this helps you too much.

I found lots of playgroups at area churches, which have been a godsend. Also, are there any museums around? Even if they don't have kids areas, my toddler loves just running around and looking at the bones and animals.