The very best ideas for kids to do sporty stuff in Kent
It’s not all about football, cricket and rugby, you know.
From archery and skiing to skating and rock-climbing, there’s plenty of options for keeping the little ones active and sporty. Here’s our run down of the very best places to go for children to do sport in Kent.
1. Get into running
Parkrun is something of a phenomenon. Quite simply the biggest mass-participation sporting event on Earth, it sees a quarter of a million people getting up early on a Saturday morning and going for a five-kilometre run (about 3 miles). There are more than 1,500 events in 20 countries.
And Kent has its fair share of them too – from Maidstone, Betteshanger and Canterbury, to Sittingbourne, Whitstable and Margate.
Excitingly, there is also a Junior Parkrun, a spin-off event for kids aged 4 to 14 that offers a two-kilometre run on a Sunday morning.
So, why not get involved – and whether you turn up every Sunday, or just once a month, the beauty of Parkrun is that you can track your progress. You see, everyone taking part (and you could find that there are hundreds of other kids doing exactly the same thing at the same time), gets a unique athlete number and barcode. The times are recorded each week and uploaded onto the Parkrun website.
“The aim is to have fun. Please come along and join in whatever your pace,” so says the Parkrun website. Amen to that.
Check the website: Junior Parkruns take place on Sundays at 9am. Go online to find your nearest event.
2. Learn the art (and patience) of fishing
Looking for a new hobby that all the family can get involved in? Well, if you want to get outside, spend time together and teach the kids the art of patience and perseverance, consider fishing. The sense of pride they will feel once they get their first catch will certainly outweigh the lengthy periods of ‘nothing’.
Of course, for all you seasoned fishermen (and women) out there, it is surely your duty to pass down your wisdom and expertise. For everyone else, this could be a unique chance to learn a new skill all together. And there are some beautiful spots for fishing beginners across the county.
Junior Lakes at the Hawkhurst Fish Farm will loan you some basic equipment before you tackle the ponds stocked with carp, perch, roach and tench. And the family-run Chequertree Fishery, near Bethersden, is a tranquil spot to get acquainted with the sport. As well as trout and coarse fishing, there’s a lakeside clubhouse to grab a bite to eat and fishing lodges in case you want to make a weekend of it.
Remember: Fishing takes patience. Make sure the kids don’t get too bore by packing a few good books and comics to help them pass the time.
Follow the rules: Some locations only allow you to fish at certain times of the year, and only using certain tackle. Check with the owner of the land, as you may also need a permit.
3. Jump on your skateboard
Whether the kids are seasoned pros or utter beginners, Broadstairs’ Revolution Skatepark and Climbing is the best option when it comes to letting them loose with wheels strapped to their feet.
It’s been open since 1998, catering for the growing number of obsessive skateboarders, inline skaters and BMXers with nowhere to go. Now, youngsters from all across the UK head to what the owners are proud to call “one of the cleanest and friendliest parks out there”.
While it has become a ‘destination’ for the pros – hosting countless competitions and featuring in TV ads – the centre also trains kids (and adults) to skate, scoot ride and have a laugh while doing so.
In the know: The park runs ‘sessions’ which you can book on to. There is no age limit, but really young ones are advised to have some lessons to start off.
4. Get your (roller) skates on
When John Merlin first introduced his patented roller skate in the 1760s he could never have expected their popularity to endure. Now, more than 250 years later, strapping a pair of wheels to your feet to spin, glide, dance and speed continues to capture the imagination.
Dreamland’s Roller Room is the perfect place to hone your skills, not to mention the accompanying diner serving hot dogs, burgers, fries and shakes. The venue is even open when the theme park is closed (check the website for opening times).
If you’re not up to travelling too far, let the skating come to you. Look out for Kent Roller Disco which continues to roll around the county bringing the tunes, fun and games to a local leisure centre near you.
Note: All venues offer skate hire. And if you really get into it, you can buy your own and take them along instead.
5. Play concrete-table tennis
Played on every continent, table tennis – or as it’s more commonly called, ping pong – is the most popular racquet sport of all time. This is because it doesn’t really matter how old you are; picking up a paddle and thwacking the tiny white ball across a table is as accessible to a five-year-old as it is an 80 year old.
Now, thanks to a bit ingenuity by town councils across the land, table tennis is even more accessible thanks to the construction of a number of concrete, all-weather tables, set up outside on pockets of public land everywhere.
You’ve probably spotted a few on your days out. (This one is on the grass bank of the Medway, adjacent to Maidstone’s town centre cinema at Lockmeadow).
So, what are you waiting for? Grab a cheap paddle set from Amazon and head out for some free sporting fun.
Check the weather: Outdoor ping pong is no fun when it’s blowing a gail.
6. Bullseye! Try your hand at archery
Archery is the sort of sport that only really arrives in the short summer months, and then disappears without trace. Handling bows and arrows can feel strange, a new experience, even for grown-ups. But the beauty is, many rookie archers discover a hidden talent after just one session, and it really is a wonderful activity the whole family can collectively have a go at.
Places like Hever Castle put on special activities during the school holidays.
While at Betteshanger Country Park, Target Archery sessions not only let you have a go, but coaches will give you some techniques to shoot with accuracy on a dedicated outdoor range. “Precision, control and a steady hand are all you need for achieving the best results,” it says, offering one-to-one tuition to help you hold the bow, adopt the right body stance, aim and shoot.
Check online: Betteshanger runs a number of drop-in archery sessions throughout the year. Check the website for more details.
7. Practice your BMX skills
The BMX revival continues. And Cyclopark, built on what was the old A2 roadway going past Gravesend, is just the place to show off your skills.
A 330-metre, purpose-built race track for BMXs takes centre stage here. As long as you wear a crash helmet and avoid the track when planned events and sessions are happening (check the online calendar before you arrive), you are free to peddle, airspin, bar turn, moto whip, alleyoop, bunny hop and can-can to your heart’s content. Coaching sessions for beginners are available if you need help to get going.
Other great BMX parks include Capstone Farm Country Park, with its excellent trim trail and bike track, and Dartford Heath, home to the famous Glory Bumps – a series of parallel trenches which had presumably been dug by archaeologists in the past and now offer unprecedented fun for BMXers across the county.
Inside knowledge: Cyclopark also features 6 kilometres of track for mountain biking, a long tarmac course for road bikes and a 1,400 square metre skate park.
Age limit: At Cyclopark you have to be over 8 to get on the track without a grown up.
8. Learn to surf
It might be one of the most complex sports out there, dependent on tide, time, wind, swells and patience. But learning to surf is said to be one of the most satisfying things ever.
It being all about balance, the good news is that youngsters have a great chance to get to grips with it. It being all about the sea, the good news is that Kent offers plenty of space to have a go.
Joss Bay Surf School in Broadstairs is well established, running surfing lessons for more than 20 years in Kent’s most popular surf spot. It offers group lessons as well as private one-to-one sessions and you can hire all the gear you need.
Along the coast in Viking Bay, the award-winning Kent Surf School offers similar, small-class-size lessons, as well as a viewing area for parents and watersports parties to celebrate birthdays with a group of kids on the beach.
Both venues also offer lessons in stand-up paddle boarding – or sups – if you’re after something different.
Go private: For the under 8s, consider one-to-one private lessons to give the kids a better chance of mastering the art of surfing.
It goes without saying: Your kids must be competent swimmers before attempting to ride the waves.
9. Take on some water sports at Mote Park
Mote Park is Maidstone’s crown jewel, serving up a host of great sporting and play features. One of these is its serene lake. It is home to Mote Park Watersports Centre which offers a wide variety of things to do out on the water throughout the year.
There’s kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding. There’s sailing, windsurfing and rowing. There’s even a chance to have a go at powerboating.
If you want to take it slower, family row boats are available for hire 7 days a week, as are pedalos.
If you want to take it even slower – and stay off the water altogether – you can sit and watch (or join) Cygnets Model Boat Club which has been whizzing its models across the water here since the 1970s.
Stick to the rules: However you take to the water, be careful to steer clear of the fishermen lining the banks of the lake. Three yellow buoys mark the designated boating area
10. Go swimming in the sea
Okay, so you’ve mastered the pool. But taking your kids for a swim in the sea is a whole new ball game – but an exhilarating one at that. Going beyond the general splish-splash of seaside play, to transition to open water swimming at one of Kent’s beaches is quite a moment for you and the little ones.
Of course, make sure they are comfortable swimming 1,000 metres or so without stopping. There’s no ledge to hold on to in the sea.
And stay afloat with them out there as they get used to the chopping and changing of the water and waves. Take it steady and slow, and check the sea conditions before jumping in; a mouthful of salt water from a big wave can really put them off.
Minnis Bay in Birchington is a good option, with part of the sea walled off into a paddling pool to make getting started less daunting. You can also try Botany Bay and Joss Bay in Broadstairs, Minster Leas in Sheppey, the Ramsgate Western Undercliff, or West Bay in Westgate.
Warning: the sea can be a dangerous place. Stay with your little ones and if they are not strong swimmers stick to the pool.
11. Race like Lewis Hamilton
Yes, Buckmore Park is the actual karting track where Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button learned how to race. And it’s in Kent.
Even better, you can follow in their footsteps, by putting your pedal to the metal around the prestigious track – and even stand on the podium Lewis almost certainly would have jumped upon during his formative years honing the skills that would see him crowned F1 champion on several occasions.
Buckmore has three courses: one for 4–7-year-olds that runs 6mph electric karts; the main racetrack suitable for those aged 8 and above who get to jump in 20mph petrol karts; and an extended version of the main course for 12–15-year-olds driving 40mph petrol karts.
If it’s more than fun you’re after, there is a neat driving school available, giving your little ones an introduction to pedal control, steering, control and safety awareness.
Price check: Costs vary depend on circuit, kart choice and age, but it does include all of the required safety gear, including helmet.
For the Dads: Before his death, Former F1 champ John Surtees bought Buckmore Park in 2015 and turned it into one of the most impressive karting circuits in the world.
12. Go crazy at golf
Miniature golf, putt-putt, crazy golf – whatever you want to call it, the ingenious offshoot of the sport we all love to hate is a mainstay for the weekend-activity seeker with the kids. And Kent has got the short-length game covered.
The most dramatic is in Tonbridge, where Mr Mulligan’s Dino Golf’s bizarre dinosaur-themed 18-hole course hits the spot with young and old alike. There’s another in the company's chain over in Sidcup too.
At the seaside, Margate’s challenging Strokes Adventure Golf course has you navigating rockscapes, plants and water features, while Lillyputt in Broadstairs and Herne Bay Mini Golf not only serve up sporting fun, but ice cream and snacks too.
You can even pick up a putter while the rest of the family hits the shops at Bluewater Shopping Centre. Pirate Cove is another creatively designed course, complete with a plethora of pirate-themed obstacles, as you’d expect.
Other crazy golf options include Quex Adventure Golf in Birchington, the Cinderella Golf & Activity Centre in Hythe and Manston Golf Centre.
Party time: Some of the mentioned venues welcome children’s birthday parties, as well as bookings for corporate groups and sessions for grown-ups only.
13. Play footgolf
Combining the world’s two most popular sports, footgolf is one of those ‘why-didn’t-anybody-think-of-it-sooner’ ideas. Staged on a golf course using a football rather than a golf ball, the object of the game is to get the ball into the hole using only your feet in the fewest number of shots possible.
It’s not necessarily about being good at football, or golf. Yes, it’s about kicking the ball as hard as you can, but it’s also about precision. This makes it great fun for all the family.
Head to Etchinghill Golf Course in Canterbury, Folkestone Sports Centre, High Elms Golf Course in Orpington, Orpington Golf Centre, Tonbridge Golf Centre or Dartford’s Princes Park Stadium for 9-hole courses.
Or you can opt for an extended experience at the 18-hole courses at either Pedham Place Golf Centre in Swanley, or Upchurch River Valley Golf Course in Sittingbourne.
Most venues provide footballs, although you might be able to use your own.
Not for tiny legs: Most footgolf courses are more than 2,000 yards, so it can take about 2 hours to have a round.
Wear trainers: The footballers among you might want to don a pair of football boots or blades, but they are not permitted on most footgolf courses.
14. Learn how to climb a rock
It’s official. Climbing is now an Olympic sport. Not only that but navigating your way to the summit of a bobbly, colourful and seemingly-impossible-to-climb wall is good family fun.
Kent is home to the world’s largest Clip ‘n Climb centre, a sort of theme park where the action-packed fun centres on clambering walls. The arena, on an industrial centre on the outskirts of Tonbridge, has 44 walls to climb, varying in design and difficulty. Older kids will love competing in challenges with their friends, while there’s plenty on offer to satisfy your adventurous toddlers too. Whatever their age, full safety briefings are given before each session which should give you peace of mind while waving at your beloved, teetering and climbing kin.
For a more rugged, outdoorsy experience, you could book the kids onto a rock-climbing course at Bowles, said to be one the best venues of its type in the South East with its sandstone outcrop catering for climbers of all ages and talents. The Tunbridge Wells venue runs courses throughout the school holidays, providing most of the equipment you need.
Book ahead: Sessions at Clip ‘n Climb fill up quickly, as do courses at Bowles.
Note: At Clip ‘n Climb, there’s a minimum weight of 10 kilograms. The max is 150 kilograms.
15. Don’t just learn to ski
In theory, children can learn to go down a ski slope as soon as they’re able to walk. It’s all about balance, strength and coordination. With a lower centre of gravity, they’re usually much quicker to learn how to navigate the most popular of winter sports.
But there are no rules as to how they get down the slippery white stuff.
Forget the skis and learn how to ride a snowboard instead. Or, if you fancy something a little less disciplined, try out snow-rings, snow-tubes or swizzbobs.
Folkestone Sports Centre‘s dry slope offers perfect conditions to master the hill in a Snow Ring. You’ll have to wear gloves and long sleeves and they are only available at scheduled times. The centre also offers private snowboard lessons – something you might need before practicing your skills on the 60-metre slope. Similarly, the Bowles ski slope in Tunbridge Wells has open sessions for kids that have mastered the art of slowing down and stopping their snowboard.
At Chatham Snowsports Centre, jump in a snow-tube. The large inflatable rings can be spun and linked together to get down the slope, providing a safe and fun introduction to ski slopes for kids aged 4 and up.
Grown-ups: If your little one is too little to take their snow-tube up the hill themselves, you’re more than welcome to help them at Chatham.
16. Jump in a toboggan
Did you know that Chatham Snowsports Centre is home to the longest toboggan track in all the UK? Well, you do now. And you should waste no time in throwing yourselves down the twisty, turn-y, non-snowy run immediately. The ever-busy attraction is 750 metres of pure joy. Using a control stick to slow down or speed up your toboggan, the kids will love being in control of their own descent.
To get a taster, head to YouTube where there are plenty of Go Pro videos to illustrate what you’re in for.
The under 4s must ride with a grown-up who will stay in control of the toboggan at all times. Accompanying adults don’t have to pay for themselves. Over 8s can ride on their own.
Plan ahead: The Capstone-based toboggan run does get busy, especially in the holidays. You can book tickets in advance online.
17. Get your (ice) skates on
The origins of ice skating are not clear, but encyclopaedias point to Scandinavia in around 1,000 BC with people strapping reindeer bones to their shoes to venture across icy ponds. The sharp metal strips we’re familiar with today didn’t make an appearance until the middle of the 19th century.
Today, it’s as popular as pastime as any, especially with kids who get to test out their flexibility, endurance, balance, coordination and fearlessness as they hurtle over frosty ground. Year-round venue Planet Ice has plenty on offer for the ice-skating enthusiasts among you. There’s plenty of open-to-the-public options, including free skating, discos, and parent and toddler sessions – enough to keep everybody sated.
Go online: Check out the Planet Ice website for suitable times to visit. They also do birthday parties and private skating lessons if you want to take things up a notch.
For more great ideas for spending better time with the kids in Kent, buy a copy of 237 Ideas for Stuff to Do and Places to Go in Kent with Kids.
