I attentended my daughters class mates 5th birthday party at World of Wonder (WOW) this morning…read more WOW opened before Christmas and was the idea of the owners of the Loughshore Hotel. It's a big indoor soft play area which has four private party rooms and different packages for parties as well as single use entry fees. It can accommodate upto 200 kids and adults with ample seating and eating facilities. It's also in a prime location. After the kids played the cake was cut and the kids were ready for cocktail sausages, fresh chicken nuggets, chips, sandwiches, pizza and crisps, with water and juice to wash it down. I would have liked to have seen some fruit and carrot sticks also. That being said both kids and adults were well satisfied-it would be great if there was something like this for adults only!!!!

I have a somewhat strange soft spot for seals so the Exploris Aquarium is one of my favourite…read moreplaces to go for a family day out. The experts at Exploris take in and care for seals which have been rescued from the coast suffering from injury or illness. Mind you, sometimes there are no seals in the seal sanctuary which is obviously good news for the seal population but not for the selfish visitors who want to see them. Check the website before you go to see how many seals are being cared for. The aquarium has loads of other stuff to see and learn about. The first thing you see when you go in is a huge touch tank where there are frequent talks from the expert staff who encourage visitors to touch the fish and rays which is great fun. There are lots of tanks and pools as you make your way through the aquarium, including one which has a wave splashing too and fro. The most exciting bit is the largest tank which has sharks in it. Only little ones but still very exciting nonetheless and throughout the day divers go into the tank to feed the sharks. There are loads of fish and rays in this tank too to really give you an idea of how the species interact in the open sea. You can view this tank from the side through the glass walls or from above as a bridge is suspended above it. Exploris is relatively pricey to get in - £22 for a ticket for a family of 4 and even if you take a break in the café and visit the shop (both of which will see you forking out more cash), I think the most you will spend there is a couple of hours. Stretch out your visit by taking a picnic and going to the park right next door.

Jaw dropping, awe inspiring, beautiful marine creatures…read more Take a trip to Exploris Aquarium and witness the amazing spectacle of what life is like in our local waters. I'm a water baby, always have been, always will be and sea life fascinates me. Lucky mites get to live in the water all day every day, why can't I! They don't even get wrinkles! Bah! Jealousy aside, this attraction is a fascinating peek in to the marine world. It's educational and fun; a great day out for the family or there's a tour/workshop facility available for school trips. You can watch in amazement as the divers hand feed the sharks, even walk across the murky depths on the bridge above the shark tank! Make sure you visit the discovery pool where you get hands on action with the flat fish! The staff give regular presentations and talks throughout the day about an interesting range of topics, so if you're a sea geek, don't miss this! The aquarium is also home to The Seal Rescue Centre *arf arf* where sick pups are nursed back to health before being released into the wild. This is a great programme which ensures the rehabilitation and ongoing care of our local seal population. Yay! There are regular exhibitions held on location so contact them before you come to see whats on. For example, this year there is; shark week, seal week, a puppet theatre and art / photography exhibitions. This year seal week is 6 - 14 Nov ...See you there! As of August 2010 - Prices: Adult £7.00 Junior (16 years and under) £4.50 Family (2 adults and 4 children) £22.00 Family (1 adult and 4 children) £19.50 60 years +, Disabled and unemployed £4.50 Under Fours Free Opening Hours: April - August: Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm Sat 11am - 6pm Sun 12noon - 6pm September - March: Mon - Fri 10am - 5pm Sat 11am - 5pm Sun 1pm - 5pm For such an interesting, informative day, Portaferry is only about an hour away from Belfast so if you're stuck on a rainy day don't miss it! Or do as we used to and pack the kids away, hook up the caravan and come stay in the caravan site next door and make a weekend of it!

I have brought my kids here numerous times and they have enjoyed it every time from the pony…read moretrekking to the old houses, to the play park, really worth a visit and is a must for any trip up the Antrim coast. Wee tip is to take the tour of the site it is very bumpy but it's really interesting to see and hear about the farm and its history!

This is probably one of the nicest children's play parks in Carrickfergus, and strangely, a lot of…read morepeople don't know about it, as it is quite secluded! There are two entrances to Legg Park, one along the main Belfast Road, just up from the Model Primary School, and another entrance facing the Windrose. The park is fully fenced off and really well equipped with soft flooring, swings, slides and climbing frames. The park is also really nicely landscaped with lots of benches making it pleasant to sit around on a sunny day.

Brought my daughter here on Sunday for the first time and I have to say I was shocked, it's so…read morebig!!!!! The place was completely packed out with people (which put me of abit) but my daughter loved every minute of it. They have a good range of food on offer from burgers to sandwiches to cakes, also a good kids range and lovely teas and coffee's. The place is double the size of places like funky monkeys and it's staff are a lot better with kids in my opinion. They also have party packages and 4 individual party rooms which are a good size. I'll definitely be back even though it's abit of a drive for me but it's worth it. My daughter hasn't shut up about it since lol. The only thing I will say is stay away from it Saturday and Sunday and go during the week if you can because it's less busy.

I Visited here this morning with the nursery school I work for. It's been our third visit here as…read moreour end of term treat. Each visit we as a team have been very impressed by the professionalism shown by Noel and his staff. Friendly and extremely efficient. All the Children all had a ball, many thanks. Looking forward to returning.

I'm a big kid at heart. I'm a bit like the female Peter Pan (if only I could fly!) I just don't…read morewant to grow up! In light of this it's a little more understandable why every year when it comes up to birthday time I always ring these guys and see what deals they can do for me when it comes to hiring a bouncy castle (yes, that's right, bouncy castle at 22!) I know I'm mad but everyone loves it! Well, for the past decade or so, both my brother and I have availed of this opportunity to release our inner child (albeit a grown up slightly tipsy version) and we hire out different amazingly fun bouncy castles. If this is the type of great fun party solution you're after then don't hesitate to get in touch and see what deals they can do for you!

I loved this place when I was younger. It was simply the most exciting place in the world as far as…read moreI was concerned and now I am older I see how great it must have been for my parents too. Let your kid run wild for 45 minutes and then watch as he sleeps like an angel for the rest of the day. The playground is an eclectic mix of rope swings and climbing frames, with the big net climber in the centre as the hub for childhood adventuring. I still have memories of racing friends to the top and back down again. Overall this is a great place to bring the under 12's in your life. It is a fun and exciting place for them to run around and tire themselves out.

I used to go here as a younger, more athletic....oh God lets face it, I was never bloody athletic…read more But I did go here with friends and family when I was younger and could run for longer than ten seconds without getting out of puff. I blame the 90s. Anyway, this is a great place for little ones and young people to blow off some steam, get some fresh air, and have fun. It's like a Peter-Pan-Esque playground, with treehouse type structures and slides and climbing frames and even a zip wire, which always scared me - I was never brave enough. It's got handy parking and it's in the environs of the gorgeous Cavehill, so if it's a nice day, and you have sprogs - get them up here for a day of fun.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE OPENING HOURS DETAILED HERE ARE FOR JULY AND AUGUST…read more My family has a love-hate relationship with Waterworld. The kids love it and the husband and I hate it. Honestly, I find it almost physically painful to go there but my children get so much unadulterated pleasure from it that I grit my teeth and go. They don't see the heaving crowds, the film of god knows what on the top of the water and the toddlers with dangerously loose swim nappies. They don't hear the ear splitting noise or feel the cold blasts of cold air. What they see is the large pool with a Jacuzzi along one side, the water slides and best of all the huge pirate ship in the middle of the second pool, complete with water blasters, slides and rope climbs. When I describe it like that I can see why they love it so much. If your kids can swim, they will just love this place. You could still take non swimmers but you'll have to be very vigilant and follow them the whole time as they can go under the pirate ship where the water is about 4 feet deep. If your kids can be left unattended, you can have a rest in one of the Jacuzzis which are for adults only. Tinies can also enjoy the paddling pool. I am a bit of a germ phobe and thought the changing rooms and toilets could have been cleaner on our last 2 visits. Here's my top tip - if you are going during the summer hols, ring ahead and ask if they have a summer scheme booked in that day. If they say yes, then don't go as it will be unbearably busy. Ask which days there are no summer schemes expected and go then instead. You'll spend a couple of hours there so at about £16 for a family of four, it's pretty good value for money and will totally exhaust the kids for the rest of the day.

Waterworld in situated on the Harbour in Portrush and run by Coleraine Borough Council. It provides…read morea greatand safe environment for a day out for all the family with the slides and water fun for the kids and the jacuzzi and sauna for the adults. Just a pity it doesn't offer a bigger swimming area. There is a small cafe with a limited selection but ok for a snack. Children will have a great day out no matter what age they are. You will probably have a bit to walk as parking is not close by.