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Browse through our blog posts to find out what life is like at Hoe Grange Holidays along with some great ideas for days out in the Peak District.
Top things to do in the Peak District with under 5s (that parents enjoy too)
February 26, 2026Archives
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The Peak District with toddlers: Easy days out for under 5s
If you’ve ever tried a “proper walk” with a three-year-old, you’ll know the truth: toddlers don’t do distance.
But their love of puddles, sticks and snack breaks and their sudden, passionate commitment to watching a duck for 20 minutes is what makes the Peak District the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors together.
And visiting outside the school holidays if you can means quieter paths, easier parking, more breathing space at attractions, and often better value on tickets and short breaks.
If you fancy an off-peak escape, book a stay at Hoe Grange Holidays – the perfect base for exploring all the magic the Peak District has to offer.
Mix one “big day out” with a few easy wins, and spend your evenings relaxing in your cosy log cabin or soaking in the hot tub after the kids have gone to bed – who says a family holiday is just a break for the kids?!
Read on for our favourite family-friendly Peak District gems that will keep everyone entertained. Whether you’re after toddler-friendly days out in the Peak District or simple outdoor adventures that won’t end in tears, these are the places we come back to again and again.
Animal encounters that feel like magic (and don’t need a long attention span!)
Feeding time at Hoe Grange Farm
The best part about booking a holiday on a working farm? You don’t need to go anywhere to make new animal friends.
We welcome little ones to help out at feeding time in the late afternoons or early evenings. The exact timing depends on the time of year, but just ask in Reception or when you arrive and we can let you know the best time to come down to the farmyard.
Mix the horses’ feed, help collect eggs from our free range chickens, feed the goats, say hello to Kat, the friendliest farm cat you’ll ever meet, and perhaps splash through a puddle or two – and be back in your cosy cabin minutes later, warm and dry!
Peak Wildlife Park
Peak Wildlife Park is such a strong choice for under 5s because you can get up close. You’re not spending the whole day peering through fencing and saying, “Look - somewhere over there.” The walk-through areas are where the toddler magic happens, because the animals feel real in a way little ones remember. Plus feeding the wallabies and the deer is a delight for people of all ages!
It’s also one of those places where you can happily do a half-day without it feeling like you’ve “missed bits”, which is ideal for nap rhythms.
If your child loves repetition (again! again!), you’ll appreciate that it’s easy to loop back to a favourite area without miles of walking.
- Pushchair-friendly and wheelchair accessible
- Picnic areas and family room to eat your packed lunch in
- Sensory bags
- Outdoor and indoor play areas
Image credit: Visit Peak District & Derbyshire
Matlock Farm Park
Matlock Farm Park is a proper toddler-pleaser because it combines animals and play. If your child is all-in on feeding and meeting animals, you can lean into that. If they’re in “run” mode, you’ve got indoor and outdoor play options ready to save the day.
Outside, there are sand zones, pulley systems and chutes, climbing areas, and the UK’s largest jumping pillow (suitable for 2 years plus, dry weather only). Don’t miss the pedal tractors if your little one likes machines!
Indoors, there’s an underwater-themed soft play area, perfect if you’re trying to dodge any showery weather.
With fewer people around outside the school holidays, you can take your time, let the children watch, ask a hundred questions, and then switch activities before anyone gets bored! And there is good coffee in the café and plenty of cute animals to keep adults entertained too.
- Pushchair-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible with a Changing Places bathroom
- Picnic areas
- Sensory room
Image credit: Matlock Farm Park
Big adventures for little ones
CBeebies Land at Alton Towers
If you’ve got a serious Bluey fan, then CBeebies Land is the big-ticket adventure. Kids can meet Bluey and her family, as well as friends from In the Night Garden. There are interactive shows to enjoy and theme park rides designed with small children in mind.
Top tip: there’s a cheaper Parent & Toddler pass that is valid on weekdays during term time. As ever with theme parks, outside school holidays can make a huge difference to how the day feels too, especially with little ones.
- Pushchair-friendly
- Mostly wheelchair accessible, with a Changing Places toilet in the main park
Image credit: CBeebies Land
Gulliver’s Kingdom
Gulliver’s Kingdom is ideal when you want something exciting for the whole family that still works for smaller children.
The biggest win with under 5s is how easy it is to plan: you can scan the ride list in advance, spot what’s suitable, and avoid that heart-sinking moment where your child queues for ages only to be turned away at the gate. Their official ride pages are genuinely useful for deciding what’s worth your time and what your child will actually enjoy.
Off-peak, it can feel far more relaxed, which matters with toddlers. You’re more likely to fit in “one ride, one snack, one wander, one ride” without the day turning into a mission. It’s also a good one for adults because it’s fun watching your child feel brave and proud, and Matlock Bath itself can make a nice add-on afterwards for a short stroll with an ice cream.
- Mothers feeding room
- Bottle / food heating facilities
- Ride access passes for guests with additional needs
Image credit: Gulliver's Kingdom
National Tramway Museum
The National Tramway Museum is a great way to explore a historic site without tiring out little legs – simply hop on a vintage tram to get around!
Reset with a woodland walk or a stop at the playground, or give your little one the map and let them be “in charge” of where to go next.
There’s an indoor play area – the Discovery Depot – with tram-themed soft play, and you can borrow backpacks for children aged 3+ jam-packed with activities to help you explore the site together.
- Pushchair-friendly and wheelchair accessible
- Dogs on leads welcome (outdoor areas only)
- Sensory bags
Easy outdoor wins for little legs (that are kind to the budget too!)
Carsington Water
Just 5 minutes down the road, Carsington Water is a great option when you want fresh air with a safety net: good facilities, plenty of open space, and flat walking routes you can make as short or long as you like.
Go for a short wander, watch the ducks, then head to the play area or the café for a tasty treat.
With gorgeous views over the reservoir, you’ll enjoy it as an adult too – much more than just a playground!
- Wheelchair accessible with a Changing Places toilet on site
- Dogs welcome
- Free entry (car parking charges apply)
- Sensory story available
High Peak Trail
Go straight through a gate at the top of the farm and you’re onto the High Peak Trail, a real favourite with toddlers because it feels like adventure without being hard work. It’s the perfect place to take a scooter or balance bike – a flat, traffic-free route where you can let them wobble and stop whenever they spot something exciting.
No need to focus on navigating – just pick a short stretch to do a “there and back again” route, take a picnic, and treat every bridge, viewpoint and bench as a destination! There’s plenty of wildlife to spot along the way too.
- Free to access
- No need to take the car – access directly from Hoe Grange
- Great for dogs
- Smooth, flat surface perfect for pedalling on!
Image credit: Visit Peak District & Derbyshire
Peak District National Park sensory trails
Sensory trails can be brilliant with under 5s because they turn “just a walk” into a game. Little ones love prompts: listen, touch, spot, find. And for some children (including some autistic children), having a simple structure can make outdoor time feel less unpredictable.
There are ready-made options on the Peak District National Park website, or you could take inspiration from these for your own sensory walk around Hoe Grange farm!
- Free to access
- Great for dogs
- Sensory friendly
Ilam Park
A lovely outdoor National Trust site, Ilam Park often has themed trails and activities to keep toddlers entertained. It’s a strong pick when you want to give a focus to the day that doesn’t demand too much. Keep it simple: arrive, picnic, explore gently, and let the kids lead the way. It’s the sort of place where you can say “yes” a lot more, because the setting naturally invites wandering and stopping rather than marching on.
Plus who doesn’t love a National Trust scone from the café when you’ve had your fill of exploring?
- Free entry (car parking charges apply)
- Dogs welcome
- Partially wheelchair accessible with a Changing Places toilet on site
Rainy day rescuers
The Play Village, Ashbourne
The Play Village is a lifesaver when you need an indoor option that doesn’t feel like you’ve just “gone to soft play again”. It’s role play, which can suit toddlers who love copying grown-ups. They can potter, pretend, and move between little worlds without everything being fast and noisy. Our little Wren loves playing vet the most!
The sessions are 2 hours 15 minutes and you do need to book in advance.
- Level access
- Free parking on-site
- Wet weather proof
Little Monkeys play centre
Sometimes you need a guaranteed energy-burner, and Little Monkeys is exactly that. It’s especially handy if you’ve got a toddler who climbs everything in sight. With a soft play area for under 3s and a larger section for older children with tunnels, climbing frames and a trampoline, it works well if you’re travelling with a mix of ages too!
This one is a drop-in with no need to pre-book, so a good option for a last minute change of plans if the weather isn’t great.
- Level access
- Free parking on-site
- Wet weather proof
- No booking required
Buxton Pottery Painting
While pottery painting is often aimed at older children, Buxton Pottery Painting go above and beyond to be a space that works for all ages. They offer hand and foot imprint sessions for very little ones, so you can create a keepsake together, or there’s a Singing Mamas event every Tuesday. There’s a baby play pen and plenty of toys to keep them entertained too so adults and children old enough to decorate a pot can enjoy their painting experience. The set-up is in a beautiful space under a stunning stained glass ceiling and there are tasty treats available.
While the pots and imprints have to be fired in their kiln, the team are happy to post your piece to you when it’s ready.
Check their schedule of events to find out when the next imprint session is, or drop in anytime to do some painting.
- Step-free area
- Wet weather proof
The Children’s Country House at Sudbury Hall
Sudbury Hall has to be the most toddler-friendly National Trust property there is. It reopened after a full overhaul around 2020, and is brilliantly interactive. This means you’re not spending the whole time whispering “don’t touch”. For toddlers, it works because there’s plenty of visual interest and space to explore at a gentle pace.
If the weather clears up, there’s plenty of space to explore outside and a great wooden play area.
It’s only open Friday to Monday during term time, but provides a great stop off on your way to or from Hoe Grange if you’ve booked a short break.
- Partially wheelchair accessible with a Changing Places toilet on site
- Sensory room and sensory bags
- All weather proof
- Buggy store
Enjoy the best of it all with an off-peak family break
The secret to amazing Peak District days out with under 5s isn’t doing more. It’s choosing places that work at toddler pace and visiting when it’s calmer.
If you’d like to turn these ideas into a proper break, book an off-peak stay at Hoe Grange Holidays.
Plan one bigger adventure, keep the rest easy, then come back to your own cosy base. Add farm time for the children, a hot tub moment for the grown-ups, EV charging if you need it, and space for the dog - and you've got the perfect family getaway!
-Caroline
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Hoe Grange Holidays Tripadvisor Comments...
- EJYork2013
For the second year running, we have had a great family holiday at Hoe Grange. We had one cabin for the week, for two sisters and our elderly wheelchair-using... read more 
June 25, 2019L9943KBlesleym What a wonderful find. As our first experience of needing accessible accommodation we could not have wished for better. Beautiful well equipped lodges in lovely surroundings. We stayed in both... read more
April 3, 2020joanne B We wanted a complete break and some peace and quiet and this was perfect. The caravan was secluded with beautiful views over the countryside. Everything was spotlessly clean and well... read more
June 4, 2019
