18th July 2026 • My Family Our Needs

Key takeaways

• Explore local parks, farms, and garden centres for easy and affordable days out that do not cost the earth.
• Use dedicated access guides and websites to confidently plan safe and engaging activities for children in wheelchairs across the UK.
• Take advantage of voucher codes, concessionary tickets, and charities like Merlin’s Magic Wand to save money on family trips.

School holidays can stretch out like six weeks of potential and fun, but finding suitable disability inclusion for childrens activities is key to avoiding boredom. Careful planning can turn up many inclusive offers. Even if money is tight, discounted entry can make activities for kids in wheelchairs much easier on the pocket.

This guide is produced by My Family Our Needs, published by Care Choices Ltd, which has supported families of children with additional needs since 1993. It sits alongside our broader directory of specialists, resources, and real-life family experiences.

Before you go: a quick access check

A little research before you leave saves a lot of stress on the day. The Sensory Trust’s Outdoor Accessibility Guidance uses a helpful “Access Chain” idea – the journey there, the experience itself, and the journey home all need to work together. If one link breaks, the whole trip can fall apart.

Before you book, it is worth running through a short checklist:

• Is there accessible parking close to the entrance?
• Is there a step-free route throughout the site?
• Are there accessible toilets, or a Changing Places facility?
• Is there a quiet space if your child needs a break?
• Have staff had disability awareness training?
• Can you pre-book and contact the venue in advance?

Scope’s days out guidance also recommends asking directly about companion tickets and checking whether wheelchair users can access all parts of the site, or just some.

On your doorstep

Your local area can offer a wealth of interesting places to visit. If the weather is good, pack a picnic and head down to the local park or the park in the next town if you fancy a change of scenery.

The whole family can enjoy themselves without it costing the earth. Sometimes, local parks and forest centres put on things like pond dipping days, den making, butterfly hunts and kite making, generally costing less than £5 per activity.

A local farm can also make for an interesting day out. Some farms are open to the public enabling everyone to visit the animals and see how it works. Some even have a pick your own where you can pick and buy fruit then take it home with you.

Most areas have a local paper or magazine that may contain details of places to visit and things to do. There are also dedicated websites for local areas, listing activities and places to go. Maybe there is a museum or a nature reserve, where you can experience the countryside, or even a soft play area for some sensory and safe fun.

Garden centres can be a great place to spend an afternoon, often with a small soft play or beach themed sand pit for the kids.

It is worth knowing that suitable local provision is not always easy to find. A 2026 regional review by Inclusion North found only 60 out of 324 listed leisure activities across thirteen local authority areas were suitable for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Families often rely on word of mouth, which is exactly why sharing recommendations – via our social pages or community groups – really does help others.

Further afield: Activities for children in wheelchairs

The UK has such a wide variety of attractions, places to visit and options for days out. If you want to travel further afield, you can be spoilt for choice and there are many resources to give more of an idea of what’s available.

Finding accessible venues

The official VisitEngland accessible guide is a strong starting point. It covers assistance dogs, accessible toilets, Changing Places facilities, audio description, accessible parking, and travel assistance. It also points families to helpful tools like AccessAble and Euan’s Guide, which carry detailed, venue-specific access reviews written by disabled people and their families.

For museums specifically, Kids in Museums publishes family access guidelines that set out what good access looks like – clear signage, lifts, ramps, accessible toilets, parking, and pre-visit information. It is a useful benchmark when comparing venues.

A real-world example: inclusive beach days

The Mae Murray Foundation’s Inclusive Beach Programme is a good example of what disability inclusion for childrens activities can look like in practice. Created by people with lived experience, the programme offers beach matting, adapted equipment, accessible parking and toilets, and activities including adapted surfing, paddle boarding, beach art workshops, and sensory-friendly beach sessions. It shows what is possible when venues genuinely design around disabled children rather than simply adding a ramp.

Kids Days Out

Kids Days Out is a really useful website that has details of attractions in all counties in England, Wales and Scotland. It gives contact details for the attraction, a description of what is on offer and information about whether it is wheelchair accessible.
www.kidsdaysout.co.uk

Days Out Guide

The Days Out Guide website is run in association with National Rail and lists attractions in England and Scotland. It has lots of two for one entries to attractions, exhibitions and events if you travel by train.

It also includes lots of ideas of where to go and specific two for one offers in Brighton, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, London and Scotland.
www.daysoutguide.co.uk

National Parks and activities for kids in wheelchairs

The UK has 15 National Parks. The National Park access hub contains guides to individual parks and accessible activities, if you or a member of your party uses wheelchairs, pushchairs or has limited mobility.

Information includes contact details, activity, location, description, and accessibility details including parking, toilets and access.
www.lakedistrict.gov.uk

The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain

The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain contains over 200 days out with reviews, hints and tips written by and for disabled people. The tenth edition guide is free to download from the website www.tourismforall.co.uk  

It has a separate section for Family Days Out www.tourismforall.co.uk  

Both sites provide updated information for families looking for inclusive days out.

Offers for disability inclusion for childrens activities

Voucher sites

There are lots of voucher sites online which can offer discounts on theme parks, entertainment, restaurants, bowling and more. Search online for ‘Voucher Code Sites’ and have a look around for something that fits what you want to do.

Tesco Vouchers

For those who shop at Tesco and have a Clubcard, the vouchers that are received in return for shopping with the store can be exchanged for Clubcard rewards. This can include up to four times your voucher value on restaurants and days out.

Vouchers are now valid for two years. There are lots of rewards to choose from, just look on the Tesco days out website to find out how you can use your points. Apparently hundreds and thousands of points go unclaimed every year so don’t miss out.
www.tesco.com

Merlin’s Magic Wand

Merlin’s Magic Wand is a worldwide charity for children, aiming to provide magical experiences for those who are seriously ill, disabled or disadvantaged. They offer free tickets to any Merlin theme parks and attractions for disabled children and their parents or carers.

Eligibility now covers children aged 2-18 facing disability, serious or long-term illness, foster care, recent adoption, domestic violence, bereavement or young caring responsibilities. Applications are for the calendar year only.
www.merlinsmagicwand.org

Concessionary entry

Many theme parks and attractions offer concessionary entry for those with a disability and their carers. Some places even enable carers to enter for free or for a reduced price. It is always worth contacting, or checking the website of, the attraction before visiting to find out more about activities for children in wheelchairs.

Proof of disability may be required. A temporary 5% VAT rate also applies on eligible family attraction admissions from 25 June to 1 September 2026.

Do you have any places you love to go? Would you recommend them to others? Let us know via @weareMFON or our Facebook page.

We know it’s not easy for everyone to get out and about, as we’ve talked about before here so next time we’ll be looking at fun things to do at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to check access in advance for activities for children in wheelchairs?

It is strongly recommended to check ahead rather than just turning up. Families should research parking, toilets, and step-free routes before visiting. You can use our Where to Go guide or check advice from Scope to confidently plan a safe and smooth trip.

Do attractions provide free carer tickets for disability inclusion for childrens activities?

Yes, many venues provide a free companion ticket to help make family days out more affordable. Policies do vary, so you will usually need to furnish accepted documentation like an award letter, Blue Badge, or an Access Card to claim the concessionary rate.

Are Changing Places toilets available everywhere?

Standard accessible toilets are quite common, but specialist Changing Places facilities are not universal. These toilets provide more space and vital equipment like a hoist and adult-sized changing bench, which are often necessary for stress-free activities for kids in wheelchairs.

Is full access guaranteed at wheelchair-friendly venues?

Not always. Even when a visitor attraction is advertised as accessible, certain rides, woodland trails, or older buildings might still have restrictions. It is always a good idea to read detailed access guides or call the venue directly to see exactly how much of the site is completely step-free.