Places to go
This will be an ever-growing list of baby friendly places to go. Please contact the relevant place before you travel, just to check their opening times. If you know of a baby friendly place that’s not on here please contact me with all the details so I can add it to the list.
Do also check out the GlosFamilies Directory for things to do and family information.
Cafes
All are child friendly in my experience but needs adding to! Feel free to contact me with recommendations…
Woodruffs Organic Cafe - Near the top of the High Street, Stroud - Mum and baby/toddler friendly, enclosed children's play area, space for prams downstairs, friendly and relaxed. 01453 759 195 24. The High Street, Stroud, GL5 1AJ. www.woodruffsorganiccafe.co.uk
Black Book Cafe - Unit 2 Nelson St, Stroud GL5 2HL - 01453 764 509 : parent and baby/toddler friendly, relaxed, great food and drinks. Find them on Facebook.
The Canteen - Daysmill, Nailsworth, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 0DU - thecanteennailsworth.com - Very cool and yet baby friendly, delicious food and drinks. Lovely and helpful staff (who don't mind warming up bottles!).
Prema - Bethesda Chapel, South Street, Uley, Nr Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 5SS. www.prema.org.uk Fantastic cafe and art space where there are always exhibitions, workshops and exciting things going on. There are always a lot of family events going on, see the Kids Zone section of the website.
Curio Lounge - Kings St, Stroud. thelounges.co.uk - not an independent cafe, but it's big and has loads of room for toddlers to run around, and comfy sofas, and a few toys.
The Lock Keepers Cafe - friendly and relaxed, and they cater for both parents and children very well. Great baby changing facilities too. Head out of town under the railway bridge towards Travis Perkins, and it sits on the canal. Under new management as of 2023 but I’ve heard good things!
Outdoor Spaces and Walks
Stratford Park and Museum in the Park.
Whiteshill Playing Field - Great play area for little ones with a great view and benches, with a community run shop and cafe next door. Parking is right in front of the play area, and then there's a nice walk down to the playing field and beyond. Definitely one I'd recommend.
Daisy Bank - at the end of Horns Rd, near the cemetery in Stroud. A popular park and play area.
Chalford Hill/France Lynch - good little jungle gym, the river, and a dirt track for bikes in the woods which Toby loves running around.
Summer Crescent, Summer Street, Stroud - recently refurbished with lovely wooden play equipment.
The Commons - Minchinhampton, Rodborough and Selsley Commons are great spaces for walking, kite-flying, picnics, ball games and of course, eating ice-cream at Winstones Ice-cream factory! Also try Painswick Beacon and Haresfield Beacon for walking - though maybe only with a decent off-road pushchair or a baby carrier!
Coaley Peak (4 mile SW of Stroud on B4066) 12 acres of grassland with panoramic views of Severn Vale. Car Park and Toilets.
Woodchester Park - See the Woodchester Park website for info.
Indoor Spaces
Museum in the Park, Stroud. Free to get in and loads to see. There are often art exhibitions, there are refreshments and loos, and it's pushchair friendly. There's a little play area on the second floor with wooden toys and lovely books. museuminthepark.org.uk
Rugrats and Half Pints, Cirencester. An inside play park has a variety of different play areas and entertainment for your kids to get stuck in while you can enjoy our onsite cafe. www.rugratsandhalfpints.com/cirencester
Go Bananas Indoor Softplay Centre in Ebley, between Stroud and Stonehouse.
Go Bananas has a good selection of varying equipment with plenty of special looking additions. They also provide a segregated play area for kids under 4 years old to keep them safe from the chaos while they avail themselves of the developmental toys and mini play equipment.
Days Out
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre
The birthplace of modern conservation, Slimbridge Wetland Centre is the ideal place to get closer to nature. Slimbridge is home to an astounding array of wildlife including the world's largest collection of swans, geese, and ducks. A year round programme of walks, arts, events, workshops, talks and spectacular wildlife encounters are a fantastic way for everyone to connect to their natural surroundings. It's pram friendly, has multiple baby changing facilites, playground, outdoor cafe and indoor restaurant, and is a wonderful place to take babies and toddlers for all the different sounds and smells.St. Augustines Farm, Arlingham
A real working organic dairy farm in the Severn Vale, St Augustines is a typical dairy farm of over 100 acres, where the everyday farm life will go on around you. They are specially suited to early years and primary age children, please phone Elaine or Rob on 01452 740720 for more details. Watch the cows being milked in a herringbone parlour every afternoon, talk to the farmer as he works and find out where your milk comes from. Help feed the baby calves and visit the farm animals in the paddocks. Follow the farm trail to see over 50 acres and see our wildlife in its natural habitat. Explore the mini woodland trail. Go back in history and discover a vanished era in our bygones collection. •Join in the Fun on the Farm. •Indoor and outdoor activities •Acres to Explore. Educational visits from schools are welcome - please ring for details.St James City Farm
A taste of the countryside in the heart of the city of Gloucester. Run as a community project by a charity. Kids will love meeting the local animal residents (and you will love the free entrance!)Cotswold water park has a special under 5s play area with their own paddling bit.
Berkeley Castle and butterfly centre
Butts Farm in Cirencester
Corinium Museum in Cirencester
Cattle Country near Berkeley