Discover Children’s Story Centre

…there is a Lollipopter to pilot,

an alligator waterfall to cross,

a spoon forest to add to,

a Hovering Observatory to fly through the clouds

and Hootah’s spaceship to explore in the Discover Children’s Story Centre Story Garden. 

Your Challenge!

Can you explore these worlds and write Hootah a story…

…he can post home to wake up his fellow Squigglydigglians!? 

The Temporary Exhibitions

There are also regular immersive exhibitions, often guided by a storyteller.

We have sleuthed our way around Rob Biddulph’s 100 Story Hotel,

had supper with Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea,

and explored the world of Mog the Forgetful Cat. 

Where to Eat

There is a cafe upstairs that serves food and drinks. There is also a picnic area in the garden. You can also bring your own food to the Story Centre.

The Outdoor Adventure Play Area

We love the imaginative Discover Children’s Story Centre Adventure Play Area. 

The equipment and layout fires the imagination and is a natural extension of the Story Worlds. 

There are things like a space ship, a house that walks, two slides, musical equipment and a mud kitchen.

Nearest Town: Stratford
County: London
Nearest Postcode: E15 4QZ

Adult Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Child Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Free if: Under 1

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and eat at the picnic tables, try the cafe or try a cafe on the High Street.
Facilities: A shop, cafe, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are car parks around Stratford but the Story Centre does not have one of its own.
Cost of Parking: Various depending on where you park.

Information Written: June 2022

Our visit to Discover Children’s Story Centre in Stratford is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Discover Children’s Story Centre Outdoor Adventure Play Area

The equipment is for children aged to 11 years old and includes: 

• a satellite
• a house that walks – where would you go with it?
• Hootah’s spaceship with a tunnel, ladders, a house and two slides 
• a space base
• musical equipment
• a mud kitchen 
• birds hidden around the gardens 
• tables and chairs.

Nearest Town: Stratford
County: London
Nearest Postcode: E15 4QZ

Adult Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Child Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Free if: Under 1

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and eat at the picnic tables, try the cafe or try a cafe on the High Street.
Facilities: A shop, cafe, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are car parks around Stratford but the Story Centre does not have one of its own.
Cost of Parking: Various depending on where you park.

Information Written: June 2022

Our visit to Discover Children’s Story Centre Adventure Play Area in Stratford is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Deen City Farm Play Area

The small play area is for children aged from 2 to 8 years and the following equipment:

• a wooden climbing frame with a slide, bridge and climbing wall
• two bug shaped springers
• puzzle boards
• a picnic table.

Nearest Town: Morden
County: London
Nearest Postcode: SW19 2RR

Opens: Daily except Mondays that are not bank holidays. 
Cost: Free (donations welcome).

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try the cafe. 
Facilities: Cafe, ice creams, snacks, picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a small car park at the farm. We parked at Morden Hall Park (SM4 5JD) and then walked to Deen City Farm over the wetlands boardwalk and the tramlines. This was an easy, signposted walk and took about twenty minutes at an adult pace.
Cost of Parking: Free

Animals You Might See: Farm animals, including cows, pigs, ducks, chickens, turkeys, goats, guinea pigs, rabbits and owls.

Information Written: June 2017

Our visit to Deen City Farm in Morden, London is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Deen City Farm

Visit some of the animals, including cows, pigs, goats,

chickens, ducks, owls, alpacas, guinea pigs and rabbits.

Daily Activities

Enjoy activities like holding the small animals, feeding the pigs and watching Edna the Owl flying.

There are additional events on during the school holidays.

Morden Hall Park

After visiting the animals, stroll over the tramlines to the beautiful Morden Hall Park. 

Here you can have a picnic, test your skills on the pond dipping platform or orienteering course, and try the play area, wetland boardwalk and cafes.

Deen City Farm Play Area

The small play area is for children aged from 2 to 8 years and has the following equipment:

• a wooden climbing frame with a slide, bridge and climbing wall
• two bug shaped springers
• puzzle boards
• a picnic table.

Nearest Town: Morden, near Wimbledon in London
County: London
Nearest Postcode: SW19 2RR

Opens: Daily except Mondays that are not bank holidays. 
Cost: Free (donations welcome).

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try the cafe. 
Facilities: Cafe, ice creams, snacks, picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a small car park at the farm. We parked at Morden Hall Park (SM4 5JD) and then walked to Deen City Farm over the wetlands boardwalk and the tramlines. This was an easy, signposted walk and took about twenty minutes at an adult pace.
Cost of Parking: Free

Animals You Might See: Farm animals, including cows, pigs, ducks, chickens, turkeys, goats, guinea pigs, rabbits and owls.

Information Written: June 2017

Our visit to Deen City Farm in Morden, near Wimbledon in London, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Polka Theatre Indoor Play Area

The central foyer doubles as an indoor play area with:

• seats
• bean bags of different sizes
• rocking horses
• ride on toys
• tables with colouring materials
• a trunk full of costumes
• puppets 
• shelves full of books. 

This area is where people congregate ahead of shows so at times it is quiet and at others busy.

Polka Theatre Courtyard Play Area

The outside play area has: 

• a wooden climbing frame that looks like a baboon
• a two-storey play house
• a small pond with fish 
• a ball run
• some games boards. 

Nearest Town: Wimbledon, London
County: London
Nearest Postcode: SW19 1SB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free to enter and play but the shows are ticketed. 

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets, snacks, ice creams, cafe. 

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is no car park and Polka Theatre’s website recommends public transport or if necessary, parking on the surrounding roads. Most of these roads are permit only from Monday to Saturday during the day but there are some roads with parking meters. We visited during the week and found a space on Latimer Road (SW19 1EP). It turned out to be a very convenient space, less than a 5 minute walk from the theatre, but it was the only one I saw and I felt lucky to have found one at all.
Cost of Parking: There are parking meters.

Information Written: April 2017

Our visit to the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Imagination, Emotion…

Polka Theatre is dedicated to children. It hosts productions in two areas – the Adventure Theatre and the Main Stage. They also offer workshops, free storytelling and immersive play.

…and Discovery

The central foyer doubles as an indoor play area with seats and bean bags of different sizes, rocking horses and ride on toys.

A trunk bursts with costumes and puppets to try  

and there are shelves full of books 

and tables with colouring materials. 

This area is where people congregate ahead of shows, so at times it is quiet and at others it is busy.

The Courtyard Play Area

Outside in a small courtyard is the Polka Theatre Play Area with a wooden climbing frame that looks like a baboon,

a two-storey wooden play house, a small pond with fish 

and some playground games boards. 

The Polka Cafe

Next door is the Polka Cafe, where you can buy food, drinks, cakes, ice creams etc to eat in the cafe’s train carriage booths. I was told that you cannot take these refreshments into the theatre. There is also an outdoor picnic area. 

Morden Hall Park

We spent a happy few hours playing, exploring and imagining. We then drove to the nearby Morden Hall Park for a picnic. 

Nearest Town: Wimbledon, London
County: London
Nearest Postcode: SW19 1SB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free to enter and play but the shows are ticketed. 

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets, snacks, ice creams, cafe. 

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is no car park and Polka Theatre’s website recommends public transport or if necessary, parking on the surrounding roads. Most of these roads are permit only from Monday to Saturday during the day but there are some roads with parking meters. We visited during the week and found a space on Latimer Road (SW19 1EP). It turned out to be a very convenient space, less than a 5 minute walk from the theatre, but it was the only one I saw and I felt lucky to have found one at all.
Cost of Parking: There are parking meters.

Information Written: April 2017

Our visit to the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, London, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Morden Hall Park Natural Play Area

This play area has:

• a zip wire
• balance course
• basket swing
• tyre swings
• platforms
• willow tunnels.

The Storyboat

The other is the Storyboat – a wooden boat surrounded by wooden sculptures of an eel, a beetle, a vole, a trout and a dragonfly. 

It can be used for free play or a chasing game suggested on one of the boards called ‘Eels Out’.

Nearest Town: Morden, near Wimbledon and Epsom
County: London
Nearest Postcode: SM4 5JD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or buy food from the cafe.
Facilities: Cafe, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic area, snacks, ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Car park that has lots of spaces but was very busy when we visited at the start of the Easter holidays.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, kingfishers, ducks, and Canada geese.

Information Written: April 2017

Our visit to the National Trust’s Morden Hall Park in Morden, near Wimbledon and Epsom, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Natural Play Area

This natural play area has:

• a zip wire
• balance course
• basket swing
• tyre swings
• platforms
• willow tunnels.

The Storyboat

The other is the Storyboat – a wooden boat surrounded by wooden sculptures of an eel, a beetle, a vole, a trout and a dragonfly. 

It can be used for free play or a chasing game suggested on one of the boards called ‘Eels Out’.

Morden Hall Park

There is plenty of nature to see too – a pinetum, a meadow, an arboretum, and the wetlands, which you can see from a boardwalk.

The Boardwalk

The children loved the boardwalk as we were within inches of two groups of ducks and their tiny ducklings as well as tadpoles and swimming insects. 

There is also a pond dipping platform halfway along the boardwalk.

The Cafes

Morden Hall Park has two cafes – one in the Potting Shed and another in the Stableyard.

Orienteering

There is also a permanent orienteering course. You can download the map before you go from the Mole Valley Orienteering Club’s website.

Deen City Farm

At the end of the wetland boardwalk is a path that leads out of the park, over the tramlines, and on to Deen City Farm, a free entry, urban farm.

Nearest Town: Morden, near Epsom and Wimbledon
County: London
Nearest Postcode: SM4 5JD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or buy food from the cafe.
Facilities: Cafe, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic area, snacks, ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Car park that has lots of spaces but was very busy when we visited at the start of the Easter holidays.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, kingfishers, ducks and Canada geese.

Information Written: April 2017

Our visit to the National Trust’s Morden Hall Park in Morden, near Epsom and Wimbledon is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Crystal Palace Dinosaur Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• a sand pit with a dinosaur egg to climb in and dinosaur bones to climb on
• two dinosaurs to climb on
• a dinosaur multiplay unit
• toddler swings
• swings
• a roundabout
• two slides
• a balance beam. 

The Dinosaurs

We found the rest of the statues on the other side of the lake. They were fascinating – huge, charismatic, and exciting. For full details please see Crystal Palace Park.

Everything Else!

There is also a maze, a gorilla statue, a small wooded area, a large sports centre, terraced gardens with statues of sphinxes, boat hire, a cafe, and a small farm with free entry. The boat hire and farm are not open every day so please check the website for details.

Nearest Town: Crystal Palace, near Bromley, London
County: Greater London
Nearest Postcode: SE20 8DT

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy-friendly.

Parking: There are several different car parks to choose from. We parked easily and for free on Thicket Road (SE20 8DT). You can also try the Crystal Palace Park car park, which is located just off Thicket Road near the junction with the A234.  There were some spaces but not many. There is another larger car park at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre (SE19 2BB).  All of these car parks are free.
Cost of Parking: Free and there is free parking on nearby roads too.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, geese, Indian runner ducks, parakeets and squirrels.

Information Written: January 2017

Our visit to Crystal Palace Park in Bromley is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Dinosaurs

We found the rest of the statues on the other side of the lake. They were fascinating – huge, charismatic, and exciting.

Iguanodons ate ferns, deer towered above us, ichthyosaurs hauled themselves out of the water, and one particular plesiosaur stared menacingly at us across the lake as if sizing up a potential meal. 

Research Before You Visit

The condition of the statues varies – some have been restored, others are crumbling or in the middle of being restored. 

There wasn’t much information available so do some online research before you go if you are interested in dinosaurs or the history of the statues.

Guess Work

Don’t expect to see statues that show scientifically accurate dinosaurs. The statues were finished in 1854 and were the Victorians’ best guess of how dinosaurs would have looked. 

Some are very inaccurate – the Iguanadon’s nose horn should actually be its thumb! We found the inaccuracy added to the fun – this is not a place that takes itself too seriously.

Crystal Palace Park

As well as crawling with dinosaurs, Crystal Palace Park also has a maze, a gorilla statue, a small wooded area, a large sports centre, terraced gardens with statues of sphinxes, boat hire, a cafe, and a small farm with free entry. 

The boat hire and farm are not open every day so please check the website for details.

The Wildlife

We were amazed by how much there is to do in the park. We saw plenty of wildlife – ducks, geese, a grey heron, lots of parakeets as well as some of the boldest squirrels we have ever encountered.

Crystal Palace Dinosaur Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• a sand pit with a dinosaur egg to climb in and dinosaur bones to climb on
• two dinosaurs to climb on
• a dinosaur multiplay unit
• toddler swings
• swings
• a roundabout
• two slides
• a balance beam. 

Nearest Town: Crystal Palace, London
County: Greater London
Nearest Postcode: SE20 8DT

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy-friendly.

Parking: There are several different car parks to choose from. We parked easily and for free on Thicket Road (SE20 8DT). You can also try the Crystal Palace Park car park, which is located just off Thicket Road near the junction with the A234.  There were some spaces but not many. There is another larger car park at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre (SE19 2BB).  All of these car parks are free.
Cost of Parking: Free and there is free parking on nearby roads too.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, geese, Indian runner ducks, parakeets and squirrels.

Information Written: January 2017

Our visit to Crystal Palace Park in Bromley, London, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Dippy the Diplodocus

I’ve always loved the Natural History Museum and couldn’t wait to take my children there. I had a specific mission – to show my children Dippy the Diplodocus skeleton before it leaves on 4th January 2017.

The children were amazed by Dippy’s size. They were young so the concept of a skeleton was a little abstract for them but they recognised it as being a dinosaur. 

I wrote this in January 2017. Dippy has now left the Natural History Museum and has been replaced by the skeleton of a blue whale. 

The T-Rex

Next stop was the Dinosaur Gallery. Its first exhibit gives you the chance to get up close and personal with a life-size T-Rex that roars and eyes the crowd.

The Dinosaur Gallery

The Dinosaur Gallery is displayed on two levels. There are several dinosaur skeletons suspended from the ceiling that are viewed from a suspended walkway. 

There are also specimens on the floor, including a Diplodocus skull, dinosaur and alligator skin comparisons, hatching dinosaur eggs and a Triceratops skeleton.

The Mammals Gallery

There was so much to see in the Mammals Gallery.

We retreated to the blue whale room and were relieved to find it less crowded and the blue whale itself as mind-blowingly massive as I remembered. 

The Marine Invertebrate Room

The last room we had planned to see was the Marine Invertebrate room. Sadly, it was closed for a puppet show so we decided to call it a day and go for some lunch in a local cafe.

So, So Busy

Choose the timing of your trip carefully. I visited during a peak time and the museum was so busy that the children struggled to see many of the exhibits.

Using a Buggy

I used a buggy but it was difficult – many walkways were narrow, the lift in the blue whale room was not in use and manoeuvring was hard because the rooms were so full of people. 

Next time I will leave all our stuff in the cloakroom.

Useful to Know

1. The museum can be really busy

Google suggests that the museum’s busiest times are school holidays, weekends and Fridays from about 12 noon until about 4pm.

2. Entry queues can build up

When we drove past at 10am the museum had just opened and there was an enormous queue but by 10.50am it was down to about five minutes. When we left the museum at 1pm there was no queue at all but when we drove past at 2pm an enormous queue had built up again.

3. Step-Free Access

The front entrance (Cromwell Road) into the Museum has steps but no ramp. The Exhibition Road entrance has step free access.

4. The Cloakroom

Children under 3 can leave items in the cloakroom for free. Buggies can be left but need to be folded.

5. Check Before You Go

You can check the museum’s website to make sure that all the galleries you want to see are open on the day you plan to visit.

The Natural History Museum at Tring

If you are interested in animal specimens then consider the Natural History Museum at Tring but note that there are no dinosaurs there.

Nearest Town: South Kensington, London
County: London
Nearest Postcode: SW7 5BD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe, picnic area and nearby restaurants and pubs. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, shop, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy friendly in theory but difficult when it is busy.

Parking: The museum does not have a car park and but there are NCP car parks in the area, some of which can be booked online.
Cost of Parking: Varies and can be expensive.

Information Written: January 2017

Our visit to Natural History Museum in London is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.