Slades Park (or Slades Farm which it’s also known as) in Bournemouth is a great place to take energetic children as there’s tons of open space to explore plus a lovely enclosed play area, café and skatepark.  The location is also home to the Bournemouth Velodrome, a 3G Football Pitch and dog agility area.

We met friends there recently and although there is a car park we found a space on a road nearby.  The kids quickly spotted the play area so they were off and myself and my friend made ourselves comfy at a table ready to have a picnic.  There isn’t a huge amount of play equipment within the enclosed playground but what is there is enough in my opinion and the children spent ages playing on the small wooden play frame and climbing obstacles, swings, slide and zip wire.

Slades Park Pavilion seems to be open daily but times/days may differ out of season.  They have a good lunch menu with sandwiches, cakes, treats and drinks on offer, and all at very reasonable prices.

After lunch and a play I was determined to try and find some blackberries so we went off into the woods for an explore first and then on the far side of the field (over near the allotments) we found a huge long row of blackberry bushes.  Most had been picked already but luckily we found just enough to make a batch of blackberry brownies.

Walking back we had a look at the skate ramp which has some good slopes for all ages and I’ve promised the kids we’ll go back with their scooters again soon.

The Parks Foundation run lots of free activities for children and upcoming events include Amphibian Construction, Go Nuts – Foraging, Nocturnal Nature Walk and Making Meadows.  To book on these events, please visit The Parks Foundation.

For up to date news and events, please see the Slades Park Facebook page.

Location:
Ensbury Avenue, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH10 4HG

Good to know:

The car park is free for up to 3 hours however please check this is still accurate when you arrive.

Toilets are located within the cafe and there are a few toys inside for young children to play with. 

At the time of writing, the café doesn’t accept cash so please make sure you have another means to pay if you would like food or drink.

If you need more ideas on places to visit in Dorset then please take a look at some of our other blog posts below.

Where to see Planes, Trains and Automobiles

40 free or low cost things to do in Dorset

By The Way Park in Bournemouth

Hamworthy Park in Poole

Abbotsbury Swannery

Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens

Nicks Farm in Bournemouth

Tout Quarry Sculpture Park in Portland

Carey’s Secret Garden in Wareham

Mighty Adventures Adventure Golf in Bournemouth

RSPB Arne

Knoll House Hotel Day Retreat

Walking the Lawrence of Arabia Trail

Has your child been dancing around the house during the holidays and discovered a love for dance?  Why not harness this great energy and enroll your little prince or ballerina into a ballet class?

Centre Stage, based in Penn Hill (Poole), has an outstanding reputation for its specialist training in ballet - especially for the younger years - and offers a perfect introduction to ballet!

It’s really important that your child’s first experience is of a REAL ballet class.  What sets Centre Stage apart from other early ‘ballet’ classes is that the school teaches Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet – a world renowned and inspiring syllabus.

You don’t want to be taught by any ballet teacher – you want the best – and ALL classes are taught by RAD trained teachers only, with over 20 years of experience.  School Principal, Miss Zoe, is also an ‘Approved Mentor’ for the Royal Academy of Dance.

Centre Stage offers a magical introduction to classical ballet.  Children learn through imaginative play and storytelling and classes are creative - encouraging engagement using enchanting themes and stories and using fun props.

Whilst the core focus is having fun, children learn the technical aspects of ballet, enhance their sense of musicality, improve spatial awareness and learn how to express themselves with confidence and individuality.  Children are inspired to love ballet as much as their teachers!

Established in 2011, Centre Stage is an Award-winning school, is OFSTED Registered (meaning it can accept childcare vouchers) and CDMT Recognised.  The school has also been International Dance School of the Year Finalists for 2 years running and currently has 350 wonderful children attending the school.

The school believes its structured but kind and caring atmosphere means your child will feel at ease from the moment they enter class.  It offers a safe and secure space where they can flourish as individuals at their own pace.  However, the school also recognises the importance of trying before committing.

For its younger ballet classes, the first session is free and then they offer the flexible option of PAYG for a further two weeks.  This gives your child the opportunity to really experience the class and a chance for you to observe your child (and teachers) over several sessions.  It is important that your child is fully settled and happy before you fully commit.  To help further, as well as accepting childcare vouchers (a benefit of being Ofsted registered), the school also offers family discounts.

Places are currently available for children aged 2-6yrs in Pre-school, Pre-Primary and Primary classes.
 
Classes take place at Saint Luke’s Church Hall, 37 Birchwood Road, Lower Parkstone, Poole BH14 9NW and there is free parking at the venue.

Class times are:
Pre-school Tuesday 3.30 - 4pm and *new* Wednesday 3.30 - 4pm
Pre-Primary (reception) Wednesday 4.00 - 4.30pm
Primary (year 1) Wednesday 4.30 - 5.00pm

What do other parents say?

“This class offers a perfect balance between fun and technical learning of ballet - it was so refreshing to not see my child run around with a wand for the whole lesson!”

“The teachers are so kind and patient and approached my little shy girl just beautifully - now ballet is the highlight of the week”

“The experience of the teachers shone through and having come from a dance background myself, I was super observant of how the class was run. I have to say, that I was blown away - experience and the right qualifications go a long way.”

“The amount of props used was so refreshing - my little boy loved being a superhero!"

The school also offers an inspiring spectrum of classes for young people aged 2 to 19, including Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Classical Ballet, Pointe Work, ISTD Tap & Modern Theatre, Acrobatic Arts, LCM one-to-one vocal tuition, Performing Arts (singing, dancing, acting and musical theatre) and Dance Fusion.

Book your FREE trial today and give your child the best training in their first ballet class!

Find out more about the school by visiting Centre Stage Dance online or contact the school on 01202 733231 or [email protected].