4 Tricks to Prevent Bad Weather from Ruining Your Day Out

warwick castle
January 4, 2014

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Guest blog post written by Red Rose Mummy

We live in the North West of England and, let’s not mince our words, it rains here. A lot.

If we waited for the weather to clear up, we would never get out and about as a family. Instead we’re forced to make sure we choose appropriate locations and that we dress in a way that will keep us warm and dry. Over the years we’ve gathered a few tips about how to beat the bad weather. Here are a few of our best ones:

1. Make the most of city breaks

Day out with KidsAlthough we love spending time as a family with gorgeous weekends in the countryside, we’ve found that with two children under four and the constant threat of the unpredictable weather, sometimes a city visit is the best option. Our local cities, Manchester and Liverpool, offer fantastic day trips full of sheltered activities including restaurants, shopping centres and museums to entertain the little ones.

2. It’s all about the bus tours

With its reasonably compact city centre full of great shopping, restaurants, museums and attractions, Liverpool makes for a great place to visit with young children. As the home of the Beatles, the city is full of Beatle-themed activities, allowing visitors to take tours and follow in the epic band’s footsteps. Bus tours are ideal for poor weather conditions and great for children as they allow you to rest and relax while seeing all the sites. The Magical Mystery Tour ends at the Cavern Club where you can soak up the Beatles atmosphere with live musicians.

3. Choose the right attractions

Warwick Castle

Another clear favourite of ours is Warwick Castle. Not only is this place brilliant for kids, it’s also ideal no matter what the weather as it combines indoor and outdoor activities tailored for children. You can explore the castle’s historic interiors during showers, while taking in the beautiful landscaped gardens if the sun decides to shine. Don’t let the weather affect your visit, as this wonderful attraction is full of great activities that will keep the entire family entertained for the day.

4. Come prepared!

When exploring with little ones, the key is preparation. If equipped for every eventuality, you can ensure everyone stays warm and dry, even if the weather is unkind. We take wellies and waterproofs and we always ensure that we have the rain cover for our pushchair. In the boot, we keep blankets and dry clothes, just in case we have a real disaster. I’d also recommend coming armed with a few snacks and a flask of hot chocolate as these little treats really cheer everyone up when you return to the car after getting soaked in the rain. We’ve also used handy splash suits for our children—all in one waterproof suits which will cover your child from head to toe. When tucking these suits into wellies, they keep children warm and dry, even in the worst conditions.

Kid on Farm

No matter what activity you choose to embark on with your family, a bit of preparation really does make all the difference. If you’re feeling brave, you can even venture into the great outdoors for walks and bicycle rides or visits to farm attractions and theme parks like Chessington World of Adventures, even if it is a bit gloomy. A little bit of rain never hurt anyone and if you’re wrapped up warm then venturing into the elements can be fun. With a bit of preparation and a good plan in action, I’m confident you won’t allow the rain to spoil your day!

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