Here are some suggestions for some great days out in the local area and a little further into Suffolk. Ideal summer holiday activities for the kids
Old MacDonald's Farm
The Original Great Maze at Blake House Craft Centre
Audley End House & Gardens
Mountfitchet Castle & Norman Village
House on the Hill Toy Museum
Barleylands
Hayes Hill Farm & Holyfield Hall Farm
Kentwell Hall & Gardens
Royal Gunpowder Mills
Colne Valley Railway

Old MacDonald's Farm
Weald Road
Brentwood
Essex CM14 5AY
(only 5 minutes from the M25 Junction 28)
Tel: 01277 375177
http://www.omdfarm.co.uk/index.htm
Educational & Leisure Park
Fun for the whole family.
Upcoming events - 2008 A great day out at the farm and a fun way to learn about the animals and see how they live. 
Indoor and Outdoor Amusements - Rides, Slides & Merry-Go-Rounds
New Attraction!
Kids Dig Fun
Blake House Craft Centre
Blake End
Near
CM77 6RA
Tel: 01376 344123
http://www.greatmaze.info/about.html
www.blakehousecraftcentre.co.uk
Experience the latest challenging Original Great Maze. A field of 10 acres of maize with a challenging maze cut into it.
Don’t worry about getting lost there is always a lost souls map and viewing platforms.
Open 5th July – 7th September 08
10am Last entry 4.30pm
Audley end
Saffron Walden
CB22 4JF
Tel: 01799 522399
One of the most magnificent stately homes in England
Stansted Mountfitchet,
Tel: 01279 813237
The castle opens in March from 10am – 5pm daily (including all weekends and bank holidays)
until November
Stansted Mountfitchet,
One of the largest and most important Toy Museums in the world with approximately 80,000 exhibits. Open daily throughout the year from 10am – 4pm Except Dec 24th, 25th and 26th.
Barleylands Farm
Billericay
Tel: 01268 290229
The farm centre has farm animals and fun things to do including a miniature railway, craft village with its specialist 30 workshops, restaurant, and tea room.
Hayes Hill Farm & Holyfield Hall Farm
Off
Crooked Mile
Tel: 01992 892781
Weekdays and weekends 10am – 4.30pm Last admission 4pm Bank hols 10am – 5.30pm – Last admission 5pm or dusk in winter.
Friendly farm animals, Adventure Playground, Pet Centre, Tudor Barn, Tearoom, Tractor Rides
Long Melford,
On selected weekends Kentwell has re-creations of the past.
Tel: 01992 707370
Science, Nature, and History in 175 acres of woodland.
Open at weekends and Bank
Castle hedingham
Tel: 01787 461174
Ride on a vintage steam train or come along to their Special Thomas The Tank Engine days 29/30th September and 6/7th October.