Fishponds with children: library crafts, woodland play and a museum visit
Fishponds has room for both a quick indoor activity and a longer outdoor escape. Hockeys Lane library brings crafts and a booked coding course into the high-street area, while Oldbury Court offers playground time, woodland paths and a picnic without an admission charge. At the edge of the area, Glenside Hospital Museum explores the history of mental-health care in a former chapel; its creative workshops offer a different way to start a visit. Younger children can join stories and play at All Saints during term time. Check the exact venue and booking rules rather than assuming all these activities share one timetable.
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Leave time for Oldbury Court’s playground and woods
Oldbury Court Estate combines a children’s playground, open space, woodland and riverside paths. The playground is for ages 13 and under, with a café kiosk and terrace close by. Picnic spots make a longer visit possible, and the toilets include accessible and baby-changing facilities. Free estate admission does not mean free parking.
The Fishponds car park is off Oldbury Court Road. The other named car park is at Snuff Mills in Stapleton, so check which entrance you mean before setting out. Council parking charges apply daily between 09:00 and 18:00, including bank holidays: £1 for up to an hour, £2 for two hours and £3 for five hours. Car parks close at dusk, and exact closing times change through the year.
The estate remains open, but toilets and car parks have their own opening times and close on Christmas Day. Pick a manageable route for your family and treat the riverside landscape as an outdoor outing rather than a supervised activity. Separately booked nature walks have their own meeting points and requirements.
- Oldbury Court Estate
Mix playground time with woodland, riverside paths and a picnic.
- Immersive Sound Walk at Oldbury Court
Hear the hidden sounds of plants, trees and water with specialist listening equipment.
Choose crafts for a drop-in, coding for a course
Fishponds Library is on Hockeys Lane, close to the high-street area. Crafternoon lets children make something to keep or give away, with materials provided. It is for ages 3–12 and all children need an accompanying adult. The advertised Saturday session is free and does not require booking.
Code Club is different: ages 8–12 learn Scratch and Python through games, animations and websites, and the library needs advance booking, parental consent and regular attendance. Call or email the branch to arrange a place. A free course is not an unlimited drop-in; children under 12 must have an adult with them.
The library normally opens Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10:00–17:00 and Thursday 11:00–19:00. Wednesday and Sunday are closed. Wheelchair access, breastfeeding welcome and WiFi are listed by the council. Use the dated activity listings for a particular visit, and check closure notices if you are travelling specifically for a session.
- Fishponds Library
Browse books, make crafts and join a booked coding course at Fishponds Library.
- Crafternoon at Fishponds Library
Make a craft to keep or give away, with all materials supplied.
- Code Club at Fishponds Library
Create games, animations and websites using Scratch and Python.
Use a creative activity to start a museum visit
Glenside Hospital Museum occupies the former hospital chapel at the UWE campus on Blackberry Hill. The museum calls this the Fishponds area, while its travel address also uses Stapleton: follow the exact museum directions rather than a broad neighbourhood search. The photograph shows its stone facade and entrance, not a workshop in progress.
Collections explore the history of mental-health care, hospital life and medical artefacts. Adults can judge which displays suit their children. Normal opening is Wednesday 10:00–13:00 and Saturday 10:00–16:00, with an adult annual pass at £5 and up to two under-18s free per paying adult. You can arrive without booking. The main museum is wheelchair accessible, with an accessible toilet; a step affects the last metre of the altar display. Museum parking is available on Saturdays, not Wednesdays.
A separately ticketed print-a-postcard workshop lets children and adults draw on foam sheet and create a black-on-white monoprint to take away. The workshop includes a museum visit, but each paying child under 12 also needs a paying adult, either taking the workshop or holding general museum admission. Eventbrite’s ticket range and non-refundable terms need checking against the attendee options before paying. Use the current event listing for exact sessions rather than treating the workshop as a permanent drop-in.
- Glenside Hospital Museum
Explore the history of mental-health care in a former hospital chapel.
- Hand-print a postcard with Kavitha
Draw and print a festive postcard to take home, then explore the museum.
Keep a term-time plan for younger children
All Saints on Grove Road hosts Tiny Tots, with a story, creative activities, play, singing and a cuppa for young children and their accompanying adult. This is a church-hosted family group, not a staffed childcare drop-off. The programme advertises Mondays at 10:30 for an hour during term time.
The owner explicitly excludes 26 October 2026, as well as its Christmas break dates. Do not turn up during half term because a general weekly timetable says Monday. Contact the church before your first visit; the wider hall timetable includes groups with their own membership and joining arrangements.
- All Saints Church Fishponds
Find a term-time toddler group and family activities on Grove Road.
- Tiny Tots at All Saints Fishponds
Share stories, creative play, singing and a cuppa with other young families.
