The 30 Best Children's entertainment in Portsmouth

“Had my daughters 5th Birthday Party today at Busy Town and as always we are very impressed. It was one of the most enjoyable children's parties I have booked, so easy and so good! Busy Town did the food and party bags so all we had to do was turn up with the cake and everything was taken care of. Julie and Hannah are fab and us adults could just socialise whilst the children played freely with all of the toys. If you want a hassle free party this is the way to go!”

“Our son has been going to Wonder House Nursery for about a year now and he enjoys it so much. Drop off and pick-up is really efficient which is handy when busy with work. They really focus on his personal development with teeth brushing, self feeding and social skills. The feedback you get has been so much better than other experiences we have had getting an update everyday on the app with photos to see what he’s been up to. The baby room team are so lovely and personable you feel so welcome and they are such a credit to the nursery, thank you!”

“We had my son’s 7th birthday party yesterday, a Nerf gun party with Rob and Jay and it was absolutely amazing! From start to finish, everything ran so smoothly and the kids had the best time ever. Rob and Jay were fantastic with the children fun, patient, full of energy, and made sure every single child got involved. The games were exciting, well organized, and kept the kids completely entertained from beginning to end (which is no small task with a group of 7-year-olds!). The setup was brilliant, the equipment was top quality, and the whole experience far exceeded our expectations. My son hasn’t stopped talking about it and said it was the best birthday ever. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a party that’s action-packed, stress free, and unforgettable. Thank you, Rob and Jay, for making it such a special day!”

“Jess, Claire and the team are so friendly and welcoming my son is now 8months old and has been going since he was 5months. He absolutely loves the staff in the nursery and always is so happy to be taken off me and go through the doors. He has learnt so much in the last 3months and the team at growing places are so attentive and caring. We have found them to be very supportive in and out of school. BEST nursery ever!!”

“A hidden gem for new parents! We initially came here to check if the carrier we had already purchased was fitted correctly, but ended up leaving with a better carrier from the shop. We were offered great advise from the shop owner who was not pushy in leading towards our decision. We ended up purchasing a Larry Lamb carrier which we are over the moon with and now gets used on a daily basis for taking our little girl out with us on walks with our dog. There is even a small cosy corner that we were able to use to feed our baby while we tried on the various different carrier options that they had in the shop. It is quite hidden away and easy to miss but once you do find it, you will not regret it. Thank you again for your help!”

“We have not long been at Kiddi Caru Park Gate, but since even just enquiring, Kath and her team haven’t been able to do enough to help me. My eldest has settled in so well to preschool and is thriving. My littlest one starts in the baby room next month and they are giving lots of time to get him settled and I feel far more relaxed about him starting than I did when my other two started at a different nursery. My eldest has come on leaps and bounds since starting and I feel he’s going to be so ready for school. The app to communicate with staff is so easy and they are great at getting back to you quickly to any enquiries. So far I can’t fault them, they have been so reassuring and helpful.”

“I am a Dental Therapist and I highly recommend Bex. She has done my teeth and my Husband's. I rave about her to anyone that will listen. She goes above and beyond has a wonderful calming nature and is very knowledgeable. If you are thinking about getting your teeth looked at visit Bex there is no hard sale, she is honest has integrity and the prices are really good. Where I used to work in private practice a scale and polish was £22 more than what Bex charges and teeth whitening an extra £295 Don't put off getting your teeth done, it's not just for aesthetic reasons she can tell so much about your general health just by looking inside your mouth. This is a small local business run by two ladies and we should support and encourage that especially in the current climate.”

“We did the chambers of the deep, loved the room, really fun puzzles/clues! Heather was amazing, you can tell she really loves what she does! Thank you for making our experience even better, hope to see you soon!”

“Just come back from successfully escaping from "The Cell" which was perfect for our family of 5. Like our previous visit 2 years ago, the host was fantastic, and provided some timely hints that helped recuse our 14 year son as time was fast running out. Would recommend as a fun family activity when visiting the Isle of Wight.”

“Country Mouse Nursery have been a huge part of my little boys development and he has learnt so many things from the fabulous staff. We get so many compliments from external people saying how clever, polite and kind our little boy is, and the nursery staff play a huge part in this !! He loves going into nursery to see his friends and all the staff! As parents we are so happy to see him thrive in this environment and watch him turn into a happy little boy. The activity days for the kids are amazing, and sometimes we are gobsmacked without how much they have done throughout the week. We never have any concerns or worries .. our little boy is in the safest hands and the best environment for him to learn and be happy! Country Mouse is the perfect nursery for your little ones :)”

“Really happy with this dentist and Brendan. Always great service. I had a concern and he kindly took a look for me and gave advice with no charge. One of the receptionists I spoke to on the phone and when I got there to check in (not the lady who did check me in) didn’t have a very good tone or attitude, I felt like I wasn’t supposed to be there or she was annoyed. The other ladies I’ve spoken to in the past are all lovely there and no issues”

“Fab “Elsa” party held for my daughter in January 2025. Rey is a great and attentive host and the kids had SO much fun. Only comment is that the music at the venue is VERY loud. Not a problem for everyone but could be for others. Would definitely recommend!”

“Had a fabulous anniversary party in this lovely centre. There was plenty of room and having the back room meant we had a quiet space for the children as well as the main hall. We used the stage for some of the games which helped everyone to see. The kitchen had everything our caterer needed and all the arrangements for the day were easy. Guests had no trouble finding the place and it was easy for those coming by train.”

“The Festival of Speed is simply world-class awesome!!! And brilliantly organised (though they should be prepared to scan QR codes on phones, rather than print hundreds of thousands of paper tickets!!! What a waste.....”

“Went to the Festival of speed on Sunday and it really didn't disappoint. The event was huge with something for every type of car enthusiast from vintage to future concept cars on display. The red arrows put on a cracking display and the atmosphere was filled with race fuel and tyre smoke. Awesome!”

“A diverse range of shows on offer here, which I would think will appeal to a wide range of people. Tidy modern interiors and a good view of the stage (even from the relatively cheap seats) give a more intimate feel to the performances than you might otherwise expect. Plentiful parking in the adjacent Northgate Car Park.”

“Stunning at sunset (Car park closes at 6pm though) We went at the end of the day, at the end of the off-season and almost had the place to ourselves. The sand was so soft and clean. The area felt so natural and unspoilt. Thank you to the National Trust for taking such good care of this beautiful place.”

“A very intimate experience, certainly if you are sitting in the front row, which for our show had just 2 seats in each section. The theatre mimics the hexagon shape of its bigger sibling but on a much smaller scale.”

“Awesome street dance school covering all styles and has produced several IDO world champion dancers and teams. Compete regularly at competitions and European and World HIPHOP dance events. All ages and levels catered for.”

“The only place I could find that sold giant music note balloons! They were brilliant and very reasonable price, thanks so much :)”

“Great place to play board games, have a drink, bite to eat and enjoy time with friends. I have never seen so many board games before love it here. We absolutely loved spending the evening together and had such a great time. It's £5 per person, you each get your own tab and you are served everything from the table. Great service and such friendly staff work here. We will definitely be back!!”

“Absolutely hands down the best holiday activity club! My 8 year old daughter went on her own and was quite shy and nervous about going. Not only did Cobnor make her feel incredibly welcome she also had SO much fun building rafts, sailing, orienteering, archery and rope climbing. She was made to feel 'one of the team' AND Niamh taught her how to ride her bike (something we've been trying for years!). She hasn't stopped talking about the experience and felt safe, secure and happy there. She will be coming back in August for a week. Big shout out to Tim who made her laugh a lot and also wonderful Niamh (apologies if I've spelt your name wrong) THANK YOU! Suzi x”

“We have had Green Roots in our life's now for over 5 years, our first won attend not long after it opened and it was clear from the start that he was going to be very happy here. The staff are amazing and give the children all the care and love in the world, as well as providing the most fantastic environment for them to learn and grow. Our second son has been here for over a year and half and again I cannot fault the experience that he is having, both my boys settled quickly and have flourished at Green roots.”

“Absolutely love this place. Staff and amazing, there is a sensory room, perfect for my daughter. There is a really open floor space with play mats and crash mats. The soft play section is fantastic my 10 month old daughter enjoyed everything and it's great for older children too. Everything is thought out for families of all ages. The cafe has a great selection of food too at a reasonable price. Will hundred percent re-visit”

“I visited for the December Skies show and wanted to say how much I enjoyed it, the speaker was fantastic. He told us that there would be a meteor shower the following night (which we didn’t know) and following his advice we managed to see lots of shooting stars so a big thank you!”

“Excellent visit, very impressed with memorial of the soldiers. The fort was a pleasure to walk around, very well put together! Be better in summer when all parts open. 100% recommend the fort!”

“I travelled from Portsmouth to West Dean, and the journey took 43 minutes. I strongly recommend avoiding the motorway and instead enjoying the entire route, which offers opulent countryside scenery. Parking The parking area is rather hidden and can be tricky to find. If you’re using Google Maps, don’t turn at the first entrance for West Dean that it shows. Instead, carry on a little further and take the next street on the same side — this will lead you to the parking space. Entrance There are a few signs, but none clearly indicate the entrance. Look for the West Dean Shop, as this is where you can purchase tickets (£13 per person). The Garden The garden is beautiful, and there’s a large mansion on the grounds, although you cannot go inside. This left me wondering why the entry price is quite high for just access to the garden. Our group of six, including children and elderly visitors, all enjoyed the outing. Exploring the grounds will typically take 1–2 hours. Restaurant There is a restaurant located right next to the shop, where you can buy drinks, ice creams, and meals. Tips If you bring your own picnic, particularly sandwiches, it makes for a very pleasant visit. During my time there, most of the visitors were elderly, giving the place a calm and relaxed atmosphere.”

“Really good escape room. We completed the operation sealion escape room. It was a hard escape room so keep that in mindif you are interested in it. We escaped with 3 minutes to spare with a group of 4 people I feel that it could be done with 3 but may be a bit more channelnging. You can have up to 6 people which would be possible and would likely make things a bit simpiler but i winder if there could be times some people may not have something to do but aslong as you divide tasks between you it would be fine. It think 4 was a good number for the room. The escape room was great fun with a great theme and good puzzles. The staff were very freindly and helpfull if you needed them for any issues. Will definelty recommend to others and I will likely come back to do the other rooms.”

“Really interesting museum, have to admit didn't spend too long in the main museum, most of the visit was concentrated on HMS Holland, amazed a submarine this old has survived, houses in a brilliant gallery. HMS Alliance, was really great to look around, there aren't many places you can go on board and explore a 1940's submarine, bit cramped, but well worth it and the submariner on board was really helpful with questions. If you are visiting the dockyard, well worth popping over and having a look around.”

“We had a fantastic stay at this property! It was clean, spacious, and felt just like home from the moment we arrived. The house was very well equipped with everything we needed, from kitchen essentials to towels and beach gear. One of the highlights was the lovely swimming pool – perfect for relaxing after a day out. The location couldn’t have been better: just a short walk to the beach and very close to the high street, where we found great restaurants, shops, and cafes. Customer service was also excellent – friendly, responsive, and efficient throughout our stay. We would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a comfortable and convenient getaway with friends. Hope to return soon!”