Bristol and its surrounding area offer a wealth of award-winning attractions for kids of every age – so hopefully you'll never hear the dreaded cry: 'I'm bored!' There's plenty of opportunity for fun and games, but parents will be pleased to learn that some of Bristol's best children's activities are educational too. Animal lovers are in for a treat at Bristol Zoo, the Avon Valley Country Park and Horseworld, while budding ecologists can find out how to save the planet at the Create Centre. And, if organised trips require too much concentration, the kids can always play in the sand dunes or burn off their energy with a long cycle ride through the Mendip Hills.

1 AVON VALLEY COUNTRY PARK
For an action-packed day out for the whole family that includes animals, play areas, an assault course, boating and fishing, Avon Valley Country Park is the place to go. There are hours of fun to be had here by youngsters of all ages. From a riverside trail you can see several varieties of duck, sheep and goats, Shetland ponies, shire horses, deer, wallabies and llamas. A café and barbecue area make the park an ideal refreshment stop.

2 AT-BRISTOL
At-Bristol is a state-of-the-art centre comprising four attractions in one. Wildwalk presents a journey starting with the origins of life on earth, leading up to the diversity that exists today. The emphasis is on 95% of animal species that are smaller than your thumb. It also includes a recreation of a tropical rainforest. Explore At Bristol is an interactive centre where you can move water uphill, run in a giant hamster wheel, and communicate using the latest technology. The Imaginarium takes visitors on journeys through the universe. Then there is the Imax cinema with its whopping four-storey screen, digital surround sound and spectacular 3D efforts. This huge screen fills your peripheral vision, giving the impression that you are in the middle of the action.

3 BRISTOL ZOO GARDENS
Named Zoo of the Year by the Good Britain Guide 2004, Bristol Zoo Gardens is a superb place for a family day out. Much more than a traditional zoo, it is regarded as a conservational pioneer because of its near-perfect recreations of many natural habitats, such as a rainforest and a desert. It contains more than 300 exotic and endangered species, from rare tortoises and snakes to great apes. A transparent underwater walkway allows visitors to watch seals and penguins swim above them. At the end of a long day, you can relax in the Pelican Restaurant, which serves hot meals and snacks and has a covered picnic area.

4 CREATE CENTRE
This environmental centre has it all: exhibitions on recycling, art galleries, displays on air and water quality, and wildlife conservation, and a demonstration Ecohome that shows methods of sustainable living. Set up inside a former warehouse near Clifton Suspension Bridge, the centre is run by Bristol City Council, whose sustainable development teams are based there along with more than 20 voluntary organisations, charities and small businesses working in areas such as 'green' energy and eco-tourism.

5 HORSEWORLD
HorseWorld Visitor Centre, set in beautiful Mendip-stone farm buildings on the southern edge of Bristol, is run by a registered charity dedicated to rescuing unwanted horses, ponies and donkeys. There are 'touch and groom' areas where youngsters can get up close to miniature Shetland ponies and donkeys, or handle rabbits and guinea pigs. There is also an indoor play barn with 30ft slides and a ball pool, an outdoor adventure playground, plus a farmyard of smaller domesticated animals. For older children and adults there is the Museum of the Horse and the Heritage Tack Museum.

6 BERROW
Various camping and caravanning sites have found the perfect location in Berrow, a seven-mile stretch of good firm sand, fronted by mudflats, between Brean Down and Burnham-on-Sea. The big advantage for families with young children is that you can simply park on the beach, get out, and start building sandcastles straight away. And youngsters adore exploring the sweeping expanse of sunny dunes with their derelict WWII pillboxes. Certain areas of the sands are fenced off from cars, making them safe for ball games and flying kites. The timbers of the wreck of the SS Nornen, grounded here in 1897, provide endless fascination for children when exposed at low tide.
A walk over the dunes brings you to a delightful parish church at their edge and the Berrow Inn, which serves good food and real ales.

7 NOAH'S ARK ZOO FARM
Located at a working farm in the countryside outside the city, this hands-on zoo farm with superbly equipped adventure playgrounds features 80 different types of animals, including camels, bison and lemurs. There's also a Food and Farming Exhibition describing all the main plant and animal sectors of the industry and tractor rides to ferry visitors around. A central feature is a large hedge maze, while the theme of the Great Flood forms the basis of a fascinating exhibition, including a 14ft scale reconstruction of the Ark.

8 BURNHAM-ON-SEA
A former spa resort, Burnham has gracefully avoided the rampant commercialisation of Weston-super-Mare while still offering much in the way of traditional seaside pastimes for the family. Donkey rides still run along the beach, and the remains of the old pier can still be seen. The town has two lighthouses, a conventional one on the road to Berrow and an unusual wooden version on stilts in the middle of the beach. The town centre boasts a good selection of shops.