MUMS are raving about a little-known children’s centre that has huge play areas, storytelling sessions and cheap tickets.
Discover Children’s Story Centre is an interactive museum specifically for kids under 11.
The museum is in Stratford, London – just a 10 minute walk from Westfield or four minutes by car.
Outside, kids can follow The Storm Whale garden trail, walking down a blue path before coming across optical illusion mirrors and cat figurines as lines of the book appear up in the trees.
There are also exhibitions inside, including a space-themed The Box Rocket where kids can board a toy rocket ship before arriving on a strange world where they must undertake an important mission.
Besides the various exhibitions, the centre has two floors of magical worlds where they can creep through caves, hidden ships and play on the puppet castle.
Plus, there are 50-minute storytelling sessions with illustrator Alex Willmore as well as one with Luke Scriven who encourages kids to draw alongside him.
Authors Duncan Beedie and Gareth Peter also host special events for kids who are ready to immerse themselves in magical stories.
Meanwhile, there’s a bookshop free for all to browse, which includes picture books, toys, games and wall charts.
And the cafe serves a range of coffees, teas and carton drinks alongside sandwiches, snacks and even baby food.
Session passes (which are three hours each) for one adult is £8, kids under 1 go free, one-year old children can go for £2.50 while those over 2 can go from £8. Special events with authors vary from £5 to £7.
Annual pass memberships start from £48 for one person, which includes two free tickets to chargeable events or exhibitions, a 10 percent discount on birthday parties and of course free session passes.
Mums have been raving about the place across social media, including Tameka Milian who told her TikTok followers: “This place is a must-visit for your children”.
Panning the camera across the different areas inside, viewers could see an enchanted tree with fairy lights, faux grass areas, a toy ship and tunnels.
TikTok user @temak.milian wrote in the caption: “Toddler and young children activity ideas in London, fun day for the whole family!”
And fellow mums flocked to the comments section as one person wrote: “I love this place it’s been in Stratford for years I use to take my son now 15 love it’s still going strong.”
Another person shared: “I have been there with my son so many times it’s right next door to me”.
“Been going here since I was a kid now I take my daughter there,” another posted.
Those on TripAdvisor were equally amazed by the experience as one person shared: “We went here as a nursery trip with children from the age of 17 months to 2 years.
“The kids loved it. Loads to do such as reading, drawing, art and craft areas.”
Another said: “Took or 11 months and 3.5 year sons here on a quiet Monday afternoon and they loved it. It wasn’t busy at all, so they could take all the time to okay and explore.”
Another wrote: “It’s a very interactive play, it’s like an obscure playground.
“We signed up too “not yet a yeti” story time, which was fab, so funny and THE best story time I’ve taken my son too.”
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