I took my family to the perfect first UK theme park for little kids

The Sun

17-05-2025

AS I wind my way through a spooky mansion in the darkness, a ghostly figure appears.
So I point my gun at it and begin zapping away.
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I'm one of the first people to try the new Ghostly Manor ride, which opened this weekend, at Paultons Park, home to Peppa Pig World.
The new £3.5million attraction transforms riders into ghostbusters aboard a four-seater carriage and armed with a 'Phantom Phaser' to shoot down as many mischievous ghouls as they can manage.
At the end, each person gets a score and those with the highest make it on to the leaderboard.
This spooky experience is for guests aged five and above, with a parent, while anyone over eight can ride solo — and it's unlike any other ride at the Hampshire park.
I was visiting with my dad, partner Joe and our two-year-old twins Jack and Sienna.
When we weren't hunting down ghosts in the haunted mansion, we were checking out the other toddler-friendly rides or posing next to Peppa Pig and her little brother George.
They offer meet and greet sessions outside the schoolhouse twice a day, at 10.30am and 3pm.
Paultons Park is the perfect first theme park for little kids.
Everything from the food to the baby changing facilities has been designed with children in mind, and the toilets were spacious and spotless.
Better still, every loo has a mini seat for little bums, which, coming from a mum about to embark on potty training, is ingenious.
Inside Peppa Pig World
There's plenty to keep little ones entertained, including several playgrounds and a Peppa Pig-themed soft play area.
When it came to the rides, we didn't queue more than 15 minutes for anything.
Peppa Pig World may be the main draw for many, but there's so much to do elsewhere in the park, too.
We loved the dinosaur -themed area, Lost Kingdom, where kids can ride a jeep and travel back in time with The Dinosaur Tour Co Jurassic Expedition, getting up close with prehistoric giants.
Jack and Sienna also loved seeing flamingos and rare birds in real life at one of a number of animal enclosures on site. There are penguins too.
If you're visiting with older kids, aside from the new Ghostly Manor ride, you should be sure to check out the Flight Of The Pterosaur, a dino-themed suspended rollercoaster.
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My dad and Joe also sneaked off while the little ones were napping to try out the Storm Chaser rollercoaster, a 16-person thrill ride that spins riders around in circles as well as up and down a winding track.
Make sure you download the mobile app before you go as it has an easy-to-use interactive map, which is great for getting your bearings.
It also has information about how long wait times are.
Plus, it lists where the nearest food stalls are and what they sell.
If you're looking for a place to crash nearby, hotel Voco Fareham Solent has excellent interconnecting rooms that are great for families.
It is a 30-minute drive from the theme park and anyone booking a short break at the hotel directly through the Paultons Park website will bag a second day in the park for free.
And while I won't ever forget the huge smiles on my kids' faces and the excitement in their eyes, the downside now is they won't stop asking when we're going back to visit their mate Peppa.