Things to Do With Kids in Brighton
Aquariums, pier rides, a free museum and a palace that looks like a cartoon: the family days that keep small people happy, with the deals worth knowing.
By Only Brighton Editorial
The best things to do with kids in Brighton are SEA LIFE Brighton, the rides on Brighton Palace Pier, the free Hove Museum of Creativity, the dragons at the Royal Pavilion and Magic Place at Brighton Museum, plus a scooter along the Undercliff Walk and, in summer, Volk's Electric Railway and the Hove Lagoon paddling pool. This is the list I actually use with small people, and it was checked in October 2026, including which family deals are worth knowing about.
SEA LIFE Brighton
Rain or shine, this is the safe bet. SEA LIFE Brighton opened in 1872 and calls itself the world's oldest continually operating aquarium, so you can sell it to the grown ups as history. Standard tickets start at £16 per adult and are cheaper in advance. There is a glass bottom boat priced at £25 per group, which is a good shout if you have a big family, and a virtual reality add on at £6 a head. Go early: by lunchtime on a wet Saturday it fills up fast.
Brighton Palace Pier
Rides, arcades, doughnuts, seagulls trying to steal the doughnuts. Brighton Palace Pier charges £1 a head at peak times between March and October, but under 2s are always free, and so is anyone holding a pre-booked ride wristband. Book those wristbands online before you go: the pier says advance booking saves up to 20%. If you live in a BN postcode, get the free Local Resident Card, which means no entry fee on charging days.
Hove Museum of Creativity
The best free family morning in the city. Hove Museum at 19 New Church Road is free to enter, open Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm, and runs family sessions in the holidays. This half term there is a photography trickery day for families on 24 October, a Black History Month storytime on 26 October and a museum makers craft session on 30 October. Cafe Rust inside does the coffee you will need.
The Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museum
Kids who would yawn at a stately home tend to love the Royal Pavilion, because it looks like a palace from a cartoon. Until 1 November 2026 the DRAGONS trail is included with admission. Child tickets (5 to 18) are £13, and the best deal is the resident ticket at £16.50, which covers up to four children. Families with at least one adult and two children also get one child ticket free. Across the garden, Brighton Museum charges £5 per child and from 24 October 2026 to 21 February 2027 runs Magic Place, an interactive installation that reacts to visitors. Under 13s need an adult with them at all the city's museums.
Brighton i360
A 25 minute ride 138 metres up is a big thrill for small kids and a calm one for parents. Under 2s go free with any adult ticket, there is a Family Saver package, and locals in BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41 can walk up and pay £7 each with proof of address. Save it for a clear day.
Scooters on the Undercliff Walk
The Undercliff Walk is just over 5km of flat path from behind Asda at Brighton Marina to Saltdean, shared by walkers and cyclists, with the sea on one side and chalk cliffs on the other. Little legs can bail out at Rottingdean High Street. Avoid it in rough weather: waves come over the wall and parts sometimes close after chalk falls.
Summer only: Volk's Railway and the paddling pools
Volk's Electric Railway, opened in 1883, runs along the beach between Aquarium, Halfway and Black Rock stations in summer and is closed for winter now. The council's paddling pools at Hove Lagoon, Saunders Park and the water feature on the Level have also shut for the season; they reopen on Saturday 1 May 2027 and run until Sunday 12 September 2027.
A show
Horrible Histories plays the Theatre Royal from 29 to 31 October. At Christmas, Brighton Dome has The Adventures of the Little Red Hen for ages 3 and up from 22 to 24 December, Circa's Duck Pond for ages 5 and up from 23 to 28 December, The Snowman with a live orchestra on 19 December and Crafty Christmas workshops for 3 to 11 year olds on several December weekends.
Getting about with kids
- On Brighton & Hove Buses, up to four children aged 19 or under travel free with a paying adult, apart from night routes.
- The weekend Breeze buses to Devil's Dyke, Stanmer Park and Ditchling Beacon make the Downs easy without a car.
- The Booth Museum on Dyke Road has been closed since April 2025 for improvements, so do not promise anyone stuffed birds.
