Thanks to Mumbler Lyndsay who pulled this blog together and in the name of research visited some of these pubs over the past couple of weeks with her children to test them out! It’s a hard job but someone’s got to do it!
The Ship Inn is about 8 miles from Doncaster and takes about 20 minutes to drive there. It offers a range of traditional, home cooked pub dishes and a carvery seven days a week. It has a large beer garden and play area at the front of the pub with climbing equipment, tunnels, different kinds of swings and various sized slides. There’s even a real tractor for the kids to climb on and off.
We’ve eaten here a few times and the food has been really good. The staff are very accommodating too and usually offer to shout us when our food is ready so that we can make the most of the play area while we’re waiting.
The Ship Inn, Newington Road, Doncaster, DN10 6DJ
A family friendly, traditional village pub & restaurant in the Auckley area which serves cask ales and homemade food. It has a large beer garden and enclosed play area with climbing equipment, slides and swings plus plenty of space to run around. There’s lots of outdoor seating in the play area too so it’s the perfect place to sit in the sunshine while the children are entertained.
Eagle & Child, Main Street, Auckley, Doncaster, DN9 3HS
Photo’s courtesy of Eagle & Child’s facebook page (linked above).
The Ferry Boat Bar and Kitchen at Scunthorpe
We were told about this one by a Mumbler in the Doncaster Mumbler chat group who said “Great location, play area and food”. It looks like a great find! It’s a gastropub beautifully located in the village of West Butterwick and nestled on the River Trent. The play area is on the river bank and has climbing equipment, swings for toddlers and juniors and a slide. With such a lovely view, it looks like the perfect place to relax with a drink or two in the sunshine!
The Ferry Boat Bar and Kitchen, West Butterwick, DN17 3JT
Photo courtesy of The Ferry Boat Bar and Kitchen’s facebook page (linked above).
The Manvers Arms at Adwick upon Dearne
Located about 20 minutes from Doncaster, this is another great pub serving homemade food and a Sunday carvery. The play area was updated a couple of years ago; it’s a good size and is fully enclosed so a very safe place for children to play independently. There’s also a beer garden with outdoor seating. The pub serves food from 12pm- 9pm every day, with the exception of Sunday which is 12pm- 8:30pm.
The Manvers Arms, Harlington Road, Adwick Upon Dearne, Mexborough, S64 0NL
Photo courtesy of The Manvers Arms’ facebook page (linked above).
The Station Restaurant and Bar at Blaxton
Recently refurbished and under new management, The Station Restaurant and Bar is a contemporary venue located in the village of Blaxton which is about 20 minutes from Doncaster. Whether you fancy stone baked pizza, a sharing board or a traditional Sunday roast the food is always fantastic here. They have an impressive gin menu too! The beer garden is huge with lots of seating and the play area is fully enclosed so it’s a really great place to relax whilst the children play.
The Station Restaurant & Bar, Blaxton, Doncaster, DN9 3AA
The Maple Tree at Woodfield Plantation
Children are always welcome in this family friendly pub in Doncaster which hosts charity fun days and seasonal events for families too. It has a fully enclosed outdoor play area as well as a children’s menu so they can mix and match all of their favourite foods. Children’s pizzas are available on the pizza menu too.
Woodfield Plantation, Balby, Doncaster, DN4 8RZ
The Angel Inn at Blyth is located just off the A1, about 20 minutes drive from Doncaster. It’s a family run pub and B&B which prides itself on it’s top quality, home cooked food. The outside space here is huge! It has a lovely beer garden and play area with lots of outdoor seating. It has an outdoor gin garden too!
Bawtry Road, Blyth, S81 8HG
Photo’s courtesy of The Angel Inn’s facebook page (linked above).
We’ve eaten at The Reindeer Inn many times and it has never disappointed. It has a children’s menu, a great selection of beer and an impressive gin menu too. The beer garden and play area is relatively small but it’s enough to keep young children entertained for a while either before or after a meal. The pub is situated in Sandtoft and takes up to 30 minutes depending on where you are in Doncaster.
Thorne Road, Sandtoft, DN8 5SZ
Photo courtesy of The Reindeer Inn’s facebook page (linked above).
The Newton Arms at Sprotbrough
August Update: Due to the recent heatwave fires The Newton Arms’ beer garden and play area is currently closed and under construction.
The Newton Arms in Sprotbrough is a family friendly pub serving good quality, home cooked food at sensible prices. They offer a children’s menu, a Sunday carvery and a different dining deal every evening. The Newton also has Sky Sports and BT Sports and shows all the latest football matches on its various screens throughout the pub. There’s plenty of outdoor seating in the beer garden so it’s a nice place to relax if the weather is good.
355 Sprotbrough Road, Doncaster, DN5 8BP
Photo courtesy of The Newton Arms’ facebook page (linked above).
This is a new find for us so we’re delighted to share it with you as the play area looks fantastic. The Crown Inn has a large sports field, play area and beer garden to the rear of the pub so it’s perfect for those warm, sunny days! It’s worth keeping an eye on their facebook page as they host regular events such as family fun days, festivals and seasonal parties. They also show major sporting events. The Crown Inn is in Belton which is about 30 minutes drive from Doncaster.
Church Lane, Belton, DN9 1PA
Photo’s courtesy of The Crown Inn’s facebook page (linked above).
Update June 2022 The Old George Inn at Sykehouse has a huge space to the rear of the pub which has just undergone a play area renovation and is now reopen ready for Summer! Here’s what it looks like (photo’s courtesy of The Old George Inn’s facebook page, linked above).
Here are some other pubs with small outdoor play areas you might be interested in:
If you’re looking for pubs with indoor play areas then you might want to take a look at:
The Cheswold Lodge (Brewers Fayre) at Doncaster Leisure Park Herten Way have a large indoor soft play area.
Pastures Lodge in Mexborough which has Ali-Bongo’s, a custom-built soft play area adjoining the pub.
The Highwayman (in Woodlands, Doncaster) has a Fuzzy Ed’s soft play area adjoining the pub.
