Things to Do with Kids in Fareham: Play Areas & Days Out
Council play areas, a splash pad, Holly Hill Woodland Park and Portchester Castle, with notes on what has closed and what to check before you go.
What is there to do with kids in Fareham?
The most dependable free days out in Fareham borough are outdoors: council play areas, a woodland park with lakes and the castle at Portchester. Indoors, the leisure centre has facilities aimed at children. This guide covers places listed on council and operator pages, and it says where a place has closed or where you should check first. Prices and opening hours change, so check before you set off. For more ideas see our things to do guide and parks, playgrounds and walks guide.
Which play areas does Fareham Borough Council run?
Fareham Borough Council manages 46 children's play areas, in parks and in residential areas, and says some of the equipment is inclusive. Its play areas map groups them by area. In Fareham they include Bath Lane, Blackbrook Park, Crossfell Walk, Eastern Parade, Fareham Park, Funtley Recreation Ground and Park Lane. A new play area in West Street is nearing completion, but the council said on 1 October 2026 that it will not open until an independent inspection report has been received and that no opening date has been confirmed, so wait for the council's announcement rather than social media posts (council statement). Locks Heath has several, including Locks Heath House Park and Priory Park. Portchester has Castle Street, Dore Avenue, Harbour View, Newtown and Portchester Park. Stubbington has Salterns Park, Seafield Park and Stubbington Recreation Ground. Titchfield has Barry's Meadow, Bellfield and Abbey Meadows. Sarisbury has Burridge Recreation Ground and Sarisbury Green, and Warsash has Warsash Recreation Ground.
The council's Fareham play area list describes wheelchair accessible multi-unit equipment, inclusive swings and roundabouts, and a sensory play den at some sites. Park Lane also has a street-plaza style skate park and an outdoor gym, and Crossfell Walk and Fareham Park have multi-use games areas. The council does not list a splash pad among its outdoor play areas.
Where can children use a splash pad?
Fareham Leisure Centre on Park Lane has a splash pad. A council press release from November 2020 described it as an indoor splash pad, and a press release of 25 May 2023 lists the splash pad, a climbing wall and soft play among the centre's newer facilities. Those are the council's statements at those dates. Session times, any age or height rules and prices are set by the operator, so check Everyone Active's Fareham Leisure Centre page before you go. Our leisure centres and swimming guide has more on the centre.
What is Holly Hill Woodland Park like with children?
Holly Hill Woodland Park covers 35 hectares from Barnes Lane in Sarisbury Green to the River Hamble, and the council says it has held a Green Flag award since 2008. According to the council's Holly Hill page, there is a car park at Barnes Lane with more than 80 spaces including disabled bays, toilets including disabled facilities, and picnic tables and benches. Dogs are welcome on the woodland paths but should be on leads around the lakes to protect wildlife. Families can walk from the car park to the lakes to see the wildfowl. On 30 September 2026 the council announced a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £1,088,866 for its Holly Hill Rediscovered project, which includes path and lake improvements and a planned lakeside platform designed to be easier to reach for visitors with limited mobility (council announcement). Check the council page before you go in case works affect your visit.
Can you take children to Portchester Castle?
Yes. English Heritage's Portchester Castle page gives the address as Church Road, Portchester, PO16 9QW, and lists the castle as open daily from 10am to 5pm with last entry at 4.30pm. It describes a World Builder trail for children, displays about the castle's history including stories of prisoners of war, and a keep that can be climbed for views across the Solent. English Heritage says tickets are free for members and that booking online until midnight the day before gives 15 percent off. The ticket prices are shown in the online booking tool, so check the prices and opening times page before you go, as the times can change with the season.
What about Westbury Manor Museum and Hill Head?
Westbury Manor Museum in Fareham is not an option. The council confirmed in a press release that it would close permanently from 4 November 2024, after Hampshire Cultural Trust faced funding cuts from Hampshire County Council. For the beach at Hill Head and a note on the free open day at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve on 24 October 2026, see our Hill Head beach and Titchfield Haven guide.
Where can older children play sport for free?
Titchfield Recreation Ground on Mill Lane has two tennis courts that the council says need no booking, as shown on its Titchfield recreation page. Park Lane and Fareham Park have outdoor gyms, as above.
Tips for a smoother day out
Before you head off, check the weather and the opening details on the venue's own page, because outdoor sites and seasonal attractions can change at short notice. The council's play area pages give postcodes for several sites, which helps with satnav, and Holly Hill's car park is the easiest place to start for a longer walk. Pack for mud around the lakes and keep dogs on leads there.
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