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Why Peppa Pig World is the best toddlers theme park in the UK

You may have noticed we are big theme park fans in this family, but with a four-year-old and a two-year-old, some of the bigger amusement parks are a bit wild and crazy for younger children to fully enjoy. Looking for a UK toddlers theme park (and with a huge Peppa fan on my hands), I naturally landed on Paultons Park, home of Peppa Pig World and it was the perfect place to celebrate Isobel’s 2nd birthday.

Could Paultons Park be the best toddlers theme park?

best toddler theme park uk — Peppa Pig World is part of Paultons Park (Image: passportstamps)

Paultons Park is an amusement park located in the New Forest National Park, near the village of Ower, in Hampshire. Since the Park opened in 1983 it has been family-owned and run by the Mancey family, who are still operating the park today. The relaxed and fun amusement park has over 70 rides and attractions and is home to the Peppa Pig World themed area, which opened in 2011.

The toddlers theme park, Peppa Pig World, is the most popular area of Paultons Park. Based on the stories of everyone’s favourite porky family, Peppa Pig World has a huge appeal for kids and for parents and carers who probably know each episode by heart too (I have to admit, I am a fan). We live a few hours from Hampshire, so we travelled there primarily to take Isobel and Finn to Peppa Pig World, but I was amazed to find that Paultons Park is home to some excellent ‘grown up’ rides too.

Paultons Park opened at 10am on the day of our visit. We arrived at opening time and a queue had formed outside but it moved very quickly once the gates opened. Tickets for Peppa Pig World and Paultons Park are £39.50 per person, or you can save money by booking online in advance with a family ticket (£116.75 for three people, £155 for four people). This is 18% cheaper than buying your tickets on the day.

A free toddlers theme park (for kids under one metre)

best toddlers theme park free — Kids under one metre go FREE (Image: passportstamps.uk)

One of the coolest things about Paultons Park is that children under 1 metre get free admission to the park. Considering Peppa Pig World is a toddlers theme park, I think that’s a pretty great incentive from Paultons Park. Despite the fact that the main theme park has lots of exciting coasters and attractions with a taller height restriction, Peppa Pig World is by far the most popular area of the park. The fact you can take your Peppa-loving little ones on a top toddler day out for free is really great. Isobel (2) measured well under one metre, but my tall four-year-old Finn was 104cm, meaning he required a full-price admission.

There’s no point trying to fool the staff at the gates. Kids walk under a height arch to enter the park and anyone taller than a metre does require a ticket. Kids were being asked to step out of the buggy for checks.

Toddlers theme park Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park

peppa pig world rides — The happiest view (Image: passportstamps)

Entering the park, the grown up area is to the left but all the early risers (like us) were heading right to the toddlers theme park area of Peppa Pig World. Walking under the rainbow leading to the world of Peppa and friends is so joyful, the catchy music plays gently as the colourful rides and buildings come into view.

family theme park uk peppa — I loved it as much as they did! (image: Helen Wright)

We were all very excited to see Peppa’s Iconic yellow house! The kids were jumping up and down with excitement to go in. Inside, Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig, Peppa and George are all sat at the kitchen table ready for dinner. It’s a great little place to get a photo with the famous family (if you can get your children to turn around and look at you that is!).

peppa pig theme park florida — Everyone’s favourite family (image: Helen Wright)

A themed ride for all your favourite characters

The centrepiece of the toddlers theme park is the cute Peppa’s Big Balloon ride, with a spinning Peppa standing tall on the top of a pink pillar. There are nine rides at Peppa Pig World, each themed after one of your favourite characters from the TV series:

Peppa’s Big Balloon ride is a slow-moving turning ride that has the best views of Paulton’s Park from the top.

best ride at peppa pig world uk — All the cars on the attraction are different (Image: passportstamps.uk)

Daddy Pig’s Car ride attracted Finn and Isobel’s attention first. They absolutely love the episode where Daddy gets a new car and can’t work the buttons. They made us ride this straight away and multiple times throughout the day.

George’s Dinosaur Adventure is a lot of fun! Kids ride on the back of a bouncy dinosaur around the track and my two were laughing their head off the entire way around. Finn could ride alone, but a grown-up had to ride with Isobel as she is only small.

best theme park for toddlers uk — We all loved George’s Dinosaur Adventure (Image: Helen Wright)

Despite being a toddlers theme park, I loved the Windy Castle Ride. Little cars are lifted into the air and guests can use the wheel in the centre to spin them as little or as fast as they want to. This one also had a great views of the park.

Grandpa Pig’s little train might be the most famous of all the Peppa Pig vehicles and a train ride in a toddlers theme park is always going to be a hit.

Grandpa Pig also has a boat trip attraction. This gentle ride moves slowly in a circular motion above water.

best toddlers theme park uk — It’s so nice for families and siblings to enjoy all together (Image: Simon Henry)

The Queen’s Flying Coach ride is a monorail that travels above the Peppa Pig World, weaving in and out of the castle. Below, Grampy Rabbit’s Sailing Club is a delightful sail around the moat in a bumper boat.

Miss Rabbit’s Helicopter Flight was the most popular ride in the park (by this, I mean it had the longest queue all day, so if you want to go on this one, head there first). It’s definitely an eye-catching ride but I think the big line is a result of the ride being very slow moving and slow loading. The Windy Castle ride is very similar, more fun and has a much faster line, so if the queue gets super long head there instead.

Toddlers theme park rides for the whole family

The thing I liked most about Peppa Pig World is that younger children could experience every attraction and not be left out. Often we’ve been to amusement parks where Isobel (and sometimes Finn) have been excited to try a ride only to discover they are too short for it. Being a toddlers theme park, they were both able to go on all the rides at the park and no one was disappointed.

But, even better, all the rides were also suitable for adults and older children too. Often baby rides in theme parks have a size ‘maximum’, but at Peppa Pig World toddlers could ride with their big brothers and sisters and we could all ride together as a family. For me, this makes it one of the best toddler theme parks in the UK because we could really enjoy the whole park as a family.

rides at peppa pig world — Adults and children could ride every attraction (image: passportstamps.uk)

Other attractions at Paultons Park to enjoy:

Is there a water park at Peppa Pig World?

water park peppa pig world — Water Kingdom is included with your ticket (Image: Paultons Park)

Included in your ticket admission is an 8500 square foot kids’ splash park called Water Kingdom. We didn’t actually know this before our visit, so didn’t pack swimming gear and towels, so don’t make the same mistake! On a super hot day, the kids will love splashing around the water jets, giant tipping buckets, fountains, and super soakers. I’d say it’s actually worth getting the two-day ticket and coming back to spend the second day only in Water Kingdom. There is a seated patio area nearby so parents can relax and stay dry (ish).

There is also a mini water playground called Muddy Puddles (what else?) inside Peppa Pig World, but it’s much smaller than the epic pad at Water Kingdom.

Can you meet the characters at Peppa Pig World?

A toddlers theme park is always going to have characters to meet and greet. It’s so magical for little ones to see their TV heroes in real life. Peppa, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig make regular appearances throughout the day. There is a board at the front of the park which displays the show times and character appearance times and locations. Alternatively, you can keep an eye on the Official Paultons Park app. Lines for the characters do form quickly, so it’s best to get there a bit earlier to make sure you get to meet them.

theme parks for toddlers uk — A board has the up to date appearance times (Image: passportstamps)

Finn and Isobel were not that bothered about getting a photo with the characters and were happy to wave from the side of the fence. The lines for characters were quite long and they said they’d rather spend time going back on all the rides again. Two-year-old Isobel was equally as happy to get a snap with the statues.

One way to skip the lines to meet Peppa is with an Early Play pass. For a quite significant (in my opinion) extra charge, you can access the park 30 mins early to ride some of the attractions and have a private meet and greet with Peppa and George. I guess it depends on how big a fan you are and how much money you have!

What are the queues like at Peppa Pig World?

Being a theme park for toddlers, Peppa Pig World is ideal for pre-schoolers and the best time to go is before they start school. We visited on a weekday during term time and it was busy enough to have a good atmosphere but not too crowded. The longest line we waited in was the Mrs Rabbit’s Helicopter Ride (35 minutes). Most of the rides during our visit had wait times of 20 minutes or less.

However, during the school holidays, friends have reported the lines can be 60-minutes or more, so come armed with iPads, Yotos and more to keep the peace! If money is no option, VIP packages are available from £240 per person which gives Fast Track access to the rides and a host guide for the day.

Paultons Park rides for big kids

paultons park for teenagers — Paultons Park has some great rides (Image: Paultons Park)

Elsewhere in Paultons Park there are so many fantastic rides if members of your party are just a bit too old and cool for Peppa Pig World. Tornado Springs is a new land which was added to Paultons Park in 2022. Themed around a vintage USA town, you will find the thrilling, spinning coaster Storm Chaser, the wild Cyclonator and Edge, which is a like both of these attractions combined in one! There are family coasters, thrill coasters, water rides and other charming attractions throughout Paultons Park that would keep you entertained for more than one day (so check out the two day packages with a hotel stay, which can work out great value).

paultons park for teens — Tornado Springs is the newest area to open (Image: passportstamps)

Isobel loved Peppa Pig World of course, but Tornado Springs makes for a great toddlers theme park in itself. It has a steam train (always a crowd pleaser) and Finn loved Al’s Auto Academy, where you got to drive your own electric cars around track. I have to admit, I also loved that one! Both kids liked Trekking Tractors and there is a brilliant water slide (Buffalo Falls), but my children wouldn’t go on it with me so I had to go alone!

The Lost Kingdom themed area includes 27 animatronic dinosaurs and the other big hit with kids is the fabulous Digger Ride. There really is an excellent range of attractions for every age at Paulton’s Park. I’m planning a visit back with my mates and leaving the kids at home!

Educational elements at Peppa Pig World

As well as the fun theme park rides, there are lots of educational elements to Paultons Park that most people would probably miss first time around. The park is lined with beautifully maintained gardens and is a lovely place to just wander and explore. Look out for the brilliant animal topiary. How many can you spot?

There is a Discovery Trail, built to encourage all manner of species native to the New Forest to set up home. With interactive boards along the route to help kids learn and over 40 bird and bat boxes to encourage the animals to set up home.

peppa pig educational — The award-winning wildflower roof (Image: passportstamps.uk)

You can’t miss the wildflower-roofed building in Peppa Pig World that is home to a Peppa themed indoor play area and Daddy Pig’s Big Tummy Café (love this name). This actually won a green building prize in the New Forest National Park Building Design Awards for its sustainable credentials. It features a wild flower and grass roof containing 30 species of plants, along with wind-catchers and a sustainable drainage system.

There is information so you can show your kids the innovative building and talk to them about how it can help the environment. I bet you were not expecting to see that at a toddler theme park!

Toddlers theme park essential – the BIG TOY SHOP

peppa pig shop — Exit through the GIANT gift shop (Image: passportstamps.uk)

Just when you think it’s all over, the kids get a renewed sense of energy as you exit through the most enormous Peppa Pig gift shop. Be prepared to part with some more of your hard-earned cash!

We had a lovely day at Peppa Pig World. It really is a superb toddlers theme park, which also has so many other elements that we regret not planning a two-day visit. Next time we will definitely go for longer and experience even more of Paultons Park, it was fab!

Head to paultonspark.co.uk to plan your visit and look out for some deals (such as ‘second day free’ tickets).
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Our tickets to Paultons Park, Home of Peppa Pig World were gifted, but ALL opinions are our own as always.