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Thomas The Tank Engine at Steam copyright Roy Nash

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The whole family will enjoy their visit to Swindon as the town has a wealth of attractions that will keep everyone interested, informed and entertained whatever their age.

The award winning Steam Museum appeals to adults and children alike as the golden age of the Great Western Railway is recreated with locomotives and wonderful hands-on displays.
Events take place at the museum throughout the year with many of them aimed at children and families.

The Swindon & Cricklade Railway gives visitors the chance to ride on a fully functioning steam railway, the site also houses a selection of rolling stock & locomotives. Special events takes place during the year including the ever popular Thomas The Tank Engine days and visits by the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.

The Museum & Art Gallery houses a fascinating range of exhibitions that have been enthralling visitors for over 80 years. You can follow the path of human history from the stone age to the present day. There is even a five metre crocodile that presides here surrounded by fossils and bones of its ancestors.
Regular children's events take place here throughout the year.

Lydiard House & Park can be enjoyed whatever the weather. The park has many paths and trails through the woods and by the lake and is ideal for picnics, while an adventure playground will keep energetic children happy.
The house is elegant and has many treasures including a fascinating 17th century window by Abraham Van Linge which is made up of hundreds of tiny pieces of glass exquisitely painted with flowers, figures, mythical creatures, flies and even an elephant, children love to see how many they can spot.
St Mary's church stands behind the house and is packed with monuments to the St John family, including the Golden Cavalier which is a life size figure of Edward St John in full battledress.
Lydiard plays host to many children's educational and fun events during the year.

The towns parks and gardens offer relaxing alternatives to the hustle and bustle of the town centre and include the Town Gardens, which has formal gardens with eye catching displays and an aviary, while squirrels play hide and seek in the trees. Queen's Park is adorned by a large pond where ducks and swans can be fed from the water's edge while a cafe caters for hungry humans. Coate Water Country Park is a haven for wildlife and has a magnificent lake as its centrepiece, a children's play area, pitch and putt mini golf, cafe, bird hides, a nature reserve can all be found here. During the summer months a children's paddling pool opens and also a model railway.
Park Rangers offer educational talks, walks and activities throughout the year.

For animal lovers Roves Farm gives you the chance to meet and feed a wide range of animals as well as enjoying a play area, trailer rides and lots of activities, while Butterfly World has some of the most beautiful butterflies in the world, there is also a mini beasts section that includes spiders, scorpions and preying mantis.

Feeling energetic, The Oasis Leisure Centre has a large fun swimming pool complete with slides and wave machines, while The Link Centre is home to the town's Ice Rink, Tenpin is a bowling centre which also has arcade games and pool tables, Laserquest is a popular indoor sci-fi action adventure game, and Swindon Karting Centre gives you the chance to race around an indoor track. The town's newest attraction is a Futsal Arena. Futsal is an exciting five a side version of football and the UK's first indoor arena dedicated to the sport is opening in Swindon on 24th January.

For small children Swindon has many soft play areas including Jolly Roger, Kidz About and Bonkers, all three have a mixture of slides, rides and play equipment.

Both of the town's theatres The Wyvern and The Arts Centre have regular performances that will appeal to family audiences, while two cinemas show the latest films.