Things to do on a Rainy Day in Berkshire 2025

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There is nothing worse as a parent than trying to keep children entertained at home when the weather’s bad. I know that often, we’d stick our coats on, put wellies on and go puddle jumping. If you can’t beat them, join them, after all. But, sometimes you just want somewhere to go and something to do that isn’t dependent on the weather.

So here are some ideas of family fun things to do when it’s raining in Berkshire – if you don’t want to wrap up and go outside to embrace it! There are so many indoor activities to enjoy in Berkshire and a rainy day is the perfect excuse.

Things to do in Berkshire on a rainy day

Libraries in Berkshire

Libraries are a fantastic place to hide from the weather. With so many books and audiobooks for all ages, children will love snuggling in a corner to look at books for a while and you might even find some to borrow and take home too.

You can find your local library here and there are often special events on at local libraries too from storytime to music sessions and so much more too. Libraries are a real hub of the community and somewhere we often find ourselves when it’s raining.

Art Galleries and Museums in Berkshire

Art galleries and museums are great for a mooch around when the weather isn’t at its best. Educational and with so much to see, they’re somewhere we love to spend time. Here are some options in Berkshire – and many have special events on too.

Watts Gallery – Down Lane, Compton, Surrey GU3 1DQ

Founded in 1904 as the only gallery in the UK devoted to a single artist, Watts Gallery offers a unique insight into the life and work of ‘England’s Michelangelo’ George Frederic Watts and his wife Mary Watts, the designer and founder of The Potters’ Arts Guild at Compton.

Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre – Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5AN

The museum was founded in 1997 and displays include the history of the Royal Berks Hospital, the original part of which was opened in 1839, as well as many other aspects of medical history.

Cole Museum of Zoology – Health and Life Sciences Building, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6EX

The Museum offers a small snapshot of the diversity of animal life, showing how animals evolve and adapt. The Museum was established in the early 20th century by Francis J. Cole, Professor of Zoology from 1907 to 1939. The Cole Museum of Zoology contains some 3500 specimens of which about 400 are on display at any one time.

Eton College Natural History Museum – Eton College, Windsor SL4 6DB

Berkshire’s only dedicated natural history museum provides a family-friendly environment to explore, discover and understand the natural world, with opportunities for hands-on learning activities.

Maidenhead Heritage Centre – 18 Park St, Maidenhead SL6 1SL

Maidenhead Heritage Centre is an accredited museum which explores and explains the history of Maidenhead and its surroundings, including the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), which was headquartered at White Waltham airfield during World War II. 

Museum of Berkshire Aviation – Mohawk Way, Woodley, Reading RG5 4UE

Berkshire’s dynamic contribution to aviation history is graphically recaptured at the museum. Run as a charitable trust, the museum is at the historic site of Woodley Airfield, near Reading, U.K. – once the centre of a thriving aircraft industry.

Museum of English Rural Life – 6 Redlands Rd, Reading RG1 5EX

Discover the history of the English countryside and its people.

Museum of Eton Life – Brewhouse Yard, Baldwin’s Shore, Windsor SL4 6DL

The museum brings to life the experience of learning, playing and living at Eton College across six centuries. The museum sets the history and traditions of Eton alongside stories of daily life of students, staff and visitors. It is housed in an undercroft once used to store beer for the King’s Scholars.

Museum of Reading – Blagrave St, Reading RG1 1QH

Reading Museum has provided award-winning opportunities for learning, inspiration and enjoyment since 1883. From their earliest days they have collected archaeology, art, natural history, and ethnography, and objects relating to Reading. Today they focus on collecting linked with Reading, its people and environment, and proudly celebrate the town and its fascinating history.

Slough Museum – 72 Buckingham Ave, Slough SL1 4PN

Slough Museum Trust was founded in 1982 by a group of local people who wanted to create a Museum to share knowledge about local and general history, topography and archaeology of Slough and surrounding districts.

Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology – Edith Morley Building, University of Reading, Whiteknights Rd, Reading RG6 6AA

The Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology houses over 3,000 objects and substantial archives in its extensive collections. These include materials from the Greek, Greco-Roman, Egyptian and Cypriot civilisations of the Mediterranean, ceramic, metal and stone artefacts from throughout the ancient Mediterranean and modern archives and artefacts relating to the study and appreciation of antiquity.

West Berkshire Museum – The Wharf, Newbury RG14 5AS

Discover the fascinating story of West Berkshire’s history at West Berkshire Museum. Housed in two of the town’s historic buildings, the 17th century Cloth Hall and the old Granary/Corn Stores, the museum is home to a permanent exhibition which takes you on a journey back in time, starting at the very beginning with the rocks under our feet.

Garden Centres in Berkshire

Garden centres are lovely places to spend time and you can always stretch out a visit with a stop in a coffee shop or at soft play if the centre has one. Here are some options around Berkshire.

• Henry Street Garden Centre – Swallowfield Rd, Arborfield, Arborfield Cross, Reading RG2 9JY
• Winnersh Garden Centre – 656 Reading Rd, Winnersh, Reading RG41 5HG
• Squire’s Garden Centre – Heathlands Rd, Wokingham RG40 3AS
• Oaktree Garden Centre – Brockhill House, Bracknell Rd, Warfield, Bracknell RG42 6LH
• Dobbies Garden Centres – Reading / Hare Hatch
• Ashridge Manor Garden Centre – Forest Rd, Wokingham RG40 5QY
• Englefield Garden Centre – The Street, Theale, Englefield, Reading RG7 5ES

Theatres in Berkshire

Going to the theatre is a great activity that the whole family will enjoy whatever the weather. Berkshire has a lot of fantastic theatres to really make the most of so there is always bound to be something you’ll want to see.

• The Watermill Theatre – Bagnor, Newbury RG20 8AE
• Theatre Royal Windsor – 32 Thames St, Windsor SL4 1PS
• Corn Exchange Newbury – Market Pl, Newbury RG14 5BD
• The Hexagon – Queens Walk, Reading, Berkshire RG1 7QF
• South Hill Park Arts Centre – Ringmead, Bracknell RG12 7PA

Cinemas in Berkshire

Cinemas are another great way of passing time on a rainy day. With many offering reduced tickets on weekend and school holiday mornings and so many family friendly films to see, there will always be something to suit your family. Here are some cinema options in Berkshire.

Vue – Newbury – Reading

At Vue’s Mini Mornings you can see the best kids and family films from only £2.49 each. Mini Mornings run every Saturday and Sunday morning from 10am plus every day in the school holidays.

Odeon – Bracknell – Maidenhead

With special Odeon Kids screenings of the most spellbinding fairy tales and animated films, grown-ups pay kids’ ticket prices, making it a great value day out for the whole family.

Everyman – Wokingham

Showcase Cinema – Reading

Cineworld – Bracknell

Reading Biscuit Factory

Leisure Centres in Berkshire

Leisure centres are a great place to do something fun in the rain and we have so many around Berkshire with fantastic facilities. No longer are leisure centres just a place to swim or workout, they now often have climbing, bowling and even roller skating sessions in them! Here are a few in Berkshire to choose from:

• Bracknell Leisure Centre
• Palmer Park, Reading
• Wokingham Leisure Centre
• Arborfield Green Leisure Centre
• Bulmershe Leisure Centre
• Woodford Park Leisure Centre
• St Crispin’s Leisure Centre
• Loddon Valley Leisure Centre
• Kennet Leisure Centre
• Windsor Leisure Centre
• Braywick Leisure Centre
• Rivermead Leisure Centre
• Willink Leisure Centre, Burghfield Common
• Northcroft Leisure Centre
• Cox Green Leisure Centre
• Charters Leisure Centre
• South Reading Leisure Centre

Trampoline Parks in Berkshire

Trampolining is great fun and perfect for a wet weather day. We have a few trampoline parks in Berkshire as well as the leisure centres above that often have trampolining classes too.

• Red Kangaroo – Reading
• Jump In – Slough
• Bracknell Trampoline Centre
• Jump Giants – Slough

Soft Play and Indoor Play Centres in Berkshire

Soft play and other indoor play centres are fantastic for children and are great for bad weather days too. We have so many great indoor activity hubs in Berkshire from typical soft play centres to role play dressing up experiences.

• The Mad House – Reading
• Jungle Mania – Woodley
• Monkey Mates – Wokingham
• Active Antz at Bracknell Leisure Centre
• Tiny Town Cafe – Newbury
• The Jelly Lounge – Windsor
• Lakeside Soft Play – Datchet
• Cobbs Play Barn – Hungerford
• Active Tots – Reading – Read our review here

Pottery Painting in Berkshire

Pottery painting is a fantastic activity for the whole family, especially on a rainy day. Children of all ages will love it and it’s so nice to have something to take away with you afterwards – or pick up a few days later when it’s been fired! Here are some of the Berkshire pottery painting destinations.:

• Pottery Pals – Wokingham
• Top of the Pots – Warfield
• Mad Hatters Pottery Cafe – Reading
• HaaHoos Ceramics – Reading
• Hands-on Art Adventures – Windsor
• The Ugly Duckling Pottery Painting – Newbury
• Blue Beetle Ceramics – Thatcham

Bowling in Berkshire

Bowling is one of our go-to activities for a rainy day – although we don’t have that many ten pin bowling alleys in Berkshire. Here are the few to choose from.

• Wokingham Superbowl
• Hollywood Bowl – Bracknell
• The Phoenix Bowl – Maidenhead
• Spinners Crazy Golf & Bowling – Reading

Laser Tag in Berkshire

Laser Tag is a great activity for older children – and their parents – even on a rainy day. Here are the indoor laser tag sites across Berkshire:

• Laser Quest – Wokingham
• Predator Assault – Reading
• Absolutely Laser – Maidenhead

Climbing Centres in Berkshire

Climbing is another great family activity perfect for when the weather isn’t great and we have so many centres across the county – plus those included in the leisure centres above. Here are some indoor centres for your next rainy day excursion.

• Parthian Climbing – Reading
• Oakwood Climbing Centre – Wokingham
• The Climbing Hangar – Reading
• Slough Climbing Wall
• Northway Climbing Centre – Newbury
• Dinton Activity Centre – Wokingham
• Go Ape – Swinley Forest, Bracknell – Read our Go Ape review here
• Clip n Climb – Reading – Read our Clip n Climb review here

Shopping Centres in Berkshire

Shopping centres are a great place to spend time, especially in wet weather. You can wander round the shops, grab some lunch and there are often organised activities and events in to make the most of as well. Here are some around Berkshire:

• The Lexicon – Bracknell
• Nicholsons Shopping Centre – Maidenhead
• Queensmere Observatory Shopping Centre – Slough
• Kennet Shopping Centre – Newbury
• Parkway Shopping Centre – Newbury
• The Oracle – Reading
• Broad Street Mall – Reading

I hope that’s given you some inspiration when it comes to the next rainy weekend to fill. There’s so much to do in Berkshire but I know it’s easy to focus on the big days out and nice weather activities without giving much thought to the rainy days.

If all else fails, and you still can’t think of things to do in Berkshire this weekend in the rain, wrap up warm and go and splash in puddles before warming up with a hot chocolate afterwards. Failing that, snuggle up at home, play board games and watch movies together. Rainy days are some of our cosiest!

For more Berkshire inspiration, maybe on days when the weather is better, these articles might help:

• Where to practice Archery in Berkshire
• Where to go Alpaca Walking in Berkshire
• Where to go Go Karting in Berkshire
• 17 Pubs with Play Areas Berkshire
• Where to play Crazy Golf in Berkshire