Center Parcs Comparison with Little Kids

Sherwood vs Whinfell vs Woburn at a glance

All three villages have the core Center Parcs attractions: the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, indoor and outdoor play areas, a lake, family activities, restaurants and woodland accommodation.

The main differences are where they're located, the surrounding forest, the layout of the village and some of their individual facilities.

Site sizes are from Center Parcs' corporate information. Swimming facilities and activities may change over time.

Center Parcs Sherwood Forest with young children

Sherwood Forest is the original UK Center Parcs village, opening in 1987. It's situated in Nottinghamshire and has that classic woodland holiday atmosphere that Center Parcs is known for.

It's a particularly convenient option for families travelling from parts of Yorkshire, the Midlands and surrounding areas.

What makes Sherwood Forest appealing?

One of the things that stands out about Sherwood is its established woodland setting.

There are plenty of opportunities to spend time outside, whether that's cycling through the forest, exploring playgrounds or heading down towards the lake.

Sherwood also has a good selection of restaurants with indoor play facilities, which can be extremely useful when you're eating out with younger children.

What about the swimming pool?

Of the three swimming pools, I thought Sherwood had a particularly good selection of slides for younger children. As well as Venture Bay and Venture Harbour, there were smaller flumes that the children could enjoy on their own or with an adult, depending on the ride restrictions.

There's also the Grand Cascade, which adds another family water ride to the mix.

For us, the variety was a real advantage. It meant the boys had more to do than simply splash around in the children's pool, even though they weren't old enough for the biggest slides.

Who would I recommend Sherwood for?

Sherwood is worth considering if you're looking for a traditional Center Parcs holiday with plenty of woodland, swimming and family-friendly facilities.

It's also a sensible starting point if it's the most convenient village for you to reach, particularly for a shorter weekend break.

Center Parcs Whinfell Forest with young children

Whinfell Forest is located in Cumbria, near Penrith and the Lake District.

Of the three villages, its strongest distinctive feature is probably its natural setting.

The surrounding woodland is home to red squirrels, and the forest has a slightly different character from the other two villages.

What makes Whinfell different?

Whinfell has an extensive evergreen woodland setting, with forest paths, lakes and opportunities to look out for wildlife.

For children who love being outdoors, spotting animals and exploring nature, that could be a real attraction.

It also makes Whinfell an appealing choice if you want a holiday where exploring outside is as important as the organised activities.

Swimming at Whinfell Forest

Whinfell has its own Subtropical Swimming Paradise, but I found the options for younger children more limited than at Sherwood and Woburn.

Instead of Venture Bay and Venture Harbour, there's a smaller Children's Pool with a slide and flume. There are also larger water attractions elsewhere in the swimming complex, but these have height, age or swimming-ability restrictions, so they aren't necessarily suitable for little ones.

With younger children, I think it's worth knowing that you may spend more of your swimming time in that one children's area rather than moving between lots of different slides.

Is Whinfell suitable for toddlers?

Absolutely. Like the other Center Parcs villages, Whinfell has indoor play areas, outdoor playgrounds and family-friendly activities.

However, it's still a large village, and there are hills as well as longer distances to consider. Center Parcs confirms that Whinfell has hilly sections, although the pathways are smooth enough for pushchairs and cycling.

If you're travelling with a toddler who is too big to carry comfortably but not quite ready for long walks, that's worth thinking about when booking your accommodation.

Center Parcs Woburn Forest with young children

Woburn Forest is located in Bedfordshire and opened in 2014, making it considerably newer than Sherwood and Whinfell.

It's also the smallest of these three villages by area, which is potentially one of its biggest advantages when travelling with young children.

Is Woburn easier to get around?

One of Woburn's main selling points is its more compact layout.

With young children, reducing the amount of walking between your lodge, the swimming pool, restaurants and playgrounds can make a real difference.

However, Woburn is built on gently sloping terrain.

So although the overall site is smaller, there can still be hills to manage when walking or cycling around the village.

What about the facilities?

Woburn has modern accommodation, its own Subtropical Swimming Paradise and a wide range of family activities.

What I really liked at Woburn was the children's swimming area. Venture Bay and Venture Harbour had some good slides for the boys, and the lazy river was a particular favourite — they absolutely loved it.

We didn't find the same lazy-river experience at Sherwood or Whinfell, so it was something that made Woburn stand out for us.

There are also indoor and outdoor play areas around the village, including in several of the restaurants.

Who would Woburn suit best?

Woburn is particularly worth considering if you want a Center Parcs holiday where you can move between activities without covering quite as much ground as at some other villages.

This could be helpful with toddlers, pushchairs or children who tire easily.

Which Center Parcs has the best swimming pool for toddlers?

For many families, the swimming pool is one of the biggest reasons to book Center Parcs.

And the brilliant thing is that access to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise is included in your accommodation price.

You can visit repeatedly throughout your stay without paying for individual swimming sessions.

Comparing the three swimming pools

Based on our visits, I'd lean towards Sherwood for the range of slides suitable for younger children, while Woburn was brilliant for the children's slides and its lazy river. Whinfell was less exciting for our boys at that age, even though it has larger rides for more confident swimmers.

Rather than choosing purely based on the biggest waterslides, I'd think about the ages and confidence of your children.

When they're little, having somewhere they can splash, paddle and play safely with you is often much more useful than having lots of thrilling water rides.

It's also worth checking current height and age restrictions, particularly if you have children of different ages who want to enjoy attractions together.

Which Center Parcs has the best playgrounds and free activities?

One of the things I think makes Center Parcs attractive for a family break is that you don't necessarily need to book loads of additional activities.

With young children, some of the simplest things can easily fill the day.

What's included in your stay?

Across all three villages, there are plenty of ways to enjoy your holiday without paying for extra organised sessions.

What about the paid activities?

Center Parcs also offers bookable activities aimed specifically at younger children, including creative sessions, sensory activities and nature-themed experiences.

Some examples include Mucky Pups, Sensory Play Toddlers and other age-appropriate sessions.

Availability varies by location and date, and some activities have specific age restrictions.

Which Center Parcs is easiest with toddlers and pushchairs?

I think this is one of the most important questions when choosing a Center Parcs village for young children.

The villages are designed around walking and cycling, and you're generally not using your car to travel between your lodge and activities during your stay.

That means location really does matter.

Woburn: The more compact option

Woburn has the advantage of being a smaller village. If you're worried about children getting tired walking between facilities, that could make it particularly appealing.

Just remember that the terrain is gently sloping, so compact doesn't always mean effortless.

Sherwood and Whinfell: More space to explore

Sherwood and Whinfell both cover larger areas, and Whinfell also has some hills to contend with.

That offers plenty of space for woodland walks and cycling adventures, but you may need to plan journeys between activities — particularly with a pushchair or bike trailer at Whinfell.

Personally, I think the most sensible approach with young children is to choose a lodge location that suits how you're planning to spend your time.

Which Center Parcs is best value for money?

Center Parcs can be expensive, particularly during school holidays and popular weekend dates.

But I wouldn't automatically assume that one of these three villages is always cheaper than the others.

The price depends on the dates you're travelling, the type of lodge you choose and availability.

What should you compare?

When deciding between Sherwood, Whinfell and Woburn, I'd look at the overall cost of the break rather than just the lodge price.

Can you enjoy Center Parcs without booking expensive activities?

Absolutely.

The included swimming, playgrounds and woodland surroundings mean that there is plenty to do without filling your itinerary with paid sessions.

You can also self-cater in your lodge, which can make a significant difference to the cost of a family holiday.

I'd choose the village that gives you the best combination of location, facilities and price for your particular dates.

Our tips for visiting Center Parcs with toddlers and young children

Whichever village you choose, there are a few things I'd think about before booking a family break.

Do you need to hire bikes?

Cycling is a big part of the Center Parcs experience, but you don't necessarily need to hire bikes to have a good holiday.

If you're travelling with toddlers, I'd consider whether a child seat, trailer or pushchair would work best for your family.

I'd also think about how much cycling you're realistically going to do.

If you have a lodge close to the facilities and plan to spend most of your time swimming and playing, walking might be perfectly practical.

Our verdict: Sherwood, Whinfell or Woburn for young children?

Having visited all three villages, I think the key thing to remember is that there's no single Center Parcs that's automatically best for every family.

All three have swimming, playgrounds, woodland and plenty of opportunities for a family adventure.

But there are some useful differences to consider.

If I were booking Center Parcs with a baby or toddler, I'd pay particular attention to the lodge location and how easily we could get to the swimming pool and play areas.

With slightly older children who enjoy cycling and exploring independently, the wider forest environment might become more important.

Ultimately, I think Center Parcs works best when you don't try to cram too much into your stay.

Enjoy the swimming, let the kids explore the playgrounds, spend some time in the forest and make the most of being away together.

Sometimes the simplest parts of a family holiday are the ones children enjoy the most.

Center Parcs with young children: Frequently asked questions

Which Center Parcs is smallest: Sherwood, Whinfell or Woburn?

Woburn Forest is the smallest of the three by site area, at approximately 357 acres. Sherwood Forest covers approximately 391 acres, while Whinfell covers approximately 415 acres.

Which Center Parcs is best for toddlers?

All three have toddler-friendly facilities. Woburn's more compact layout may be an advantage if you want shorter distances between activities, while Sherwood and Whinfell offer larger woodland settings.

Is Center Parcs worth it with a two-year-old?

It certainly can be. The swimming pools, indoor soft play, adventure playgrounds and woodland exploring offer plenty of activities for younger children.

Which has the best swimming pool?

For our young children, Sherwood offered a great variety of smaller flumes and water play, while Woburn stood out for its children's slides and lazy river. Whinfell has a smaller Children's Pool with a slide and flume, plus larger rides with restrictions. All three include swimming in the accommodation price.

Do you have to pay extra for activities?

Many organised activities cost extra, but swimming, outdoor playgrounds, indoor soft play and forest exploring are included in your break.

Which Center Parcs is closest to Yorkshire?

For many families in Yorkshire, Sherwood Forest and Whinfell Forest will be the most practical options geographically. The quickest journey depends on exactly where you're travelling from.