A Day At The Deep

We took the girls to The Deep in Hull over the weekend. I mean, we’ve been in Yorkshire for nearly 8 months now and we still hadn’t been. It was time. The Deep is an aquarium, which is home to more than 3500 fish. They have sawfish, loggerhead turtles, sharks and rays, and a colony of Gentoos penguins! It is one of the most iconic attractions in Yorkshire.

With the weather so freezing cold at this time of the year, a day out, inside, seemed like a win win situation to me! 

The Deep Is A World-Class Aquarium

The Deep is a world-class aquarium, one of the most spectacular in the UK. Located in Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire The Deep. There are other things to do in Hull as a family, but The Deep is one of their main attractions, if not one of the main attractions in Yorkshire.

When my daughter saw the building from a distance, she declared that, “It looks like a ship mummy!”

What do you think?

Experiences and Events at The Deep

The Deep celebrate and recognise a number of awareness days. I’d recommend checking out their website in advance to see what’s on when you’re thinking of going. But regardless of when you go they have daily highlights to look out for: penguin feeding, a dive show and a touchpool session for kids.

This past weekend it was time to recognise Penguin Awareness Day. The Deep were showcasing their super cute (official technical term) Gentoo Penguin colony! I mean, they are A.Dor.A.Ble!

What Impressed Me The Most At The Deep

Not only do they have an awesome collection of fish and other marine animals, but the emphasis on making the whole experience all about educating children, blew me away!!! This is evident right from the moment you arrive at the facility, even whilst you are in the queue.

My youngest is 5 years old, her sisters are 7 and 15. To find a facility that is able to captivate that age range of children (and teens), is not easy. Clearly The Deep are doing something right!

Here are a 3 reasons why Kids Love The Deep:

• All the displays are at a height that children can view it for themselves. Without parents having to lift them up to see. This is a BIG win in my opinion.
• Each display is clearly marked and gives you information on exactly what you are looking at. It tells you what the fish/species is, where it is found, and other information.
• There are various interactive learning stations dotted around the aquarium. These engage and teach the children about something important, depending which display area you are in.

Conservation

In a world where the plastic problem is so prevalent, especially when it comes to plastic pollution in the world’s oceans, the display that most stuck in my mind was the one that showed the ugly reality of the harmful effect of plastic on our planet.

The Kids Were Transfixed!

That’s how I felt walking around the aquarium. Just watching the fish swimming in the huge tanks took me back to one of the best holidays I ever had, when my husband and I went diving in the Red Sea. Whilst that feels a million miles ago, after this visit to The Deep we have decided that we need to take the girls on a holiday where they can experience the ocean and it’s wonders in person. Holiday hunting here we come.

A visit like this might make you want to start your own fish tank too! There are loads of different tropical fish you can keep at home to inspire and educate the kids.

Here’s a little slideshow of our day at The Deep.

A Family Day Out To The Deep

Will we do it again?

Of course we will be back!

• The cost of the Day Plus Pass provides repeat entry for the rest of the year! You can save 10% on ticket prices by buying them in advance online, and there is also a Gift Aid option when you purchase your ticket, at no extra cost to yourself. #winning #givingback
• A visit to The Deep in Hull is a must if you are looking for a fun, educational day out, where your attendance also gives back in a way that really makes a difference to the world we share with the wildlife and and oceans of the year.
• There is a restaurant on site, as well as snack stations dotted around. The entire place is wheelchair and pushchair friendly and clearly designed with families in mind. It was quite busy and I’m glad we got there early because by the time we left the queue to get in was out the door.

Next time we go I’d love to go on one of their guided tours. I think it would provide an added layer of information that the girls would love!

We will definitely be back, I must just remember to save the tickets in a safe, but not too safe place.