Things to do with children this weekend near Madrid: the outing that always works

Thursday evening arrives, along with the usual question: what shall we do with the children this weekend? If you’ve exhausted all your usual parks, shopping centres don’t count as an outing and going to the cinema would mean watching the same film again, here’s the trusty option that never fails.

The plan: real dinosaurs (almost)

50 minutes from Madrid, in San Martín de Valdeiglesias, there’s a pine forest home to dozens of life-size animatronic dinosaurs. They move, turn their heads, open their mouths and look around. For a child, it’s the closest thing to travelling back to the Jurassic period; for adults, it’s a beautiful stroll through a botanical garden with topiary sculptures.

Why it always works

• It suits almost every age: ages 3 to 12 are the sweet spot, but babies gaze in wonder from their pushchairs and grandparents enjoy the garden.
• It’s outdoors: no enclosed rooms or screens. Fewer screens, more dinosaurs.
• Stay as long as you like: a full visit takes between two and four hours, depending on how leisurely you make it.
• No booking needed: tickets are bought without choosing a date. Simply show your QR code at the ticket office as proof of purchase, either printed out or on your phone, and plan your visit around the opening hours for the time of year.

Practical information

• Weekend and public holiday opening hours: 10:30 to 21:00. The dinosaurs operate until 19:00, and the lights in El Bosque Encantado switch on at 19:30.
• Price: adult 15 €, child aged 3 to 12 13 €, under-3s free. Reduced rates are available for large families, pensioners, unemployed visitors and Youth Card holders.
• Free parking, including at night.
• Food: there’s a bar on Saturdays and Sundays in spring and summer, and you can bring sandwiches in a small rucksack to eat in the picnic areas.

The magical extra

If you stay until nightfall, the garden lights up and little fairy houses appear in the tree trunks. With the coloured torch (6 €), children can ‘call’ them. The perfect weekend.