Family fun - Bowling!

Family activities can be great, or simply awful, its often hard finding things where everyone can join in and everyone gets equal enjoyment, trying to find things which entertain not only the children but the adults too can be tough, and when you've got a few years age differences in children it can be even harder.

So when I was thinking of things to do this summer holiday, good value family fun things I thought Ten Pin Bowling would be worth a visit, and when TenPin offered us a free session we jumped at the chance!


I've not been bowling for years, my youngest has never been, hes 4 now. and the older two only with friends birthdays, I'm not sure quite why but its not something we have ever given much thought before, I guess it might be the fact I consider it an activity better suited to older children, teenagers maybe, seems as it was mainly in my teens when I visited bowling alleys with my friends, but really it is a great family activity that even fairly young children can enjoy.

So Today when we looked out of the window and saw it was dull and drizzly it seemed like a great day to take a trip to our local TenPin

We arrived at the TenPin in Derby and went inside, to be greeted with an arcade style entrance, several penny pusher type machines, and some classic arcade games, dance mats and such like, to the right there is a bar which also doubles as the cafe. To the left was the check in counter, and all along the back are the bowling lanes.

The noise of bowling alleys is pretty unique, balls rolling along and the pins being knocked down, whilst music plays and cheers are heard, it all adds to the excitement. The lights were lowered and the lanes lit up with neon lights making it all seem very attractive and exciting indeed.

We made our way over to the counter and changed our shoes, and then went to our lane.
The computer options were easy to understand, and we quickly inputted our names and set bumpers on the childrens turns. Me and Dad deciding we wouldn't need them... how wrong were we!

I went first stepping up with confidence and amazingly manged to knock about 8 down in my first bowl... however that was unfortunately my best effort and I slowly deteriorated - yep the practise seemed to make me worse.. whilst everyone else got better and better!

However, even tho I lost gracefully, we had a great time, there are the rolling ramps for the younger children, so Mikey could join in with us, he really got into the swing of it, and was repositioning the angel of the rolling ramp at each turn, and jumping with joy when he manged to beat Mum and Dad hands down!


My eldest two who are 8 and 9, didn't need the ramp and were confidently bowling and marveling in their new ability.
while me and Dad sat with our head in our hands but too proud to activate the bumpers for ourselves!


TenPin bowling really is a great place for competitive family fun! and is something we really should make time to do more often. We had two games, each has 10 rounds, and we were there for about 2 and a half hours, so it really is an activity which can fill an afternoon

The price of bowling ranges, with loads of great offers, the one thing I would note is that the food and drinks from the cafe are on the expensive side, we orded 2 x cokes and 2x fruit shoots, and 2x portions of chips and it came to £12.50 which is rather alot. The chips were lovely, but you got only a small amount considering the price! But with this in mind if you do want to make a longer outing then I would recommend taking advantage of the several eat and play offers, don't let the price of the added extras, put you off taking a family trip to your nearest TenPin Bowling as for some real team building family fun where everyone can get involved theres not much that beats it!

Take a look where your local TenPin bowling center is by clicking here: TenPin.co.uk
Also follow them on Twitter here: TenPin Bowling
or find them on facebook here: TenPin UK
and keep upto date with any offers they have.

And if you have yet to go bowling with your family I recommend it, its great for teaching how to be a good looser and making sure the 'winning isn't everything' moto is remembered, then you won't feel too bad when your children well and truly show you up!