Ambleside Play Park

If you’ve got little ones under 8, this is one of the better spots in Nottingham for a straightforward afternoon out. The play area is kept in good nick — equipment’s clean, nothing feels neglected — and there’s a wooden sculpture the kids genuinely go mad for, climbing all over it like it’s their personal fortress. Standard swings and slides do the job too, but that sculpture is what makes it stand out. Chuck in some picnic tables and a decent stretch of grass for a kick-about, and you’ve got everything you actually need for a few hours without dragging the kids halfway across the city.