If you’ve got a child who is obsessed with cars, or you’re looking for a unique family day out, Young Driver is definitely worth considering. Children can get behind the wheel from just 4 years old in a safe, controlled environment with qualified instructors, giving them the chance to build confidence and learn real driving skills years before they’re old enough to drive on public roads.
We recently visited as part of a collaboration, but this is genuinely an experience I would happily pay to do again. My 10 year old daughter absolutely loved it and has already asked when she can go back. Seeing how much confidence she gained in such a short amount of time made it easy to understand why so many families return for more lessons.
Which Young Driver experiences are available?
There are several different experiences available depending on your child’s age and interests. Some of the experiences include:
- Firefly Experience (ages 4 to 8) from £25
- Young Driver Lesson (ages 9 to 17) with 30 minute lessons from £47.99
- Young Driver Lesson (ages 9 to 17) with 60 minute lessons from £91.99
- Drive a Real Fire Engine (ages 10+) from £52.99
There are even more experiences available, so it’s worth checking the full range before booking to find the one that’s best suited to your child.
What happens during a Young Driver lesson?
Unlike a simple go kart or ride on attraction, children are learning genuine driving skills from qualified instructors. Depending on the lesson, they can practise steering, braking, roundabouts, junctions, parking, lane discipline and more, all on specially designed training roads.
Everything takes place in a safe, controlled environment, so there’s no driving licence needed and children can learn without the pressure of being on public roads.
Although my daughter still has several years before she’ll be legally allowed to drive on London’s roads, I honestly think experiences like this give children a fantastic head start. They begin developing confidence, awareness and good driving habits long before they start taking official lessons.
Track your child’s progress
One thing I really liked was that children receive a Young Driver booklet where instructors record their progress after each lesson. If your child decides to return for more sessions, they can continue working through new skills and build on what they’ve already learnt rather than starting from scratch each time.
It’s a great way to see how they’re improving over time and gives them something to work towards.
Optional driving video
If you’d like a keepsake from the experience, you can pay a little extra to have a camera fitted inside the car which records your child’s lesson. It’s a lovely way to look back on their first driving experience and share it with family.
Young Driver locations near London
There are plenty of locations in and around London, including:
- Wembley Stadium Pink Car Park
- Bluewater, Kent
- Lakeside, Essex
- Kempton Park, Surrey
- Lingfield Park, Surrey
- Hatfield, Hertfordshire
- Hertfordshire County Showground
Would we book again?
Without hesitation, yes. My daughter came away smiling from ear to ear and has already told me she wants another lesson. As a parent, it’s lovely finding an activity that’s not only fun but also teaches a real life skill that they’ll eventually use for years to come. If you’ve got a child who loves cars or you’re searching for a memorable gift or family experience, Young Driver is one I’d genuinely recommend adding to your list.
