How To Get A Blue Peter Badge And Free Entry To UK Attractions
Are you struggling to keep your kids entertained without rinsing your bank account every weekend? Or are you just fed up with how expensive days out in the UK have become? Then this is one of the best genuine freebies you can still get: a Blue Peter badge and free entry to hundreds of attractions.
One of my strongest childhood memories is Blue Peter. Or more accurately, my deep dislike of Blue Peter. In my head it was endless cereal boxes, sticky-back plastic and presenters slipping over animal muck. I’ve never had a creative bone in my body, and that hasn’t changed. Even now, when my kids ask for help “making something” for homework, I break out in a mild sweat.
I also blame Blue Peter entirely for the fact I spent most of my teenage years watching Home and Away.
That said, I’ve developed a lot more respect for it as an adult. After writing about discounts through Kids Pass and finding half-price Legoland tickets, I realised there’s something even better hiding in plain sight. Not vouchers. Not cashback. Proper, no-strings-attached free entry to UK attractions.
Can You Get Free Entry With A Blue Peter Badge?
Yes. Children aged 5–15 with a valid Blue Peter badge and badge card can get free entry to over 200 UK attractions when accompanied by a full-paying adult.
How to Get A Blue Peter Badge
To apply for a Blue Peter badge, your child must be aged 5 to 15. They’ll need to send in a piece of work along with a short covering letter (at least 50 words) explaining why they deserve a badge.
Honesty time: my kids spent about 10–15 minutes on their drawings before wandering off. That was enough. The Blue Peter team clearly aren’t looking for the next Banksy or Shakespeare.
Along with the work, include:
their full name
date of birth
your home address and postcode
Send everything to:
Blue Peter
MediaCityUK
Salford
M50 2BH
You’ll need to add a stamp. Use an A4 envelope with a large letter stamp, or parcel postage if you’re sending something bulky.
Once it’s sent, you wait. It can take up to 12 weeks, though in our case the badges arrived in around eight weeks.
What your child submits depends on which badge they’re applying for, because there’s more than one.
Also worth reading
Looking for good value days out? Then see if the Merlin Annual Pass is worth subscribing to.
What Are The Different Blue Peter Badges?
Blue Badge
The classic badge most adults remember. Awarded for letters, stories, pictures, poems, makes, ideas for the programme or appearing on Blue Peter. You can only earn one Blue Badge.
Green Badge
Awarded for work about nature, the environment or conservation.
Silver Badge
Only available to existing Blue Badge holders who go on to submit something extra, such as a different type of creative work.
Fan Club Badge (Purple)
Awarded for joining the Blue Peter fan club and answering questions about the show and website.
Music Badge
Designed by Ed Sheeran and awarded to children who show a passion for music, such as learning an instrument or taking part in a musical performance.
Sport Badge
Awarded for trying a new sport or physical activity. A limited edition version is released each summer, meaning you can collect a new one every year.
Orange Badge
Given to winners and runners-up of Blue Peter competitions, which only run at certain times of the year.
Gold Badge
Extremely rare. Only awarded for exceptional achievements, such as acts of bravery or outstanding citizenship.
Discontinued Blue Peter Badges
Diamond Badge
A limited edition badge that was only available in 2018.
Purple Badge (Old Version)
Previously awarded for reviewing a Blue Peter episode.
Free Entry Into UK Attractions With A Blue Peter Badge
Every badge colour qualifies for free entry. The crucial bit is the Blue Peter badge card, which proves the badge belongs to your child and stops people lending them out.
The card arrives with your child’s details printed on it. You add a photo and seal it with the laminate provided. It’s valid until your child turns 16, even if the photo ends up looking nothing like them by then.
There are 200+ attractions included across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The badge holder must be accompanied by a full-paying adult, and it’s one badge holder per adult.
We’ve already saved well over £120 using our kids’ badges, and that’s from just a handful of visits.
Attractions included can change, so it’s always worth checking the official list before visiting.
List of Blue Peter badge attractions
There are over 200 places you can gain free entry using your badge. However, the holder must also have their badge card and be accompanied by a full-paying adult. And it’s only one badge holder per adult I’m afraid.
Blue Peter Badge Attractions In London
HMS Belfast
Kensington Palace State Apartments
Kew Gardens
London Museum of Water & Steam
London Transport Museum
Marble Hill House
Shakespeare’s Globe Exhibition
St Paul’s Cathedral
Tower of London
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum
ZSL London Zoo
Blue Peter Badge Attractions In The South East
1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield
Adventure Island
Arundel Wetland Centre (WWT)
Bekonscot Model Village
Beaulieu National Motor Museum
Bluebell Railway
British Airways i360
Canterbury Tales
Chartwell
Dover Castle
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Hampton Court Palace
Highclere Castle
Osborne House
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Roman Baths – Bath
Stonehenge
Blue Peter Badge Attractions In The Midlands
Black Country Living Museum
British Motor Museum
Cadbury World
Cromer Museum
Dudley Canal Tunnel and Limestone Mines
Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden
Magna Science Adventure Centre
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Twycross Zoo
Blue Peter Badge Attractions In The North Of England
Eureka! The National Children’s Museum
Harewood House
Jorvik Viking Centre
Kielder Water Bird of Prey Centre
The Beatles Story
Whitby Abbey
Yorkshire Museum of Farming
Blue Peter Badge Attractions In Scotland
Camera Obscura
Edinburgh Zoo
Highland Wildlife Park
Inveraray Jail
The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd
The Royal Yacht Britannia
Blue Peter Badge Attractions In Wales
Anglesey Sea Zoo
National Botanic Garden of Wales
Plantasia
The Royal Mint Experience
Blue Peter Badge Attractions In Northern Ireland And Isle Of Man
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Carrickfergus Castle
The Manx Museum
Peel Castle
Can I Just Buy A Blue Peter Badge From eBay?
Short answer: no, not for free entry.
Back in 2006, the BBC tried to stop the resale of badges on eBay after people used them to get free entry. The badge card system now makes bought badges useless for attractions. Buying one is fine for collectors, but it won’t get you through the gate.
FAQ’s
Is a Blue Peter badge application difficult?
No. Except for the time it takes to encourage your child to create their work, it’s a very simple process.
Are gold Blue Peter badges real gold?
The badge is a brooch and is gold-plated rather than solid gold.
Are Blue Peter badges worth anything?
The majority of badges sell for around £1 on eBay. However, the rarer badges can fetch more, with some listed for over £100.
Are Blue Peter badges free?
Yes. Apart from the cost of a stamp, all you need is some spare time.
Can you get into Legoland with a Blue Peter badge?
No. The park stopped accepting holders in January 2017.
Do Blue Peter badges expire?
Technically, no. However, the badge card that comes with them expires when your child reaches 16. They can be valid for a total of 10 years.
