Family days out: 5 ways to break the routine this autumn

Driving the kids to and from school is a necessary task, but keeping them entertained in the back while you navigate your way through rush hour and roadworks is not an easy thing to do.

No need for self-made entertainment in Blair Drummond Safari Park though. Hop in the car, get the seatbelts on and drive through the reserves to see if the family can spot giraffes, rhinos and zebras, and find black-and-white ruffled lemurs, elephants, meerkats, penguins  and wallabies as you explore the rest of the park on foot! Top off your family day out with a boat trip around Chimp Island and a sea lion presentation.

Birthday parties, sports lessons, play dates; the list of places you have to drive the kids to only grows as they get older. But put your feet up, and let someone else take over the taxi service on a family day out on-board one of our steam trains.

For the full experience of a steam train ride through breathtaking scenery during September, hitch a lift on the Jacobite steam train for a 84-mile return trip starting beside Ben Nevis, past Britain's most westerly mainland station at Arisaig, the deepest freshwater loch at Loch Morar, the shortest river at River Morar, and the deepest seawater loch in Europe at Loch Nevis!

More importantly for the kids though, this train crosses the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct, famous for its starring role in the Harry Potter films. If the kids are too little for such a long ride right now, there are plenty of smaller steam and heritage railways including the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway in Falkirk and the Royal Deeside Railway in Aberdeenshire.

The garden is great on a sunny day after school for a run around, a kick about, or just some fresh air. But every now and then, take the whole family to the biggest back garden ever and let them not just run around the trees, but climb, swing and zip down from them!

Go Ape! is a tree-top adventure course for kids aged 10 and up, and there are three locations in Scotland to choose from - Aberfoyle in the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire, and Glentress Forest in the Scottish Borders. Try the balance beams, trapeze, Tarzan swing, skateboard zip and twister.

Whether the kids want to camp in the back garden on their own, or they want you to squeeze in with them, it's not the most exciting adventure for you (unless you share the power of imagination your kids possess!).

So why not book yourself an overnight glamping experience? Choose from wigwams, yurts and pods which the kids will love, and pick a special spot - you could head out into the deepest, darkest countryside and enjoy a spot of stargazing before heading to bed, or take a break by the water, where you can try watersports during the day before relaxing in your glamping pod.

Why not spend the day exploring the wealth of Scotland's castles? Crathes Castle is a great place to visit, complete with a classic Scottish tower house, glorious gardens and a labyrinth of history and culture - you won't be lost for something to do. Explore their events for more exciting things to do!

Whilst you're in Aberdeen, why not venture on Scotland's Castle Trail? Comprised of 19 magnificent castles, ruins, and stately homes dotted around the Aberdeenshire coast, you can really delve into Scotland's long lost past.