Our little tester Tia Hanson, four, of Bentley, goes out and about with her mum Eve testing out family entertainments and attractions in our area and giving her verdict on what's hot and what's not when it comes to a family day out.

This week, the pair were at Doncaster Racecourse on Sunday for the annual Family Fun Day in support of The Heartbeat Appeal - one of Yorkshire's leading independent charities fighting heart disease Here's what they thought....

THINKING of a family day out? What springs to mind?

Seaside, theme park, zoo? All of which can be very costly and the travelling can be a nightmare! I bet you've never even thought of Doncaster Racecourse.

You can't go wrong with a fantastic family day out at the racecourse.

There was plenty to do for mums, dads and kids alike when we visited last weekend.

The racecourse is the perfect place for a cheap, local fun day out for all the family.

During our visit the family grandstand was really inviting with lots to keep everyone amused. The bouncy castle had the kids queuing round the block - and with under 16s going free of charge there were plenty of them!

The children were also entertained by magic tricks and Punch and Judy shows at Patsy's Fun Show and youngsters could also take part in workshops and demonstrations courtesy of the Doncaster Rovers In The Community Team. And there was face painting too.

But the real stars of the show were some of the most popular television characters of the moment - Dora The Explorer and Diego - who were kept busy all day having their pictures taken with the little ones.

And there were also pony races - although Tia was too young to participate with 11-15 year olds taking part.

But what really surprised me was the great family atmosphere. Most families had brought their own picnics and were making a good full day of it. Kids being kids, the little 'uns were making friends and playing together in no time.

It turned out to be an absolutely fantastic day that we both really enjoyed. Tia loved being able to see all the horses close up in the parade ring. Tia said they looked beautiful although some were naughty and didn't do as they were told! Surprisingly, she really got into the horses running and loved picking a horse number to win and cheering as they all ran past. I will definitely be taking Tia again as she thoroughly enjoyed it.

If you want to chill out in the sunshine and know your children will be kept highly entertained, I would definitely recommend Doncaster Racecourse for a family day out.