35 of the 137 circuits we list will take a 7 year old, across 29 counties.
This is the part that catches people out. Nearly every circuit sets a minimum height alongside the minimum age, and both have to be met. A child needs to reach the pedals with enough leg left to brake hard, and see over the wheel, and a kart has almost no adjustment. Among the tracks that take 7 year olds, the minimum runs from 100cm to 130cm. Measure your child before you book rather than after you arrive.
25 other circuits do not publish a height minimum for this age. Worth ringing before you travel.
3 circuits open up at this age that would not take a 6 year old:
Aviemore, Highland
A 550-metre outdoor circuit at Aviemore with the Cairngorms as a backdrop, and one of the more interesting layouts in Scotland — six metres wide for overtaking, sweeping bends on positive camber, undulations, and a long straight down one side.
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood Karting runs an 825-metre floodlit outdoor circuit at Warley Gap, about fifteen minutes' walk from Brentwood station and half an hour from central London. It holds the International Rental Karting Award for Best Customer Experience.
Price not published
St Sampson, Guernsey
Karting Guernsey is on Victoria Avenue in St Sampson, Guernsey. It has a 440m outdoor circuit with floodlights for evening racing, and a separate electric track for small children.
Liskeard, Cornwall
Kartworld is the karting operation at Adrenalin Quarry, an outdoor activity park beside the A38 at Menheniot near Liskeard in east Cornwall. The main track is an 800m all-weather circuit, and a separate 80m track is used for the smallest drivers.
Price not published
Purfleet, Thurrock
Lakeside Karting sits on the A1306 Arterial Road at Purfleet, about half an hour from central London and a few minutes from Lakeside Shopping Centre. It holds the International Rental Karting Award for Best Customer Experience, and is run by Lets Go Active, who also operate Brentwood Karting.
Price not published
Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire
Rye House at Hoddesdon is one of the best known circuits in British karting, and the operator leans on that history, describing it as the track where champions began their careers. It runs a main GP circuit and a separate bespoke junior circuit.
Maidenhead, Windsor and Maidenhead
Absolutely Karting Maidenhead is an indoor centre at The Arena on Stafferton Way, close to Maidenhead town centre. Its circuit is built over two levels: adults can drive the lower section alone or the full double-level layout, while younger drivers use the top track.
Grantham, Lincolnshire
Ancaster Leisure is an outdoor multi-activity site at Wood Lodge near Ancaster, north-east of Grantham, where karting sits alongside paintball, airsoft, archery and laser tag. Its outdoor track can be run as a 1,200m International circuit, a 700m Brooklands layout or a 600m Club circuit, with a separate junior circuit and a small electric track for young children.
Mexborough, Rotherham
Avago Indoor Karting is an indoor track on the Swinton Bridge industrial estate, on the Swinton side of Mexborough between Rotherham and Doncaster. Sessions are sold by the lap, with a standard session of 30 laps.
Bangor, Ards and North Down
Eddie Irvine Sports is an indoor karting centre on Balloo Road in Bangor, County Down, about 15 minutes from Belfast. It has been open since 2003 and is owned by former Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine.
Stourbridge, Dudley
Full Throttle Raceway is an indoor karting venue on The Stourbridge Estate off Mill Race Lane in Stourbridge, a short drive from Dudley, Halesowen and Birmingham. Two separate tracks share the building, giving over 400 metres of circuit under one roof.
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
JDR Karting is an indoor karting and activity centre on the Madleaze Trading Estate off Bristol Road in Gloucester, a few minutes' walk from Gloucester Quays. The main circuit is a 300-metre tarmac track with three banked corners, where laps take around 25 seconds. Senior drivers use Sodi SR4 karts with Honda 200cc engines.
Lichfield, Staffordshire
Midland Karting is an outdoor karting centre on Wood End Lane near Lichfield, laid out on part of a former airfield. It runs three separate circuits: a Premier Circuit for adults and older juniors, a Kids Circuit, and a Family Circuit used for the youngest drivers.
Walsall, Walsall
PMG Karting World is a multi-level indoor karting venue on Bloxwich Road in Walsall, West Midlands, which also offers axe throwing, interactive darts and laser tag.
Price not published
Ballymena, Mid and East Antrim
Raceview Karting is an indoor hire kart track on the Woodside Road industrial estate in Ballymena, County Antrim. It opens Thursday to Sunday, with evening sessions through the week and longer hours at weekends.
Price not published
Worcester Park, Greater London
Surbiton Raceway at Worcester Park runs three separate outdoor tracks, which is more than almost anywhere else we list, and it means the age bands are properly catered for rather than fudged with restricted karts.
Price not published
Brent Cross, Greater London
TeamSport Brent Cross is on level 4 of the Blue car park at Brent Cross Shopping Centre in north-west London, and combines indoor electric karting with an eight-lane bowling alley. Rather than one long circuit it has a 200-metre Starter track, a 350-metre Main track, and an Extended layout that links the two into a 550-metre, 18-corner lap.
Price not published
Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne
TeamSport Newcastle is an indoor electric karting venue at Armstrong Works on Scotswood Road, about two miles west of the city centre. It has two tracks: a 500-metre multi-level main circuit with 12 corners and a 200-metre starter track.
Price not published
Ipswich, Suffolk
Anglia Indoor Karting has operated for over 30 years from an industrial unit on Farthing Road, on the western side of Ipswich. The building holds two separate multi-level circuits, each with flyover sections, plus a laser maze.
Price not published
Chatham, Kent
Buckmore Park at Chatham is one of the best known circuits in British karting, and the one where Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and David Coulthard all raced as juniors. It runs two outdoor layouts: an International circuit where an experienced driver laps in around 50 seconds, and a shorter National circuit nearer 35.
Price not published
Rooksley, Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes
Daytona Milton Keynes is on Dansteed Way at Rooksley, close to junction 14 of the M1 and about ten minutes by taxi from Milton Keynes Central. It is one of three Daytona circuits, alongside Sandown Park and Tamworth.
Price not published
Esher, Surrey
Daytona Sandown Park sits inside the Sandown Park racecourse complex at Esher, just off the A3 and about ten minutes from junction 10 of the M25. It is one of three Daytona circuits, alongside Milton Keynes and Tamworth, and the closest serious outdoor circuit to south-west London.
Price not published
Tamworth, Staffordshire
Daytona Tamworth is on Robey's Lane just off junction 10 of the M42, with easy access from the M6, M1 and A5. It is one of three Daytona circuits, alongside Milton Keynes and Sandown Park, and the group's Midlands venue.
Price not published
Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Heatherton World of Activities is a multi-activity park at St Florence, near Tenby in Pembrokeshire, with a 300-metre outdoor kart track among its attractions. Helmets and overalls are provided, and there is a viewing area for spectators.
Price not published
Towcester, West Northamptonshire
Kart Silverstone is an outdoor kart circuit within the Silverstone motor racing complex on the Northamptonshire–Buckinghamshire border. The track can run in five layouts, the longest at 1,377 metres, and is built to FIA-CIK standards.
Sunderland, Sunderland
Karting North East is an outdoor kart circuit at the Warden Law Motorsports Centre, off Hangman's Lane on the southern edge of Sunderland, a few minutes from the A19. The main track is 1,200 metres long and has been in use since the 1990s. There is also a smaller junior training circuit on site.
Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan
Llandow is a motorsport venue near Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan with a 1,050-metre kart circuit licensed by Motorsport UK, alongside a separate car and bike circuit. It describes the kart track as the largest in South Wales.
Club racing — see fees
Lydd, Kent
Lydd Kart Circuit sits on Dengemarsh Road out on Romney Marsh in Kent, and runs two separate circuits with an unusually wide age spread between them.
Golspie, Highland
North of Scotland Kart Club runs the Little Ferry Circuit near Golspie in Sutherland, which the club describes as the most northerly kart track in Britain. The outdoor circuit is 998 metres long with six corners, including a corkscrew section.
Price not published
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Race Kart Centre is an outdoor kart track on Kirton Road at Blyton, near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. It runs hire karts for children and adults as well as open days for people with their own karts.
Price not published
Whilton Locks, Daventry, Northamptonshire
Whilton Mill near Daventry runs three outdoor circuits on one site, which makes it unusually flexible. The 1200m International Circuit is the headline one, with a 960m National Circuit and a 450m Mill Circuit alongside it. The operator has been running for over 35 years.
Wombwell, Barnsley
Wombwell Kart Circuit is an 865-metre outdoor track on Station Road in Wombwell, near Barnsley, run for owner-drivers only. It does not offer hire karts or corporate sessions.
Club racing — see fees
Rowrah, Cumberland
Cumbria Kart Racing Club runs the Rowrah Kart Track, a 1,030-metre outdoor circuit in West Cumbria between Frizington and Lamplugh, with a shorter layout available for novices.
Canary Wharf, London, Greater London
K1 Speed Canary Wharf is the UK site of an international chain with more than a hundred locations, and it is one hundred per cent electric. The karts are indoor and battery powered, which puts it in a small group alongside Revolution Karting on the other side of the city.
Banbury, Oxfordshire
Shenington Kart Racing Club runs an outdoor owner-driver circuit on the former RAF Edgehill airfield near Banbury, on the Oxfordshire–Warwickshire border. Karting has taken place here since 1960, and the site hosted rounds of the early World Karting Championships.
Club racing — see fees
Our guide to karting with children covers all of this in more detail, including what they should wear and whether it is safe.