With plenty of summer events to choose between this summer grab your pen and paper (or smart phone!) and start making a list. Are your children keen to run around, splash and play? Then visit your local sports centres for plenty of active fun. Book tickets for family friendly shows and exhibitions featuring some of your favourite childhood characters. Visit new arrivals at Paradise Wildlife Park, ride the West Somerset Railway & get involved in science at Kew Gardens.

Check out our pick of the best places to go with the kids this summer holiday.

A fantastic fun day out at Guildford Spectrum

Finding activities that everyone can enjoy over the weekends and school holidays can be a challenge, so head to Guildford Spectrum and discover summer events for everyone!

With ice skating, ten pin bowling, four pools including a leisure pool, a soft play area, indoor climbing wall, scalextric track, gym, sports arena and aerobics studio all under one roof, Guildford Spectrum is the perfect solution for ‘I’m bored’ cries. With such a variety of activities you will discover something suited for each kid and don’t forget to look at the party packages which can include multiple activities in one party. More…

Win a family pass to Guildford Spectrum!

A child can ice-skate for free between 22nd July – 3rd September with this voucher.

Save at Paradise Wildlife Park with an EXTRA 10% off online tickets with code LGWC10

Meet Keira this summer, currently the only jaguar cub in the UK and the first jaguar cub born at Paradise Wildlife Park. She will be on view to the public from July. Keira was born on 2nd April 2017 as Paradise celebrated the launch of its new charity, the Zoological Society of Hertfordshire.

Paradise Wildlife Park & Zoological Society of Hertfordshire is voted Hertfordshire’s No.1 Outdoor Attraction by Trip Advisor and set in the beautiful surrounding of Broxbourne Woods in the Heart of the Hertfordshire Countryside.

Home to over 500 exotic wild animals including tigers, monkeys, zebras, lemurs, meerkats, red pandas, tapirs, penguins, white lions, wallabies, emus, birds of prey, parrots, reptiles and snow leopards. It also offers a full programme of daily animal shows and events perfect for the whole family, plus On Safari Adventure Golf, National Speedway Museum, Animal Resource Centre, the Jungle Theatre, Woodland Railway, three adventure playgrounds, Tumble Jungle and Paradise Lagoon!

Paradise Wildlife Park is the only UK zoo to have five different big cat breeds with white lions, tigers, snow leopards, jaguars and a white tiger.

Save an EXTRA 10% off online tickets (20% in total) to Paradise Wildlife Park when you enter discount code LGWC10 at the checkout pwpark.com.

The Park is situated 20 miles north of London, 10 minutes from Junction 25 on the M25 and approximately 25 minutes from London Liverpool Street by rail. The Park operates a station car service to and from Broxbourne station which is £3 return and is only 3 miles from Paradise. More…

Family fun at Hatfield Park Farm this summer

Pack your picnics and join the boat-loving Ratty, the sensible yet curious Mole, wise old Badger and the fantastically irrepressible Toad as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime culminating in a colourful battle with the sly weasel to save Toad Hall! The Wind In The Willows performance runs from 2pm-4pm on Thursday 24th August.

Eye-catching costumes, toe-tapping music and larger than life characters promise to capture the imagination of the youngest of audience members whilst the sheer nostalgic charm of this beloved story is guaranteed to take older generations on a glorious trip down the riverbank onto memory lane. The perfect summer treat for all the family from the company that bought you last year’s smash hit, The Wizard of Oz!

Performances last approx 100 mins and include a 20 min interval. You are invited to bring your own low back chairs and blankets along with picnics and refreshments, however we kindly ask that you refrain from bringing glassware. Performances will continue whatever the weather so please come prepared!

Free parking will be available in the main visitor car park which is accessed by George’s Gate.

Find out more about what’s happening at the farm over the summer by visiting the site. More…

Dragons take over Victoria Art Gallery, Bath this summer!

Get set for some fiery fun when dragons take over Victoria Art Gallery in Bath this summer. Featuring the creations of Chris Riddell, Axel Scheffler, Quentin Blake, Cressida Cowell and many more, this family show will take a good look at these mythical creatures and their enduring popularity.

Visitors to this exhibition can expect to encounter a dragon’s den crammed with creatures that have leapt out of their favourite books. To keep the bookworms happy there will be copies of famous dragon tales to browse in the story corner, or to purchase alongside artwork in the shop.

With more than 70 pieces on show, there is something for visitors of all ages, from ‘touch and feel’ art for babies to pictures of scary, fire-breathing dragons for older fans.
The art won’t be confined to the walls: there will be 3D dragon models to admire too. A series of drop-in events, workshops and storytelling sessions will be running throughout the summer.

Outside the gallery walls there will be an interactive treasure hunt: search for dragons’ eggs with our augmented reality app and win some fantastic prizes. See www.victoriagal.org.uk/dragons for more information.

Admission is free for children. For adults why not combine your visit with a trip to the Roman Baths and Fashion Museum Bath with a Saver Ticket. More…

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London

The WEIRDEST place in London!

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London in the heart of Piccadilly celebrates the weird, wonderful and bizarre in all its forms and children of all ages will love it! With everything you can imagine, and plenty more you can’t, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London is a family day out that is definitely out of the ordinary. Whether it’s a chunk of the Berlin Wall, an Amazonian Shrunken Head, a knitted Ferrari or a massive chewing gum sculpture, there will be something to amaze you all.

Ripley’s is a perfect day out to fill your kids with mind boggling wonders. With over 700 amazing things to be discovered spread over five floors and in 19 themed galleries Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Is the perfect day out for families and groups of friends of all sizes and ages.

Kids go for £1 with each full-paying adult

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London is open 365 days a year from 10 am until midnight, with last entry at 10.30pm. More…

Wellington Country Park

Join Wellington Country Park for an action packed summer holiday! Full of summer events to suit all, a day out here will put smiles on the kids faces.

Only 10 minutes from the M3 and M4, spend your days in this safe, open air, fun filled venue for all the family. Splash around in the splash zone, take a trip on the train, visit the farmyard friends and much much more! Why not join one of the event weekends including the Teddy Bears Picnic, Pirate Weekend, The Fairy and Pixie Weekend and Big Inflatable Take over!

So grab your hats, sun lotion and don’t forget your buckets and spades and join Wellington Country Park and begin your adventure!

For full details on all of the attractions and events, please visit www.wellington-country-park.co.uk or call 01189 326444.

West Somerset Railway

Entertain the children at the West Somerset Railway, with discounted travel this summer! The West Somerset Railway is a heritage railway offering a fun day out for all the family.

Nestled in the Somerset countryside, just four miles outside the county town Taunton. Services depart Bishops Lydeard and travel through the countryside to the seaside town of Minehead. Minehead has plenty to do with a sandy beach, shops, cafes and family friendly pubs. The Minehead Eye based close to the station has activities for children including scooting and skating and climbing. Please check their website for further details and timetabling.

Other places of interest include, the historic harbour town of Watchet, with small shops, cafes and museums including the newly renovated boat museum right next to the station. The medieval village of Dunster is a fantastic place to spend a day, with the National Trust’s Dunster Castle, shops, cafes and pubs too there really is something for everyone.

Use the Let’s Go with The Children’s Coupon Code LGC2017 to gain an extra 15% off your rover tickets T’s and C’s apply.
For more information please visit our website www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk or contact 01643 704996.

Action packed fun at Bracknell Leisure Centre

Keep the kids busy this summer by taking them along to Bracknell Leisure Centre, full of fun family activities sure to please all ages. Including a range of sports halls, three swimming pools, a full suite of fitness facilities and spa for the adults, a synthetic pitch and an athletics stadium for track and field activities.

If you have a busy summer holiday the onsite crèche service is available Monday – Friday for children from 6 weeks up to 5 years, allowing time for you to have a quick swim or gym session whilst your kids are kept entertained.

Win one of two family swim tickets to Bracknell Leisure Centre

Fancy something different? The popular new 18metre long inflatable aqua run is also is in the Training Pool every Saturday and daily (excluding Sundays) during the holidays! It will provide hours of entertainment for your kids wanting to jump and splash. More…

Science Festival at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Don your lab coat, dig out your goggles and come and meet Kew’s renowned scientists as they bring science out of the lab and into the Gardens. From 4th – 6th August 10am-5pm head along to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for family educational fun.

Budding botanists of all ages can get up close and interactive with nature in the Festival Hub marquee. Enjoy hands-on experiments, unlocking the secrets of the plant and fungal kingdoms for all the family.

Take part in fascinating experiments and activities – extract DNA from vegetables; get to grips with microscopes to discover amazing ‘micro gardens’; take home beautiful plant pressings; make a herbarium specimen, and have a go at botanical art.

Plus there’ll be activities across the Gardens, including the Insect Adventure Camp, and fascinating talks and behind the scenes tours with the Kew experts.

This fun, family-friendly festival showcases the importance of plant and fungal research and the need for conservation. Please note: Activities suitable for children age 5 and over. Children must be accompanied by an adult for all activities.

Kew Gardens entry: Save on the price of your ticket when you book online at kew.org/sciencefest

Price: Festival activities included with entry to the Gardens.
Online adult price £15.50* / £14
Online child price (4–16) £2.50
Children under 4 free
Online concessions £14.50* / £13
* Ticket prices include a voluntary donation

Enjoy the Summer Holidays at Holkham Hall

Let off steam and enjoy big skies and open countryside with a visit to Holkham this summer, winner of the Best Family Day Out category in the 2017 Hudson’s Heritage Awards.

Visit the Field to Fork Experience and discover the fun and interactive story of food and farming at Holkham without having to put your wellies on! Let the ‘talking tools’ tell you their use; test your foody knowledge with the table-top game and new for 2017, climb on board the virtual tractor driving experience and learn how to steer a tractor on roads and over fields. This will surely test your manoeuvring skills!

Children will enjoy the Woodland Adventure Play Area, with its tree house, high level walkways, rope ladders and zip wire, plus a special area just for toddlers there’s even a scaled model of a combine harvester complete with slide, tunnels and driving seat!

Visit the magnificent 18th century hall and the ‘What the Butler Saw’ exhibition. Dress-up as the footman and the kitchen maid, discover mystery objects and find secret passages, you’ll learn so much about life as a Lord and Lady.

On high days and holidays explore the park further with the cycle hire or discover Holkham’s watery world with a choice of rowing boats, canoes and kayaks. More…

Southbank Centre Summertime

This summer, Southbank Centre is the place to be with fun for all ages. From July to August, there’s dance and performance from an eclectic mix of national and international companies. Outside, enjoy six themed weekends of fun including many free events, a beach, roof garden, fountain, food pop-ups and art installations, including a giant Gnome King and Jeppe Hein’s bright red Modified Social Benches NY. Southbank Centre also host an outdoor music stage, offering free live performances from 12 – 6pm every Saturday and Sunday.

From Swedish crayfish feasting to delicious food markets, family theatre and hip hop and dance workshops, there’s plenty of exciting events going on for the entire family.

Circus Cirkör, Scandinavia’s leading circus company, will be performing their UK premiere of Limits showcasing colourful Nordic contemporary circus performance. English National Ballet performs the world’s greatest love story, Romeo and Juliet. Meanwhile, ZooNation Youth Company showcase dance and music talent created by the young, for the young in an innovative night of dance, music, spoken word and beatboxing.

Bring a bucket and spade and be transported once again to more exotic climes with Southbank Centre’s popular urban beach, or cool off in Jeppe Hein’s fountain Appearing Rooms, outside the Royal Festival Hall. Bring a picnic and head to the secret rooftop garden, or grab a tasty treat at the food market or one of our summer food pop-ups.

There are six themed weekends of Summertime fun from 22nd July – 28th August: Tomorrow’s Warriors, British Summertime, Jazz Re:Fest & Live Music Acts, Social Dancing, Nordic Feast – Crayfish Party and Urban, combining the new outdoor music stage and art installations alongside the much-loved Southbank Centre riverside. More…

Fly away this summer

If your kids and big fans of planes, trains and cars then make sure you check out our Transport Special where you will discover airshows, vintage car events, great railway adventures and so much more.

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