SO summer's finally here – our favourite time of the year when kids love to be outdoors and enjoy the best of the season’s offerings, writes Amanda Fazani.
To help you plan ahead, we've rounded up some of the best activities for families from across the country. Also, please do check out my post about The Tales of the Road campaign about keeping kids safe this summer.
This month there's a great range of activities on offer, from a free festival of international music to celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's reign.
Open Farm Sunday, farms nationwide, Sunday June 7
Open Farm Sunday is an annual event organized by the charity, LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) in which farms across England, Wales and Scotland open to the public and offer events designed to help us appreciate our countryside:
“Each event will be unique with its own activities – based around the farm’s own individual story. Activities during the day may include a farm walk, nature trail, tractor and trailer rides, pond dipping, activities for kids, mini farmers' market or picnics,” say organisers.
More than 400 farms are taking part and while there may be a small charge for some activities, you’re unlikely to be charged for entry.
Celebrate Henry VIII’s 500th Anniversary at the Greenwich Maritime Museum Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14
This year marks the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s ascension to the throne. To celebrate this monumental occasion, a weekend of Tudor-themed activities is on at the Old Royal Naval College in Maritime Greenwich.
“The weekend of family activities will bring alive Henry’s enthusiasm for Greenwich and offer a wonderful opportunity to learn first hand about the monarch and Tudor life; it will also provide a chance to ‘meet’ the king, his second wife Anne Boleyn and members of his court,” says the college.
Other family activities include:
• A feast at a Tudor food court
• Watch a colourful re-enactment of a 15th century mounted hunting parade
• Cheer on Tudor Knights as they bravely battle in foot combat
• Children’s face-painting
• Flag-making workshops
On Sunday, you can also enjoy a concert by The Sixteen: an award winning choral group who will be performing in the Old Royal Naval College Chapel.
All outdoor activities are free, though there may be a small charge for some activities.
More information (Also includes driving directions and transport links)
D-Day celebrations in Leeds
The Royal Armouries celebrate the 65th anniversary of D-Day in Leeds on Sunday, June 14.
The Royal Armouries in Leeds is celebrating this occasion with a day of family-friendly events for visitors to experience history come to life in 1940s England.
“A chance to handle objects from World War II, have a 1940s style makeover, listen to stories from the Spivs, have a go at our children’s rifle range, bring home the milk with the help of Daisy the Cow from our land army, join in the 1940s sing along and test your rhythm with our swing dance workshops,” say the promoters – sounds brilliant!
Other activities include:
• A Cavalcade horse show
• 1940s hair and make-up workshop
• A Falconry show
• Themed arts and crafts
• Military vehicle display
Entry to The Royal Armouries is free, though some events may carry a small charge.
Exhibition Road Music Day: A Free International Music and Culture Festival, Sunday, June 21
Exhibition Road in South-West London will be the site of a free festival of international music and culture, offering activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Between 10am and midnight, more than 100 performances will ru in both outdoor and indoor locations on and around Exhibition Road.
Family friendly highlights of this festival include:
• Bollywood dancing
• Learn (and perform) opera with Streetwise Opera in the V&A
• An African drumming workshop with Nzinga Dance
• A live outdoor performance by the Kazoo Collective in Kensington Gardens
• Create musical instruments from recycled objects with Weapons of Sound at the Science Museum
Grown-ups and older children can enjoy live performances in unique locations from upcoming artists before their appearances at Glastonbury and Bestival.
Performance highlights include the British Hip-Hop artist Akira the Don at the Natural History Museum and Banco de Gaia at the Royal Geographical Society.
Download a local map and complete schedule of activities in PDF format.
Travel through the Ages with English Heritage’s Time Travellers Club (begins Sunday, June 21)
Throughout the summer, English Heritage will offer a series of events across the country for children to learn about history through fun activities.
The Time Travellers Clubenables children to experience adventures from the past as they learn historical skills and fill their Time Traveller’s Passport with stickers for completion of events and a reward for successful completion of “training.”
Joining in is easy: simply choose an event to begin “training” where children can collect their own passport and collect a sticker from each event attended. Once two stickers have been collected, children can apply for a Time Travellers poster, and after four events can claim a Time Travellers bag as their reward for becoming a “fully qualified Time Traveller”.
Events will be held at dozens of English Heritage locations across the UK and vary by location, but include such activities as:
• Knight’s Academy
• Secrets and Spies
• Crime and Punishment
The Time Travellers event is accompanied by an interactive website where kids can learn more about the characters involved, play games and download activity sheets. There is also a mysterious “Top Secret” section which will become available soon… More information about English Heritage.
A Festival of Extreme Arts in Sheffield (Family day, Sunday June 7)
Are your kids fascinated by robots, lightning, flames and machines? From tomorrow until Sunday in Heeley Park, Sheffield you can experience an “onslaught for the eyes, ears and mind” with the Extreme Arts Festival.
This ticketed event is a festival of live arts featuring the craziest talent from around the work, culminating in a family-friendly day on Sunday.
Arts on display include:
• Lords of Lightning, which dance like angels / devils & re-enact an elemental battle with real lightning bolts.
• A Robocross team of mechanical creatures that can play musical instruments
• The Bureau of Silly Ideas
• An elemental fire show
• The “Dino Dumper” – a hydraulic mini dinosaur
On Family Day, tickets cost £23 per adult and £10 each for children, with a family ticket (two adults and two children) discounted at £40.
* We hope you've enjoyed Amanda's round-up! Know of any other fun events coming up? Share news with us either in the comments or by emailing Linda@passionatemedia.co.uk
No related posts.
-ani.png)
