From West End shows and immersive drama courses to outdoor cinema nights, splash-filled adventures and castle discoveries, there are plenty of ways to keep children entertained this summer holiday. Here are five ideas to inspire your summer plans.
Watch Mermaids & Pirates in the West End | 21st - 26th July
Mermaids & Pirates is a one-hour family musical running for a limited time at St Martin's Theatre.
Featuring calypso-infused music, salsa-style choreography and plenty of comic surprises, this musical is packed with catchy songs, energetic dancing and larger-than-life characters.
Suitable for all ages, tickets start from £20.
Peter Pan holiday courses | Throughout July & August
This summer holiday, children aged 4-10 can set sail on an unforgettable drama, dance and singing adventure in Neverland on three, four or five-day Peter Pan holiday courses.
At the end of the course, the children will put on a lively performance to delight family and friends, complete with colourful costumes and original songs. They'll also get a personalised certificate to celebrate everything they've achieved.
Courses are running all across London and the South East and South West, including Winchester, Southampton, Wendover, Reading and Hove. Find your nearest course here.
Open-air movie magic
From riverside screenings in central London to stately homes and castle grounds across the South of England, outdoor cinema is one of the easiest ways to make summer evenings feel special.
- Kew The Movies at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - including Encanto and Wicked For Good | 18th-21st June
- Summer by the River at London Bridge City, London - free family screenings including Wall-E and Jumanji | June - September
- Adventure Cinema at Stansted Park, West Sussex - including Frozen | 3rd - 5th July
- Adventure Cinema at The Vyne, Hampshire - including Mamma Mia! | 16th-19th July
- Adventure Cinema at Wakehurst, West Sussex, including Sing and The Greatest Showman | 12th - 14th June
- Adventure Cinema at Stonor Park & Gardens, Oxfordshire - including The Gruffalo and Stick Man | 11th - 13th September
- Adventure Cinema at King's College, Cambridge - The Greatest Showman, The Gruffalo and Stick Man | 19th - 21st June
- Cinestock across Surrey, Kent and Sussex - touring outdoor cinema events | July, August, and September
- Vision Cinema at Brighton Beach - seaside screenings including Frozen II and Finding Dory | 27th - 28th June
- Outdoor Cinema Bath at Bath Racecourse - family screenings including Beauty & the Beast and Tangled | July
- Films in the Forest at Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire - including How To Train Your Dragon and Robin Hood (set in Sherwood Forest!) | 24th - 26th July
Make a splash
When the weather heats up, water-based days out are a simple win for families. Across London, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and beyond, you'll find splash parks, boating lakes, canal trips and river cruises that let children cool off, explore and burn off energy.
- Splash parks and paddling pools - such as Granary Square, Victoria Park Splash Pool and Ruskin Park Playground in London, Hove Lagoon in Hove, Southsea Splash Pool in Portsmouth, Fleming Park Paddling Pool in Eastleigh and The Danson Park Splash Park in Bexleyheath | Across the UK
- Self-drive canal and picnic boat experiences with GoBoat London | Paddington, Canary Wharf, Kingston and Thames Ditton | London and Surrey
- Speedboat-style family rides with Thames Rockets | London
- River cruises and canal trips in Bath with Pulteney Cruisers, The Bath Boat Trip and narrowboat hire from Bath Narrowboats | Bath
- Family splash parks and watersports lakes including Thorpe Lakes and Buckland Park Lake | Surrey
- Boating and family lake activities at Hever Castle with rowing boats and pedalo hire during school holidays | Kent
Castles, history and adventure days out
This summer, make history hands-on with castles, prisons and immersive storytelling experiences designed especially for families. Check out:
- Tour the Tower of London | London
- Robin Hood Adventures at Nottingham Castle | Nottingham
- The Roman Baths | Bath
- Arundel Castle - Costumed re-enactments, medieval rooms, armour displays, and grounds to explore | West Sussex
- Knight School at Oxford Castle & Prison - train to become a trusted knight | Oxford
