Category: Entertainment

A trip to the theatre

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Let’s go to the theatre, what shall we see?

Peter Rabbit
Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
Based on the original tales of Beatrix Potter, this fab stage show is not to be missed! Witness the magic of Peter Rabbit and his friends as they come to life as beautifully handcrafted puppets. Watch out for Mr Mcgregor or do the laundry with Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and shake your tail along to 14 live songs that will have all the family grinning from ear to ear.

School of Rock
Gillian Lynne Theatre, London
Based on the hit movie this feel-good musical will have you rockin’ in your seats! The show follows Dewey Finn, a failed rock star who poses as a supply teacher at a prep school where he turns the A-grade kids into rock kids! Will they make it to Battle of the Bands without the headmistress finding out?

Disney’s Aladdin
Prince Edward Theatre, London
Hold on to your magic carpets, Disney’s Aladdin has flown into London’s West End for an unforgettable family extravaganza! With a fabulous cast, impressive costumes and breathtaking special effects, you’ll be taken to a whole new world with the theatre adaptation of this epic Disney film!

Horrible Histories, Barmy Britain Part 4
Apollo Theatre, London
Tickets from £20
After 7 years in the West End, Barmy Britain is back for part 4! Learn about Britain’s horrible history in this hilarious family show at the Apollo Theatre in London. BOOK HERE

Beasts of London
Museum of London
The Museum of London presents ‘Beasts of London’ an experience by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The Journey begins before London was created and you’ll be guided through to the present day by the animals themselves. Hear the fascinating story of the capital as they highlight iconic moments including the arrival of the Romans and the Plague!

The Gruffalo
Lyric Theatre, London
Oh help, oh no, it’s a Gruffalo! Join mouse on his adventure through the deep dark wood in this musical adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s classic book! There will be fun, songs and lots of laughs guaranteed for children over 3! (We are pretty sure the grown-ups will love it too!)

Elmer- The Patchwork Elephant
Spiegeltent, London
This year we celebrate 30 years of Elmer! The Patchwork Elephant show is a celebration of individuality and laughter! This colourful show features 21 amazing puppets and tells the tale of Elmer, an elephant who was born to stand out!

Monstersaurus
The Belly, London
From the creators of ‘Aliens love underpants’ comes this brand new show! Follow young inventor, Monty, who creates a whole world of inventions including some scary monster friends! This energetic show comes with lots of fun for all the family, magic and mayhem and opportunities for the audience to get involved!

Spring blossoms

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As Spring arrives pretty blossoms begin to bloom, so come and see them in all their glory…

RHS Wisley, Woking
There is always plenty to look at when you visit these beautiful gardens including spring blossom! Families can follow fun trails and join in with the great children’s activities on offer too.

The Blossom Trail, Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire
Follow a 45-mile wonderful journey through beautiful countryside and quaint villages lined with pretty cherry and apple blossom trees. This region has been famous for its fruit growing since medieval times.

National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthen
These gardens are a great place to bring the family to see the very beautiful Japanese blossom in the Japanese Gardens. There are flower meadows and lakes to explore set in over 500 acres of parkland.

Cherry Blossom in Abundance, Kew Gardens, London

Kew is always a beautiful place to visit but when the blossom trees are in full flower it is extra special! Find the prettiest ones just behind the rose garden at the back of the palm house.

Kyoto Garden – Holland Park, London
The arrival of blossom in Japan is nothing less than magical and is widely celebrated. The Japanese Kyoto Gardens will offer a little taste of this far away country and is home to koi carp and very pretty cherry blossom in a very peaceful setting.

Acorn Bank, Cumbria
These beautiful grounds, house and gardens are a tranquil haven that have an industrial past. The gardens are well known for their orchards with and in the spring you can see carpets of snowdrops, daffodils and pretty fruit blossom. Wander along to find the restored watermill and look out for wildlife in the woods.

St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
Take some time out in this lovely city to visit this tranquil square in the heart of Edinburgh and see the cherry blossoms in the spring sunshine.

The Alnwick Garden, Northumberland
This garden is a magical place to bring a family and has sky walkways and rope bridges to explore. Visit the Cherry Orchard which promises to be a sea of pink and entice the kids to make cherry blossom snow angels amongst the fallen petals!

Kingston Lacy, Dorset.
The enigmatic gardens of this stately home spring into life with gorgeous cherry blossom in the Japanese Garden and white apple blossom in the Kitchen Garden and orchards so a family walk is guaranteed to offer a lovely day out for everyone!

Greenwich Park, London
This park was once the hunting ground for Henry VIII and is London’s oldest enclosed Royal Park. Behind the cricket pitch lies a stunning pink candy floss arch that will bring a happy smile to anyone’s face!

Active Family days out

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British Motor Museum

The newly refurbished British Motor Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of historic British cars – from the very first Land Rover to Lady Penelope’s FAB1.

Experience the sights, sounds and stories of the British motor industry and get ‘under the skin’ with our interactive exhibits. Explore how motoring and family life has changed through the decades as the cars are brought to life by costumed explainers and free guided tours.

Family trails and school holiday children’s activities add to the family fun, whatever the weather! Nearest train stations are Warwick or Banbury.

10am – 5pm daily

Arundel Castle

For a lovely day out with the family, visit Arundel Castle which is set high on a hill in West Sussex. Steeped in 1,000 years of history, Arundel Castle offers a full day out with guided and free-flow tours of the finely preserved castle rooms, including the Baron’s Hall, 14th Century Catholic Fitzalan Chapel, Regency Library and Victorian bedrooms.

There are also opportunities to ascend the Norman Motte and Keep and enjoy The Collector Earl’s Garden, which was opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2008. Special event prices apply for the Castle Siege and International Jousting and Medieval Tournament.

Bracknell Leisure Centre

Get active on a day out with the kids in Berkshire! There’s plenty of fun to be found for the whole family at Bracknell Leisure Centre. The range of facilities and activities will get you and your children burning off excess energy and creating healthy habits for life.

Family tickets are available for the swimming pools enabling everyone to get splashing and save money! There are also plenty of badminton courts and tennis tables available. With lots of other bookable and pay-as-you-go activities such as soccer dribblers, tweeny tumblers, fun sessions, go karts and gymnastics, it’s a great place to go with the kids over the summer.

The Time Out Café and Bar is ideal for meeting and unwinding during a visit to the leisure centre. This warmly decorated and comfortable venue offers a mouth-watering menu and an excellent choice of snacks. Choose from a menu including sandwiches, panini’s, jacket potatoes, soup of the day as well as a daily special. Inflatable Aqua Run and Water Walker birthday parties for children are available.

Ideas for kids Spring fun

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BeWILDerwood

For an amazing day out in Norfolk, not far from Norwich, visit the enchanted, award-winning Curious Treehouse Adventure Park, BeWILDerwood. Take lazy boat rides across The Scary Lake, cross jungle bridges, visit tree-houses, whizz down The Wobbly Wires, get befuddled in the marvellous Muddle Maze, build dens with bracken and sticks and dress up and join in with the enchanting daily storytelling.

This is a world with more than a little sprinkling of fairy dust; enough for the whole family! It’s also a great place for children to have the best birthday party ever in the woods.

Bodmin and Wenford railway

Discover the excitement and nostalgia of steam travel with a journey back in time on the Bodmin and Wenford railway, Cornwall’s only full size railway still operated by steam locomotives. Relax in style and enjoy a leisurely 13-mile round trip, through beautiful countryside, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of a bygone age, as the era of a Cornish branch line in the 1950s reveals itself during the course of your journey.

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo.

There’s a world of enjoyment at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo. From feeding the farm animals, saying hello to our parrots or spying on the meerkats in the secret lookout, children will have hours of fun. With monkeys, snakes, pigs, donkeys, ring tailed lemurs, rabbits, emu, chipmunks, coati, wallabies and chickens, plus a fun-packed adventure playground with a real tractor and fire engine, it’s a great family day out.

The Zoo is offering new Keeper, Mini and Junior Keeper Experiences for children and adults. The kids will love being able to find out more about their favourite animals and what it’s like to feed and care for them. Sessions last from 1.5 to 2.5 hours, there are a variety of Keeper Experiences available, and children must be accompanied by an adult, who goes free of charge.

More movie ideas for kids

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Trolls 3D (U)
Pitched firmly at the younger spectrum of the kiddie market, this latest, wildly colourful DreamWorks musical animation, based on the toys (called Gonks in the UK), comes from the creators of Shrek and Kung Fu Panda.

Princess Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick) is the leader of the relentlessly optimistic and cheery Trolls who live in the middle of the woods and are always ready to burst into song. Unfortunately, they also live in fear of the Bergens, miserable giant ogres who, led by King Gristle (John Cleese), believed the only way to become happy was to eat Trolls.

For 20 years, the Trolls have managed to remain hidden, but, then, the light from a wild disco party gives them away and, as the Bergens prepare to revive their annual Trollstice feast day, Poppy joins forces with the Branch (Justin Timberlake), the world’s only unhappy Troll, to rescue her friends from the cooking pot.

Featuring the voices of Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Prince Gristle, the young ruler of the Bergens, Zooey Deschanel as the maid who’s secretly in love with him, Gwen Stefani as the Trolls’ DJ and Russell Brand, Icona Pop and James Corden as fellow Trolls as well as a whole bunch of new and old songs sung by its stars, this may not be for anyone older than their shoe size, but it’s still an irrepressibly fun ride. 92 mins. Also in 2D.

Storks 3D (U)
Back in the day, storks deliver babies, but, following an incident in which one of the birds (Danny Trejo) tried to keep the tot for himself, breaking her, quite literal, homing beacon in the process, they got out of the baby business and now deliver parcels from their Corner Store HQ on Storm Mountain.

Top of the delivery tables is Junior (Andy Samberg) who is thrilled to be told by Hunter (Kelsey Grammar), the big boss who uses little birds as golf balls, that he’s going to be promoted to take over from him at the upcoming StorkCon shareholders meeting. But first, he has to fire Tulip (Katie Crown), who, the baby that never got delivered, still lives with them. Now that she’s 18th (and also because she tends to cause all kinds of chaos), Hunter says it’s time she became part of the human world. However, faced with telling her, Junior just can’t get the words out and, instead, tells her she’s been given a job in the letter sorting office. Which she should never leave. Given that nobody writes asking for babies any more, she’s bored out of her head and spends the time talking to herself, acting out (with the help of a pliable hairdo) different personas, each of them excruciating annoying.

Meanwhile, out in people land, his real estate parents (Ty Burell and Jennifer Aniston) always too busy to spend any time with him, young Nate decides he’d like a baby brother, one with ninja skills. Mum and dad dismiss the idea, but, finding an old leaflet about the stork service, he writes a letter which duly winds up in Tulip’s hands and, before Junior can stop her, goes into and reactivates the baby making machine. Now they find themselves with an unexpected tot to deliver, before the meeting and before Hunter finds out. Junior, however, has injured his wing, but, fortunately, Tulip’s cobbled together a makeshift plane.

Without prolonging the agony of explaining things, suffice to say that Tulip’s maternal instincts mean the mission doesn’t go as planned, leaving the trio being pursued by wolves and, thanks to the aptly named Pigeon Toady, quite possibly the most annoying animated character ever, their secret is revealed to Hunter. And to top it all, Jasper, the stork who tried to abduct Tulip in the first place, also turns up, determined to rectify his screw up. All of which somehow manages to end up with Nate’s intended sibling in the custody of Hunter’s penguins and the baby machine churning them out like rabbits.

Mercifully, there are some good moments (almost all of them involving Alpha and Beta, the two wolves who fall for the cute pink-haired infant, and the way the pack is forever forming itself into things like a plane or submarine), but they’re mostly overwhelmed by the unrelenting screech elsewhere. Undemanding four-year-olds may be entertained, but, unfunny, relentless and charmless, the best thing to be said is that it’s not as bad as the profoundly tedious The Master: a Lego Ninjago Short that precedes it. A bundle of joy it is not. 87 mins. Also in 2D.

Top tips for family trips

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Making sure a family day out goes smoothly and everyone has a day to remember… for all the right reasons!

Plan ahea
Plan your journey to avoid the stresses of getting lost on route with excitable children in tow! It also helps to pack the bag you’re taking the night before to stop the morning scramble.

Pack some spare clothes
No matter how old your children are take spare clothes with you, then they can relax and get messy or wet even if it wasn’t in the plan. I take a unisex variety so that it doesn’t matter who ends up wearing them!

Snacks to the rescue!
You can never take too many snacks! Keep separate snack boxes/ bags for each child to avoid arguments! Even better if they can pop them in their own backpack.

Money Money Money
Take loose change with you, especially £1 coins and keep it handy. Many attractions have ‘extra’ activities you can do such as; feeding animals or rides and often this costs £1 or so, plus there might be parking charges.

Prepare the children
Keep behaviour on track by preparing your children for the frustrations they may experience during the day. For example ‘sometimes we will have to queue up’ or ‘you will need to stay quiet when we go in…..area’.

Take wellies/walking shoes
Some places might get muddy when it has rained and no one wants to get their shoes caked in mud. Also, take plastic bags to put the wellies in after so you can keep the car clean!

Plan for any ‘boring bits’
Have some games in mind encase the kids get a little bored. Make a bingo list or treasure hunt, if you are in a museum or gallery they might have a trail for you to follow or even activity packs, ask at reception when you arrive.

Sun protection
With the weather always being changeable it is a good idea to always carry sun cream, sunglasses and sun hats.

Keep a basic makeup set/ hairbrush in the car for the days when it was easier just to get everyone out of the house before making yourself look presentable!

Money-saving family days out

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Find out what’s on at your local museum or library
Museums and libraries often have great children’s activities planned for the school holidays many of which are free! Don’t forget to check out our website for places to visit which are local to you. You can even filter your search to find attractions with free entry only!

We all know how much a family day out can cost at top attractions and we’re left thinking it would be cheaper to go abroad! However, when you’re planning a well-earned family day out check out our ticket portal for seriously great savings at top attractions around the UK! We’ve helped thousands of families save money on their days out, and we’d love to help you too! Find out more.

Enjoy the great outdoors
Check out local farms, parks and nature reserves as there is always loads going on during the school holidays such as nature trails and bug hunts. There are some great activities for the children at National Trust properties which include den building and fossil hunting. You’ll find some great days out inspiration on our website which includes farms, nature reserves and country parks so be sure to check it out!

Open (and close) your kitchen
Do you ever find that after a day at home with the kids, you’re left with a very bare looking fridge and cupboards? More often or not, bored children means ‘hungry’ munchkins, so why not open and close your own kitchen for meal times only! I’ve found that closing the kitchen by 9am after breakfast, opening for an hour at lunchtime, and then reopening for tea time really does banish the kitchen raiders.

Go to the cinema from just £2.49! – Vue Cinema
every Saturday and Sunday morning from 10am, plus every day during the school holidays
(check the website for updated price and availability)

Vue cinemas across the country are offering cinema seats from just £2.49 during the school holidays as a part of their ‘mini mornings’! There are some fab films on offer that children will love such as The Boss Baby, Smurf: The Lost Village, Spiderman: Homecoming and more! Probably best to book ahead, especially on rainy days!
Bowling from just £1 per person! – Superbowl UK, various location
9-10am everyday

For a truly traditional fun family day out why not take the kids bowling where Superbowl UK have prices starting from just £1 per person! Perfect for rainy days, and even super hot days there really is so much to do to keep the kids entertained as well as hiring a bowling lane!

Take a picnic
If you were to add up the amount spent during the day out with the kids, a large proportion goes on food and drink! Always pack a picnic, along with snacks and plenty of drinks for all the family. If you’re going somewhere where the kids are likely to clock the sweets – visit the pound shop beforehand and buy a stash of your own which works out so much cheaper!Save your change

Keep some change handy for car parking. There’s nothing worse than having to nip to a shop just to break into a note, plus paying for car parking using your phone often comes with a surcharge.

Try out new places

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York, Yorkshire
This picturesque town, located in North Yorkshire, is the perfect place to bring your budding little historians! Head to the York Castle Museum to get an insight into Edwardian and Victorian life in York, or pay a visit to the Jorvik Viking Centre to discover why they’re so popular. It’s also a must for chocolate lovers with the fab York’s Chocolate Story! If you’ve got a little thrill seeker in tow, be sure to check out Lightwater Valley to take on Europe’s longest roller coaster; The Ultimate!

Cardiff, Wales
This beautiful town offers lots of varied and entertaining fun for all of the family! Explore Cardiff Bay on The Open Boat; a lovely steam boat that offers amazing views of the harbour, or head over to Cardiff Castle to learn all about this town’s fascinating medieval history. Fans of Doctor Who will love the Doctor Who Experience for an immersive journey through space and time!

Lymington, New Forest
For those after an escape to the forest, Lymington is the place to be! Situated on the edge of the New Forest, this port town is renowned as a sailing resort and is home to lots of lovely independent boutiques… perfect for budding little fashionistas! For those after a slice of culture, head on over to St. Barbe Museum and Art Gallery to marvel at amazing artwork and have a go at one of their family friendly trails. Hiring a bike and exploring the nearby woodland is also a must for active families looking to work up a pre-pub appetite!

Dartmouth, Devon
If you’re looking for active filled family day out with a spectacular backdrop, Dartmouth is your one stop destination! From cycling, walking and an array of outdoor activities, you really are spoilt for choice. This is as well as amazing historic houses, gardens, castles and museums, such as Dartmouth Castle. If you’re looking to delve deeper into the countryside, the Dartmoor National Park is only a short drive away from the town centre!

Falmouth, Cornwall
If you’ve got a budding surfer dude or dudette in tow, or are a lover of the seaside, Falmouth is the place to be! With a stunning beach that offers a variety of activities such as rockpooling, sailing, snorkelling and SUP paddle boarding, your little beach bums won’t know where to start first. Head on over to the National Maritime Museum to find out all about this lovely town.

Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery

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We’re always delighted to discover an indoor day out for those miserable rainy days.

If you fancy a spontaneous visit to Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery in Aylesbury – it won’t disappoint, packed with fun and exciting children’s things to do and see, your little one’s will love this.

You purchase your ticket through the Buckinghamshire Museum next door and then walk around the corner to the glass elevator and ring the doorbell where one of the team will let you in, take your coats and show you the way.

The gallery is a fully interactive experience with exhibits inspired by Roald Dahl’s stories. Children had delight in crawling through Fantastic Mr Fox’s tunnel and looking at minibeasts and other items through the telescopes inside James’ Giant Peach. They found the sounds they could make with the BFG exhibit hilarious and spent ages in the “freeze your own shadow” room.

The gallery is educational, interactive and fun, you can spend a good 2 hours in the gallery and then you can visit the Buckinghamshire museum, which had a number of exhibits to keep the children entertained. The museum also has a café if you fancy a drink or something to eat while you’re there.

Details:
Location: Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery, Bucks County Museum, Church Street, Aylesbury HP20 2QP
Tel: 01296 331441

Opening times for the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery:
Summer opening 1 April to 29 October: Saturdays 10am – 5pm.

School Holiday Openings
October Half Term
21 – 28 October: open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm

Prices:
Child (4-17yrs) £5.50
Under 4s: By Donation
Adult: £7.70
Family/group ticket: £22.00 (4 people including at least 1 adult).

Try KidZania London

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With the weather being unpredictable in the UK, that doesn’t have to stop you this half term! KidZania London is a mini-city that kids can explore for themselves. They can try their hand at being a firefighter, fashionista, and even flying a Starship model through the Atlas Star System!

1. New: Starlink Space Station
Pilots will learn how to build their own modular Starship model before embarking on a journey through the Atlas Star System, testing and navigating their ship with Nintendo Switch. Kids will learn lots about the solar system as they adventure through space!

2. Nintendo Labo Workshop
Kids can use the Nintendo Labo kits to create their own RC car. They can take their decorated car home with them after the session. This is then used with the Nintendo Switch consoles to bring the games to life! Discover other models too including a fishing rod, piano, and even a robot!

3. Shop till you drop in Westfield London!
If your kids are 8 years or older, they can explore KidZania independently and you can enjoy 4 hours of shopping!

4. Adults can enjoy the fun too!
KidZania is so cool that Mum’s and Dad’s will want to get stuck in too! Although most of KidZania’s activities are especially for kids where adults can supervise through the viewing windows, There are a few activities where adults can join in too! Grown-ups will love the Alder Hey Hospital A&E, TV Studio, Stadium, City Tour Bus and British Airways aviation academy! Go on, you know you want to!

What have you been up to? We’d really love to know! Someone else might love it, and really want a go! If you’ve got ideas, suggestions or reviews, you can shout all about it on whatever channel you choose!