FREE Summer Holiday Activities 2023: Week 4

In the words of Bon Jovi ‘Whoa, we’re halfway there!’ And as we reach the mid-way point of the summer holidays, it definitely feels like we’ve been living on a prayer.

Prayers were certainly answered when the sun came out on our visit to Bodiam Castle. We checked out their Summer of Play activities, tried their new trail, joined in with Knight School and had ice creams overlooking the stunning castle.

It was a bit too hectic for us at the Matt and Fiona Build & Play summer residency at Museum of the Home, so we caught up with a friend over their foyer craft instead.

The Planet & Plants family day at Westminster Abbey was that rare, wonderful combination of relaxed but interesting. Museum Girl’s personal highlight was printing her own bookmark, using only leaves, paper and a rubber mallet! We lunched during the brass band concert and finished with storytelling in their bell tent.

Today we were wowed by cobwebs at Webs of Life at the Serpentine Gallery. And after playing the experimental video game Third World: The Bottom Dimension in Serpentine North Gallery, the kids went had more gaming - this time retro style - at Power Up in the Science Museum.

I’d love to hear how you’re getting on. Hit reply, post in my Facebook group or DM me on Instagram to let me know what your family are enjoying (or otherwise).

FREE Summer Holiday Activities: Week 4

Stave off boredom for nothing - here's my pick of completely FREE family activities this week in London! For times and any booking info, click the link.

I’ve shared up to 5 suggestions a day and indicated if they run on other dates.

Don’t forget there’s plenty more ideas - paid and free - for every week of the summer in my ultimate guide to the Summer Holidays blog post.

Monday 14 August 2023

1. See what you can design, make, play, build, and imagine with Imagineer and Imagine Bamboo at Summer on the Square, WC2. Drop in. Runs 14-16 August.

2. Join a musical quest through Sailortown to find the perfect gift in Pirate party present hunt at Museum of London Docklands, E14. First come, first served. Also 21 August.

3. It’s your last week to catch Morph’s epic art adventure trail, across City and Central London. Drop in, until 20 August. There’s special closing events on 19 and 20 August, book.

4. Meet Peppa Pig and her family at the Natural History Museum’s pop-up themed shop. SW7, drop in. Every Monday until 10 September.

5. Make your own comic story in Manga workshop with mayamada at Queen’s Park Library, W10. Book. Ages 7+.

Tuesday 15 August 2023

1. Become the crafty inventors of the future in Time Travel Craft Club: The Environment at the National Archives, TW9. Book/drop in. Every Tuesday in August.

2. Water play in Play outdoors Tuesdays at National Maritime Museum, SE10. Drop in. Under 5s. Every Tuesday until 3 September.

3. Explore sun-based photography and create large-scale blue-and-white prints in Cyanotype design day at A House for Artists, IG11. Book. Ages 8-14.

4. Dens, foraging and camouflage crafts in Survival skills! at Railway Fields, N4. Book.

5. Get musical in Family steel pan workshop with the Steel Pan Agency in Canons House and Grounds, CR4. Book, ages 6+.

Wednesday 16 August 2023

1. Family day: Covert and classified at Westminster Abbey, SW1. Book.

2. Paint medicinal plants with watercolours in Painting Plants by Toya Walker at Museum of the Order of St John, EC1. Drop in.

3. Bust a move in a centuries’ old warehouse in Street Styles and Street Styles for Under 5s at Museum of London Docklands, E14. First come, first served.

4. Puppetry, music and laughter in Wagon of dreams outdoor family theatre show at North Woolwich Library, E16. Book.

5. Explore sensory objects and play with craft materials in Sensory Wednesdays at Mosaic Rooms, SW5. Drop in.

Thursday 17 August 2023

1. Create a series of fun movement sequences inspired by art in Moving Colours, Moving Selves at Summer on the Square, WC2. Drop in. Runs 17-20 August.

2. Build a home for elves and try a pirate orienteering challenge in Peter Pan at LookOut Discovery Centre, Hyde Park. Book/drop in. Runs 15-17 August 2023.

3. There’s three family activities taking place at Chisenhale Gallery, E3: Building a city with Esther Gamsu, Let’s dance beginner Lindy hop class, and Found out. Book.

4. Discover the secrets of portraiture and create your own self-portrait to take home in Portraiture at Benjamin Franklin House, WC2. Book, ages 5-12.

5. Prepare WW2 soldiers for an important mission in Parachute Drop at National Army Museum, SW3. Drop in, ages 5+. Runs 15-18 August.

Friday 18 August 2023

1. Design and wear your dream shoes with customised accessories at Royal Docks, E14. Drop in.

2. Summer family Fridays at Young V&A, E2. Drop in.

3. Take a trail through Two Temple Place for their Summer family day. WC2, book.

4. Create small bug prints in Wonderful Wandle Wildlife: Mini Beasts Printmaking Workshops at Honeywood Museum, SM5. Book.

5. Make animations which respond to political, social and environmental issues in The Hundred Club x Mary Martins at Woolwich Works, E15. Book.

Daily, all drop in

1. Play studio at Tate Britain, SW1. Daily throughout the school holidays.

2. Family hub: Flight academy at IWM London. Until 25 August.

3. LEGO® build the change: Helping today’s dinosaurs at Natural History Museum. SW7, drop in. Until 1 September, Mondays-Fridays.

4. Growing curiosities: The science of gardens at the Garden Museum, SE1. Until 14 September.

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FREE weekend activities: 12-13 August 2023

All out of weekend ideas? Here’s plenty of inspiration, all completely free. Plus they’re either drop in or still have spaces - just click the link for timings and any booking info before heading out.

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 August 2023

1. Float through an underwater paradise of dynamic projections for a profound reminder of the beauty and fragility of our oceans in Red Rope at Southbank Centre, SE1.

2. Afterwards, Craft a coral reef with IMPACT Theatre at Southbank Centre, SE1.

3. It’s your last chance to see Mars: War & Peace by Luke Jerram in Jubilee Square, W8. Closes 13 August.
   
   

Saturday 12 August 2023

1. Aardman model making workshops at Inside Out Festival in Leicester Square, WC2.

2. Creatures of the Yard workshop in partnership with Crafts Council in Coals Drop Yard, N1.

3. Summer Fun Day at Polka Theatre, SW19.

4. Join Olivia Armstrong for Planet and Plants themed Story Saturdays at Westminster Abbey, SW1.

5. Design your dream London in Second Saturday at Guildhall Art Gallery, EC2.

6. Celebrate Windrush 75 at Culture Fest: The Carnival Edition in Fellowship Square, E17.

7. Anansi and the Lost Sun at Greenwich Park presented by Swallow’s Wings, SE10.

8. Make a strawberry summer puppet with Little Angel Theatre at Angel Central, N1.

9. Punch and Judy with 6FootStories at Stoneford Community Garden, RM10.

Sunday 13 August 2023

1. Vintage toy roadshow with Pollock’s Toy Museum, cartoon workshop with The Cartoon Museum and more at Fitzrovia Fete, W1.

2. Folk Family Sunday at Kings Cross Summer Sounds, Coal Drops Yard, N1.

3. Fashion your own sailor hats and treasure maps in a pirate-themed Make History at Old Royal Naval College, SE10.

4. Experiment with wood and plastic scraps to make an open-ended assemblage in Open Sundays at Pitzhanger, W5.

5. Kids and grown ups can enter Sutton Parks ‘Landscape Artist of the Year’ competition and Create a chalk art trail with Doug Shaw at Manor Park, SM1.

6. ‘Choogh Choogh’ with Beeja at Park Hill Park, CR0. Under 5s.
   

Have a fantastic weekend everyone, and here’s to a successful week 4!

Until next time,

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