Summer Family Activities & Events 2023
Hooray, it’s nearly the holidays again! For some inspiration over the long school holidays, we’ve pulled together a listing of the goings on in the area that families can enjoy together. We’re adding more and more as and when things are announced, so do keep checking back. For camps and workshops that children can enjoy on their own, please visit our ‘Summer Camps & Workshops′ guide!
Details of all the events can also be found in our What’s On guide..
Richmond Borough & Nearby
22nd July – 31st August, 10.00am-4.30pm: Summer Of Play at Ham House.
- Grab all the family for fun-filled garden games in a giant playzone this summer holidays. The formal gardens will be transformed into the playzone where families can enjoy games including bowls, croquet, badminton, Jenga, and hoopla. The garden games trail will snake around Ham’s Inner and Outer Courtyards, South Terrace, The Plats and Wilderness, and will also include skipping challenges, a tangram puzzle, and a maze. Normal admission applies.
2nd – 6th August, 11.00am, 1.30pm & 4.00pm: Henry VIII’s Joust at Hampton Court Palace.
- Be dazzled by a real Tudor joust at the home of Henry VIII – a famous jouster himself. You will see up-close the pomp, ceremony and splendour of what it took to be in a joust. Then pick your favourite knight and cheer, jeer and follow all the fun of an epic face-off until one knight reigns supreme. Alongside the excitement of the joust, spectacular falconry displays will showcase the hunting techniques once popular with Henry VIII and the Tudor Court. Throughout the holidays, children can also run wild in the Magic Garden, and no trip is complete without a visit to the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze in the palace gardens. Normal admission applies.
Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway: Weekend Of Steam
19th & 20th August, 10.30am-4.00pm.
- Weekend of Steam! featuring Mizens Railway Miniature Ride-on Train Plenty of free parking. After your train journey, you can enjoy a picnic on the delightful picnic field with a great play area where the kids can run around freely and pretend to be a train driver on the ‘Kempton Flyer’ play train. Hot/cold drinks and snacks are available from the Ticket Office. Advance booking advised.
22nd July – 28th August, 11.00am & 2.00pm (70 mins): Theatre On Kew: Alice In Wonderland At Kew Gardens.
- An enchanting show for children and adults of all ages. Journey down the rabbit hole and enter a fantastical world inhabited by curiouser and curiouser characters. Join Alice as she searches for a way home, meeting the disappearing Cheshire Cat, the beautifully dressed Mad Hatter, and the bad-tempered Queen of Hearts who is busy painting the roses red. Set within the enchanting surroundings of Kew Gardens, this specially-commissioned, outdoor theatre performance is led by a very talented cast of actor-musicians. Booking essential (tickets also include entry to the Gardens).
London Museum Of Water And Steam
22nd July – 28th August, 10.00am-4.00pm: Play! at the London Museum Of Water & Steam in Brentford.
- School’s out for summer and it’s time to play! The Museum will be open Wednesday to Sunday, plus Bank Holiday Monday. They’re kicking things off with Imagineering where you’ll be using your imagination and taking part in some epic engineering challenges – can you build your own boat using recycled materials from home? And will it sail or sink? In August the Museum is exploring water. How does it move? What can we make with it? How can we play with it? And why does it exist? The last week in August is Nature Week. Join the Big Brentford Bug Hunt and craft activities for all the family. Throughout summer there will also be science shows, storytelling and crafts including lots of other events.. Normal admission applies.
London Wetland Centre (Barnes)
22nd July – 10th September, 9.30am-5.00pm: Drawn To Water: Quentin Blake at the London Wetland Centre in Barnes.
- Reimagine the wonder of wetlands and nature through the eyes of the UK’s best loved illustrator. Collect an illustrated guide full of Quentin Blake’s drawings and journey around the wonderful wetland world. There’s a whole host of art and illustration activities aimed at all ages and abilities, including nature-inspired creative challenges, art workshops and much more. Plus take part in crafty competitions with lots of Quentin Blake goodies up for grabs including the chance to win a one-off, special edition Quentin Blake print. Normal admission applies.
8th – 11th & 22nd – 25th August, 10.00am-12.00pm: Pretty Patchwork & Awesome Applique Workshops at The Museum Of Richmond.
- From 8th-11th August, turn simple scraps into something special! Using a WWII Patchwork dress as inspiration, explore the history of patchwork and how we can use it today to help us reduce, reuse and recycle. From 22nd-25th August, be inspired by an amazing historical survivor – the Museum’s Georgian embroidered waistcoat! Discover how it helps them explore what life was like in Georgian Richmond and why silk was such an important material at this time. Using a mix of real and replica historical objects from the Museum’s handling collection, workshops provide families with a hands-on experience where they learn more about the history of the local area, develop new skills by having a go at arts and craft activities, and spend quality time together. Workshops are aimed at children aged 5-11 years old. Workshops are £6.00 per child, adults are FREE. Booking essential.
24th July – 3rd September, 10.00am-5.00pm: Summer Of Play at Osterley.
- Head down to Osterley this summer and discover many ways to play! Get active on the Front Lawn with football, table tennis or cycle hire (Weds-Sun). Or head into the Gardens to hone your skills, get creative with some wild art or have a go at nature bingo. Head to the Temple of Pan to discover a performance space. Summer of Play is sponsored by Starling Bank. Normal admission applies.
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