PEPPA PIG SPACE ADVENTURE

Designed for preschoolers and early-years children, Peppa Pig Space Adventure blends storytelling and play in a calm, welcoming environment ‘where families can explore together’. The experience is a walk-through adventure rather than a stage show, with each space inspired by Peppa’s world.

NEC, Birmingham, until Sunday 8 November

Peppa Pig Space Adventure


JURASSIC FUN AT THINKTANK

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum is bringing dinosaurs to life this month with a series of family-friendly events that combine creativity, storytelling, cinema and hands-on animal encounters. 

Young visitors can unleash their imagination in the Head Workshop with Tat Vision on Wednesday 22 July, creating their own wearable dinosaur-inspired creations made from recycled materials... 

Budding palaeontologists can enjoy DinoSTORY Time (Thursday 23 & 30 July), an interactive storytelling session packed with prehistoric adventures, audience participation and plenty of dinosaur roars... For movie lovers, Cinema Under The Stars: Early Man (Saturday 25 July) offers a unique planetarium screening experience, combining comedy and prehistoric fun in an immersive setting... 

Jurassic Encounters with Zoolab (Tuesday 28 July) provides an up-close introduction to numerous creatures through themed animal-handling sessions, helping families explore the links between modern animals and their ancient ancestors.

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, throughout July

Jurassic Fun at Thinktank


MAJESTIC MONARCHS OF THE GUILDHALL

Families can enjoy an experience packed with royal history and hands-on activities at St Mary’s Guildhall this month.

Running until the August Bank Holiday weekend, Majestic Monarchs Of The Guildhall invites visitors to discover the stories of kings and queens connected to the historic property. Admission includes guided tours, family trails and gaming kiosks.

Younger visitors can take part in the Royal Progress family trail or tackle the Crown Jewels Quest, while royal-themed crafts and historical costumes offer plenty of opportunity to enjoy some creative fun. 

Visitors will also encounter Tudor characters preparing a feast in the Medieval Kitchen, bringing centuries of history vividly to life.

St Mary’s Guildhall, Coventry, until Sunday 30 August

Majestic Monarchs Of The Guildhall


WILD BRICKS

Dudley Zoo & Castle is providing a home for some extra animals - of the brick variety - throughout this month, courtesy of a special interactive trail. 

The Wild Bricks trail features life-sized models of endangered animals - including an orangutan, giant panda and African elephant - which have been made from thousands of colourful toy bricks... The trail is included in the price of admission to the zoo.

Dudley Zoo and Castle, until Monday 31 August

Wild Bricks!


A WHALE OF A SUMMER

Art, photography, family activities, and thought-provoking discussions inspired by the natural world all feature in Lichfield Cathedral’s programme of school summer holiday entertainment.

Attractions include Scottish sculptor Tessa Campbell Fraser’s Whales, a striking installation - suspended within the cathedral nave - comprising three life-sized models of sperm whales. Made using recycled ghost netting and other materials, the artwork highlights the impact of human activity on marine environments, at the same time celebrating the power of creativity to inspire change.

Cathedral visitors can also explore the Ocean Photographer Of The Year 2025 exhibition, showcasing more than 100 award-winning images of marine life and underwater ecosystems. 

Families can enjoy sea-themed crafts, activity trails and special-event days, while a series of talks and wellbeing sessions will encourage reflection on conservation and community.

The cathedral’s popular attraction The Beach is also open throughout the month, so bucket & spade at the ready...

Lichfield Cathedral, until Monday 31 August

A Whale of a Summer


SUMMER FUN AT BLACK COUNTRY LIVING MUSEUM

Step into history this month at the award-winning Black Country Living Museum.
Visitors can explore a recreated historic town, stroll along period high streets, follow a family discovery trail and meet characters from different eras. 
There’s plenty to keep all ages entertained, from traditional games and Edwardian school lessons, to industrial demonstrations and music from the past. 

Food lovers can pay a visit to the museum’s famous fish & chip shop, and families can round off their day with a ride on the vintage funfair. 
The venue will be staying open late every Friday throughout the month (until 8pm).
And as an added bonus, one day’s admission includes 12 months of free return visits, making it easy to enjoy everything the museum has to offer throughout the year.

Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, until Monday 31 AugusSummer Fun at Black Country Living Museum


UNEARTH THE PALAEOVERSE

Looking for places to take the kids during the school summer holidays? 
If so, how about making a beeline for the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, to check out this immersive Jurassic exhibition. 

Highlights include the chance to hunt for fossils in virtual reality, board a Jurassic submarine, draw a dinosaur and watch it animate across the wall, and strike the perfect prehistoric pose in the dressing-up zone.

Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, until Monday 31 August

Unearth the Palaeoverse


MEDIEVAL MOMENTS

 

Families can enjoy a medieval adventure at Sudeley Castle & Gardens throughout the school summer holiday.

Included with general admission, young visitors can check out an interactive Knight Trail set around the castle and grounds, in the process discovering what it took to become a medieval knight. Children can pick up a trail map and take part in a range of activities, including target practice, dressing up and challenges inspired by life as a squire and knight.

Costumed storytellers will also be on hand, sharing tales of chivalry and castle life. 

Storytelling sessions run from Wednesday 29 July to Monday 31 August, with falconry displays taking place on selected days.

Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire, until Monday 31 August

Medieval Moments


FARMARAMA

Bringing the beach to Burton-upon-Trent, Farmarama transforms the National Forest Adventure Farm into a family-friendly coastal escape, complete with five giant paddling pools, more than 250 tonnes of golden sand and plenty of opportunities for splashing, digging and sandcastle building. Visitors can enjoy daily seaside-themed entertainment, including live shows, sand art activities, and the ever-popular foam party. Families can also tackle the huge maize maze before exploring everything else the farm has to offer, from animal encounters and tractor rides to indoor soft-play areas and outdoor adventure zones. 

With ‘acres of activities’ included in admission, Farmarama offers a full day of summer holiday fun for people of all ages. 

Guests visiting before the 23rd of the month can take advantage of a free return visit offer.

National Forest Adventure Farm, Burton-upon-Trent, until Tuesday 1 September

Farmarama


ELMER HIDE & SEEK ADVENTURE TRAIL

Based on the much-loved patchwork elephant created by author & illustrator David McKee, the Elmer Hide & Seek Adventure Trail invites children to explore Weston’s beautiful parkland while searching for hidden Elmer characters and solving clues along the way. Designed for younger visitors and families, the interactive experience encourages outdoor exploration, imagination and teamwork, as children follow the trail through the estate’s gardens and grounds. 

Alongside the trail, families can make the most of Weston’s 1,000 acres of parkland and woodland. There’s an adventure playground to enjoy too, ideal for youngsters with plenty of summer-holiday energy to burn.

Weston Park, Shropshire, until Sunday 6 September

Elmer Hide & Seek Adventure Trail


54321FAB!

Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum is keeping families entertained throughout August with a packed programme of events inspired by its blockbuster 54321FAB! exhibition, celebrating the iconic worlds of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson. 

Alongside the chance to see original puppets, models and memorabilia from hit TV series including Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons and Stingray, visitors can also enjoy a range of hands-on activities... 

Every Thursday, Get Arty: 3…2…1…Make! invites children to create puppet characters and build imaginative secret bases inspired by Thunderbirds’ Tracy Island... 

FAB Fridays, meanwhile, provides young filmmakers with the chance to design their own characters and shoot mini adventures using tablets. 

Families can also pick up a FAB Creations activity bag or follow the International Rescue trail around the museum. 

Voice actor Marc Silk will host special Spotlight Talks on Saturday 1 and Saturday 29 August, while Museum After Hours returns on Friday the 21st with an adults-only evening celebrating all things FAB.

Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum, until Sunday 6 September

54321FAB!


THE GAME FAIR

One of the UK’s biggest celebrations of countryside life, The Game Fair returns to Ragley Hall across the last weekend of the month. 

Showcasing rural traditions, outdoor pursuits and country living, the event boasts a packed programme of displays, demonstrations and competitions, including shooting, fishing, falconry and gundog events. 
Opportunities to try activities such as clay shooting, fly fishing and dog scurries also feature.

Hundreds of exhibitors will be in attendance, selling countryside clothing, artisan crafts, outdoor equipment and food & drink. Camping is once again available, with more than 1,300 pitches on site, and options for caravans, motorhomes, campervans and roof tents. 

Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, Friday 24 - Sunday 26 July

The Game Fair


FESTIVAL OF SPORT

The Festival Of Sport returns to Packington Estate this month, bringing together children, parents and sporting legends for four days of coaching, competitions and entertainment.

Children aged four to 17 can take part in more than 20 sports, including rugby, hockey, athletics, football, rowing, boxing, archery and netball. 

Sessions are led by much-admired sporting stars. Paralympic archer Jodie Grinham, Olympic hockey champions Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, former athlete Derek Redmond, rugby internationals Ben Youngs and Alex Goode, and BMX champion Matti Hemmings will all be in attendance.

Adults can get involved in the event via a programme of fitness classes, wellness activities, yoga, pilates and expert-led talks.

Away from the sports fields, visitors can enjoy live music, DJs, an outdoor cinema, circus performers, food stalls and camping or glamping options. 

Friday only tickets are £35 and kids go FREE.

Packington Estate, Warwickshire, Friday 24 - Monday 27 July

The Festival Of Sport

 


TALLY HO! THURSDAYS: POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY

Young recruits can step into the highly polished shoes of a police officer this month, as the West Midlands Police Museum hosts a number of special interactive sessions.

Inspired by the famous Tally Ho! police training centre, the family-friendly experience gives children the chance to tackle a series of fun challenges designed to test the skills needed for a career in policing. 

West Midlands Police Museum, Birmingham, Thursday 30 July, Thursday 6, Thursday 13, Thursday 20 & Thursday 27 August

Tally Ho! Thursdays: Police Training Academy


DISCOVER DINOSAURS AT THINKTANK

Thinktank is hosting a packed programme of dinosaur-themed family activities throughout the school summer holiday. 

Young explorers can enjoy DinoSTORY Time on Thursday 6, 13, 20 & 27 August, featuring interactive storytelling and prehistoric adventures... 

The creatively inclined can take part in Dinosaur Junk Modelling with local artist & comedian Tat Vision on Wednesday the 19th, using recycled materials to build their very own dinosaur-inspired creations...

Visitors can meet fascinating creatures and learn about life in the prehistoric world with Jurassic Encounters With ZooLab on Thursday the 27th, whilst families can enjoy Professor Egg N Egg on Wednesday the 12th. Dino Lab sessions - featuring dinosaur discovery experiences and hands-on science activities - take place throughout the month.

The museum will also host Cinema Under The Stars screenings in the planetarium, with The Land Before Time and Godzilla showing on Saturday the 15th, and The Good Dinosaur and The Land That Time Forgot on Saturday the 29th. 

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, throughout August

Discover Dinosaurs at Thinktank


LUNT ROMAN FESTIVAL

Thousands of years of history will be brought to life when the Lunt Roman Festival returns this month.
The 2026 theme is Year Of The Dragon, with visitors to the event coming face-to-face with the legendary Bagradas Dragon. 

Roman battle reenactments, gladiator displays and living-history demonstrations also feature. 
Families can explore a bustling Roman marketplace, test their skills at archery, and take part in the popular Family Battle experience. 

The festival also features interactive play spaces for younger visitors, sensory-friendly activities and a range of food vendors.

Lunt Roman Fort, Baginton, Warwickshire, Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 August

Lunt Roman Festival 2026


VINTAGE TRANSPORT EXTRAVAGANZA

Bringing together an impressive celebration of transport history across six stations, Severn Valley Railway’s popular Vintage Transport Extravaganza returns this month. 

Visitors can travel behind heritage steam and diesel trains while exploring displays of classic cars, motorcycles, buses, tractors, traction engines and other vintage vehicles from across the decades. 
A highlight of the weekend takes place at Kidderminster, where enthusiasts can enjoy seeing a gathering of steam-powered traction engines in action. 

Meanwhile, along the route, stations will be hosting their own unique displays, while the Engine House at Highley offers the chance to get closer to historic locomotives and railway heritage. 

Severn Valley Railway, nr Kidderminster, Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 August

Vintage Transport Extravaganza


CIVIL WAR WEEKEND

History enthusiasts can step back in time to the turbulent days of the English Civil War when this popular Sudeley Castle event returns mid-month.

Set against the backdrop of the historic Gloucestershire castle, the event will bring the 17th century to life through immersive re-enactments, military drills and living-history displays. Members of Lord Hopton’s Regiment of Foote, part of the English Civil War Society, will recreate the story of Prince Rupert, nephew of King Charles I, who used Sudeley Castle as a Royalist headquarters during the conflict.

Visitors can watch dramatic skirmishes, witness pike drills accompanied by drummers, and explore a living-history camp, where reenactors provide fascinating insights into everyday life during the Civil War. 

Image: © Samuel Phelps

Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 August

Civil War Weekend


LUMINARIUM

Visitors to Compton Verney can step inside a spectacular world of light and colour this month, thanks to the return of the acclaimed Luminarium.

Created by Architects of Air, the immersive installation, known as Terceradix, is a winding maze of interconnected domes and pathways illuminated entirely by natural light. Designed to celebrate the company's 30th anniversary, the attraction promises ‘an unforgettable sensory experience’ for visitors of all ages.

Guests can explore the labyrinth at their own pace, whether following every twist and turn or simply relaxing within the colourful spaces. The installation is fully accessible, with a dedicated quieter session available for visitors who would benefit from a more relaxed environment.

Luminarium tickets also include admission to Compton Verney’s galleries, grounds and exhibitions.

Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Wednesday 26 - Mononday 31 August

Luminarium


TELFORD BALLOON FIESTA

One of Shropshire’s most popular family events, the Telford Balloon Fiesta returns late this month, taking over Telford Town Park across the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The three-day celebration will feature spectacular hot-air balloons, live entertainment and activities for all ages. 

Festivities begin with the popular Night Glow on the Friday evening, when illuminated balloons light up the sky in time to music during a special ticketed event.

The free-to-attend weekend programme includes parachute displays by the Wings Parachute Team, stunt performances, balloon-tethering demonstrations, live music, food & drink stalls, and a dedicated Kids’ Zone. 

A Community Carnival Day on the Sunday will showcase local talent via parades, dance performances and workshops. 

Weather permitting, the hot-air balloon launches will take place at 6am and 6pm.

Telford Town Park, Shropshire, Friday 28 - Sunday 30 August

Telford Balloon Fiesta


MEDIEVAL MAYHEM

Step back into the Middle Ages this Bank Holiday Monday as The Commandery hosts a day of medieval fun. 

Families can explore the historic site while taking part in hands-on activities designed to inspire budding knights and fascinate knowledge-hungry history enthusiasts. 

Young visitors can test their skills in Knight School, decorate their own shield, and follow the Knight’s Quest trail through one of Worcester’s most atmospheric buildings.

The Commandery, Worcester, Monday 31 August

Medieval Mayhem