Summer Half-Term

Looking for fun things to do with the kids this Whitsun? Then check out our Summer Half-Term events for the whole family across Essex.

Click on each one for more details, or look at the Things to Do section for full half-term listings by area

 

BASILDON

Barleylands

• Inflatable 5k obstacle run– The UK’s biggest and best Inflatable obstacle course 5k run has just gotten even BIGGER, Bouncier and Better.

First Kicks

• Football Camp – 3 day half term football course.

Mayflower High School

• Camp 4 Champs – A safe, inspiring and exciting multi-skills activity camps where kids aged 4-14 can have fun, make friends and learn new skills.

Mega Camp! 

• June Camp – A dedicated children’s sports and activity camp running throughout the holidays, jam packed with fun for everyone!

Thameside 

• Bug Hunting – Go on a Bug Hunt and find many of the insects that call Thameside their home.
• Dens & Fires – Den Building and Campfire Cooking in the woods.

Winger Sports Academy 

• Sports Holiday Camp – Football, Dodgeball, Rounders, Cricket, Basketball, Street Futsal, Street Cricket, Street Ball, American Ball Tag, Urban Golf, Survivor, Competition Day (Sporting Challenges) and plenty more!!

BRAINTREE

Colne Valley Railway

• Steam Open Day – a steam or diesel train ride on our demonstration railway,
  large and interactive model railway, updated museum and interpretation centre, post office sorting coach.

Hedingham Castle

• Knights of Royal England Joust – On the late May Bank Holiday Weekend, the historic park and gardens of Hedingham Castle will be full of medieval magic as the Knights of Royal England return to give battle in front of the ancient walls. With two Jousts to enjoy, there will be plenty of action as the grounds are full of fun activities, with something suitable for all the family. Enjoy a host of displays, musicians, archery and much more, as well as food stalls serving a variety of delicious cuisine, make this a fabulous day out.

 

BRENTWOOD

Epping Ongar Railway

• A journey through the Essex countryside – Take a scenic ride through the Essex countryside on board our diesel multiple unit, which offers panoramic views. See how much wildlife you can spot – you can often see deer in the fields alongside the line!

Happy Child Soccer 

• Half Term Soccer School – Held in conjunction with Great Danes FC.

Mega Camp! 

• June Camp – A dedicated children’s sports and activity camp running throughout the holidays, jam packed with fun for everyone!

Premier Sport

• June half term Multi-Sport Holiday Camp –  A camp that introduces children to a wide variety of sports, including basketball, football and tennis to name just a few. It’s a huge, exciting session with more sports than you can kick a ball at.
  

UK Football camps

• Half term camp – Fun and Safe Football for Reception to Year 6 (4-12 years of age)

Wild Forest

• Nuclear Races Just Get Over It! – 90 MINUTES OF OBSTACLE ACTION PACKED FUN Land & Water Obstacles

 

CASTLE POINT

Camp Epic! 

• Half Term Fun! –  The biggest and best holiday camp ever! Bouncy Castles, Bubble Football, Lego Days, Nerf Wars over 30 sports, arts and other activities.

 

CHELMSFORD

Blackwater Alpacas and Pygmy Goats

• Half Term Private Farm Tours –  Meet and feed our Alpaca Trekking team, do a spot of our famous goat fishing. Feed the main herd of pygmy goats. Next visit our female alpacas and cria. Then a visit in our Pygmy Goat nursery paddock, meet the nannies and stroke or cuddle the Pygmy Goat kids. Stroke or hold Elvis the tiny bantam cockerel and children then go to collect the eggs!

Get In! Sports School

• Holiday Fun – Children can get back to fun with our holiday courses and camps for ages 2 to 16 at participating venues across Chelmsford.

Hurleys Farm

• Family Fun at the Farm – There’ll be five zones of activity including craft workshops; featuring our family favourite Slime Lab and new for 2021 the Dino Mask workshop, where kids can get up close and personal with Terrence the Triceratops! In the Active Zone, you’ll find big and bouncy inflatables, a Circus Skills workshop and a Soccer Skills workshop. There’s also Fun and Games with giant garden games and a crazy golf adventure.

Hylands House & Estate

• All about Dogs! – The All About Dogs Show is the UK’s FAVOURITE dog event for dogs of all shapes and sizes – and it’s returning to Hylands Park.  Bring your dog for two days full of exciting arena displays, expert advice, shopping and lots of fun have-a-go activities including the popular Fun Dog Shows where you and your dog can win rosettes, K9 Aqua Sports, talent competitions and more…

Mega Camp! 

• June Camp – A dedicated children’s sports and activity camp running throughout the holidays, jam packed with fun for everyone!

MRFA Soccer Camp

• Half Term Holiday Course –  Our holiday courses are M.R.F.A.’s perfect introduction to football and we provide children with fun-filled activities to burn off some of their energy over the school half-terms! Players have fun whilst learning new skills and socialising with children from other schools in the local area with the same interests.

COLCHESTER

Abberton Reservoir 

• Abberton Drop-off Day (Over 5’s) – Get back to nature! Explore wildlife and learn bush craft skills at our school holiday drop-off days.
• Pond Dipping –  Join our education officer to use nets and discover who is living in the pond!

Beth Chatto Gardens

• Green Art Academy – Garden Art Drop off Day for older Children – If you enjoy making art in different ways and being outside in the garden you’ll find your unique inner artist at the Green Art Academy! Looking at the garden in different ways will give us ideas for exploring art materials and creating original artworks.

Carol Gale School of Dance

• Free Taster Session – A ‘Descendants’ themed workshop to come and see if drama, singing and dance is for you.

Colchester Castle

• Jolly Jester Trail –  With the school half term holidays fast approaching, why not join us for at Colchester Castle for a little extra fun?  Can you beat the Castle’s Jester? Solve the clues, reveal the riddles and find your way around our fun-filled activity trail.

East Anglian Railway Museum

• Half Term Diesel Days –  Always popular with families and those looking after the kids whilst the parent(s) may be at work, it’s a great opportunity to visit the museum and have a ride in one of our Diesel Trains or in a vintage wagon pulled by one of our diesel locos! heck out our working Restoration Shed, the magnificent Victorian Goods Shed, period Waiting Rooms & Signal Box as well as the Heritage Centre & Kids Playground.

Energy Kidz Holiday Club

• Half Term Club – Holiday Clubs are now available for the May Half Term and Summer Holidays!

Fingringhoe Wick

• Bushcraft – What can we do in the woods? Join us to find out!
•  Minibeast Safari – Explore both the meadow and the woods to find out what lives at Fingringhoe!

Kidz Camp!

• June Camp –  A safe, fun & affordable experience every half term and school holiday. The perfect childcare provision in Essex for children aged 4-12.

Jungle Adventure

• Arts, Crafts and Lots of Laughs 

Layer Marney Tower

• Treasure Island – This Is My Theatre presents and open air performance of the swashbuckling tale ‘Treasure Island’

Mega Camp! 

• June Camp – A dedicated children’s sports and activity camp running throughout the holidays, jam packed with fun for everyone!

Marks Hall

• NATURE EXPLORER FAMILY TRAIL – Explore the Marks hall Estate Arboretum, discover interesting facts about the unusual natural world around us, answer quiz questions, and receive a sunflower prize to grow at home.

Riverside Ice & Leisure

• Intensive ice skating courses – This short course is for beginners who want to learn the basics of ice skating, and covers elements from Grades 1 to 3 of the Skate UK programme.

School’s Out Activity Camps

• Holiday Camp

 

EPPING FOREST

Epping Ongar Railway

• A journey through the Essex countryside – Take a scenic ride through the Essex countryside on board our diesel multiple unit, which offers panoramic views. See how much wildlife you can spot – you can often see deer in the fields alongside the line!

MRFA Soccer Camp

• Half Term Holiday Course –  Our holiday courses are M.R.F.A.’s perfect introduction to football and we provide children with fun-filled activities to burn off some of their energy over the school half-terms! Players have fun whilst learning new skills and socialising with children from other schools in the local area with the same interests.

Roding Valley Meadows & Nature Reserve

• Forest School – Get back to nature! Explore wildlife and learn bush craft skills at our school holiday Forest School drop-off days.
• Forest Fun – Explore, play and create in our woodland before toasting something delicious on the fire.

 

HARLOW

 

HAVERING

Lambourne End

• Adventure Academy 2021 – A day or a week of adventuring over half term.

Stubbers Adventure Centre 

• Smash Camp – The weather is heating up and we’re ready for an adventure! We’ve got brand new Fun Zones and Special Events planned. If you want an early taste of summer magic, you’ve come to the right place!

The Swim School 

• Intensive Holiday course – A holiday crash course can be a great boost for children already swimming or a great introduction to swimming for beginners. With children swimming for an hour a day Monday to Friday we get to cover a whole 10 week course in 5 days.

Valentines Mansion & Gardens

• Mars Rover Coding Challenge – Join Lab Central for this online activity and play the roles of a Mars rover, scientist and engineer to make exploration decisions and accomplish science goals. Learn, as a family, to write the basic command sequences which lay the groundwork for developing computer programming skills.

MALDON

Marsh Farm

• Superheroes & Princesses – Dress up as your favourite character and join us for a magical & exciting day as Superheroes and Princesses take over Marsh Farm!
  Explore the farm and meet the animals, get a hole in one on our crazy golf course, ride our brand new train and meet some of your favourite superheroes and princesses.

Museum of Power

• Fun Day for Kids – Kids crafts, toys, bouncy castles & rides, museum hunts, magician, children’s storytelling, party entertainment and more fun activities. Eastseaxe – Viking and Anglo Saxon Re-enactment and 1 free train ride for every child.

REDBRIDGE

Valentines Mansion & Gardens

• Mars Rover Coding Challenge – Join Lab Central for this online activity and play the roles of a Mars rover, scientist and engineer to make exploration decisions and accomplish science goals. Learn, as a family, to write the basic command sequences which lay the groundwork for developing computer programming skills.

 

ROCHFORD

Bricks 4 Kidz

• LEGO Brick City Engineers! In-person LEGO Camp (ages 5-11)

Kidz Camp!

• June Camp –  A safe, fun & affordable experience every half term and school holiday. The perfect childcare provision in Essex for children aged 4-12.

Sport Star

• Holiday Club – With a new, exciting programme of sport and other activities, we’re committed to helping every child discover their talents, both on and off the field… as well as have a fantastic holiday full of fun! At Sport Star, every child can shine!

 

SOUTHEND

Bricks 4 Kidz

• LEGO Brick City Engineers! In-person LEGO Camp (ages 5-11)
• LEGO Bat league! In-person LEGO Camp (ages 5-11)

Hadleigh Castle

• Hadleigh Castle Adventure Game – Escape room style game, played in the castle grounds!

Leigh on Sea Skatepark

• Four Wheel Plank Club Skateboarding school – Fun packed group skateboard lessons with a qualified professional skateboard coach.

Sport Star

• Holiday Club – With a new, exciting programme of sport and other activities, we’re committed to helping every child discover their talents, both on and off the field… as well as have a fantastic holiday full of fun! At Sport Star, every child can shine!

Juniper Photography

• Flower Garden Mini Sessions: Sessions in the beautiful flower garden, or book two sessions for a springtime walk in the woods shoot.

Kidz Camp!

• June Camp –  A safe, fun & affordable experience every half term and school holiday. The perfect childcare provision in Essex for children aged 4-12.

Mega Camp! 

• June Camp – A dedicated children’s sports and activity camp running throughout the holidays, jam packed with fun for everyone!

Sarah’s Chocolate Kitchen

• Half Term Classes – We like to give you a space to create your widest dreams of making Choc Choc come to life.

Southend Rugby Football Club

• Rugby / Multi Sport Camp – Rugby skills and games plus multi-sport fun!

Thorpe Hall School

• Energize Essex – A full programme of multi sports activities throughout the summer half term.

TENDRING

 

THURROCK

Thameside 

• Bug Hunting – Go on a Bug Hunt and find many of the insects that call Thameside their home.
• Dens & Fires – Den Building and Campfire Cooking in the woods

 

UTTLESFORD

Audley End miniature Railway

• Wildlife Week! –  Revolving around our NEW Nature Corner, the big world of little creatures. Wildlife Week will teach your children all about the different habitats, insects and creatures you may find in the wild, or even at the Railway!  Featuring Bug Hotels, Wormery’s, Bird Boxes, Ant Houses and much more, your children will learn an abundance of knowledge as they venture through the Nature Corner that they can keep with them forever. Using their Wildlife Week Worksheet they can tick off when they have learnt all the different topics throughout the day.
• Kids Rule! at Half Term – Join us in the grounds of the house to watch performances, listen to storytellers and spend time as a family in the great outdoors.

Mount Fitchet Castle

• THE DARK SIDE TO MEDIEVAL LIFE – New attraction for 2021

Saffron Walden Museum

• Half Term Activities – 30 minute sessions.

ONLINE

Junior Game Creators

• Virtual Holiday Workshops – Junior Game Creators is a family of fun, educational clubs and workshops with inbuilt social impact. Designed to kickstart and develop an interest in computer science through video games. Our online sessions and clubs are where code meets the creative arts.

 

We are still gathering events for this year. If you have one to submit, please do so using the button at the top of this page. Thank you