How lucky are we, to have so many free or low-cost events for children and families over the summer holidays?… Enjoy walks and kite flying on the Heath, Priory Memorial Gardens or Ashwell Springs for a fun day out.
The Listing has gathered the best of the events on offer in Royston, SG8 and the wider area, to help you entertain your little ones throughout the long summer break.
In addition, don’t forget to check out our Children and Families section online, which is full of holiday clubs and activities on offer too.
1. Come and see the vibrant umbrella display throughout Royston town centre, share your pics online #RoystonUmbrellas, and take part in the free Children’s Trails, until 3rd August, with a second trail from Fri 16th-Sat 31st Aug
2. Royston Museum invites you to Time Travel through thousands of years of history with a series of craft events, exploring a different part of our history each week. Just £3 per child, or take advantage of our summer holiday pass, £6 for all 6 weeks, and open every Thursday to Sunday through the holidays.
3. Royston Museum invites children aged 8+ to get creative and learn something new with a series of workshops from collage to clay, printmaking to photography. Each session lasts 90 minutes and is led by a talented facilitator. Just £10 per child, pre-booking required. Please visit www.roystonmuseum.org.uk/what-s-on for the full programme and booking information
4. Melbourn Hub Library is running a Children’s Summer Art Competition, themed on “My favourite story character” Pop in to Melbourn Hub to pick up an instruction form.
5. The Summer Reading Challenge runs until 8th September at Royston Library. Children simply need to read at least 6 books during the summer break, and they’ll be rewarded with stickers along the way and a certificate, medal and pencil if they complete the challenge. There’ll be pop-up Maker Stations with creative activities available each week from junk modelling and LEGO challenges to craft and coding activities.
6. Enjoy the beach! We might be miles from the sea, but there are two to choose from this summer: The Common in Saffron Walden and The Market Place in Hitchin. Both run daily until 26th August. Royston might not have its own beach, but the Splash Park is open throughout the summer holidays.
7. Take a walk on the wild side at BRICKLIVE Grand Safari exhibition in Cambridge’s Grand Arcade during the summer holidays. There are 15 extraordinary creatures handcrafted entirely from tiny bricks to spot, and afterwards, why not pop into the Museum of Zoology nearby to see the real thing (or an animal close to it!). Grand Arcade also has family craaft workshops on Thurs 15th & Tues 20th Aug from 11am -1pm.
8. Stapleford Granary (CB22 5BP) launches its Natural World Discovery Room where Art and nature intertwine. Suitable for ages 3+, explore the natural world with interactive displays about the landscape, trees, collecting, birds and the earth beneath us. Free admission, drop in. Find out more at https://bit.ly/NaturalWorldDiscoveryRoom. They’re also running Crafty Thursdays & Messy Tuesdays on selected dates, with drop-in activities suitable for age 3+, including mini herb gardens, sun catchers, cardboard birds, mushrooms and fairy houses. No booking required and it costs just £4 per child, with all materials provided Find out more at https://bit.ly/CraftThursMessyTues
9. Outside of the Box in Royston are offering a wide selection of low cost family sessions, including crafting, lego, clay, chocolate making and much more. Visit www.ootb.pembee.app to book.
10. Cambridge Museums are offering a summer of family fun! Over 20 museums across Cambridgeshire are joining forces to run a jam-packed programme of free or low-cost events for families this summer. Fill your next family day out with hands-on activities, enjoy creative workshops, take on a trail, meet real scientists and much more, right on your doorstep. The full programme of activities can be found at www.museums.cam.ac.uk/theme/summer
