It’s that point of 12 months when the youngsters are off college for an entire summer season and you’re left scratching your head attempting to consider methods to maintain them entertained.
This 12 months, there’s no want to fret as we’ve six weeks’ price of actions that will help you plan the right summer season holidays for you and your loved ones.
There’s a number of household enjoyable available in Kent in the course of the summer season holidays. Image: Leeds Fortress
WEEK 1
Fill your first week with a household journey to a historic fort, a high-octane monster truck rally, artistic craft classes and Tudor pageant…
MAIDSTONE MUSEUM
Get artful this summer season with a collection of arts and crafts workshops on the Maidstone Museum. Every week there might be plenty of classes that youngsters can become involved in, every with their very own distinctive theme. The classes embody Roman puppet making, Stone Age cave portray and wood spoon adorning.
Particulars: Tuesday, July 25 to Thursday, August 24 on the Maidstone Museum. E book on-line right here.
Absorb the Tudor historical past at Ightham Mote. Image: ©Nationwide Belief Photographs / Stuart Cox
IGHTHAM MOTE, Sevenoaks
Journey again in time for a Tudor summer season at this historic property. There might be a Tudor pageant to kick off the vacations on Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30 which options interactive demonstrations and immersive shows. There may even be an out of doors defend path, craft workshops and costumed characters over 5 weeks.
Particulars: Saturday, July 22 to Thursday, August 31 at Chartwell in Westerham. E book on-line right here, free for Nationwide Belief members.
Drive your very personal monster truck on the rally. Image: Monsterslam
QUEX PARK, Birchington-on-Sea
The high-adrenaline monster truck present Monsterslam returns to the coast for a day of action-packed, car-crushing enjoyable. Fan favourites together with Massive Pete, Swamp Factor and the Grim Reaper might be again, and the exhilarating Stuntworld might be making its debut. You possibly can even experience in an actual monster truck, soar on large inflatables and tuck into road meals.
Particulars: Sunday, July 23 at Quex Park in Birchington-on-Sea. E book on-line right here.
UPNOR CASTLE, Rochester
Immerse your self within the historical past of Medway because the tales from centuries previous are delivered to life. Particular visitors from the 79th Cameron Highlanders Regiment of Foote Re-enactment might be recreating spectacular battles and navy scenes within the grounds of Upnor Fortress.
Particulars: Saturday, July 22 at Upnor Fortress close to Rochester. Free entry, no must e-book.
WEEK 2
It’s solely the second week so there’s nonetheless lots to do, together with a visit aboard a gaming bus, shut encounters with scallywag pirates and an opportunity to fulfill your favorite cartoon characters…
Come face-to-face with swashbuckling pirates at Dover Fortress. Image: English Heritage
DOVER CASTLE
Set sail on a swashbuckling journey on the excessive seas. Essentially the most notorious pirates in historical past will moor up on the fort to inform tales of their hunts for treasure and battle one another at shut quarters. There might be hands-on actions and thrilling exhibits that the entire household can take pleasure in.
Particulars: Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6 at Dover Fortress. E book on-line right here.
Meet cute animals and cartoon characters at Howletts Wildlife Park. Image: Aspinall Basis
HOWLETTS WILDLIFE PARK, Canterbury
One in every of Kent’s largest wildlife parks might be dwelling to not solely uncommon and endangered animals this summer season, but in addition a number of youngsters’s TV characters. Households can meet their favorite characters from exhibits equivalent to Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, Hey Duggee and Bluey each Wednesday in the course of the holidays and seize a selfie as they wander by the park.
Particulars: Weekly from Wednesday, August 2 to Wednesday, August 30 at Howletts Wildlife Park in Bekesbourne, close to Canterbury. E book on-line right here.
MEDWAY TOWNS
Hop on board and luxuriate in two flooring of gaming this summer season. The gaming bus will tour the world all through August, giving passengers an opportunity to strive their hand at video video games, desk high video games and retro video games as they journey from one city to a different.
Particulars: Tuesday, August 1 from Army Highway in Chatham; Wednesday, August 2 from Strood City Centre; Thursday, August 3 from Gillingham Excessive Avenue and Friday, August 4 from Parkwood Youth Centre. Free entry, no must e-book.
Assist Jolly Roger discover his treasure as you journey by the countryside. Image: Spa Valley Railway
SPA VALLEY RAILWAY, Tunbridge Wells
Assist Jolly Roger discover his misplaced treasure aboard an genuine steam practice. The present begins on the station the place the captain will get his crew so as with a number of slapstick comedy and viewers participation. Then you’ll board the practice and hunt for gold utilizing exercise packs earlier than being rewarded in your assistance on the way in which dwelling.
Particulars: Weekly from Thursday, August 3 to Thursday, August 31 at Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells. E book on-line right here.
WEEK 3
Beginning to get stressed? Don’t fear, you may get the youngsters out of the home to fulfill roar-some dinosaurs, discover an artwork exhibition and play a spherical of loopy golf…
The Earth Picture exhibition is filled with spectacular pictures. Image: Forestry England
BEDGEBURY NATIONAL PINETUM, Goudhurst
Admire a brand new nature-themed out of doors exhibition at this gorgeous forest. The Earth Picture show will showcase 30 gorgeous pictures, each nonetheless and shifting, that mirror the local weather change disaster. After you might have loved the exhibition, you’ll be able to stroll alongside one of many nation park’s many out of doors trails.
Particulars: Open each day till Friday, October 13 at Bedgebury Nationwide Pinetum and Forest in Goudhurst. Entry is free, no must e-book.
CHURCHILL THEATRE, Bromley
Are you courageous sufficient to face larger-than-life prehistoric creatures this summer season? Jurassic Earth brings probably the most toothsome and terrifying dinosaurs in historical past again to life utilizing state-of-the-art animatronics. This thrilling and immersive expertise provides audiences an opportunity to study these fascinating creatures in a model new means.
Particulars: Wednesday, August 9 and Thursday, August 10 on the Churchill Theatre in Bromley. E book on-line right here.
Attempt your hand on the Alice in Wonderland loopy golf. Image: Millbrook
MILLBROOK GARDEN CENTRE, Gravesend
Fall down the rabbit gap with Alice and be a part of the Mad Hatter on his loopy golf course. The course, which returns this summer season, has 9 holes crammed with enjoyable and vibrant obstacles which can be appropriate for all ages.
Particulars: Each day till Sunday, September 3 at Millbrook Backyard Centre in Gravesend. E book on-line right here.
WEEK 4
We’re over the midway level and there’s nonetheless a number of thrilling actions happening in Kent, from treetop adventures to sand sculptures and youngsters’s theatre…
Are you courageous sufficient to strive the Skytrek problem? Image: Niklas Hallen / PA Wire
BLUEWATER, Greenhithe
Hangloose, Bluewater’s thrilling journey park, has opened a model new attraction simply in time for the vacations. Skytrek will droop guests 15 metres within the air, overlooking the chalk cliffs, earlier than taking them by a collection of family-friendly treetop obstacles and challenges, together with walkway over the picturesque lakes.
Particulars: Open each day at Bluewater buying centre in Greenhithe, close to Dartford. E book on-line right here.
LEEDS CASTLE, Maidstone
There’s loads of actions occurring all all through the vacations at Leeds Fortress, however this week particularly is bursting with nice issues to do. The fort’s new man-made seaside will host household sand sculpture workshops on Monday, August 14 and, in direction of the top of the week, there might be conventional Punch and Judy exhibits on the sands. Guests may benefit from the maze, playground, backyard trails and birds of prey shows.
Particulars: Sand sculpture workshops happen on Sunday, August 13 and Monday, August 14 at Leeds Fortress close to Maidstone. Punch and Judy exhibits happen on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 19. E book on-line right here.
MARLOWE THEATRE, Canterbury
One in every of Disney’s most adorable characters is being delivered to life on stage. Winnie the Pooh might be joined by all of his pals, together with Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga and Tigger, for this magical household manufacturing. The story might be delivered to life by life-sized puppets and the Sherman Brothers’ Grammy Award-winning music.
Particulars: Friday, August 18 to Sunday, August 20 on the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. E book on-line right here.
Barmy Britain is the brand new present from the Horrible Histories crew. Image: Orchard Theatre
ORCHARD THEATRE, Dartford
Britain’s most revolting historical past present is again on the highway. Horrible Histories is bringing its newest manufacturing, Barmy Britain, straight from the West Finish to theatres throughout the nation, with much more outlandish characters and grotesque tales. From Queen Victoria to William the Conqueror, study a number of the most infamous figures in historical past – sparing not one of the gory particulars.
Particulars: Wednesday, August 16 on the Orchard Theatre in Dartford. E book on-line right here.
WEEK 5
This week there’s an ice cream pageant for the youngsters, a cider pageant for the grown ups and days out at two Kent landmarks for the entire household…
BROGDALE, Faversham
The orchard’s annual Cider Pageant is again for one more 12 months. The grown ups can pattern greater than 40 ciders, all domestically produced, and take part with cider making demonstrations, whereas younger guests can sing and dance alongside to dwell music and get caught into craft actions.
Particulars: Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27 at Brogdale in Faversham. E book on-line right here.
Churchill’s former dwelling might be open to guests all summer season. Image: ©Nationwide Belief Photographs / Chris Lacey
CHARTWELL, Westerham
Guests to Winston Churchill’s household dwelling can benefit from its 80 acres of nation gardens. Youngsters are invited to decorate up within the butterfly home, comply with the woodland path sheet to the two-storey treehouse and take part with dance lessons on the garden all through the summer season.
Particulars: Saturday, July 22 to Thursday, August 31 at Chartwell in Westerham. E book on-line right here, free for Nationwide Belief members.
Willyou have a go on the ferris wheel, the waltzers or the Scenic Railway? Image: Dreamland
DREAMLAND, Margate
No journey to Margate seaside is full with out a go to to the city’s classic fairground. Dreamland will open its gates each day for the summer season holidays to guarantee that all guests get an opportunity to hop onto the ferris wheel or Scenic Railway curler coaster earlier than heading dwelling. There are additionally arcade video games, youngsters’s actions and food and drinks stalls.
Particulars: Open each day till Sunday, September 3 at Dreamland in Margate. Free entry, no must e-book.
KENT LIFE, Maidstone
As a part of Kent Life’s summer season vacation actions, the much-loved Ice Cream Pageant might be making a comeback. The pageant will function greater than 40 flavours to strive, in addition to sugary toppings equivalent to syrups, marshmallows and sprinkles and a few dairy-free and vegan choices. Guests may seize a glass of Pimms, take pleasure in dwell music and go to the farm’s animals.
Particulars: Saturday, August 26 to Monday, August 28 at Kent Life in Maidstone. E book on-line right here.
WEEK 6
It’s the ultimate week of the summer season holidays and, whereas which may be aid for some, it’s additionally the final likelihood to spend some high quality time together with your youngsters by watching an exciting jousting event, having fun with some out of doors theatre or heading on an underground journey…
The jousting tournaments return to Hever Fortress this summer season. Image: Ollie Dixon
HEVER CASTLE, Edenbridge
Cheer in your favorite medieval knights in an exciting battle of bodily power and spectacular stunts on the closing jousting event of the season. The massive battle enviornment will see knights problem one another in one-to-one fight till one is topped the last word champion. The event, which takes place all all through the summer season, will exit with a bang at this stunt-filled spectacular.
Particulars: Choose dates till Monday, August 28 at Hever Fortress close to Edenbridge. E book on-line right here.
HISTORIC DOCKYARD, Chatham
Profit from the previous few days of the vacations with an open-air efficiency of youngsters’s basic Robin Hood. The notorious story of the outlaw who takes on the Sheriff of Nottingham and provides to the poor might be retold utilizing dwell music, comedy and sword fights. Earlier than taking your seat for the present, you’ll be able to discover the dockyard’s ships, meet monsters from the deep sea and assist the Octonauts with their underwater adventures.
Particulars: Saturday, September 2 on the Historic Dockyard in Chatham. E book on-line right here.
Go underground and discover the Margate Caves this summer season. Image: Margate Caves
MARGATE CAVES
Head under floor and uncover a world of summer season enjoyable in the course of the holidays. The caves’ Alice in Wonderland-themed actions with enjoyable characters and an journey path, in addition to excursions by the putting underground tunnels the place you’ll be able to be taught concerning the historical past of Margate. Additionally, beginning this week, every Monday there might be craft actions happening in the neighborhood rooms for simply £1 per little one.
Particulars: Each day till Sunday, September 3 at Margate Caves. E book on-line.