ACTION-PACKED DAYS OUT

Ready to rumble? Willen Lake is kicking off the fun with a brand new Gel Blaster arena (Sat 25 May – Sun 2 Jun) where kids ages 8+ can have a friendly showdown with water-filled gel blasters (think soft paintballing guns without the mess).

If that’s not enough, head to Chiltern Open Air Museum’s Terrifi c Tuesday series (from Tues 28 May) for a jam-packed day of family fun on the theme of wellbeing. That means making newspaper pots, stress balls, and trying your hand at pottery.

Do you have a wannabe Sherlock on your hands? Keep ’em busy at the Oxford Castle and Prison where Empress Matilda’s crown has been stolen! Whodunnit? It’s up to you to hunt for clues, assemble the facts and get to the bottom of this Medieval Mystery, which runs from Sat 25 May – Sun 2 Jun. It’s perfect for ages 5-10 and accompanying adults go free. Escape Hunt in Oxford is another delight for budding detectives. Join a classic escape room or check out the Return to Wonderland game which sets you on a mission to find the Alice in Wonderland Characters around the city.

More top-secret fun awaits at the home of Bletchley Park, the home of WWII codebreakers near Milton Keynes (above). From Mon 27 May, kids can try out code-breaking, make fleet boats, and design a glider or parachute, plus learn all about Bletchley’s fascinating role in D-Day preparations.

Finally…. Wet n Wild is back! The massive aqua park will splash back into Queenford Lakes from Sat 25 May, with its inflatable obstacle courses, kayaks, paddleboards – and a spot of wild swimming. Take the plunge!

Enjoy a royal adventure and head to Windsor Castle for a fantastic family day out. The King’s Berkshire home is nestled in the humongous Windsor Great Park and boasts plenty to see and do, including exploring the stunning St George’s Chapel (as seen on screen), exhibitions, guard changes and a whole line-up of fun activities for kids. For the best faff-free experience, check our out our insider intel on visiting Windsor Castle first. Oh, and we also have five sets of family tickets to give away too. Enter our fab prize draw here.

For more Royal adventures, head up to Buckingham Palace for a behind-the-scenes nosy around The Royal Mews. It’s an insight into the inner workings of the Palace – including the 260-year-old Gold State Coach (below). You’ll recognise it from Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant in 2022 and the Coronation of King Charles III. Cinderella, eat your heart out.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Child climbing through Go Ape tree course

Odds Farm Park is calling all cowboys and girls to a Half Term Hoedown (Sat 25 May – Sun 2 Jun), where the usual farmyard fun is amped up with cowboy crafts, country dancing, and welly wanging. Yee-haw!

Up in North Bucks, Hogshaw Farm is rolling out fete games, animal displays, and a miniature electric train for Hogfest (Mon 27 – Fri 31 May). You’ll join in daily circus-themed workshops and try your hand at spinning plates and juggling – then watch the pros show you how it’s done. For more animal magic, the Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford is always a treat with everything from penguin feeding to animal petting in the farmyard. There’s even a tree-house adventure playground (you read that right).

Fancy prancing among the trees? Okay Tarzan! Head to Go Ape in the Wendover Woods (or Black Park on the Iver Heath/Slough border) and take on the Treetop Challenge. Suitable for ages 10+, the course takes you around the woods by navigating tree-tops, some as high as 13 metres (*gulp*). There are also less challenging courses for ages 4-6 and 6-10.

Or start them off young at Sutton Courtenay Wildlife Centre in Didcot where there’s a whole host of nature-related activities for children aged 18 months to 4 years in Nature Tots on Sat 25 May. There’s a different theme each month including dinosaurs, mini-beasts and the weather. So you’ll have a well-rounded mini David Attenborough in your midst before they can walk.

There’s nothing sweeter than a fresh punnet of strawbs and – huzzah- they’re finally ready to pick. Rectory Farm in Oxford has just released its PYO schedule with strawberries, artichokes, asparagus, and rhubarb for the taking. Other local PYO farms are still waiting for the berries, so keep an eye on our recommendations here.

Of course, you can always dust off your National Trust card and roam the grounds of a stately. First up, Hughenden Manor is blurring the lines between reality and imagination in Mini Myth Makers – a deep-dive into former prime minister Benjamin Disraeli’s love of storytelling. You’ll be given a character and journey through the gardens and woodland trying to separate myth from truth. If you stop by on Sun 31 May, don’t miss the Secondhand Book Fair from 11 am – 2 pm.

You don’t need an excuse to nosy around Waddesdon Manor, but here’s a few recs anyway. Grab a slice of the 12-metre-high Joana Vasconcelos: Wedding Cake display by taking one of the guided tours, then get your groove on with the new interactive Celestial Sound Cloud sculpture (Wed 29 – Sun 31 May). Set by the Coach House Gallery, it’s a kaleidoscopic light display with sound that is triggered by you. It’s as though the cloud is dancing along.

Over at Stowe Gardens, there’s a chance to tick the Cobham’s Pillar climb off your bucket-list. In this rare opportunity to climb the historic monument, you’ll view the gardens and the Bucks country from 140 steps high (Sun 26 May – Sat 1 Jun). Stowe has another treat for ages 3-10 kicking off from Sunday 26 May. Made in collab with Stowe School, the Ickle Owl Augmented Reality Trail introduces an app that kids can download on their phones, which generates 3D animals for them to interact with along the trail. It’s great outdoor learning (shh, don’t tell them!). If you go on the launch day, there’ll also be a falconry display with a real owl on show.

Meanwhile, Greys Court is hosting a half term Children’s Trail with a shiny prize at the end (Sat 25 – Sun 2 Jun). Bag another prize at Waterperry Gardens, where eight gnomes have forgotten their names and it’s your job to find them (Sat 25 May – Sun 2 Jun). Gnometastic!

ARTS & CULTURE

There’s some Big Top action too as Giffords Circus rolls into town with a brand new show, called Avalon, at Blenheim Palace (Thurs 23 May – Mon 3 June). While you’re at Blenheim, bag your ticket for The Game Fair (aka the party of the summer), which kicks off from Fri 26 – Sun 28 Jul. Psst, you can win glamping tickets worth £1,000 here.

Then there’s the other Gifford’s spin-off, Tweedy’s Massive Circus, over in Stratford-upon-Avon from Fri 24 May and coming to Henley on Tue 6 June. Or check out the more low-key John Lawson’s Circus, which will pitch up at Millets Farm Centre for six nights from Sun 26 May. It’s a comparative snip with a flat rate of £9.50pp and under-twos go free.

For a spot of storytelling c/o the master of children’s literature, take the kids to the Roald Dahl Museum in Great Missenden. It’s running a packed calendar of half-term events from Sat 25 May to Sun 2 June. Kids fancy making a clay pot inspired by Fantastic Mr Fox, or joining a storytelling session either in the museum or at large while roaming the Chilterns countryside? It’s the place to be…

Still stuck for ideas on how to entering the kids? Take them to the theatre! Tots (ages 3- 8) will love Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book, which is coming to the Oxford Playhouse from Tue 28 – Thu 30 May. Ages 3+ will also love The Bubble Show at Didcot’s Cornerstone Arts on Fri 31 May.

Now for the tweens and teens…. First up, Romeo and Juliet is getting a 21st century makeover c/o the award-winning Flabbergast Theatre, whose USP is making theatre accessible and quirky. Join the crew at Cornerstone Arts on Thu 30 May.

Or you can take your teenage film buffs to Waddesdon Manor for – drum-roll please – open-air cinema! Yes, it’s finally warm enough to soak up Hollywood blockbusters al fresco and Adventure Cinema is rolling its big screen into the Waddesdon grounds from Fri 31 May – Sun 2 Jun. Friday brings Hugh Grant in The Greatest Showman, on Saturday it’s ABBA’s greatest hits in Mamma Mia, and on Sunday there’s Pretty Woman (ages 15+).

Finally, introduce your teens (13+) to the 80s Oscar award-winning movie turned musical, An Officer and a Gentleman (Mon 27 May – Sat 1 Jun), it takes the original’s timeless love story and sprinkles in an unmissable soundtrack from the likes of Madonna, Bon Jovi and Cyndi Lauper.

WORKSHOPS

The lovely folk at Creation Theatre have a space for your aspiring thespian with a top-notch workshop where they’ll learn all sorts of performance skills to put on a play in a week.Book a space for your brood here.

Wycombe Swan is also training future drama kings and queens at workshops running from Tue 28 – Thu 30 May. Each days has a different theme to keep the kids engaged. If you can’t commit to a course, MK Theatre has one-off drama and musical theatre masterclasses for ages 5-11 and 12-18. Or try the North Wall Arts Centre’s well-rounded Youthlab on Fri 31 May, which offers drama exercises, games and industry tips from professionals.

Meanwhile Discover Bucks Museum has a packed half-term calendar (Sat 25 – Fri 31 May), including making a wildflower seed-bomb in celebration of bee day, Roman-themed arts and crafts session, biscuit decorating to celebrate National Biscuit Day (yep it’s a real thing), plus puppet-making and outdoor games. There’s even more arty fun at the MK Gallery, which has brilliant year-round Art Clubs separated by age groups. And at Compton Verney, kids can join outdoor Get Mucky, Get Making sessions or the less muddy indoor Artist Play Days.

Paintbrushes at the ready – Jessie’s Art Shed is back with half-term workshops and this time the theme is all things Under The Sea. Your littles can create everything from 3D Crabs to the Little Mermaid characters and The Great Wave. Over at The Story Museum, cartoonist Neill Cameron is still leading his Comic Club for ages 8-11 and 12-16. Each 90-minute class helps children unleash their creativity while learning some key comic-making skills. Perfect for Marvel fiends.

Stick around Oxford for The Museum of Natural History’s weekly Out of the Deep drop-in where families can get up close with marine reptiles (eek) and learn about the marine world. While you’re there, check out the Fair Water? – a fascinating (and free!) dive into global water inequality.

Over at Henley’s family-friendly gem, the River and Rowing Museum, there’s something new every day (until Sat 1 Jun). Roll call, please! Paddington stops by for the Teddy Bears Picnic with Toad and Paddington, there’s an educational workshop, Plant Olympics on Marsh Meadows!; followed by crafts and stories in Minibeasts and Massive Beasts! , and Willow Weaving and Planting. Whew, that’s the week sorted.

DAY CAMPS

Need a few hours to yourself? We’ve got you covered. Send football fanatics (ages 5-14) to First Touch Sports at the Amersham School. They’ll play unlimited football and try out performing arts, archery, cricket, golf… and just about every other sport you can fit into seven hours.

Tennis types can serve it up at Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis Club in Oxford’s North Hinksey Village. Ages 4-18 can join the sessions starting Mon 27 May (separated by age-group) for £40 per day. Alongside the tennis, there’s a selection of arts, crafts and team-building games.

Budding gymnasts should try NOX Gymnastics at Tower Hill Primary School in Witney, suitable for ages 4+. There’s a great balance of gymnastics and other activities like face-painting, T-shirt design, competitions, arts and crafts and outdoor games. From Tue 28 – Fri 31 May. Calling all adventure seekers, Point Blank Adventures is back at Hogshaw Farm & Wildlife Park (from Tue 28 May). Offering everything from shelter building and lighting fires to archery and axe throwing, it’s a real treat for outdoorsy kids.

BOOK AHEAD

Since we’re talking sports, the Formula 1® Qatar Airways British Grand Prix 2024 zooms into Silverstone from Fri 5 – Sun 7 July. To get Muddy readers in pole position, we’ve bagged you a special offer on a VIP package for the Sunday. You’ll nab the best seats and all food and drink is included for a high-octane family day out. Get the champagne on ice…

Oops too late for these…

The Roman Gladiators had a roaring battle at the Chiltern Open Air Museum in a fiery re-enactment brought to you by the group behind some of those epic fight scenes in the Gladiator movie (no, not Paul Mescal). (Sun 26 – Mon 27 May).

Knights and princesses joined a grand Dragon Adventure on Bank Holiday Monday (27 May) at Bucks Railway Centre.

Blenheim Palace‘s annual Food Festival quenched our appetites (Sat 25 – Mon 27 May). There were local producers, chefs and gastronomic gurus pitching up in the palace showground with all sorts of delicious artisanal treats. Plus an all-star chef line-up including Raymond Blanc, TikTok’s kitchen whizz Sam Way and MasterChef Professionals finalist Olivia Burt.

Little Red Riding Hood stepped into town to debunk the myths about her rival in a show called The Not So Big Bad Wolf (Mon 27 May) at Stowe School‘s Roxburgh Theatre.

Ages 6+ LOL’d at the Comedy Club 4 Kids at Aylesbury’s Norman Bragg Studio (Sat 25 May), and joined the or catch pantomime comic Dan Whitley’s interactive show Dantastic’s Magical Adventure at the Kenton Theatre on Sun 26 May.

Bumper Bucks & Oxon half-term guide incoming! 50+ things to keep the kids amused this May

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