You got through July, just one more month to fill with fun! Don’t panic. We’ve rounded up the best local days out, boredom-busting activities, and sanity-saving ideas to keep the kids entertained all summer long – without breaking the bank or your spirit. From wild animal encounters to beach days without leaving Cambs, your ultimate school holidays survival guide starts here. You’re welcome.

WEEK ONE: 1-10 AUGUST

Looking for a day out that’ll have the kids and adults excited? Head to Pleasurewood Hills, Suffolk’s very own theme park, where adrenaline, laughter, and the occasional wave of water will wash over in the best possible way. Read what our editor had to say on her recent visit.

Ready for an unforgettable night under the stars? The Big Wild Sleepout is back from 2-3 August – the ultimate closer-to-nature experience for families and adults alike.

Pitch your tent and enjoy a magical evening of pond dipping, sunset bat walks, bird handling, and campfire marshmallow toasting, followed by stargazing beneath the night sky. Wake up to early morning Hawkmoth spotting and the peaceful sounds of nature all around.

Calling all rising stars aged 8-18! This summer, step into the spotlight at Ipswich Corn Exchange with a week-long musical theatre workshop hosted by the team behind the Regent Theatre’s hit pantomimes – Enchanted Entertainment.

From 4-9 August, young performers will dive into singing, dancing, acting, and stagecraft in daily workshops running 9am-5pm. Whether you’re a budding West End star or just love to perform, this is a fantastic chance to build confidence, develop skills, and make new friends.

Visit Muddy Award-winning Jimmy’s Farm for an array of amazing activities for the littles. From animal adventures, to playing at the park and jumping on the bouncy pillow, there’s something for everyone. Plus, the on-site cafe is hard to resist, and perfect for filling up hungry tums after a day of exploring. And, on 9 August you can visit the park after dark.

Join Connie the Conductor on a magical, sensory train ride where your little one takes the wheel! Part of the Arts Theatre’s Pop-Up Adventures, this interactive experience lets children decide where the journey goes – will it be Mermaid Lagoon, Unicorn Skies, Machine City, or Outer Space? Every stop is packed with imaginative play, sensory surprises, and storytelling fun – perfect for curious minds and little explorers.

Good news for working parents (so, pretty much all of us, right?) – the Oak Adventurers Holiday Club at Nene Outdoors is here to save the day. Perfect for kids aged 8-13, it’s packed with thrilling water and land-based activities that’ll keep them active, entertained, and tired out by the end of the day. The best part? Oak Adventurers is open all weekdays throughout the summer holidays, excluding the Bank Holiday. For the younger explorers (aged 5-8), there’s the Acorn Explorers Club at Lynch Farm, open for two weeks from 4 August, where they’ll dive into nature and enjoy creative outdoor fun. So get booking and you can tick “holiday childcare” off your to-do list, and the kids will have the time of their lives!

Ready for a high-flying adventure at IWM Duxford? Grab your free activity trail sheet and join the Amazing Aircraft Top Trumps Family Trail to uncover the Super Top Trumps of Duxford. Search high and low around the Battle of Britain exhibition for hidden Top Trump cards. Each card has a letter – collect them all, unscramble the secret codeword, and win the challenge! It’s the perfect mix of history, fun, and a little bit of mystery for the whole family.

Step Right Up for a Summer of Fun at Easton Farm Park! All throughout August, the park is bursting with daily activities to keep little ones laughing, splashing, and exploring. Join the Circus School, dive into the Foam Party, cool off in the Splash Pool, and enjoy all your favourite farm activities – from meeting the animals to tractor rides and more.

WEEK TWO: 11-17 AUGUST

Got a reptile enthusiast in the making? Slither over to Cambridge’s Museum of Zoology on 14 August for a hands-on celebration of World Lizard Day! Perfect for curious kids, this special event features specimen handling – including a turtle shell, lizard and crocodile skulls – plus a craft activity where little ones can create their very own reptile masterpiece.

It all takes place in the Museum’s Discovery Room, home to a stunning collection of over 200 taxidermy British birds – so there’s plenty to explore beyond the reptiles, too.

Get ready to explore the tiny creatures with a big impact! From brilliant butterflies and busy bees to wiggly worms and clever spiders, this fun-filled family event from 12-13 August at St Edmundsbury Cathedral celebrates the wild wonders living right on our doorstep. With hands-on activities and crafts, kids can dive into the magic of nature and learn what makes these minibeasts so marvellous. It’s perfect for ages 4-11.

Calling all animal lovers, LEGO® builders, and budding scientists! Head to Cambridge’s Grand Arcade this August for free, hands-on family activities as part of the Grand Discoveries celebration – showcasing the city’s incredible history of scientific exploration. Join bit.bio to build human cells with LEGO® bricks*, take part in neuroscience-themed colouring and crafts, and dive into hands-on space science! Discover how astronomers find distant exoplanets, search for life beyond Earth, and explore the secrets of the universe in a workshop packed with activities for curious minds of all ages.

Pack your picnic basket and bring your favourite teddy for a delightful day out at the Teddy Bear’s Picnic! This interactive show is packed with puppets, well-known songs, dancing, and gentle learning moments exploring numbers, colours, and shapes. Set in the magical surroundings of Thorington Theatre, it’s the perfect summertime treat for little ones and their grown-ups. Don’t forget your teddy!

WEEK THREE: 18-24 AUGUST

Head to Cambridge Botanical Gardens and join Professor Filbert on an exciting treasure hunt to discover the secrets behind nature’s most inspiring plants. Follow the Professor’s pawprints and explore how humans have used plants to make incredible discoveries. You’ll track down the plant that gave us Velcro, find one that’s revolutionising medical equipment, and uncover a natural dye that’s still in use today. It’s the perfect mix of science, nature and a bit of detective work for budding plant experts!

cambridge botanic gardens kids crossing the river

Ready for the ultimate Summer of Play at Ickworth? This year’s ‘An Ickworth Playcation’ is travel-themed, so buckle up for a summer of adventure without leaving the grounds. From now until 2 September, the whole family can dive into a world of fun, with activities and games that take you on a journey of discovery. Teens will love the active areas, packed with sports to get the competitive spirit flowing, while younger kids can explore the sensory play zone, with a mud kitchen and loose parts play to spark creativity.

Fancy a day at the beach but stuck in landlocked Cambridgeshire? No need for a long drive – Ben’s Yard has launched their very own Beach at Ben’s Yard. Until the 31 August, you can soak up all the beach vibes right on your doorstep. And as if that wasn’t exciting enough, on 23 August Peppa Pig and Bluey are making a special appearance for a meet-and-greet.

Looking for something fun, free and genuinely brilliant to fill the school hols? Newmarket Horseplay Creative Summer Family-Friendly Workshops has you covered.

Every Wednesday during the school holidays you can get involved with hands-on creative workshops inspired by the exciting new exhibition, HORSEPLAY – all about horseracing board games through the ages.

From clay modelling and printmaking to T-shirt printing and more, there’s something new to try each week. No need to book – just drop in between 11am and 3pm and get stuck in!

Got a young performer aged 6–11? Little Stompers, just over the border in the picturesque village of Bradfield, is made for them!

This theatre-based workshop programme is bursting with imaginative play, creative storytelling, and confidence-building fun – all led by professional theatre practitioners. Held during the school holidays, Little Stompers is a great way to keep kids engaged, inspired, and active – while giving working parents a well-deserved break.

WEEK FOUR: 25-31 AUGUST

Get ready for a seriously epic Summer of Play at Sutton Hoo until 31 August. Little warriors can pick up a free activity pack and dive into Anglo-Saxon life. On select dates, the Play Arena turns into a full-blown historical adventure with archery, axe throwing (yes, really), arts and crafts, storytelling, wargaming and living history sessions. It’s hands-on, high-energy, and totally heroic.

Over in Cambs, Wimpole Hall is all set for school holidays that’s bursting with creativity and adventure! Whether you’ve got little explorers or big dreamers, this year’s play hub is packed with hands-on activities for all ages. Toddlers can dive into sensory play with colourful toys and a world of playful environments, while older kids can let their imaginations run wild.

Get your kids enjoying the great outdoors this summer by booking them onto a holiday bushcraft workshop at Wandlebury Country Park. The sessions are run by qualified teachers from Wild Thyme & Embers, who will help your kids learn how to survive in the wild should you ever chuck them out (joking, of course!). They’ll learn all sorts of bushcraft skills including shelter building, knots and rope work, plant and tree recognition and wilderness cooking skills.

The great summer staple the Skylark Maize Maze & Funyard at Wimblington has reopened. As well as the giant maze, there will be tractor rides, pig racing, pedal go-karts, a jumping pillow, slides and a bale mountain.

Need a full day out that tires out the kids without flattening your bank account? Head to Johnsons of Old Hurst – one of the UK’s few crocodile farms and a proper wild card for summer holiday adventures. And if that’s not enough? From 14-31 August, there’s a circus fun on site to crank the excitement up another notch.

Screen time doesn’t count if it’s enjoyed outdoors and as part of a festival right?Check out the outdoor cinema event at Ferry Meadows in Peterborough this summer showing family favourites including, Moana on 23 August.

Future David Attenboroughs will be in their element at Africa Alive! This sprawling 100-acre zoo and conservation centre in Kessingland is home to lions, rhinos, chimps, zebra and lemurs – all ready to charm your little explorers (from a safe distance, of course).

ACROSS THE BORDER

For family days out in Essex, we’ve got just the thing. Click here for more

If you fancy hot footing it over to Norfolk, here’s what’s going on during the school holidays there.

And, if you want to make a day of it in London, here’s the best things to do over summer.

School’s out! Here’s how to keep the kids happy over the summer holidays

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