What’s On In Warwickshire, May Half Term 2018
Pictured above – Chesterton Windmill, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, Coventry Transport Museum and Foundry Woods.. keep reading for details…
Warwick Food Festival – Sunday 27th May 2018, 10AM – 6PM
Image – Warwick Food Festival
Warwick Food Festival will return for it’s fourth year to celebrate the diverse food and drink from across Warwick District and beyond. The Festival will feature a mouth-watering line up of over 80 food & drink traders, live entertainment and kids activities along with Local Chefs who will showcase the very best of the town’s culinary offer on the Live Cookery Theatre.
Jephson’s Jungle Club – The Glass House, Jephson’s Gardens, Leamington Spa.
Tuesday 29th May 10am – 12.30pm
Pot a butterfly & bee friendly bird’s foot trefoil for your garden and create a butterfly. Activity will take 15 mins suitable for 4-10 year olds.
British Motor Museum
We love visiting the British Motor Museum and once you’ve paid you get the following 12 months free, so you can return as many times as you like. Well worth it & all activities are also included in the admission price. There’s also a cafe and outdoor play area, parking onsite is free. A rainy day must.
19th – 20th May – UK Slot Car Festival 2018 (that means Scalextric type cars to you and I!)
Discounted advance tickets available on the website here
May half-term is all about Adventure, Animation and Land Rovers!
This year is the 70th birthday of Land Rover and The British Motor Museum are celebrating with some themed activities for you to enjoy.
Foundry Wood
Foundry Wood is a managed access community woodland. Through volunteer work parties the site is fully accessible with paths and facilities for all to use.
If you have small people who like trains, they will love watching the trains zoom past from the top of the wood and you can even take your dog for a walk through the woods or build a den. A lovely little place to visit if you have an hour to spare, we advise parking in Victoria Park and walking across.
The woodland is open usually between 10am – 5pm for adventures.
HAND CARVED FLOWER: DROP IN – Friday 1st June – 10:00 am – 12:30
Price: £7 for adults, £3 for under 16s, £10 for families. Take home the flowers you make! Suitable for age 7 upwards. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. Booking not essential, just turn up!This activity will be repeated on Saturdays 2nd June, 18th August and 22nd September
For more details on Foundry Wood click here
Redwings Horse Sanctuary
Open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only 10 – 4. Redwings is a lovely place to visit with the children where you can see horses and donkeys being looked after by the sanctuary. You can ‘adopt’ a horse and enjoy the small cafe and playground. Redwings is all outside so wait for good weather.
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
May Half Term: Playful Artful Stories – 28 May – 2 June 2018 – 10:30am – 3:30pm (Every day, except Sunday.)
If you’ve never been to The Herbert Art Gallery, it’s well worth a visit, free entry and always lots to do in the holidays. You could team your visit with a trip to Coventry Transport Museum to make a day of it.
Create crafty artwork inspired by the wonderful world of storytelling and our latest exhibition Fevral. Try your hand at yarn painting, patchworking, and making your very own story spoon person, plus many more exciting activities.
Coventry Transport Museum
Saturday 26 May – Saturday 2 June (not Sunday) – 10:30am – 3:30pm, drop in
Again .. free entry and plenty to do & see with interactive activities throughout the museum. We always team our visit with a walk around the nearby Herbert Art Gallery too.
Explore the museum using this fun family trail! Available throughout the holiday from reception, during opening times £1.50 per trail. You can also take part in our challenge of inventing an amazing bus of the future! With a different activity each day, join in, create a dreamy bus-imaginarium; pack a suitcase; make a special postcard; and mark out your travels on maps. You can take your creation home straight away or leave it with us over the summer so we can give it a special place in our summer exhibition Ticket to Ride, all about buses!
Check out more details on the Coventry Transport Museum Website here
Ryton Pools Country Park
Ryton Pools is a 100 acre park with great facilities including two play areas, toilets and plenty of bike riding paths to explore! There are always lots of fun events happening so check out the link below for up to date listings.
please see the website here and have a look at the listings below:
Ryton Pools miniature railway – Opens Sunday 1st April
The railway will begin its summer timetable from 1st April! Trains run from 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays until Sunday 30th September. Rides are £1.00 and accompanied children under 3’s ride for free!
Whitsun Holiday Trail at Ryton Pools Country Park Saturday 26th May – Sunday 3rd June
Follow the trail around the park. Complete your trail sheet and collect your badge prize. Fun for all the family!
Cost: £2.00 per trail sheet.
Tuesday 29th May – Young Bushcrafter – 10.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.
Fun Bushcraft session led by two of the Rangers. Activities include fire lighting, whittling, cordage making, location games and shelter building. The session will include a campfire baked potato, handmade dough sticks, popcorn and marshmallows. Parents wanting to join in on the baked potato feast can, at a cost of £2.50 per adult. Suitable for children aged 7 years plus, please bring your own potato fillings and a drink. Cost: £10.00 per child. Booking essential – telephone 024 7630 5592
Wednesday 30th May – Toddler Trundle – 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.
A weekly event for the tiniest of tots! Leaf fun, stories, mud pies and collecting treasures will be amongst some of our activities designed for the smallest naturalists. After the walk and activities, head back to The Courtyard Café for refreshments (extra cost for refreshments, exclusive reduced- price Toddler Trundle menu available). A quarterly programme is available from the Visitor Centre giving activity details for each week. Cost: £2.50 per toddler (excluding refreshments)
Wednesday 30th May – Birds Of Prey at Ryton Pools Country Park – 11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m
Meet: Jo’s Garden – Cost: FREE – but donations welcome towards animal welfare charities
Thursday 31st May – Fairy and Elf Adventure to the Magic Kingdom at Ryton Pools Country Park – 10.30 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.
Come and make a magic willow wand and discover what things the naughty goblins have been up to in the woods! See if you can find the key to the magic kingdom and use some wishing magic to see if the fairies are about in fairy forest. An event for children aged 3 years and above, who must be accompanied by an adult. Cost: £4.00 per child – Booking essential – telephone 024 7630 5592
Friday 1st June – Spring Ponds at Ryton Pools Country Park – 10.30 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.
Learn about newts and frogs, and look for beetles, nymphs and other pond life that amphibians feed on. An event for children aged 3 years and above, who must be accompanied by an adult. Children under 5 will need extra supervision doing the activity. Equipment provided. Cost: £4.00 per child – Booking essential – telephone 024 7630 5592
Visit Ryton Pools’ Website here for more information – Parking charges apply!
Mini Mornings and other films at The Vue Cinema – Leamington Spa
Rainy Day or just need five minutes peace?
Mini Mornings at Vue this week are Tues, Wed, Thurs Peter Rabbit, Fri, Sat, Sun Duck Duck Goose
Or Sherlock Gnomes!
Children and adults go from £2.50 at selected viewings at Mini Mornings all year round.
MINI MORNINGS AT VUE IN LEAMINGTON DURING THE HOLIDAYS ARE at 10:00 am
Click here for mini mornings listings
Click here for the Vue website
Brandon Marsh
Image Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
A lovely nature reserve with loads of wildlife, bird watching & stunning views. Nature trails and lovely walks, plus lots of activities too. Theres a gift shop, cafe and under cover picnic area. Here’s the activities for May.. you’ll need to book so click on the link below to do so. Small entry free but Warwickshire Wildlife trust members are free.
Wildlife Watch – Barmy Bugs – Tuesday 29th – 10:30am – 11:30am age 6+
Wildlife Watch – Shelters and Suvival – Tuesday 29th – 12:00pm – 1:00pm age 6 +
Wildlife Watch – Pond Dipping – Wednesday 30th – 10:30am – 11:30am age 4+
Wildlife Watch – Woodland Creatures – Wednesday 30th – 12:00pm – 1:00pm age 2+
Outdoor Survival @ Bubbenhall Wood – Thursday 31st – 10:00am – 2:00pm age 7-11 Building dens, making things and learning about firelighting.
Nature Tots at Brandon Marsh – Wild Explorers – Thursday 31st – 10:30am – 12:00pm age 2-4 years
Check out all the details and book on to activities on the website here
Coventry Moto Fest 2nd – 3rd June 2018
The fifth annual Coventry Motofest will take place in Coventry city centre on 2nd and 3rd June 2018. Vehicle-based fun reminding all the family of the history and future of transport and the heritage of this city we love.
ON THE STAGE THIS MAY…
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Horrible Histories Live On Stage – 30th May – 2nd June with performances at 2pm & 7pm
Find out why the Romans were revolting! Could you survive the vicious Vikings? Can evil Elizabeth entertain England? Would you party with the Puritans? Clap along with crazy King Charles! Vomit with the vile Victorians and prepare to do battle in the frightful First World War!
Bagots Castle
A little known place in Baginton, the ruins of the castle aren’t all to be seen, a gorgeous woodland walk – with bluebells currently, which leads down to the river and you can wander round the ponds, theres a trail for the children to complete at the cost of 50p and the whole place is run by volunteers. It has a very special feel and is costs £10 for a family.
Pick Your Own in Warwickshire
Click here for our guide on where to pick your own from June onwards
In need of some fresh air?
Here’s our favourite places to visit to let the children scoot, bike or run, click for more information:
Do you National Trust? There’s loads of local National Trust properties in Warwickshire, Baddesley Clinton, Packwood House, Charlecote Park , Coughton Court.
Thinking of getting a National Trust membership? Here’s a top tip..
A family membership for two adults & up to 10 children is £114.60 a year or £9.55 a month BUT if you buy on the National Trust Scotland site here it will cost £90 a year for two adults and up to four children National Trust Scotland Membership is world wide, so includes all the UK properties, you can see the list here.
Run free at:
St Nicks Park, Warwick – With large playground, cafe, crazy golf, fun fair in summer months, skateboard ramps and a nice measured mile walk St Nicks is a popular choice. – Pay for parking.
Oakley Woods – Yes there’s a cemetery there but park to the left and you can explore beautiful woodland for miles and miles, dog friendly and the seasons are stunning with snowdrops in winter and bluebells around Easter. Build dens, explore & remember your wellies! Free – no parking charge.
Victoria Park, Leamington Spa – Playground, sandpit for small people, skate ramps and a circular path perfect for biking, scooting and running off steam. – Free Parking
If you’re heading to Victoria Park you can head over the road to Foundry Wood where you can spend an hour or so exploring woodland and watching the trains go by.
Ryton Pools it’s in our guide above but Ryton Pools deserves a special mention aside from the activities they run during the holiday, it’s a beautiful place to visit all year round, again perfect for bike rides, it has two big adventure playgrounds a cafe and gorgeous long walks. Perfect for running off steam. Just pay for parking and enjoy.
Looking to travel for adventure?
You could try one of these:
Go Plane spotting at Sheldon Country Park, right next to Birmingham airport, the planes fly right over your head! Perfect place for a picnic in nicer weather and it also has a children’s play area and cafe.
Salcey Forest – About an hour’s drive from Leamington Spa, Salcey Forest is a Forestry Commission forest which has an adventure playground, cafe, long stunning walks with opportunities to off road, build dens and climb the stunning tree top walk with gorgeous views from the top. We love it because its dog, pushchair, bike and scooter friendly, Just pay for parking £4 all day.
Cannock Chase Forest – Woodland walks, the Midlands best bike trails and adventure playground. Cannock Chase is highly recommended for a fun day out a little further afield. You can even Go Ape if you fancy extra adventure!
Looking for bigger days out, or something to do indoors, just click on the pictures below to visit the websites:
