Keeping The Fun Going This Summer Holidays

We have been desperate for the summer holidays to begin.  A chance to relax, unwind, not have to be out of the house by 8.30 in the morning…  But what happens when you get half way through the holidays? More often than not (as parents run out of new things to do with the kids, and the kids get bored) there’s a notable lull in LOLs.  Budget is always a factor as well as finding different things to do.  This summer npower is helping out by offering its customers 2 for 1 entry into an enormous range of local attractions – from zoos to museums and more. This offer starts in late July for 6 weeks, so it’s perfectly timed.

I’ve come up with 20 places to visit and things to do, mostly in and around Birmingham.

1. Burn off some energy at the adventure playground.  We like the one at Sandwell Valley which is council run and free.
2. Go pond dipping at Arley Arboreteum.  You just need wellies and an old ice cream container for this at its most basic.  Look the creatures up on your phone if you don’t have a spotter’s guide. There are lovely grounds to explore there too.
3. Go geocaching in the Clent Hills.  They have five caches for you to seek out.
4. Find the priestholes at Harvington Hall – they have seven in total.
5. If it’s a nice day, the Droitwich Spa Lido is worth a visit: it has an outdoor heated pool, but get there early as it will be busy if it’s hot.
6. See the butterflies at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.  Take a picnic and spend the day enjoying the lovely playground and the best hill for rolling down that I know.
7. Birmingham Nature Centre is like a mini zoo without the high prices as it’s council run.  Take a picnic or use the reasonably priced cafe for lunch.  It’s next door to one of Birmingham’s best parks, Cannon Hill, so you can pop in there to play afterwards too.
8. Climb an Iron Age Hill fort.  British Camp in the Malvern Hills has very visible earthworks and is about the right size of climb for a primary school age child to feel they have achieved something without being too challenging.

   

9. Avoncroft Museum in Bromsgrove is a good day out with lots of historic buildings and even the National Telephone Kiosk Collection where you can pretend to be Doctor Who.
10.  One for a dry day: the Falconry Centre in Hagley. There are displays every afternoon if the weather permits and you can find out lots about birds of prey.  It’s on the same site as a fairly large garden centre which has a cafe.
11. The Engine House at Highley is on the Severn Valley Railway.  You can visit as part of a train journey or just go to the Engine House.  Exhibits do change, but we’ve enjoyed sorting the post on the mail train and sneaking a peek at a royal train.  There’s a lovely playground too.
12. Ride the singing lift in the Ikon Gallery as part of a trip to Birmingham’s Brindley Place.  There are often activities on for children in the Ikon, but it’s free to visit in any case.  You can wander around the canals which meet there and pop along to Birmingham’s new library which has been a popular visitor attraction with its balcony gardens and striking modern architecture.
13. Birmingham’s Aston Hall is a stunning Jacobean mansion and children go in free.  It’s in a park so there’s plenty of room to run around too.
14. The Black Country Museum is easily a full day out.  You pay once, but you can come back for free all year.  Our top pick though is having the fish and chips cooking in beef dripping – wonderful!
15. Staying the in the black country, but feeling like miles away is Saltwells Nature Reserve.  Close to Merry Hill shopping centre, you can go bug hunting in 247 acres of nature reserve.
16. Thinktank in Birmingham city centre is a great rainy day activity.  It’s an interactive science museum.  If the weather does pick up though, it’s got a fun, outdoor science garden.
17. Dudley Zoo and Castle allows you to visit two attractions in one go.  The zoo is located on the side of the hill with the castle perched on top, so there should be interest for all the family.

    

18.  Get all hobbity at Sarehole Mill.  A watermill with connections to J.R.R.Tolkein.  Children get free entry.
19. Visit a country park.  Many of them have great playgrounds and other facilities too.  We like Worcester Woods and the Lickey Hills.
20. Follow The Big Hoot Trail which runs around Birmingham City Centre and other areas within the city.  It’s running all over the summer holidays and you can use a leaflet or a free app to follow the trail.