Things to do with kids in Bristol this summer
We know sometimes it's hard to get inspiration for how to entertain children during the summer months – so we’ve put together another one of our handy Raised in Bristol guides for things to do with kids in and around Bristol this summer!
Here are our top five picks:
Photo from We The Curious.
Bristol favourite We The Curious science centre reopens this July providing both an exciting and educational day out for the whole family. The ‘Impossible, possible’ programme brings the science centre alive with workshops and experiments all themed around tackling seemingly impossible questions.
Some of the activities you'll find running this summer:
Moo-less milk – learn to make oat milk and find out what is milk anyway?
Learn about Impossible plants – what if plants could survive without water or soil? Impossible, right? Maybe not.
Chain reaction – Can you work in a team to make an elaborate chain reaction machine? Get creative with dominoes, balls and other contraptions to make part of a bigger machine.
Plus lots more to discover!
Little ones under 2 go free, although you still need to book a free day ticket and Planetarium ticket for them. Adult (16+) tickets start at £18.50 or £20.35 with a donation. Children (ages 3-15) start at £12.65 or £13.95 with a donation. They also offer Open Concession tickets if their standard prices are out of reach at the moment with no questions asked. But it’s also worth noting If you go after 3 pm tickets are almost half price with adult tickets starting at £10 and children £7 without donation.
Admission and accessibility info is available on their website here.
Photo from National Trust.
The National Trust’s ‘Summer of Play’ is a campaign with family-friendly activities and trails taking place at various Trust sites across the country. Tyntesfield is just a short drive from Bristol but also accessible via the X6 bus which stops just outside the main gate. The ‘Summer of Play: Let’s Play’ at Tyntesfield boasts a whole host of fun things to entertain your little ones whilst you take in the stunning estate. Pick up a free Let’s Play map and activity sheet at the welcome building, then head off and discover the many ways to play at Tyntesfield.
Build your tallest tower or best balance beam course in the ‘Let’s Build’ area. Head to ‘Let’s Discover’ to become a woodland explorer or ‘Let’s move’ to try your hand at tennis. The estate would be the perfect place to find a picnic spot but there are also not one but two cafe’s there for refuelling!
You can get a family ticket starting at £45 or one adult family ticket starting at £27 or there is of course free entry to those with a National Trust yearly membership.
Admission and accessibility info is available on their website here.
Photo from Bristol Zoo Project.
You can’t go over it. You can’t go under it. You’ve got to go through it! Get ready to swish, splash and squelch your way through a new sensory trail based on the ever-popular We’re Going on a Bear Hunt story. Bristol Zoo Project has brought this much-loved book and the animation based on it to life with a series of interactive installations. Children can roam through the swishy swashy grass, conquer thick oozy mud, brave swirling whirling snowstorms, and tiptoe through a cave in search of real bears.
The trail is included in the general admission price for the day so can be enjoyed as a part of a whole family day out at Bristol Zoo Project, and children under 2 go free. Family tickets which consist of either 2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and three children start at £64.54 or £71 with a donation. Adult tickets start at £20.45 or £22.50 with a donation and children’s tickets (2-14 years) start at £16.36 or £18 with a donation.
Admission and accessibility info is available on their website here.
Photo from Southmead Development Trust.
The Southmead Festival at the Greenway Centre returns on Saturday 13th of July from 11am – 4pm. Taking place on the playing field behind the centre this year’s theme is The Mead Olympics to celebrate this summer’s Olympic Games! Everyone is warmly invited to this free and fun family day. There will be all the Festival usuals like tasty food, Greenway Market stalls, music, dancing, and performance, so do bring the family and enjoy. There will be chances to win a ‘Meadallion’ or a ‘Meadal’ – watch this space!
As a part of the event, we’ll be opening up the Raised in Bristol at the Greenway Centre nursery garden between 11.30am-1.30pm where we’ll be hosting some fun activities for children including free face painting! We will also be giving families the opportunity to have a look around the nursery itself and meet the team. With this is a great way to informally come by and have a look around.
Photo from Rock the Tots.
Rock The Tots is a live music gig for babies, toddlers, little ones and their grown-ups – with puppets, comical characters, bubbles and more! On Friday 2nd August at The Wardrobe Theatre in the Old Market Assembly on West Street from 11am – 12pm.
Steph and Craig are back in Bristol with their fun live music session for families – and this time everyone’s off to the beach! Expect to hear songs by The Drifters, Katy Perry and The Beach Boys, to name a few. Importantly, not a nursery rhyme in sight!
So grab yer sunnies, put on those dancing shoes, and come and join Rock the Tots for a daytime gig. There will be puppets, comical characters, bubbles and more – you and your little one will have a blast. Families and older siblings are welcome!
Children ages 2 and under go free! Then tickets are £10 for everyone else.
Book tickets and find out more here.
