Visiting Kingston
Kids Visiting Kingston Say “Thumbs Up It’s Thursday”
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is serving up a summer of fun with six weeks of free activities for children aged three to 11 years. Every Thursday from 26 July to 30 August is “Thumbs Up It’s Thursday”, and children are encouraged to visit the nine venues across the town hosting workshops, sporting events, storytelling sessions and crafting classes.
With activities taking place from 10am to 5pm, families can visit the nine venues and take part in the free events, getting their special map stamped along the way. Once they have completed the trail they will be awarded a certificate.
Participating venues across Kingston include the Bentall Centre, Bentalls, Eden Walk Shopping Centre, John Lewis, Kingston Children’s Library,KingstonMuseum, theMemorialGardens and The Rotunda. Turk Launches is also offering free boat trips for children from Turks Pier toHamptonCourtPalace and back.
Each venue has designed a day of fun and activity, with the theme changing each week from “Get Active” to “Countries of the World”, “Ocean Discovery”, “Let’s Recycle”, “Kings & Queens” and “Animal Kingdom”.
All the activities are free and most don’t require advance booking, so children from the local area,Londonand beyond, can turn up with their parents and enjoy a day of educational and playful summer fun.
The activities include:
· The Bentall Centre – Create and decorate sports shirts, caps, sports bags, sun catchers and a gold medal, plus other games
· Bentalls (third floor) – Fitness fun, clay modelling, Octonauts themed day, interactive fairy-tale story time and a mobile ark comes to visit
· Eden Walk Shopping Centre – Get arty with crafting workshops themed to animals, masks, sports and even build a fort! Plus interactive storytelling fromHampton Court
· John Lewis (third floor) – Design and drawing fun, making crowns, masks, bookmarks and a sea life mural. Plus there’s finger knitting for the over eights
· Kingston Children’s Library – Rock and rhyme with active songs, make something to wear to Kingston Carnival, get reading for the summer, plus storytelling fromPersia, Africa andNorth America
· Kingston Museum – make a moving athlete from photos, become a Viking or a Tudor, discover sea monsters, play with toys from the 1940s and dress up like Saxon royalty
· Memorial Gardens – Train at a Chelsea FC workshop, create flags and dolls from around the world, learn sand art, train as a Royal Marine Cadet, make a robot from recycled materials and see a magic show
· The Rotunda – Follow the challenge clues to collect prizes, be inspired to create colourful art, and join the jungle party at Jelly bugs. Tenpin Bowl for just £1 (restrictions apply)
· Turk Launches – Free boat trips for children at 10.30am, 11.15am or 12pm. Adult fares are payable
more information about the activities and events happening during “Thumbs Up It’s Thursday”, go to: www.kingstonfirst.co.uk/visitkingston/whatson/tuit
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By Penny McCarthy
Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.
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