Parents News Forum
More Summer Family Fun
Greenwich and Docklands International Festival!
Greenwich Fair is back this year as part of the 30th anniversary year of Greenwich and Docklands International Festival! Family-friendly street theatre, circus, dance and games will showcase the recently relandscaped General Wolfe Plaza, in a packed programme of shows framed by the best view of London. An August Bank Holiday weekend treat for all ages with 12 raucous performances. Suitable for all children but we recommend that 4+ be used as guidance.
Saturday 23 – Sunday 24 August 1pm – 7pm (Various shows all day)
General Wolfe Piazza, Observatory Hill, Greenwich Park, SE10 8XJ
Free!
Returning to its historic, nineteenth century home, Greenwich Fair is back. Family-friendly street theatre, circus, dance and games will showcase the recently relandscaped General Wolfe Plaza, in a packed programme of shows framed by the best view of London. An August Bank Holiday weekend treat for all ages with 12 raucous performances. Over 50 Interactive Exhibits
The Museum of Illusions Manchester
Located in the heart of the city on Market Street, this fully indoor attraction features over 50 interactive exhibits - from optical illusions and gravity-defying rooms to mind-puzzling holograms and brain-busting challenges. It's where science meets fun in the most playful, photo-worthy way.
Designed to spark curiosity across all ages, the museum is fast becoming one of the UK’s most immersive and Instagrammable family destinations. Think upside-down rooms, shrinking chairs, and hands-on puzzles that will leave everyone questioning reality.
Why it’s worth the trip:
Over 50 immersive, brain-bending experiences
Perfect for toddlers, teens, and curious adults
Fully indoor – ideal for unpredictable weather
Centrally located for easy access to Manchester’s wider cultural offering
10% summer family bundle discount available now
Under the Sea” Afternoon Tea
Park Plaza County Hall London is offering a cute and fun option worth considering.
Running from July through to September, the hotel’s “Under the Sea” Afternoon Tea is a playful, ocean-inspired experience designed to captivate both children and adults. Featuring themed sweet and savoury bites, like mini chocolate turtles, seashell madeleines, and sea life-inspired sandwiches pictured below, this afternoon tea offers an imaginative twist on a classic British tradition.
Perfect as a stop-off for families visiting London’s South Bank or major attractions around Westminster, or those looking for a memorable holiday treat, the experience is served in a setting that's both relaxed and engaging. Even better, with every afternoon tea booking, Park Plaza is donating £1 per person to a marine conservation.
Under the Sea Afternoon Tea prices and menu: 4 people (2 adults, 2 children) - £120 3 people (2 adults, 1 child) - £100
- Ocean themed desserts
- Delicious Sandwich Selection
- Fresh scones with clotted cream and jam
- Hot beverages (tea, coffee, hot chocolate)
- Signature Mocktails
Whether you're covering summer activities for families, creative takes on afternoon tea, or unique dining experiences in the capital, we’d love for you to include this new offer from Park Plaza.
Rail adventures: summer family fun at London Transport Museum
Wednesday 23 July to Sunday 31 August 2025
- This summer, celebrate 200 years of railway innovation at London Transport Museum
- Enjoy hands-on activities, including arts and crafts, invention making and storytelling – all inspired by 200 years of rail
- Kids go free and adult tickets offer free return day-time entry for a year
- In the Museum’s Cubic Theatre, catch the return of Transport Explorers: A Live Show – a fun-filled family theatre experience with live experiments, comedy and audience interaction
- Further afield, families can step into secret parts of the Tube by joining a Hidden London tour
Activities for all ages
Kids go free! Adult tickets to London Transport Museum include free return entry for a whole year. Concession tickets are also available. Book tickets in advance online here:
Top London attraction invites families to visit every day in the summer holidays
One of the leading family attractions in London is offering parents and carers across the county an easy way to keep their kids entertained throughout the summer holidays with an affordable membership scheme that will get children active every day for just £13.50 a month*.
Talking about the affordability of the membership scheme at Flip Out Canary Wharf, Richard Beese, co-owner of We Do Play, which operates Flip Out and a host of other immersive leisure and hospitality experiences including Activate at London's O2: "With the arrival of the long six-week summer holiday, parents find themselves juggling work and keeping the kids happy, while also trying not to spend huge amounts of money on activities. Our £13.50 a month membership scheme is one of the most discounted family-fun programmes around, giving parents the chance to get their kids out of the house and active for two hours a day, every day.
The Story Museum is named top family attraction in a national award
The Story Museum in Oxford has been named the Best Family Experience in the national Muddy Stilettos Awards. Having won the award in the regional round thanks to public votes, the Museum has gone on to claim the crown for Best Family Experience nationally, selected by Muddy Stilettos’ editors.
Finalists in the category included Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park, Ipswich, Attwell Farm Park, Redditch, Bucklebury Farm, Bucklebury, and Jordans Mill, Biggleswade.
‘We are over the moon to have won our category nationally’, says Ameneh Enayat, The Story Museum’s Head of Creative Programme. ‘We work hard to provide memorable, inspiring experiences for young people, families and schools through our galleries and our learning programme and it means so much to us to have that recognised by this award.’
The Story Museum has recently added to its offer with a new, permanent gallery, The Story Arcade, which was developed and built with support by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and was unveiled in July 2025. The brand-new space celebrates storytelling through video games, inviting visitors to level up their imagination, and features custom built arcade-style machines with games to play, dressing up and side-quests.