Free family days out in June!

Isobel Lawrance 31st May 2023 No Comments

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Free family days out in June

Welcome back to our monthly roundup of the best free things to do with children in the capital (and beyond). I’m Emmy and for the last five years I’ve been hunting down the best events and hangouts for Londoners with young kids and writing about them on my blog, bablands.com.

I’ve learnt a lot about kids’ activities since I started blogging, but one of my most surprising discoveries is that the best stuff is often free. With that in mind, I’ll be partnering with MoneyMagpie each month to bring you the best free days out for families in London and beyond.

June hails the joyful return of summer, when entertaining kids on the cheap suddenly seems a million times easier than it has in months. We say tata (at least temporarily) to the same old soft plays and overpriced indoor activities, and salute sunny days spent at the park, immersing ourselves in nature (or at the very least, the paddling pool).

This month’s activities are a real ray of sunshine, from artist Jeppe Hein’s arty splash pad at London’s Southbank Centre, which surprises users with unexpected ‘walls’ of water; to Lauriston Castle’s minibeasts-themed event for World Environment Day, which includes a minibeast hunt in the Scottish mansion’s lush grounds. Or what about London’s Great Exhibition Road Festival, which encourages kids to get outside and get their hands dirty with miniature garden building, worm racing and loads more alfresco fun.

London
Rest of the UK

London

Pride Family Day at Museum of the Home

Kick off Pride month with a fun-filled family day on the 2nd. Expect arts, crafts, and storytelling that explore the themes of diversity, acceptance, and uniqueness at the heart of Pride.

Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms

The artist’s playful fountain-meets-art-installation returns to the Southbank Centre from the 7th. By shooting jets of water into the air, the fountain creates rooms that disappear as quickly as they emerge.

SuperMassive Sound and Light exhibition

Head to Woolwich’s Cable Depot on the 9th-10th and be dazzled by this fully interactive and immersive exhibition. Designed to be family-friendly, the event promises lots of fun things for kids to explore, including the chance to alter the environment through sound and light.

Gaia at Landmark

Luke Jerram’s globe artwork will be popping up at the Teddington arts centre from the 16th of June to the 2nd of July as part of Richmond’s Arts & Ideas Festival, with special family yoga and under-5s sessions taking place underneath.

The Great Exhibition Road Festival

The popular South Kensington festival returns from the 17th-18th with loads of fun, free events for families, including an inflatable bungee run, science demos, workshops including crafts, music and yoga, and loads more.

Rest of the UK

The North

Baltic’s Cereal Disco and Doodle runs every morning throughout half term, offering kids a free breakfast and adults a free tea or coffee, as well as chance to boogie and do some drawing while listening to some top tunes.

Wales

Swansea’s National Waterfront Museum is running a Print-Tastic Make & Take on the 1st and 2nd. Drop in to join students from UWTSD illustration department to make your own special impression print to take home.

Scotland

Lauriston Castle is hosting a minibeasts-themed event for World Environment Day on the 4th. Go on a minibeast hunt in the grounds, then design a cartoon that shows wildlife finding its way home to its natural habitat.

The South West

The Festival of Nature Family Nature Party will be held at the Apex City of Bath Hotel on the 11th. Come together with other local families for a day of art, music, workshops, storytelling, games, performances and lots more.