The summer holidays are here! To help you keep the kids entertained without breaking the bank, here’s a handy guide of things to do. I’ve broken it down into different types of days out and I’ve included as many free options and discounts as I could find.
I will also be running giveaways for free family days out on my Instagram page throughout the summer holidays. Make sure you’re following @babyinbucks and have me saved as a favourite so you don’t miss out.
This post contains some affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND
- Miracle Week at Hogshaw Farm & Wildlife Park (Green Dragon Eco Farm) – 22nd – 28th August
- Farmer Paul’s Maize Maze in Aylesbury – 23rd – 28th August
- Bracknell Forest Festival at The Lexicon, Bracknell – 24th August – 4th September
- Bounce Park in Banbury – 25th – 28th August
- Knebworth House + Nickolodeon Experience at Knebworth House (14th – 27th August)
- Henley’s Country Craft Show at Stonor Park – 26th – 29th August
- Dragons and Mythical Beasts Live at Oxford Playhouse – 26th – 28th August
- Bungee Trampolining at the Orchard Centre in Didcot – 27th August
- Live in the Park in Aylesbury – 27th August
- The Windsor Food Festival – 27th – 29th August
- Family Fun Day at Magnolia Park in High Wycombe – 28th August
- Family Fun Day in Oaken Grove Park, Maidenhead – 28th August
- Cassiobury Farm Open Day in Watford – 28th August
- Holmer Green Miniature Railway – 28th August (also Annual Beer & Music Festival)
- Sledging at The Snow Centre in Hemel Hemstead – 29th August
- Milkshake Live at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre – 29th August
- Paddington at Didcot Railway Centre – 29th August
- Hinksey Heights Big Nature Day – 29th August
- Buckinghamshire Railway Centre Classic Vehicle Special – 29th August
- Princess Singalong Picnic in South Hill Park, Bracknell – 29th August @southhillpark
- Bank Holiday Activities at The Cheese Shed in Nettlebed – 29th August
- Lillingstone Pick Your Own Sunflowers
- Dahlia Beach at Millets Farm
FREE DAYS OUT
Let’s start with the freebies because six weeks of days out can get expensive! All of these are free, with the exception of car park charges in some cases.
- Playgrounds – if you’d like some inspiration on new playgrounds to visit, here’s my reviews on some of our favourites
- Eden’s Underwater World – FREE ocean adventure trail with the chance to win prizes
- Leavesden Country Park
- Burnham Beeches – this is a lovely walk for buggies and little legs
- Oxhey Activity Park
- Glebe Cafe & Playground
- National History Museum at Tring
- MK Play Day featuring Hey Duggee in Cambell Park, Milton Keynes – 3rd August
- Live in the Park in Aylesbury – 27th August
- Burnham Beeches Hotel Family Summer Fayre – 31st July. Fayre is free to attend but if you want to use their pool facilities as well it’s £10 for adults and £5 for children and all profits go to charity.
- Kite Festival at Norden Farm – 4th September
- Fun in the Sun inflatable park at the following locations:
- 27th July @ The Active Dacorum Hub, Grovehill, HP2 7BA
- 10th August @ The Nap, Kings Langley, WD4 8ET
- 17th August @ Canal Fields, Berkhamsted, HP4 2AL
- 24th August @ Pound Meadow, Tring, HP23 6HA
- 31st August @ Gadebridge Park, HP1 1DN
- Musical Trail at The Grove (please note if they are busy they may not allow non guests into the hotel car park)
- Ikea have loads of great free events running over the summer with no booking required. Here are the one’s for Reading but check out your local one:
- Messy Modelling – 25th, 26th, 287th July, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th, 10th August
- Jungle Quest + Decorate Your Dream House – 11th July – 14th August
- Make Your Own Kite – 28th July, 4th August, 11th August
- Balloon artist and face painter in store every Saturday over the summer holidays
Tips on finding free local days out in the summer holidays
- Look to see if your local library is running any activities
- Follow your local shopping centre on Instagram/Facebook, they often run brilliant free events
- Check out your town council on Instagram/Facebook to keep up to date with their free events
- Make sure you follow local days out bloggers like myself on Instagram as we’ll regularly share events. Here are some of the ones I find most helpful:
DAYS OUT UNDER £15
Some of these are free to visit but have expensive car parks or additional paid activities so I’ve included them here rather than the FREE Days Out section. They work out under £15 for 1 adult and 1 child, for some of them if you are taking additional people they’ll be over £15.
- Windsor Great Park – there is a brand new playground opening in The Savill Garden this summer (opening date TBC)
- Black Country Park – they have recently upgraded their play area and have loads of great family events on
- Bugs and Beasts – 2nd August
- Dino Camp – 16th August
- Kids Go Wild – 18th August
- Dinosaur Trail – 22nd – 26th August
- Den Building and Family Picnic – 31st August
- Langley Country Park – they’ve also done a big upgrade on their play area
- Denham Country Park
- Hapa Zome Workshop (banging leaves/flowers with hammers and making art) – 3rd August
- Cutteslowe Park – splash park, several playgrounds, miniature railway, sports courts, mini golf, butterfly house
- Cassiobury Park – splash park, playground, miniature railways
- Iver Environment Centre
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Pond dip and pitta pizza – 29th July & 5th August
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Plants and Pollinators – 9th, 11th & 12th August
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Surviving the Wild – 23rd, 25th, 26th August
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- Wendover Woods – we love the sensory trail here and there’s also a Superworm trail which you can pick a trail map up for £3.50
- Holtspur Scarecrow Trail – 30th July – 7th August
- Wild Ones of Henley (1 adult and 1 child is £12.95)
- Mini Farmers Club
- Buzz Bounce – Beaconsfield outdoor bounce park (£10 per child, under 2’s £5 and adults free)
- D:Two Henley
- Young Imagination
- The Story Museum (under £15 if visiting the Small Worlds exhibition for 0-5 year olds)
- Crocus at Dorney
- Children’s Garden Workshop – 3rd + 24th August
- Fairy Art and Craft Workshop – 15th August
- The Pirates Hidden Treasure Show and Donkey Rides – 25th August
- River and Rowing Museum – this just squeezes in at £15 for 1 adult and 1 child normally but from 25th – 31st July kids go free so it’s just £9 for an adult ticket.
- Dinton Pastures – there is so much to do here so it’s best to head to their website to check it out. There are loads of free activities (just pay for parking) as well as paid activities
- The Savill Garden at Windsor Great Park (new adventure playground opening August 22) – use Gardeners World 2for1 card for 2 for 1 tickets – click here to buy if you don’t have one
- Chiltern Open Air Museum – use Gardeners World 2for1 card for 2 for 1 tickets
- Thomley – make sure you check the calendar before booking to see who’s permitted to visit each day (some days are restricted to people with disabilities)
- Bucks Goat Centre
- Aldenham Country Park – there’s loads to do here if you just pay for parking. If you want to make a longer day out of it you can also add on the farm and adventure playground (which would take you over £15)
- Hobbycraft – Kids craft workshops for £5 – Various locations
- The Cheese Shed – not only do they do the most incredible cheese toasties but they also have childrens entertainment/crafts running over the summer
- Bertie Slippers – 3rd, 10th, 24th August
- Make a wooden Bat Box – 9th August
- Make a wooden Ladybird House – 11th August
- Decorate a Butterfly & Bee Feeder – 18th August
- Decorate a porcelain Hedgehog Feeder – 18th August
- Make a wooden Squirrel Feeder – 23rd August
- Make a wooden Butterfly House – 25th August
NATIONAL TRUST
You know I had to give National Trust it’s own section! Honestly if you’ve not yet signed up as members yet, what are you waiting on? Here’s the link for membership – do it now, it will be the best money you spend this year.
Here’s my favourite one’s to visit in the summer holidays and all year round (and once you’re members it feels like a free day out).
- Cliveden National Trust
- Basildon Park – this is the one with the brilliant play trail and ball runs
- Hugheden Manor
- Grays Court
ANIMAL DAYS OUT
- Jakes Playworld + Mini Farm
- Kew Little Pigs – Save up to 44% with this Groupon offer
- BCA Zoo
- Whipsnade Zoo – Book via this link to get a free £5 voucher for Picniq (to spend on days out)
- West Midland Safari Park
- Beale Park
- Cotswold Wildlife Park
- Woburn Safari Park – Meet Peppa Pig on 27th July
- Crocodiles of the World
- Millets Farm
- Chobham Adventure Farm
- Paradise Wildlife Park
- Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park – Kids Fest
- Birdworld – Save 20% off tickets
SUMMER HOLIDAYS OUTDOOR FUN
- Hobbledown Heath – discounted entry tickets (£15) are available until 1st August
- Hobbledown Epsom
- Gripped Adventure Park – this is an adrenaline park next to Hobbledown Heath
- Go Ape – various locations – for younger kids we love the Nets Adventure at Black Park
- Tumblestone Hollow
- 4 Kingdoms Adventure Park
- Knebworth House + Nickolodeon Experience at Knebworth House (14th – 27th August)
- Wellington Country Park
- Audley Miniature Railway
- Legoland Windsor – Book via this link to save up to 56% off your tickets
- Chessington World of Adventure – Book via this link to save up to 45% off your tickets
- Hire a boat on the Thames – we love the Little Green Boat from Higginson Park in Marlow
- Warwick Castle including Zog Playground – Book via this link to save up to 53% off your tickets
- Bucklebury Farm
- Hampton Court Palace
- Blenheim Palace – use promo code 20DISCOUNT for 20% off tickets. Don’t forget to convert your ticket into a free annual pass when your get there.
- Drayton Manor – save up to 40% off tickets
- Gullivers Theme Park – Milton Keyes + various other locations – save up to 20% with Kids Pass and get 3 months free Kids Pass with selected jars of Dolmio sauces
BEST PLACES TO COOL OFF
Check out my splash parks and outdoor pools guide here.
FLOWER ATTRACTIONS
- The Patch MK – this is so much more than a sunflower field. They have created a really fun day out for the kids with loads of play areas, mazes (including a dinosaur maze), tractor rides, the list goes on! (now closed)
- Farmer Pauls Sunflowers – opening 30th July (now closed)
- Lillingstone Pick Your Own Sunflowers
- Dahlia Beach at Millets Farm
PYO FRUIT
- Rectory Farm – complete with brand new playground
- Copas Farm – Cookham + Iver
- Peterley Manor Farm
- Lillingstone Pick Your Own
- Millets Farm
RAILWAY DAYS OUT
- Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
- Didcot Railway Centre
- Bekonscot Model Railway & Village
- Ruislip Lido Railway
- Cutteslowe Park Miniature Railway
- Holmer Green Miniature Railway – 31st July + 28th August (also Annual Beer & Music Festival)
SUMMER HOLIDAYS INDOOR ATTRACTIONS
- The Lookout Discovery Centre
- Natural History Museum at Tring
- Legoland Discovery Centre Birmingham & Manchester – FREE ticket offer with promo packs of Cadburys or save up to 20% with this Groupon offer
- Sea Life Centre – various locations – Book via this link to save up to 53%
- The Story Museum
- Kite Making Workship at Norden Farm – 6th + 25th August
- Rush Trampoline Park – High Wycombe
- Roald Dahl Museum – Great Missenden
- Discover Bucks Museum – Aylesbury – Summer Science Festival 25th July – 3rd September
- Clip n Climb – Various – Save up to 53% off Clip and Climb Slough with this Groupon offer
- Little Street – Children’s Role Play Centres – Various locations
- Children’s Play Village – Warwick
- River and Rowing Museum – Henley
- Nickelodeon Adventure Lakeside – save up to 16% off tickets
- Coral Reef Waterworld
- Chilterns Lifestyle Centre
FAMILY THEATRE SHOWS IN THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS
- Summer Singalong Concertini at Norden Farm – 23rd July
- Catch That Beast at Norden Farm – 30th July
- Gangsta Granny Live on Stage at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre – 28th – 31st July
- Me and My Bee at Oxford Playhouse – 1st – 14th August
- Errol’s Garden at Norden Farm – 3rd August
- Rapunzel at Knebworth House – 25th August
- Baby Broadway at Wycombe Swan – 6th August
- Alice in Wonderland at Millets Farm – 10th – 11th August
- Pigs and Bears Don’t Come in Pairs – 12th – 13th August
- Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever – 13th – 14th August
- Zog and the Flying Doctor at Oxford Playhouse – 19th – 21st August
- The Pirates Hidden Treasure Show and Donkey Rides at Crocus at Dorney – 25th August
- Dragons and Mythical Beasts Live at Oxford Playhouse – 26th – 28th August
- Milkshake Live at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre – 29th August
LONDON DAYS OUT
There is of course SO much to do in London during the summer holidays. There are already some fantastic blog posts on this so rather than triple the size of this post I’m going to suggest you check them out. Here’s a couple of my favourites:
Museum Mum – Summer Holidays London 2022
Bablands – London Play Fountains and Splash Pads by Area
The Young Londoner – Young Londonist
Here are some links for days out that I’ve managed to find discounts for though.
- Thames Rockets – save up to 25% off
- ZSL London Zoo – Book via this link to get a free £5 voucher for Picniq (to spend on days out)
- Tootbus London Kids Tour – Save up to 10% off
- SEA LIFE London Aquarium – save up to 53% off tickets
- Kidzania – save up to 44% off tickets
I hope this helps you plan a fun filled summer without breaking the bank! All I ask in return is that you tag me @babyinbucks on any posts/stories you share on social media if you’ve used any of these ideas over the summer holidays. Even if your account is private it really helps! Please also use the #babyinbucks.
