Free activities to do with the kids this half term

Half term is just over a week away and with any luck the weather should be beautiful, so getting out and about with the kids will be vital if you’re trying to keep them occupied. But with many people strapped for cash these days, going on a day trip often has to be cheap or even better – free.

Bristol is full of great child-friendly places that are completely free. From museums with interactive exhibits to parks with hundreds of acres to run and trees to climb, or even National Trust sites holding children’s sessions for half term only, there’s a lot going on.

We’ve put together a small list of just a few of the places that give kids space to explore and enjoy the outdoors.

Read more: New ‘smart’ convenience store to open in up-and-coming neighborhood

Read more: Bristol Pride launch ‘biggest band ever’ with huge 80s line-up

M-Sed

A great day trip downtown that’s perfect for kids is the M-Shed on the harbor front. Filled with exhibits about Bristol’s own history, children can learn in an interactive way with interactive activities spread throughout the museum. From a double-decker bus to a dinosaur, kids will love exploring this place. Open Tuesday through Sunday, people can spend part or all of the day here, or head downtown for a coffee and some shopping after.

Ashton Court Estate

If you’re looking to get your child to grow up a bit, then Ashton Court Estate could be the perfect place to do it. With acres of fields, kids could run around for hours and there are plenty of fallen trees to climb and explore. And if it’s a lonely sunny day, then why not have a picnic and lie in the sun with a book while the kids run around.

Assembly rooms for bathrooms

Although not exactly in Bristol, Bath Assembly Rooms are running a free children’s event every day from 25 May to 2 June. If your little one loves arts and crafts, this will be a great activity for them. Every day from 10am to 3pm, kids can take part in a fashion and music themed craft class where they can create a Georgian paper doll and even practice fan language.

All information to get to the event can be found on the Bath Assembly Room website.

Join our WhatsApp group dedicated to food and drink events, reviews and news

Priors Park Landscape Garden

Another Bath venue offering a free activity for children this half term is Priors Park. Distributed around the garden, staff have hidden eight animals in the greenery for children to find and identify, all of which are endangered species. The trail will run for eight days from May 25 to June 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For all information visit the Prior’s Park website.

Tyntesfield

Tyntesfield has not one, not two, but three free events taking place this half term, all perfect for keeping the kids entertained.

The first is Sunshine on the Fallen Tree, “an immersive sound and light sculpture made from ash.” You can walk through the branches and sit in the canopy, observing the lights while “a soundtrack carries you through the movements of a requiem and the sonic memories of the trees.” The event is available half way through early July.

Echoes from the Aviary is another visual installation, this time for Tyntesfield’s aviary. The young people responsible for the piece worked alongside artists Oshii and Jono Gilmurray and explored the history of the building and what birds might have inhabited the place in the past. On the National Trust website, the final artwork is described as follows: “The final artwork not only explores these histories, but encourages us to learn from them and think about how we can care for nature and life of birds in the future”.

Finally, children can try to make a colorful bird themselves, inspired by “Echoes in the Aviary”. Open to all half term children can come down between 10.30am and 3.30pm to create their own colorful bird. All information can be found on the Tyntesfield website.

Feeling curious? Follow Curious further Tick , Instagram , Facebook and X .