Activities, ideas & local services for you and your family
Activities over the summer
Over the summer holidays, Reading has plenty of activities and clubs especially for children. You can find out what’s happening in your area here.
Reading Children’s Centres
For parents and carers with children under five, our children’s centres are running various virtual sessions and support groups. These include:
- Baby massage: learn baby massage techniques and get some quality,
uninterrupted time with your baby. - Sing and sign: learn everyday signs to communicate and bond with your baby
- Sleep workshop: Join us for just one workshop and learn new ways to settle your baby or toddler at bedtime.
- Mini Maestros: baby and toddler music classes
For more information on these and all other groups you can join in with, see the latest programme (June – July 2021) and the 2021 Summer timetable.
Summer 2021 timetable
- Reading and sharing stories with children is great for their development – and
it’s fun for everyone! Watch our Board Chair, Di Smith, here reading Doughnuts for a Dragon for World Book Day 2021.
What’s your favourite book? Share a story with us on Facebook or Twitter.
- Get Berkshire Active has lots of activities and challenges to help you stay active together
- Join Reading Libraries for story time every Tuesday here on its Facebook page
- Reading museum has various online activities for all ages to try here, as does Reading University’s Museum of Rural Life
- For info and things to do, visit our Family Information Service‘s activities guide
- Also, see online events and activities by local organisations here on What’s on Reading
BFfC activity sheets or resources
- Help remind your child about wearing their face mask – download these posters to design their own facemask here, or using this one
- 40+ staying at home ideas for children
- For parents with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) here are a few activities sheets: Joining your child’s play, Activities using visuals, Ready Steady Go Games, Tactile play activity ideas
Other ideas (national organisations)
- Here are some spring lockdown activities, from the Woodland Trust
- Get your kids moving with these fun, Disney inspired indoor games and activities from the NHS, Change4Life
- The parents hub on Twinkl’s website has lots of ideas and activities for you to access when you sign up – have a look here
- Audiobooks are free while schools are closed with Audible
- Earn eight Blue Peter badges by completing various tasks
- CBBC has activities on their website and a section dedicated to keeping busy at home.
- Keep your children entertained by downloading the 30 day Lego challenge
- National Geographic Kids is a fun website, with resources to lear
n about animals, science, history and the world - Craft ideas, quick quizzes, wonderful word searches and many more fun ideas to do indoors are on Roald Dahl‘s website.
- Sports England has launched a campaign to inspire us all to keep active: Stay In, Work Out
- From dough disco with nursery rhymes to 100 things to do indoors, Spread the Happiness has lots of ideas to entertain.