Kidora Parent Hub

School Holiday Activities

School holidays can include free library sessions, museum workshops, sports, holiday clubs, outdoor days and simple activities at home.

Holiday dates differ by nation, council, school and year. Check the child’s own school calendar and the organiser’s current programme.

Current Local Coverage

This guide contains detailed local information for Chester, Wrexham, Flintshire and North Wales, with selected official sources for Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield.

Live elsewhere in the UK? Use the Other UK Locations guide in the Kidora Parent Hub to find official council, tourism, museum, library, park and family-event resources near you.

Venue opening times, prices, booking arrangements, group timetables, age limits, parking, public transport and accessibility details can change. Always check the organiser’s official website shortly before travelling.

No external videos are embedded on this page. Some official websites linked from the guide may contain their own videos, cookies or third-party services.

Chester

Chester holiday activities may be offered by Storyhouse, museums, the zoo, libraries and visitor attractions.

• Check Storyhouse’s live programme
• Use Visit Cheshire’s family-event calendar
• Review Chester Zoo holiday and seasonal information
• Combine one booked activity with a free park or museum
• Confirm whether the activity matches the child’s school holiday

Official sources:

• Storyhouse What’s On
• Visit Chester and Cheshire family events
• Chester Zoo

Wrexham

Wrexham holiday options include Xplore!, parks, libraries, leisure and heritage programmes.

• Check Xplore!’s current holiday sessions
• Use Wrexham libraries for live activities
• Check council park events
• Review Erddig’s programme
• Book early where capacity is limited

Official sources:

• Xplore! Science Discovery Centre
• Wrexham libraries
• Wrexham parks and countryside
• Erddig

Flintshire

Flintshire families can use the council’s Leisure and Tourism, libraries and Family Information Service.

• Check library craft and reading activities
• Review leisure-centre holiday programmes
• Contact Family Information Service for current local information
• Confirm resident, age and referral requirements
• Check whether food or equipment is included

Official sources:

• Flintshire Leisure and Tourism
• Flintshire libraries
• Flintshire Family Information Service

North Wales

North Wales holiday activities include attraction programmes, Cadw events, outdoor activities and museum sessions.

• Use Visit Wales events and attractions
• Check Cadw’s current property programmes
• Review Eryri activities and visitor information
• Avoid overloading a holiday week with long regional travel
• Keep free local days between larger trips

Official sources:

• Visit Wales events
• Visit Wales attractions
• Cadw places to visit
• Eryri National Park

Selected Other UK Cities

Use the live family-event calendars below for current holiday programmes, then check each organiser’s booking and eligibility rules.

• Liverpool family events
• Manchester family events
• Birmingham family events
• What’s on in Leeds
• What’s on in Sheffield

Looking for Another UK Location?

Start with the relevant council, national tourism organisation, library service and official venue website. Avoid relying on an old social-media post or an undated local list.

• Find a local council
• Find local library services in England and Wales
• VisitEngland
• Visit Wales attractions
• VisitScotland family activities
• Discover Northern Ireland

Check the Correct Holiday Dates

Term dates differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and can vary by council or school. Use the child’s own school or local authority calendar.

Holiday Clubs and Childcare

Check registration, safeguarding, staff, insurance, age, hours, food, medication, additional-needs support, cancellation and collection arrangements.

A holiday activity advertised as a club is not automatically registered childcare. Use the relevant official childcare or regulator information where childcare status matters.

Build a Balanced Holiday

• Include home days and unstructured play
• Use free local activities between paid days
• Avoid booking several tiring days consecutively
• Keep weather alternatives
• Consider the parent’s work and transport realistically

Holiday Budget

Set a total budget covering tickets, clubs, travel, food and equipment. Do not purchase activity-specific items before checking whether they can be borrowed, hired or found preloved.

Preparing with Kidora

Kidora is a UK-only marketplace where parents can buy and sell new and preloved baby and children’s items.

Families may find holiday clothing, books, craft equipment, bikes, scooters, outdoor toys, costumes, lunch bags and backpacks.

Sellers pay no selling fees and keep 100% of the item sale price. Buyers pay a mandatory Buyer Protection fee on paid purchases, shown before checkout.

Suitable items that are no longer needed can be listed at £0 as FREE rather than being thrown away, which may help another local family. FREE listings are collection-only, are secured through Kidora checkout and do not include a Buyer Protection fee.

Keep messages and payment inside Kidora. Arrange local collection privately after purchase and do not publish a home address in a listing.

Kidora and Buyer Protection do not inspect or certify products. Check the exact item, instructions, age or weight limits, condition, completeness, compatibility and official recall status before buying, selling or using it. Search the UK Product Safety Alerts, Reports and Recalls database. Do not sell or give away recalled, damaged, incomplete or otherwise unsafe products.

Frequently Asked Questions