50+ family-friendly events in around Cardiff for May half term and Whitsun bank holiday 2023
The schools are out for the next week – and the weather is looking good. There’s so much going on if you are looking for events to entertain the family over the bank holiday weekend and half term, with everything from theatre and circus to historical events and family fun days.
I’ve rounded up everything I can find in this post, but let me know anything I have missed in the comments on my social media channels.
Please note all events are subject to chance and cancellation. Please visit the website of your selected event in order to avoid disappointment. Lots of the events must be prebooked.
Events are organised by categories: Theatre, performance and cultural events; Events at museums; Castles and historical-themed events;
It really helps me keep on showing up in people’s news feeds if you like, share or comment on any of my social media posts.
Thanks as always for your amazing support.
Do follow the Cardiff Mummy Says Facebook page , Cardiff Mummy Says on Instagram or @cardiffmummy on Twitter to be the first to know what’s going on for families locally.
–
Theatre, performance and cultural events
–
–
Cardiff City Stadium, Leckwith, Cardiff
Until Sunday 4 June
From £10-£34 (look out for half price flyers in local shops and discounted tickets on sites such as Groupon)
The traditional elements of circus combined with the thrills, glamour and spectacle you would expect to see in Las Vegas. Dare devil performers, extreme acts from across the globe sit alongside classic clown escapes and other circus entertainment.
–
Bridgend Children’s Literature Festival
Venues across Bridgend
Saturday 20 May to Sunday 4 June
An array of events across Bridgend, many of which are free, celebrating literature.
Highlights include a relaxed screening of Where The Wild Things Are at Blaeangarw Workmen’s Hall on Saturday 27 May, Connor Allen: Miracles at Grand Pavilion Porthcawl and at Blaengarw Workmen’s Hall on Saturday 27 May; Balloon Dog Book Tour at Grand Pavilion Porthacwl on Sunday 28 May; Mixed Up Fairy Tales at Grand Pavilion Porthcawl on Monday 29 May, and lots more.
Events in local libraries include Stacey Blythe Musical Storytelling at Bridgend Library; Tales from Around The World at Aberkenfig Library and Maesteg Library, Night of the Animal Wall at Sarn Library and Bettws Library, A Dragon Ate My Ice Cube Collection at Sarn Library and lots more throughout the week.
–
Memo Arts Centre, Barry
Friday 26 May, 4.30pm, Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May, 11am and 2pm
Tickets £15
Age guidance 3+; 50 minutes running time with 15 minute post-show meet and greet with the dinosaurs
Direct from the West End, experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family. Grab your compass and join the show’s intrepid explorer presenter across uncharted territories to discover a pre-historic world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus! There will be a dino meet and greet after the show.
–
New Theatre, Cardiff
Saturday 27 May, 1.30pm and 4pm; Sunday 28 May 11am and 1.30pm
£16 per ticket family of 3 £45, family of 4 £60
Dive into Eric Carle’s bright and colourful world as four of his beloved stories are transformed from page to stage using a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets and charming music. Featuring favourite titles Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, The Very Lonely Firefly and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the critically acclaimed The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a vibrant celebration of Eric Carle’s adored classics and the perfect introduction to live theatre.
–
Blackwood Miners’ Institute
Saturday 27 May, 4pm
Age guidance 7+; 90 minutes
Adults £11, children £9, family (2+2) £32
From the award-winning author of The Boy At The Back Of The Class, Onjali Q. Raúf MBE, The Hero Next Door is a celebration of difference, friendship and working together to do the right thing. Meet Musa, who happens to be a refugee; Haley, an autistic girl who adores frogs; and a would-be bully by the name of Melody. This unlikely bunch come together to save an elderly neighbour from a con-woman posing as a carer, with thrilling and hilarious results. The Hero Next Door uses film, animation, music and physical theatre to be accessible to all and is brought to you by a diverse collective of cast and creatives, including disabled, non-disabled and culturally diverse actors.
–
Ballet Cymru present: Roald Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs
Friday 26 and Saturday 27 May, 7.30pm
Adults £15, children £11
Tuesday 30 May, 7.30pm
Adults £15, children £12
Two stories from Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes are set to music by composer Paul Patterson and danced by Ballet Cymru. Featuring glorious costumes, amazing dancing, and stunning video projections, this laugh out loud production was a huge hit for Ballet Cymru in 2016 and is an exquisite classical ballet for adults and kids alike.
–
New Theatre, Cardiff
Wednesday 31 May-Sunday 4 June
Wednesday 7pm, Thursday-Saturday 1pm and 5pm, Sunday 1pm
£17.50-£27.50
Orbit Theatre, Wales’ leading amateur company, presents School of Rock as its annual summer half term show for 2023. The story follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn an extra bit of cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There, he turns a class of ‘straight A’ pupils into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. But can he get them to the Battle of the Bands without their parents and the school’s headmistress finding out?
The show includes original hits from the film as well as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new songs You’re In The Band, Stick It To The Man and Teacher’s Pet, with its sensational live kids’ rock band a loving testimony to the transforming power of music.
–
Weston Studio, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May, 3pm and 7pm
£15, under 16s £7.50
More than 80 young voices of WNO Youth Opera present their annual showcase with this choral double bill. With a touch of the supernatural, a sprinkle of satire and a load of mayhem, follow the light-hearted story of The Pied Piper of Hamelin as he uses his magical pipe to rid the town of rats. However, a broken promise compromises the town’s happiness as the piper seeks revenge. In The Crab That Played With The Sea, based on Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories, audiences will encounter the two phases of the tide and observe a crab’s transformation from an oversized troublemaker into a small, humble one.
Directed by Angharad Lee and featuring imaginative puppetry and a small ensemble of instrumentalists, the set is inspired by the youth camps of Llangrannog and Glan-Llyn and the vibrancy of village playgrounds.
Sung in English with surtitles in English and Welsh.
Running time one hour and 15 with no interval.
–
The Ocean at the End of the Line
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Tuesday 30 May-Saturday 3 June, 7.30pm, plus Thursday and Saturday 2.30pm
From £15, age guidance 12+
From the imagination of best-selling author Neil Gaiman comes the National Theatre’s major new stage adaptation of The Ocean at the End of the Lane. This thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship blends magic with memory in a tour-de-force of storytelling that takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten and the darkness that lurks at the very edge of it. Returning to his childhood home, a man finds himself standing beside the pond of the old Sussex farmhouse where he used to play. He’s transported to his 12th birthday when his remarkable friend Lettie claimed it wasn’t a pond, but an ocean – a place where everything is possible… Plunged into a magical world, their survival depends on their ability to reckon with ancient forces that threaten to destroy everything around them.
–
St Cyres School, Penarth
Wednesday 31 May-Friday 2 June
£10
Barry-based amateur dramatics company Billboard Ensemble present Shrek Junior this half term, filled with a cast of talented local youngsters. Everyone’s favourite ogre is back in the hilarious stage spectacle based on the Oscar-winning film and smash hit stage musical. Shrek leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance.
–
Remarkable Rhythm
Saturday 27 May: 2pm & 6pm
Thursday 1 June: 2pm
Friday 2 June: 2pm & 6:30pm, Saturday 3 June: 2pm
Tuesday 6 June: 11am and 2pm with an after-show talk
A mash-up of dance and theatre for young audiences age 11+, with access for blind and Deaf audiences creatively and seamlessly integrated. Through R&B music and dynamic movement, Remarkable Rhythm explores how we connect with those most unlike us, creating an exciting and engaging audience experience from start to finish. When Rhythm and Glas meet at Bellevue park they have the five days of half-term to see if their friendship is worth keeping once they go back to their separate schools. The performance is created by Bermuda-born, Wales-based dancer and choreographer Krystal S Lowe, in association with Theatr Iolo, the award-winning theatre company which has been at the forefront of theatre for children and young people for more than 30 years.
–
Stories of a Little Watersprite
Blackwood Miners’ Institute
Friday 2 June, 2pm
Age guidance 4+; 45 minutes
Adults £11, children £9, family (2+2) £32
Amongst drifting waterweed and ancient moss-covered rocks the pond is teeming with life. Newts, snails, tiny minnows and bigger fish all go about their business as usual.
However, over the years things have entered the pond from above. Things that haven’t grown out of the squelchy mud or been born among the boulders. So much of it that the inhabitants have completely stopped noticing it.
This underwater world is in need of change. And this is where a little watersprite awakens.
Sophie Nüzel’s work for children and families uses storytelling, movement and puppetry to tell a tale of community, support and belonging.
–
Events at Museums
–
FREE BBC 100 in Wales
National Museum Cardiff
Until 3 September
Explore 100 years of the history of the BBC in Wales at the Nationa Museum Cardiff. From its birth in the 1920s into a new digital age, discover how Wales has, and will continue, to contribute to the making of the BBC.
Experience a walk through time to discover more about the history of the BBC in Wales and how 100 years of broadcasting has evolved, as well as an opportunity to see the technology, programmes and costumes of the past through objects and archive footage.
Tickets are free. Advance booking is recommended although there will be some on-the-day availability for those who arrive at the Museum without advance bookings.
–
FREE The Sea Horizon
National Museum Cardiff
Saturday 18 February-Sunday 10 September 2023
The Sea Horizon features 40 photographs by Garry Fabian Miller (one of the most progressive figures in fine art photography), all of which were made between 1976-77. Across eighteen months Fabian Miller photographed the view from the rooftop of his home in Clevedon, looking out across the Severn Estuary towards the coastline of Wales. Each photograph has the same square format with the line of the horizon dividing the sea and the sky. Compositional changes in light and weather disrupt the otherwise controlled elements of the work. The result is a group of forty portraits, all technically identical, yet all representationally unique. A powerful meditation on time, place and belonging.
–
FREE The Rules of Artfollow?
National Museum Cardiff
Until Sunday 4 June
The Rules of Art? brings together 500 years of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, film and ceramics to pose questions about representation, identity and culture. Works of art will be displayed in a way that questions social and political power and shows how artists have pursued a shared purpose: to push, subvert, question and reimagine what art can be. Vertigo Sea by John Akomfrah, one of a number of major new acquisitions, will be displayed among other featured artists such as Rembrandt, Thomas Jones, Pablo Picasso, Gwen John, Maximilian Lenz, Clare Woods, Bedwyr Williams, Caroline Walker and Clémentine Schneidermann.
–
Mission: Planet Earth – a VR Experience
National Museum Cardiff
Daily, 10.30am-4pm
£6 per person, age 13+
Put on your headset and strap yourself in for the journey of a lifetime!
Join L.W.N.A. the android on a mission through time in National Museum Cardiff’s virtual reality experience. Find out what Wales was like millions of years ago, from the warm depths of the seas of what will become Pembrokeshire to the bitterly cold climate of Powys. You might also come across some giant bugs, dinosaurs and even woolly mammoths.
The experience lasts 15 minutes. Book in advance online or at the museum, subject to availability.
–
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Until 3 September 2023
Supporters of Wales’ national football teams are called The Red Wall. Dressed in their bucket hats and replica shirts, belting out chants from the stands, they’re often described as the 12th player on the pitch.
To celebrate Cymru qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, this exhibition shines a spotlight on some of the people and communities of The Red Wall. Fashion, music, identities and politics are all here, cemented together by a sense of belonging.
This is their story – your story – the bricks of The Red Wall. It’s a fan-led experience like no other.
–
FREE Wales Is… Proud
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Until 31 December 2023
Every summer, Pride marches and events are held across Wales to celebrate LGBTQ+ equality and visibility. Pride started as a protest, a statement of resistance, and activists in Wales have protested for LGBTQ+ rights for over 50 years.
The display includes objects from Pride events held across Wales, protest banners and LGBTQ+ campaign badges from Amgueddfa Cymru’s collection.
–
FREE Wales Is… Grateful for the NHS
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Until 5 March 2024
The National Health Service belongs to the people of Wales. It has a special place at the heart of our national life.
Launched on 5 July 1948, it was founded by the Tredegar-born Health Minister, Aneurin Bevan. His vision for a ‘free at the point of use’ service was inspired by the workmen’s medical aid societies of the South Wales coalfield.
Today, NHS Wales directly employs over 90,000 staff and provides healthcare to around 3 million people.
In 2021, the George Cross medal was bestowed on each of the UK National Health Services in recognition of all who have worked in the NHS since its launch in 1948. The award also acknowledged the dedication and bravery of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This display showcases the George Cross medal alongside objects that tell the story of the NHS in Wales from its inception through to the modern day.
–
.
FREE Big Pit’s 40th Birthday – Badges and Bunting
Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon
Tuesday 30 May and Saturday 3 June, 11am-4pm
Celebrate 40th years of Big Pit as a museum. Learn some Welsh mining words, create a birthday bunting flag to be displayed at Big Pit and make a commemorative badge to take home with you.
–
FREE The ‘Diff Diaries and Cardiff in Lockdown
Museum of Cardiff, The Old Library, Cardiff
Until Wednesday 26 July, 10am-4pm
This exhibition brings together two projects carried out during the Covid 19 lockdowns in 2020. The ‘Diff Diaries tell about the lockdown experiences of children in Cardiff in various video, image, and written word diaries.
Also on display are photographs collected from the people of Cardiff during lockdown. These show how normal city life was impacted when citizens had to stay indoors and how communities came together to support each other and show their appreciation for key workers during this time.
Visitors to the exhibition are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences of lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic and add their memories to a reflection board in the exhibition. These will then be recorded and kept as part of the museum’s collection.
–
Museum of Cardiff, The Old Library, Cardiff
Wednesday 31 May, 10am-2pm
Make your own shield and complete the trail to find the golden sword.
Drop-in between 10am to 2pm.
–
FREE Pop Art Inspired Workshop for Families
Newport Museum
Wednesday 31 May, 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm
Participants will create their own word art in this fun pop art inspired workshop. Using key elements found in the comic book style of artist Roy Liechtenstein, participants can make and take their own fabulous striking 3-D pop art collage. Places are limited and must be booked in advance.
–
Castles and historical-themed events
–
–
Tintern Abbey
Saturday 27-Bank Holiday Monday 29 May, 9.30am-5pm
Adults £8.70, children 5-17 £6.10, family (2+3) £28.20, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members
The year is 1416, and the Freemen of Gwent have returned from France where they fought victoriously under King Henry V’s banner at Agincourt the previous year.
However, they feel the need to atone for their sins to save themselves from dire retribution, and what better place to achieve this than at Tintern Abbey, on their home doorstep. Meet these fierce men-at-arms and their families in the warmth of their camp near their homes in Wales, and learn about their way of life and worship.
–
Tales and Music with Geoffrey of Monmouthshire
Chepstow Castle
Saturday 27-Sunday 28 May, 10am-4pm with performances throughout the day
Adults £8.70, children 5-17 £6.10, family (2+3) £28.20, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
Geoffrey of Monmouth was born in the Norman Welsh Marches towards the end of the 11th century. A Benedictine monk, he was a master storyteller who shaped the medieval idea of British history – including the tales of King Arthur! Come to Chepstow Castle to hear more of Geoffrey’s History of the Kings of Britain, plus sweet medieval music from Trouvere.
–
Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths
Adults £5, children £3.60, family (2+3) £16.30, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
Saturday 27 May-Sunday 4 June, 10am-4pm
Find the Roman Caesars hiding at the Baths in this family treasure hunt.
–
Castell Coch, Tongwynlais
Saturday 27 May-Bank Holiday Monday 29 May, 10.30am-4.30pm
Adults £8.70, children 5-17 £6.10, family (2+3) £28.20, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
Must be booked in advance due to limited capacity at the castle.
Blaenavon Ironworks
Sunday 28 May, 10.30am-4.30pm
Adults £6.90, children £4.80, family (2+3) £22.50, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
No need to book
Tintern Abbey
Wednesday 31 May, 10.30am-4.30pm
Adults £8.70, children 5-17 £6.10, family (2+3) £28.20, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
Chepstow Castle
Saturday 3 June, 10.30am-4.30pm
Adults £8.70, children 5-17 £6.10, family (2+3) £28.20, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
A celebration of Wales’ oral traditions. Experience the best of Welsh tale spinning. In conjunction with Summer of Stories, Cadw invites you to join a storyteller at a site near you this May and June to celebrate Wales’ oral heritage. Listen to stories based on historical characters, legends and myths from across Wales. Drop in to listen to a story based on Welsh culture and heritage. Each story can last up to 30 minutes.
See Cadw website for Summer of Stories events being held at other historical sites across Wales – I’ve just included the ones within an hour or so of Cardiff.
–
Tintern Abbey
Saturday 3 June, 10am-4pm
Adults £8.70, children 5-17 £6.10, family (2+3) £28.20, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
See majestic birds of prey in flight around the historical grounds of Tintern Abbey. Learn how the Tudors used birds of prey and why falconry was the most popular sport of the day, and how birds of prey live. Have your photo taken with the birds for a unique souvenir.
–
Chepstow Castle
Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 June, 10am-4pm
Adults £8.70, children 5-17 £6.10, family (2+3) £28.20, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
Visit Chepstow Castle and learn about the dietary habits of the people who lived and worked in the castle, plus dissect a fake poo.
Blaenavon Ironworks
Saturday 3-Sunday 4 June, 11am-4pm
Adults £6.90, children £4.80, family (2+3) £22.50, under 5s free. Free for Cadw members.
Blaenavon Ironworks hosts a World War 1 event with military living history, weaponry, talks about The Great War, and storytelling.
–
Events at outdoor attractions
–
Half term family trail and adventure
Mountain View Ranch
Saturday 27 May-Sunday 4 June
£8 per person aged 2+
Join the Ranch family adventure trail, including the famous Gruffalo trail. Explore and discover all these and much, much more; two jumping pillows, guinea pigs, pygmy goats, ponies, straw bale obstacle course, soft archery, double zip wire, fairy forest, roly poly hill, tree houses, The Vomit Comet, The Big Big Swing, Hobbit Hill, and of course The Gruffalo. Tickets must be booked in advance.
–
Newport Wetlands
Bank Holiday Monday 29, Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 May, 11am-12pm and 1.30pm-2.30pm
RSPB members £5.70, non-members £7
Age guidance 4+
Discover the underwater life at Newport Wetlands this half term. See what creatures you can catch, with staff and volunteers on-hand to help you identify your finds. You will have exclusive access to our pond dipping area, your own equipment and Identification charts to help you discover and learn about the creatures you catch.
–
Fonmon Castle, Rhoose
Saturday 27, Sunday 28 and Bank Holiday Monday 28 May, 10am-5pm
Adults £14, children 12, under 3s free
Wizards across the site will be issuing challenges to be completed, a magician will be wowing visitors with tricks, live music in the dino dome, medieval archers, have a go archery, costumed characters, owls, farm animals and more.
Half price entry or children in costumes of Harry Potter characters.
Plus visit the castle, Jurassic Wales Dinosaur Park, The Story Trail, The Grade 2 listed gardens, The Pirate Adventure Area, The Boudicca Challenge, The Lost Victorian Gardens, the playgrounds, the woodland walks and more.
–
–
Different Fruitures – outdoor theatrical play
Tredegar House, Newport
Saturday 27, Sunday 28 and Bank Holiday Monday 29 May, 11am-12.3opm, 1.30pm-3.30pm,
Adults £12.10, children £6.10, family £30.30 (Gift Aid prices), or free for National Trust members
An exciting outdoor theatrical play by Action Movement Peace as part of Tredegar House’s Blossom series of events. This site-specific family performance transports the audience into a potential future where voice, creativity, blossom and natural food have all been forgotten. With references to the dangers our society faces, the play warns of a startling reality if action isn’t taken now.
–
Louby Lou’s Storytelling Trail
Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan
Tuesday 30 May and Thursday 1 June, 11am-12pm and 1.30pm-2.30pm
£8 plus usual entry fees; adults £12.10. children £6.10, family £30.30 (Gift Aid prices). National Trust members have free entry to Dyffryn Gardens but will have to pay for the performance
Get lost in the wonderful world of make believe with two storytelling sessions from Louby Lou, where the focus is on children using their imagination and getting lost in the wonderful world of make believe.
Tuesday will see The Enchanted Garden where children can help butterflies collect their magic, bubble up potions with a spellbinding witch and watch out for those cheeky goblins! Thursday will see the tale of Jack and The Beanstalk. Based upon the classic tale, can you help Jack to find the Giant’s golden items with the help of the Garden Fairy?
Each roaming performance is an hour long, with stops, starts, breaks and pauses. The route will be accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Tickets must be pre-booked for children. Accompanying adults and babes in arms will be allowed to follow the performance free of charge (normal admission applies).
Pre-booking is essential.
–
Margam International Kite Festival
Margam Country Park, Neath Port Talbot
Saturday 27-Sunday 28 May, 10am-4pm
Free entry, parking £7.20 per car
Kites of all shapes and sizes, plus the usual park attractions, including playgrounds, fairytale village, farm animals and more.
–
Fantastic Beasts (including the Margam International Kite Festival)
Margam Country Park, Neath Port Talbot
Bank Holiday Monday 29 May, 10am-4pm
Adults £15, children £12.50, family (2+2) £45, plus Eventbrite fees. Must be booked in advance.
A family fun day featuring Fantastic Beasts plus Margam International Lite Festival Spot amazing creatures including the Spring Lion, flying dodos, What the Tortoise Taught Us, Falconry Dismay, Magical butterfly, Roo’d the 7 ft bouncing Kangaroos Albert Strumblemore circus skills and fun, Dragon Quest and more. The day will feature live shows and performances, photo opportunities and more.
–
Margam Country Park, Neath Port Talbot
Tuesday 30 May
FREE Farm Day Crafts
Have A Go Archery (£1 for 3 arrows)
Wednesday 31 May
Paint Your Own Pottery (£3.50)
Have A Go Archery (£1 for 3 arrows)
Thursday 1 June,
FREE Louby Lou Swashbuckling Parties, 11am, 1pm, 2:30pm
Friday 2 June
FREE Create a Card Crafts
–
Farm parks
–
The Meadows Farm Village
Saturday 27, Sunday 28 May, Saturday 3, Sunday 4 June
Characters based on the famous films will be at the farm on both weekends of half term between 10am and 1pm, with daily foam parties alongside all the usual activities.
–
Cantref Adventure Farm, Brecon
Adults and children over 93cm £14.75, under 93cms £8.50, babes in arms free (online prices; costs more on the door)
Meet the Characters
Bank Holiday Monday 29-Wednesday 31 May, 12.30pm-4pm
Meet a host of favourite characters throughout the day this half term. Plus lots more including bottle feeding, pet handling, tractor rides, pony grooming, lots of indoor and outdoor play, and more.
Meet Spirit the Unicorn
Friday 2-Sunday 4 June, 12.30pm-4pm
A magical encounter with Spirit the Unicorn, get up close and personal with this majestic creature.
–
Amelia Trust Farm, Barry
Tuesday 30 May – Meet the Fantastic Ferrets
£9.50 per child, adults will need to pay for farm entrance of £4.95
Children will be able to smooth, hold, and play with the ferrets and take some photos to remember their day.
Snap Happy with Mini Snappers
Wednesday 31 May
£29.99 per child, 10.30am-12.30pm
Learn more photography equipment (which will be provided for each child), guidance on taking photos, plus a fun scavenger hunt style trip around the park with photo tasks set for the children. After the activity, each parent/guardian will be emailed the photos their child took during the session. This two-hour session is ideal for children aged 8 to 12. Adults do not need to stay for the session.
Crafty Creations
Thursday 1 June
£25 per child, 10am-12.30pm
A chance for children to use their imagination, be creative, and have plenty of fun. Children will leave with a beautiful handmade canvas craft to take home. Age guidance 4+.
Circus Skills Workshop with Circus Sensible
Friday 2 June, 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 2.30pm
£14.99 per child, accompanying adults will need to pay for farm entrance of £4.95
Learn to juggle, spin, hula hoop, walk on stilts and more. These hour-long workshops are ideal for children aged 4 to 8.
–
Family fun, festivals and adventure
–
Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival
Cowbridge
Sunday 28 and Bank Holiday Monday 29 May, 9.30am-5pm
£5 for a day pass, £8 for the weekend. Children under 11 are free
There’s lots to do around Cowbridge over the Festival weekend, with something to suit all diets, ages and interests. At Old Hall Gardens there will be plenty of activities for everyone including artist workshops and slime making. UK Falconry will be there with feathered friends and opportunities for photos. There’s an opportunity to try your Petanque skills out. Plus, of course, lots of food and drink options with every diet catered for.
–
The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
Bank Holiday Monday 29 May, 12pm-4pm
To celebrate the release of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, The Red Dragon Centre will be making a splash with free eco-friendly drop-in activities.
Between 12-4pm, little ones can contribute to the creation of an upcycled mermaid sculpture, make a marine craft to take home, and meet the team from The Wildlife Trust to learn more about how we can keep our seas safe from pollution.
–
.
25% off bowling before 10.30am
Hollywood Bowl, The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
Early bowlers get 25% off bowling before 10:30am when booking online for bowling and using code AMAYZING 25 at the checkout.
–
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Saturday 27 May-Sunday 4 June
From £1 per ride
Experience the magic of a bygone era at St Fagans Traditional Fairground. Suitable for ages 2-11. Entry to St Fagans is free; parking charges apply.
–
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Saturday 27 May-Sunday 4 June 2023, 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm, 4.15pm £15 per person;
Tackle CoedLan’s 18 obstacles, including a balance beam, zig zag bridge, cargo net and a zip wire. No need to book in advance – buy your tickets in advance or on the day from the reception desk on a first come, first served basis.
Participants must be 110cm tall and aged 6 or over in order to take part. Children between 110cm and 130cm must be accompanied by an individual over 130cm and aged 12 years old or over. The maximum weight is 18 stone.
–
The Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant
£10 per person (plus get 50% off a Royal Mint Tour if you book for the same day)
Come on a wild adventure with A&S Animal Encounters. Get up close and personal with some weird and wonderful creatures, while learning about their natural habitats and how you can play your part in ensuring their preservation.
–
Cosmetic Chemistry / Blast Off science show / Star Tours
Techniquest, Cardiff
Saturday 27May-Sunday 4 June
Each activity is £2 per person per activity in addition to usual entrance fees (adults £13, children £11, family £45 (Gift Aid prices), under 3s free
Cosmetic Chemistry
Thursday 1-Saturday 2 June
A bath bomb workshop where you’ll take a closer look at the ingredients, scents, and colours that go into creating these fizzy little wonders. Discover how different scents can help you relax, and create your very own bath bomb to take home with you. Age guidance 9+.
Star Tours
Star Tours is a 25 minute show in the digital planetarium, exploring familiar constellations, the planets, how stars are born and how they die. Journey through space for a close-up look at some of nature’s most beautiful sights such as distant galaxies and exploded stars. Age guidance 7+.
Blast Off
Saturday 27, Tuesday 31 May, Wednesday 1-Sunday 4 June
Blast Off is a 30-minute live science show exploring space travel, including the potential problems and perils face those looking follow in the footsteps of the great cosmonauts and astronauts before us. Age guidance 5+
-.
Lido Ponty, Pontypridd
Free for children under 16, adults £3. Activity passes £2.50 per person
The National Lido of Wales features three pools – a main pool, an activity pool and a splash pool. For just £2.50 per person, visitors can also enjoy everything from fun inflatables to Aqua Peddlerz and Water Walker. For smaller visitors, the splash pool is complete with an umbrella water fountain that your little ones will love. They can bring their buckets and watering cans and play in the warm water in this safe and happy environment. Sessions do sell out in advance, so there will ow be limited availability.
–
Heath Park, Cardiff
Sunday 28 and Bank Holiday Monday 29 May, 1pm-5pm
£2.50 entry plus £2.50 per ride, free entry and free rides for children 3 and under
Cardiff Model Engineering Society opens its doors to the public with miniature train rides – steam, diesel and electric – plus tram rides.
–
Karen’s Diner, Newport
The diner famed for its rude service is open for family bookings over half term. Half term bookings include: kids’ menu, limited edition Karen colouring-in sheet, a little bit of work experience, new Karen games just for kids, a Karen’s insult hat. In their words, “Rated the place most likely to teach your kids to tell their granny they smell of wee.”
–
Celtic Manor Resort, Newport
A wide range of adventurous activities for families. Must be booked online in advance. Age and height restrictions apply.
Forest Nets – £16.50 per person (age 3+)
Adventure Golf – from £9 per person
Low Ropes – £14 per person (minimum height 1.2m)
High ropes – £24 per person (minimum height 1.4m)
Laser Combat – £16.50 per person (age 6+)
All Bounced Out – £16.50 per person (6-15 years)
Archery – £16.50 per person (6+years)
Laser Clay – £10 (age 8+)
Archery Tots – £8 per person (3-6 years)
Craft activities include Kreative Kits and Feathered Friends, age guidance 3+, £10 per child.
–
Cinema and film-related
The focus here is on independent cinemas, film-related events, and cheaper family screenings rather than the current big releases.
–
Free family films – A Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Goonies
Chapter Arts, Cardiff
Free films for families daily during half term – please note these sell out fast. Speak to the Box Office for returns. Chapter continues to offers free family films every Saturday; see website for information. Children can also pick up a free packed lunch. Donations are very welcome to support Chapter in continuing to offer this incredible initiative.
A Diary of a Wimpy Kid (PG)
Saturday 27, Monday 29, Wednesday 31 May, 11.30am
School is not an enjoyable experience for 12-year-old Greg Heffley. To get through the year he devises schemes to win him the recognition and status he feels he deserves, all which fail miserably. Greg chronicles his misadventures and opinions in a diary to prepare for the day when he will no longer have to put up with such nonsense.
The Goonies (PG)
Tuesday 30 May, Thursday 1, Friday 2, Saturday 3 June, 11.30am
When two brothers find out they might lose their house they are desperate to find a way to keep their home. Discovering a treasure map, they bring their friends on an epic journey where they must survive in an underground realm of booby traps and pirates and avoid a local gang who also want the treasure.
–
Memo Arts Centre, Barry
Mummies (U)
Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 May, 11am
Friday 2 June, 11am relaxed autism-friendly screening
Adults £6, children £5
The fun adventures of three Egyptian mummies who live in an underground secret city, hidden in ancient Egypt.
The Super Mario Brothers Movie (PG)
Adults £6, children £5
Tuesday 30, Wednesday 31 May, Friday 2 June, 2pm
Thursday 1 June 10am, relaxed autism-friendly screening
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario and brother Luigi are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world.
Cineworld, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff
The 10am weekend and school holiday Movies for Juniors showings are just £2.50 per person. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.
–
Vue Cinema, Millennium Plaza, Cardiff
The 10am weekend and school holiday Movies for Juniors showings are just £2.49 per person when booked online or £3.49 on the door. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.
Related Posts
-
Annie the musical at Wales Millennium Centre – review
-
Christmas at Bute Park 2023 – a review of Cardiff’s outdoor light trail
-
What to expect at Museum Sleepover – Dino Nights at National Museum Cardiff (AD)
-
Almost Always Muddy at Wales Millennium Centre – review
-
Our challenge for 2019 – can we visit 52 free family-friendly attractions in South Wales this year?
-
WIN a family ticket for Museum Wales’ Natural World ‘Sleepover At Home’ Event
Leave a Reply