August 8th-14th – 37 family-friendly events in and around Cardiff
Tomorrow sees the start of the third week of the school summer holidays and I’m continuing my weekly family-friendly events guide with 37 family-friendly events taking place in and around Cardiff from Monday 8th August until Sunday 14th August.
I hope you find something to inspire you and your little ones! And do please spread the word to other parents you know looking to entertain their children over the holidays. I’m always so grateful to people who like, comment or share any of these events postings – because Facebook does its best to hide me from people’s timelines and without regular interaction, I’ll disappear from your news feed!
All events are subject to change or cancellation. Do check ahead with the event organisers to avoid disappointment.
Do follow the Cardiff Mummy Says Facebook page for more ideas of local family-friendly activities, or visit the Cardiff section of Cardiff Mummy Says, follow Cardiff Mummy Says on Instagram or follow @cardiffmummy on Twitter.
This guide has once again been produced in association with Pugh’s Garden Village in Radyr, Cardiff.
A family-run business, Pugh’s has been encouraging all generations to garden for more than 60 years.
In fact, they’ve just introduced a new Little Green Fingers garden shop, set up in the shrub area of their garden centre. Here you’ll find child-friendly plants, children’s gardening tools, books, children’s seeds, outdoor games and more.
Little Green Fingers is also the name of the popular children’s gardening workshops Pugh’s run during school holidays. This summer, they have a packed programme of events.
Following on from the success of Fairy Tale Week and Butterfly week workshops, this week is Really Wild Week. The Dragon Reptile Experience workshops on Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th August, at 10am, 1pm and 3pm are already fully booked!
However, there are plenty of spaces left the following week for Flower Power Week, with Blooming Bugs – Children’s Flower Arranging Workshops on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th August at 10am, 1pm and 3pm. Tickets £5; adults free. Children will make a Blooming Bug from a variety of flowers, and the take part in a Flower Power Bug Hunt, matching bugs to flowers. Book online here.
As if that isn’t enough, Pugh’s also has an on-site pet shop, reptile house and aquarium, where you can meet the animals. And there’s a warm welcome for families in the restaurant, with a family friendly menu, including a family picnic meal deal for £15, which includes two children’s picnic boxes, a baguette or panini, two muffins and two filter coffees. Perfect for a bite to eat after the workshops. Book online here.
Visit the Pugh’s website, follow them on Facebook or Twitter.
Charity
FREE World Record Attempt for the largest gathering of people dressed as elephants
Principality Stadium Cardiff
Saturday 13th August, doors open 2pm, record attempt 3pm
South Wales child bereavement support charity 2 Wish Upon A Star is attempting to break a record to help raise awareness of the work it does in supporting suddenly bereaved parents. They are looking for 2,000 volunteers to dress as the charity’s mascot, Gorgeous George, named in memory of founder Rhian Burke’s son. Tickets are free and are available from Ticketmaster through the charity’s website www.2wishuponastar.org Elephant costumes can be bought or home-made but don’t forget to check the rules for eligibility for your elephant costume in advance and remember elephants under 12 must be accompanied by an adult elephant.
Performance, culture, science and creative
FREE Family Saturdays
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay
Saturdays, 11am-4pm
Drop in to enjoy some family-friendly arts and crafts in Wales Millennium Centre’s foyer, with a different theme every week.
FREE Dream Jars / Tortoise Fishing
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay
4th August-4th September, 10am-4pm
Inspired by Roald Dahl’s The BFG and Esio Trot, come and make your own dream jar and visit the tortoise pen filled with tortoises (age 4+; parental supervision required), ready for you to catch and take home, at Wales Millennium Centre’s drop-in events.
The Wondercrump World Of Roald Dahl
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay
Friday 16th August to 14th January 2017
£8-£9
Ages 7+; the guided group experience lasts around one hour; maximum of three children per adult
A magical and interactive journey, learning about Roald Dahl’s extraordinaty life and the surprising inspiration for his most famous characters and stories. The guided tour features interactive installattions, chance to test your own powers of creativity as well as unique items from the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre archives.
Techniquest, Cardiff Bay
Saturday 16th July-Sunday 4th September
To celebrate 100 years since the birth of Roald Dahl, Techniquest’s new show Splendiferous Science is inspired by the work of the Cardiff-born author. Visitors can take part in interactive demonstrations and explore the most memorable and best-loved characters and events from Roald Dahl’s children’s books. Ever wondered if there was an easy way to find a golden ticket? How did Augustus Gloop get stuck in the pipe? Can you move objects with your mind like Matilda? This show will reveal all. The show is included in the general admittance fee but must be pre-booked on arrival.
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay
Wednesday 3rd-Sunday 21st August
Age guidance: 5+ (no under 2s); £16.50-£53.50
Lee Mead, Claire Sweeney and Shaun Williamson star in one of the world’s favourite musicals as it comes to Cardiff. Can the loveable but wacky inventor Caractacus Potts, his two children and Truly Scrumptious outwit Baron Bomburst, and free all the children caught by the evil Childcatcher?
Riverfront Theatre, Newport
Mondays 8th, 22nd August, 2pm-4pm
Ages 6-11; £8
A chance to share the experience of Minecraft with others, in a safe off-line environment. Children get the opportunity to join worlds and work in teams to complete a number of challenges. iPads provided.
The Cardiff Story Museum, Cardiff
Wednesdays 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st August, 10am-1pm
Weekly drop-in crafts sessions featuring creative activities suitable for all ages. The museum is free to visit (read our review here) but the crafts are £1 per child.
Circus Skills Workshops
Riverfront Theatre, Newport
Wednesday 10th and Wednesday 24th August, 10am-12pm
£3.50 per child, ages 8+
Learn juggling, stilt walking, unicycling, diablo, poi and staff spinning, tightrope and more. Open to all abilities.
Pyjama Drama: Where For Art Thou, Matilda?
The Glass Room, St Donats Arts Centre, Vale of Glamorgan
Thursday 11th August, 10.30am; approx. 45 mins
Ages 2-5, £5, parents required to stay for this session
Thursday 2nd August, 1pm; approx. 3 hours
Ages 5-7, £15, parents not required to stay for this session
Imaginary fun as children and their parents combine drama, movement, music and play.
Matilda loves reading Shakespeare but she doesn’t like her teacher who is bossy and mean. Her teacher doesn’t like anyone or anything, especially not children and especially not reading! Can Matilda, with her determination and magical powers, make her bossy old teacher learn to love (or even like) the wonderful world of words?
Children’s Minions Activity Day
Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Nelson, Treharris
Thursday 11th August, 11am-4pm
£5 per child; first adult free, additional adults £1 or included in Manor entry fee.
Congress Theatre, Cwmbran
Sunday 14th August, 2pm-5pm
Children £5; adults £8 (plus 50p booking fee per ticket)
Recreating the heady days of rave in a family-friendly environment. The nightclub will feature face painting, soft play, ball pool and DJs playing club classics.
Museums and historical
FREE Wriggle – The Wonderful World of Worms
National Museum Cardiff
Until September 2017
A fascinating look into the weird and wonderful world of worms, this has plenty of interactive exhibits, perfect for children. Read our review here. Please note the museum is not open on Mondays.
FREE Quentin Blake: Inside Stories
National Museum Cardiff
Saturday 16th July-Sunday 20th November 2016
The famous illustrator of children’s books gives an insight into his creative process, with sketches, drafts and finished pictures of some of his most famous characters. Read our review here.
Free family storytelling workshops take place on Tuesday 2nd-Thursday 4th August at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Must be pre-booked at the information desk. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Chepstow Castle
Tuesday 2nd-Sunday 14th August
Usual castle entry fees apply
Do you dare stand inside the dragon’s giant claw to be captured by the mythical monster? The famous dragon has moved on from Caerphilly Castle and is now touring across Wales.
Cardiff Castle
Saturday 13th-Sunday 14th August
Adults £6 (£4 with a castle key); children £4 (£2); seniors £5 (£3).
The medieval tournament will see the bravest knights in the land ready to battle. There will also be falconry demonstrations, medieval games and family activities.
Nature and The Great Outdoors
FREE Cardiff Bay Beach
Friday 22nd July-Sunday 4th September
10am-8pm, Sundays to Thursdays; 10am-10pm Fridays and Saturdays
The urban beach is back with a sandy bay area, water pool and live entertainment all for free. Traditional attraction and rides, plus face painting and food and drink will incur an extra cost.
FREE Family Drop-in Activity Sessions
St Fagans National History Museum, Cardiff
Mondays-Saturdays during school summer holidays, 12pm-3pm
Each week will see the Iron Age roundhouses, Victorian schoolhouse or 1930s farm come to life. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Mon 8-Sat 13 August – Bryn Eryr, life in an Iron Age farmstead
Mon 15-Sat 20 August – Llwyn yr Eos, 1930s’ daily life
Mon 22-Sat 28 August – Bryn Eryr, life in an Iron Age farmstead
Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The museum is free but car parking charges apply.
Mountain View Ranch, Caerphilly
From Saturday 30th July, 9.30am-5pm
£5 per person aged 2+ (under 2s are free); family of 4 £19; family of 5 £23.
Daily events include Gruffalo storytelling, archery, space hopper races, campfire and marshallows, all included in admission during the summer holidays. Plus there’s a fairy wood, climbing tree, tree houses, dragon’s lair, hobbit houses and acres of open space to explore. Read our review here.
Daily, 9.30am-6pm (come early if you want strawberries)
£1 for adults, including basket, £3 for children
As well as strawberries, currants, raspberries and blueberries to pick, there is plenty to keep youngsters amused. There’s a bouncy castle, den building, hay bales to jump and climb on, sand to play in, willow domes to explore, giant chess, and a wild flower maze. Fruit prices per kg are £6.50 for strawberries and currants, £11.50 for raspberries, and £13.50 for blueberries.
Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan
Monday 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th August, 12pm-3.30pm
A weekly family-friendly craft activity. The activity is free but usual admission prices apply.
Tredegar House, Newport
Daily themed activities for families, with a different theme each day of the week. Choose from Fabulous Film Mondays, 50 Things Tuesdays, Wacky Wednesdays, 50 Things Thursday, Wonderful Beasts Friday, Mystery Meander Saturday and Ice Cream Making Sundays. The activities are free but usual admission prices apply.
FREE Football Fun Day
Victoria Park, Cadoxton, Barry
Tuesday 9th August, 11am to 3pm
Victoria Park, Cadoxton, Barry
Football Fun Day with the Vale of Glamorgan Sports Development Team. Join coaches Steff and Simon for a skills session and fun 5-a-side tournament in the sports court. Open access for ages 7-14. Please bring food and drinks for lunch-break.
Margam Country Park, Port Talbot
Tuesday 9th August
FREE Find Morgan the Margam Monk (book on arrival; spaces limited), 12pm
FREE Drop-in den building, 10.3am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm –
Wednesday 10th August
Zoolab – Speedy the Snail, 11am, 12.15pm, 1.45pm and 3pm – get hands on with snails, tarantulas, snakes and lizards. Must be pre-booked. £3 per child.
FREE Brilliant Birds, drop-in sessions at the Discovery Centre, 10.30am-2.30pm
Thursday 11th August
Animal Magic Mask Making – 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm. Must be pre-booked. £3 per child.
Friday 12th August
FREE 12pm – Find Morgan the Margam Monk (book on arrival; spaces limited)
FREE Busy As A Bee – an interactive show with competitions and prizes. 12pm and 2pm in the Castle.
Saturday 12th-Sunday 14th August
FREE Dolls’ House Exhibition, Margam Castle presented by West Glamorgan Dolls House Club.
Family Fun In The Wild: Fairies and Dragons
Newport Wetlands
Monday 8th-Thursday 11th August
Drop in from 10.30am-12pm or 2pm-3.30pm; £3 RSPB member, £5 non-members
See how many dragonflies you can spot whilst looking for fairies around the reserve. Make a secret fairy garden for them to play in and decorate your very own magic wand using natural materials we collect.
Read our review of Newport Wetlands here.
Toddler Fun In The Wild: Fairy Tails and Flying Dragons
Newport Wetlands
Friday 12th August
10.30am-11.45am or 2pm-3.15pm; £3 RSPB member, £5 non-members
An interactive session of stories, games and crafts where you can create your own fairy garden and hunt down dragons on a magical trail around the reserve. Suitable for toddlers and under 5s.
Cwmcarn Forest
A Prickly Affair
Tuesday 9th August, 12pm-4pm
Adults £2, children £1 (ages 4+). Must be pre-booked
Learn more about hedgehogs and how we can help look after them in the wild.
Flower Meanderings
Thursday 11th August, 1.30pm-3.30pm
Adults £4, children £2.50 (ages 4+)
A gentle stroll around the Cwmcarn Valley, looking more closely at the flowers and how they have been used over the summer. Children can create a colourful journey card of their walk.
Upcycled Hedgehog Planters
Friday 12th August, 10am-2.15pm
£2.50 per child (ages 4+) Must be pre-booked.
Create a hedgehog planter using a recycled pop bottle. Bring along a clean 1 litre pop bottle and turn it into a unique planter filled with wild flowers.
Read our review of Cwmcarn Forest here.
Den building and Fire / All About Bugs
Cosmeston Lakes, Penarth
Tuesdays, 10am-12pm
Outdoor sessions for 7-11s. £5 per session. Must be pre-booked by calling 029 2070 1678.
Tuesday 9th August – Den Building and Fire (with treats)
Tuesday 16th August – All About Bugs
Tuesday 23rd August – Den Building and Fire (with treats)
Tuesday 30th August – All About Bugs
Even if you’re not taking part in the activities, Cosmeston is a lovely place to visit. Read our review here.
FREE Grow Wild: The City Seedlings
Riverfront Theatre, Newport
Tuesdays 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th August; 12pm-2pm
A free family drop-in session where you can plant seeds and create some arty flowers.
Museum Activity Lucky Dip Days
National Roman Legion Museum
Wednesday 10th, Friday 12th,Tuesday 16th, Thursday 18th, Monday 22nd, Wednesday 24th, Wednesday 31st August, 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
Two activities per week, from a choice of making pottery, jewellery or pizza, or trying archery or gladiator fighting. The activity will be decided on the day, depending on the weather. Cost £3 per person. Entry to the museum is free.
Go Wild! Summer holiday outdoor activities
Porthkerry Country Park, Barry
Turesdays, 10am-12pm
Tuesday 9th August – Wild Woods
Tuesday 16th August – Beach Bonanza
Tuesday 23rd August – Survival Skills
Tuesday 30th August – Minibeast Madness
Join the rangers to discover what bugs are in the ponds and meadows of Porthkerry. £5 per child, must be prebooked. Suitable for 7-11 year olds.
Even if you’re not taking part in the activities, Porthkerry is a great place to visit. Read our review here.
Chepstow Castle
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August, 10am-4pm
Usual entrance fees apply
The weekend will see regular falconry displays with visitor interaction, as well as static displays of a range of birds of prey.
Circus Weekender – Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August, from 12pm-4pm
Cinema by the Sea – Saturday 27th (Star Wars The Force Awakens) and Sunday 28th August (Dirty Dancing), from 8.30pm
Family-friendly cinema screenings
I’m focussing on the cheaper early-morning film screenings here and special events, rather than the latest big films.
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
Friday 12th and Saturday 13th August, 6pm; Sunday 13th August 3pm
A specially commissioned Scratch n Sniff card will enable you to smell your way through the film version of one of Roald Dahl’s most famous stories. It follows Matlida, a book-loving young girl with strange magical powers, who is sent to Crunchem Hall, a nightmare school lead by the evil Miss Trunchbull.
Odeon Cinema, The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
The 10am weekend and school holiday showings are £2.50 per person. Films to be announced; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.
Cineworld, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff
The 10am weekend and school holiday Movies for Juniors showings are just £1.75 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 £1.99 per person. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.
Family friendly film screenings of classic films, every weekend and during school holidays. See website for full listings.
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Thank you so much for this list! So many of our usual play groups and activities are off during the school holidays. I don’t even have school age children yet but I’m already finding it tricky to fill the days. At some point this week we’ll be heading to the museum to see the worm exhibition now. Thank you! I had no idea about it, and my little one adores worms.