The end of the academic year is in sight and it’s almost time for the schools to break up for six weeks of summer. If you’ve got any time off with your children or grandchildren, or perhaps you’re visiting Cardiff, and wondering how to entertain the little people in your life, then the good news is that you are spoiled for choice There’s so much going on, with everything from family theatre shows and nature-inspired outdoor activities to festivals and fun days – and lots of free and low-cost activities too.

I’ve listed everything I can find below – there’s rather a lot of it! – but do let me know anything I’ve missed in the comments below, on the Cardiff Mummy Says Facebook page or you can tweet me on @cardiffmummy  We’ll be sharing what we’ve up to this summer over on the Cardiff Mummy Says Instagram feed too.

These listings are organised into the below categories and listed in date order within their category. Some activities appear in more than one category. Clicking on the event name will take you to the website for further info. Please note all events are subject to change or cancellation so do check ahead to avoid disappointment. Categories as follows:  Festivals and fun days; Family activities; Theatre and performance; Museums, historical and castles; Nature-themed and the great outdoors; Cinema.

Paid collaboration with The Red Dragon Centre.

This guide has been written in association with The Red Dragon Centre as part of Cardiff Mummy Says’ role as family blogger ambassador for the Cardiff Bay entertainment complex. The Red Dragon Centre is home to Hollywood Bowl for 10-pin family fun; family-friendly restaurants and cafes; and a huge Odeon cinema, which is the only digital IMAX® screen in South Wales.

They have plenty going on for families this summer, including the much-anticipated Balloon Art Fiesta, which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend, from Friday 23 to Monday 26 August.

The Balloon Art Fiesta is inspired by all things wild and wonderful, with the sculptures being created by the award-winning and internationally-acclaimed Doctor Bob Balloons Unlimited. Bob uses Qualatex latex balloons in his sculptures (not plastic), with the balloons biodegradable. In fact, they decompose as fast as an oak leaf in your garden!

As well as the balloon creations, families can also take part in a free sculpture trail between 11am-6pm by picking up a form from the Green Zone inside the Centre.

The Green Zone houses a giant green sofa, as well as a life-sized artificial grass lion, in celebration of the new Disney live action remake of The Lion King, which hits screens on Friday 19 July.

We’ll definitely be watching that over the summer, as well as Toy Story 4, which we’ve not yet managed to see. (Read my full guide to family films this summer here).

The good news is that tickets at the Odeon are now £5 all day every day, for standard 2D films when bought at the cinema. You can read more here.

Plus a great budget-busting holiday activity is the £2.50 Odeon Kids showings. These early morning screenings (usually around 10am) take place every weekend and every day during local school holidays. They are a great chance to catch slightly older films on the big screen and a perfect low-cost indoor option when the weather’s not great. Visit the Odeon Kids page for latest listings.

Family-friendly restaurants at The Red Dragon Centre include Bella Italia where children can eat for £1 with the purchase of an adult meal (every day except Saturdays until 18 August), as well as great all-you-can-eat buffet options at Spice Route and Oriental Garden. Plus for a holiday treat, stop by Cadwaladers which has a range of sundaes, milkshakes and hot chocolates alongside hot and cold snacks, sandwiches, pizzas, and ice cream treats, plus vegan alternatives too.

Parking is free for up to six hours for customers of The Red Dragon Centre (subject to minimum spend and entering your registration number into the terminals at one of the outlets) so you can make a day of it, with bowling and arcade games at Hollywood Bowl or a meal or refreshments at one of the family-friendly cafes and restaurants.

Festivals and fun days

FREE Cardiff Bay Beach

Roald Dahl Plass, Cardiff Bay

Saturday 20 July-Sunday 1 September

Cardiff’s urban beach is back to its original location at Roald Dahl Plass. The beach features a giant child-friendly sandy beach, a shallow water play area, rides and games, a giant wheel with views across the Bay, free live entertainment, food and drink and more. Entry is free, lots of free entertainment but rides will incur an extra charge.

FREE Island Weekenders

Barry Island 

Isle of Fire

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July, 8pm-11pm

Cinema By The Sea

Saturday 24 August – Bohemian Rhapsody

Sunday 25 August – The Greatest Showman

FREE Charity Duck Race and Summer Fete

Knap Gardens, Barry

Saturday 20 July, 11am-4pm

Activities for the whole family including a bouncy castle, a free kids zone courtesy of the Vale Sports and Play Team, coconut shy plus the duck race.  Barry Model Boat Club will be exhibiting and there will be lots of stalls. Organised by Barry Rotary Club

FREE Big Splash 2019: Family Street Theatre Festival

The Riverfront and around Newport

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July,

A weekend full of free events and performances for families. The city streets will be transformed into a huge outdoor stage with dare-devil performances, immersive experiences and plenty of laughs. Events include live music, craft workshops and a whole range of street theatre performances. See the website for full listings.

GlastonBARRY Juniors

Romilly Park, Barry

Friday 26 July, 4pm-8.30pm

Single ticket £15, family pass £45

Barry’s hugely successful tribute festival opens its doors to families with tributes to Rhianna, Little Mix and Ed Sheeran

(The main GlastonBARRY takes place on Saturday and Sunday and is for over 18s only.)

Bite Food Festival

Insole Court, Cardiff

Saturday 27 July, 10.30am-10pm

Following last year’s success, Bite is back with around 40 of South Wales’ top chefs and restaurateurs producing delicious dishes, priced £3 each.

FREE Homeless Football World Cup

Bute Park, Cardiff

Saturday 27 July-Saturday 3 August

The Homeless Football World Cup is coming to Cardiff this summer. The week-long football festival uses the power of sport to transform the lives of those experiencing homelessness and social exclusion. The family-friendly event is free to attend, with hundreds of 15-minute matches taking place across three different pitches in the park. More than 500 players representing 48 countries are travelling to Cardiff to take part, with separate competitions for men’s/mixed teams and women’s teams. Completely privately-funded, the bid for the tournament was led by actor and activist Michael Sheen, who is taking a hands-on role in the organisation.

FREE ENTRY The Big Cheese Festival

Caerphilly Castle

Friday 26-Sunday 28 July

A celebration of local and regional Welsh food and drink producers, with a dedicated cheese market featuring producers from all over the country. Entertainment also includes medieval re-enactments within the castle grounds, live music and other activities in The Great Hall.

Dinosaur Spectacular

Margam Park, Port Talbot

Sunday 28 July, 10am

Adults £9, children £7, family £30 (cheaper advance tickets online until Monday 22 July)

Meet the life-size T Rex, ‘Tiny’ the Triceratops, Meet the Dinosaur shows where science meets the imagination; plus lots more dino-themed fun.

Animal Encounters: Children’s Experience Day

Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Nelson

Wednesday 31st July

£5 per person

A chance to get up close and personal with exotic animals. Three sessions during the day – pre-booking essential as numbers are limited. £5 per person child/adult.

ALSO Children’s Beside the Sea’ Activity Day

Wednesday 7 August, 11am-4pm

£6.95 per child, including one adult. Additional adults £1. Under 3s free.

Games, crafts and entertainment suitable for 4-11year olds. £6.95 per child, one adult free, additional adults £1. Under 3’s free.

Children’s Superheroes and Princesses Day

Wednesday 14 August, 11-14pm

£6.95 per child, including one adult. Additional adults £1. Under 3s free.

Summer Fest 2019

Tredegar House, Newport

Friday 2 and Saturday 3 August, 12pm-5pm

Adults £11.20, children £5.60, family £28, free to National Trust members

Tredegar House is teaming up with Urban Circle for Summer Fest! Enjoy music, dance, food and some unique and cutting-edge street style theatre in the manor house.

FREE Bricklive Fantasy Kingdom

Tacoma Square, Mermaid Quay

Saturday 3 August-Sunday 1 September

An 11ft fire-breathing dragon, a unicorn, two hunting wolves, a wizard, princess, knight and huntswoman are among nine models made with a total of nearly 750,000 LEGO® bricks, on display at Tacoma Square, Mermaid Quay this summer. Plus loom out for 10 cute dragon whelps (babies) displayed in various businesses in Mermaid Quay.

Vale of Glamorgan Agricultural Show

Fonmon Castle, Vale of Glamorgan

Wednesday 7 August, 8.30am-7pm

Adults £12, children £5, family £30

A day showcasing the best of farming and countryside. Exhibitors, horse jumping, dog show, flowers, fruit and vegetable marquees, food stalls, arts and crafts and more.

Summer Feastival

City Hall Lawns, Cardiff

Saturdays and Sundays from 10 August to 8 September

The popular food festival is back with a changing line-up of different street food traders from across Wales and the South West each weekend, plus live music.

Souls Awakening Family Mind Body Spirit Festival

Insole Court, Cardiff

Sunday 18 August 10am-5pm

Adults £5, children £2.50

Activities for families include a magical programme of workshops, art, crafts and activities. Arts & Crafts, Parachute Fun, Music, Relaxation & Mindfulness & Treasure Hunt. The rest of the festival includes over 60 stalls of holistic therapies and wellbeing, as well as daily talks, workshops and studio sessions

Bedwellty Agricultural Show

Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Nelson

Saturday 17 August

Adults £7, children £5, family £20

This year’s show will feature Working Shire Horses; farming methods through the years; cattle, sheep. pigs, horses, show jumping, horticulture, poultry, local produce and craft stalls, trade stands. Hope Rescue Dog Show, plus children’s activities.

Barking Mad Dog Show

Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Nelson

Saturday 24 August

Adults £2, children £1, under 5s free

The annual Barking Mad Fun Dog Show with Hope Rescue is back, with stalls, raffles, doggy deli, demonstrations, a bouncy castle for the kids, a pop-up charity shop and a fun dog show.

Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend

Civic Centre, Cardiff

Friday 23 August-Sunday 25 August

Wales’s biggest celebration of equality and diversity will see Pride Cymru hosting over 50,000 people in the Welsh capital to celebrate the LGBT+ community. Four stages of entertainment, music and comedy, a mile-long Parade (11am Saturday), family area with a dog show, street food, cabaret, funfair rides, community markets, and more.

Balloon Art Fiesta

The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay

Friday 23-Monday 26 August

The Balloon Art Fiesta is inspired by all things wild and wonderful, with the sculptures being created by the award-winning and internationally-acclaimed Doctor Bob Balloons Unlimited. Bob uses Qualatex latex balloons in his sculptures (not plastic), with the balloons biodegradable. In fact, they decompose as fast as an oak leaf in your garden. Plus take part in a free sculpture trail between 11am-6pm by picking up a form from the Green Zone inside the centre, where you’ll find a giant green bench and life-size lion.

B.O.B Pirate Festival

Llancaiach Fawr Manor Grounds, Nelson

Saturday 31 August and Sunday 1 September

Day tickets adults £6, children £3, under 5s free. Weekend tickets £11, £5, £3.

Camping £25 per tent. caravan. Must be pre-booked

The Brotherhood of the Black Pirate Festival promises live music, dance displays, pirate Olympics, shanty singing, sword fighting, face painting and more

Abergavenny Food Festival

Abergavenny

Saturday 21-Sunday 22 September

Adults £10 Saturday, £8 Sunday; £15 weekend (online advance tickets); under 16s free entry.

Some events require additional paid-for tickets.

An advance date for your diary as the famous food festival returns to the small market town of Abergavenny. The Festival prides itself on transforming the way people think about food; challenging and promoting new ideas, pushing the boundaries of current thinking and encouraging people to look differently at where their food comes from. There will be plenty to get children growing, cooking and tasting new things, including food-themed arts and crafts workshops. The popular kids’ cookery school will be back for 2019, including free cookery classes for little ones throughout the weekend. Tickets are not yet on sale but sign up via the website to be the first to hear.

Family activities

CoedLan – High Ropes 

St Fagans National Museum of History

Friday 5 April-Sunday 3 November, 10.15am-4.30pm

£12 per person

Tackle the high ropes at 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 on the day from the CoedLan desk. However if you’d like to guarantee a spot, you can book in advance by calling 029 2057 3322. 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. Read our review of the experience here (paid collaboration as part of our role as family blogger ambassadors with National Museum Wales).

Ponty Lido

Ynys Angharad Park, Pontypridd

Saturday 25 May-Sunday 1 September*, open daily 7.30am-7.15pm.

£2 per adult, children under 16, free

The open air swimming pool is open for the Easter holidays with swimming sessions bookable online in advance and with a limited number of spaces available on the day from 9am. The heated pools include an area for lane swimming and more relaxed swims, a splash pool for young children and water activities available for an additional £2.50 per person, including fun inflatables, Aqua Scooterz, Aqua Peddlerz and Water Walkerz.

*It will then be open at weekends until September 22, as well as daily for morning sessions only from 7.30am until 9am.

FREE Splash Pad

Victoria Park, Canton, Cardiff

Open daily from Saturday 25 May, 10am-7pm during school holidays and weekends; 12pm-7pm weekdays during term-time

Set inside a beautiful grade 2 listed park, the splash pad has 33 exciting features for children to enjoy, including sprays, jets, a tipping water bucket and a tunnel, with three zones for toddlers, juniors and families.

Pawprints in the Summer Sky/ Star Tours / Mission Moon/ Generation Games / LEGO WeDo Workshops

Techniquest, Cardiff Bay

Saturday 20 July-Sunday 1 September, 10am-5pm

Adults £8.20, children £6.40, family £29, under 3s free (cheaper when booked online in advance and without Gift Aid)

Planetarium shows, £1.50 per person extra

As well as two-floors of hands-on science fun, get ready for Mission Moon, a live science show celebrating the 50th anniversary of when humankind first stepped foot on the Moon. See how Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins made it there and back. Look at rocket power and the dangerous ride to the Moon,explore the invisible dangers of space and even follow the Apollo missions’ explorations of the lunar surface.

Star Stories is the Planetarium show for children under 7 were you can learn more about the shapes the Ancient Greeks found in the sky and discover some of the amazing stories behind them.

The Moon is the Planetarium Show for over 7s, where you’ll explore the myths and legends of the moon and find out why it’s so important to us on Earth, as well as looking at some of our missions to the moon, focussing on the amazing journey into the unknown as well as what mankind has planned for the future.

Lego WeDo Workshops (Saturday 20-Friday 26 July) are hands-on workshops and an excellent introduction to coding (age 7+).

Blaenavon Heritage Railway Running Day

Blaenavon

Various dates throughout July and August

Adults £9, children £5, family £23

The 3½ mile Blaenavon Heritage Railway is set in the heart of a World Heritage Site on the edge of the Brecon Beacons. Travel from the main station at Furnace Sidings to the Big Pit National Mining Museum for an underground tour. The second journey takes you to Coed Avon and Blaenavon (High Level) where you can alight to explore the Heritage Town and Ironworks (This is a long walk of 15-20 minutes each way and has steep hills to be climbed.) Prices above are for all-day rover tickets; single journeys are also available.

PLUS: Classic Transport Show

Sunday 25 and Bank Holiday Monday 26 August

Adults £10, children £5, family £25

A festival of classic transport with many vehicles on display and the chance to travel behind our classic steam and diesel loco’s in 1950’s Mk1 carriages.

Bridgend Miniature Railway

Parc Slip, Bridgend

Saturdays 20 July, 3 and 17 August, 7 September
A chance to ride the miniature trains on the railway’s open days.

Holiday fun

Treetop Adventure Golf, St David’s Shopping Centre, Cardiff

Monday 22 July-Sunday 1 September

Prices start at £8.50 per person, or £28 for a family of 4

As well as indoor adventure golf, additional holiday activities for customers include free face painting and glitter tattoos (Thursday to Saturday 12pm-4pm) and arts and crafts daily.

Heath Park Miniature Railway and Tramway

Heath Park, Cardiff

Sunday 21 July, Sunday 25 and Bank Holiday Monday 26 August, 1pm-5pm

£2 entry per person; rides £2 each; children 3 and under free

Cardiff Model Engineering Society opens its doors for the public with miniature train rides – steam, diesel and electric – and tram rides available. See website for further dates for 2019.

Summer events

Bedwellty House, Tredegar

See website for full details and prices and details of pre-booking

Fortnite Themed Nerf Wars – Tuesday 23 July, 11am-1pm

Fairy Hunt with Louby Lou – Thursday 25 July, 11am-12.30pm

Abergavenny Borough Band – Sunday 28 July, 3pm-5pm

Giants and Goblins with Louby Lou – Thursday 1 August, 11am-12.30pm

Abertillery Town Band – Sunday 4 August 3pm-5pm

Lush Bath Bomb Workshop – Monday 5 August

Storytime with Louby Lou – Monday 5 August, 11am-12pm

National Play Day – Wednesday 7 August, 11am-3pm

Markham Colliery Band – Sunday11 August, 3pm-5pm

Princess Summer School – Tuesday 13 August, 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm

Teddy Bears’ Picnic – Wednesday 14 August, 11am-12.30pm

Fortnite Themed Nerf Wars – Thursday 15 August, 11am and 1pm

The Greatest Showman Outdoor Experience – Thursday 15 August, 6.30pm

Animal Fun – Monday 19 August, 11.30am-1.15pm, 12.30pm-2.15pm and 2.30pm-4.15pm

The Frog Prince with Louby Lou – Thursday 22 August, 11am-12.30pm

Nerf Wars Fun Session – Tuesday 27 August, 11am and 1pm

Slime Workshop – Tuesday 27 August, 11am and 1pm

Peter Pan’s Picnic and Story Trail – Thursday 29 August, 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm

Avengers STATION

St David’s Shopping Centre, Cardiff

Until Monday 9 September

£18 adult, £12 child, family £12 per person ,minimum of four

An interactive, multi-room exhibition where visitors can experience a simulated superhero’s training, STATION is an acronym for Science Training and Tactical Intelligence Operative Network. Visitors can step inside the popular films and become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, whether trying to lift Thor’s Hammer or taking a sneak peek at Bruce Banner’s Lab.

Aquapark Cardiff

Cardiff Bay Barrage

£20 per person

Age 8+; must be able to swim 25m unaided, minimum height 1.20m. Ages 6 and 7 can take part when accompanied by an adult age 18+, ratio one adult to three children.

The floating inflatable Aqua Park features climbing walls, trampolines, balance bars, rockers, rollers, blast bags, the UK’s biggest slides and lots more.

Theatre and performance

The Tiddly Prom: Bert’s Magical Musical Kitchen

St David’s Hall, Cardiff

Saturday 20-Saturday 27 July, 10.30am

£7.50 per person

Part of St David’s Hall Welsh Proms season, the annual Tiddly Prom is an opportunity for the under 5s to experience live music interactively. Children are introduced to orchestral instruments and professional musicians in a relaxed and fun environment, featuring silly songs, music and mayhem, as Bert attempts to make a cake for his friend Daphne’s birthday, with the help of his friend Cherry.

Family Prom

St David’s Hall, Cardiff

Saturday 20 July, 3pm

Adults £12.50, children £7.50, under 5s free

TV weather presenters Derek Brockway and Behnaz Akhgar present this year’s Family Prom, performed by Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra and local choirs and dancers, conducted by Michael Bell MBE. The programme for the weather-themed performances features classical and pop music, including Korsakov’s The Flight of the Bumblebee, George Gershwin’s Summertime, Singin’ in the Rain, Over the Rainbow, Here Comes The Sun, and a medley from Frozen. Free pre-concert activities from 1.30pm include face-painting, instrument demonstrations and live performances.

FREE Big Splash 2019: Family Street Theatre Festival

The Riverfront and around Newport

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July,

A weekend full of free events and performances for families. The city streets will be transformed into a huge outdoor stage with dare-devil performances, immersive experiences and plenty of laughs. Events include live music, craft workshops and a whole range of street theatre performances. See the website for full listings.

9 to 5: The Musical

Memo Arts Centre, Barry

Tuesday 23-Friday 26 July

Adults £15, concessions £12; groups (2 adults, 2 concessions) £48

Barry’s Billboard Ensemble present 9 to 5: The Musical, based on the movie and book of the same name, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. The show tells the story of Doralee, Violet and Judy – three workmates pushed to boiling point by their sexist and egotistical boss. Concocting a plan to kidnap and turn the tables on their despicable supervisor, will the girls manage to reform their office – or will events unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit?

The Bangers and Chips Explosion

Sherman Theatre, Cardiff

Thursday 25-Saturday 27 July, 7pm

£8 adults; £4 children

Age guidance: 7+

The young people of Sherman Youth Theatre bring Brough Girling’s book to the stage in this amusing new stage play. Join the pupils of St Gertude’s Primary School as the go on strike due to the lack of chips on the menu and head teacher Mr Mackintosh has reached the end of his tether. When two newly appointed cooks start to dish up chips for lunch every day Billy Baxter and his chipaholic friends can hardly believe their luck. But in the kitchen a sinister plot is brewing. Will the children find out in time? Will an unlikely hero emerge to save the school?

Alice In Wonderland

Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend

Wednesday 24 July, 6pm

Adults £10.50, children £8.50, group of four £36

Follow Alice and the White Rabbit on a colourful, topsy-turvy adventure where they meet a host of outlandish characters including the troublesome twins, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, the notorious Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire cat and the Mad Hatter. Immersion Theatre present this energetic and madcap adaptation of Lewis Caroll’s classic story, with the opportunity to meet the characters after the show. Bring your own blankets/seating. Chairs are not provided. See below for other outdoor theatre events at Bryngarw Park.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend

Wednesday 31 July, 7pm

Adults £10.50, children £8.50

Immersion Theatre’s adaptation of the classic Shakespeare magical and romantic comedy, sees the action set in Great Britain just before the start of the Great War. Four young lovers, a band of hapless actors, and a magical realm populated by enchanting spirits set on causing mischief and mayhem at every turn culminate in an unparalleled open-air experience of beauty and hilarity. Please bring your own blankets/seating. Chairs are not provided. See above and below for other outdoor theatre events at Bryngarw Park.

The Little Mermaid Jr

Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Saturday 27 July-Saturday 3 August

£10 per person; £36 family of four

All the magic of the classic Disney animation as AndGo Theatre bring an hour-long version of The Little Mermaid to the outdoor stage at Cardiff’s Open Air Theatre Festival. Young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But before she can achieve her dream, she’ll have to defy her father, King Triton, escape the clutches of Ursula the sea witch and convince the handsome Prince Eric that she’s the girl with the perfect voice he’s been seeking. Other shows at the festival include Much Ado About Nothing and Jesus Christ Superstar.

The Selfish Giant

Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl

Saturday 3 August, 11am

£6.50, age 3+

Powerful storytelling, captivating puppetry, and a sprinkling of theatre magic in this stage adaptation of the classic tale. Grinter the giant shuts herself away in her cold house, surrounded by huge snowy gardens, enclosed by high, frost-covered walls. Outside, the children discover a chink in the giant’s wall, changing the course of their lives forever.

Madagascar The Musical

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay

Age guidance 3+; no admittance to under 2s

Tuesday 6-Saturday 11 August

Based on the smash-hit DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar The Musical follows a group of animals as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo, and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar. Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo and those hilarious, plotting penguins as they bound onto the stage in this musical adventure.

Gangsta Granny

Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend

Tuesday 13 August, 6pm

Adults £12.50, children £8.50, group of four £38; age 7+

Eleven-year-old Ben is fed up of spending his Friday nights at Granny’s. All she wants to do is play Scrabble and eat cabbage. However, when he looks for something more edible in the kitchen, he stumbles across an old biscuit tin… which holds Granny’s biggest secret. Ben’s Granny is an international jewel thief who needs Ben’s help to pull off her biggest heist yet – stealing the crwon jewels. Heartbreak Productions present an outdoor adaptation of David Walliams’ best-selling book. See above and below for other outdoor theatre events at Bryngarw Park.

Club Tropicana

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay

Tuesday 13-Saturday 17 July, £16.50-£45.50

Age guidance 8+ (no under 2s)

Take a trip back to the electric 80s and embark on a summer of love and smash-hit classics. At Club Tropicana Hotel the drinks are free and the whole family is invited to join the ultimate holiday musical, celebrating all that we love about the 80s. The show is set a soundtrack of live performances of iconic pop anthems of the era including Just Can’t Get Enough, Take On Me, The Look of Love, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Relax and many more! The new musical stars Joe McElderry (X Factor winner and star of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Neil McDermott (EastEnders, The Sound of Music), Kate Robbins (Spitting Image, Dinnerladies), Emily Tierney (Wicked, The Wizard of Oz); and former Sugababe star Amelle Berrabah, making her musical theatre debut.

English Youth Ballet: Swan Lake

New Theatre, Cardiff

Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August; 7.30pm plus Saturday matinee 2.30pm

English Youth Ballet new production of Swan Lake is a traditional production with emphasis on the rivalry between the seductive evil Black Swan Odile and the beautiful but vulnerable White Swan Odette, as they compete for the affections of the Prince. English Youth Ballet’s professional principal dancers lead the pageantry of a large cast of up to 100 young talented regional dancers in this highly acclaimed Company.

Annie

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay

Monday 19-Saturday 31 August

Age guidance 5+; no under 2s

Direct from the West End, Annie returns to Cardiff with its Tony® award-winning book and score, including the unforgettable songs It’s The Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street, I Don’t Need Anything But You and Tomorrow. Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck soon changes when she’s chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family.

Wuthering Heights

Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend

Wednesday 28 August, 7pm

Adults £12.50, children £8.50, group of four £38 ; age 9+

Heartbreak Productions present an outdoor adaptation of Emily Bronte’s haunting tale of two restless souls as wild and untamed as the bleak Yorkshire moors. Step into the mysterious realm of Wuthering Heights, home to the Earnshaw family and the enigmatic orphan, Heathcliff. While under the care of the wealthy Mr Earnsaw, Heathcliff’s relationship with the gentleman’s daughter, Catherine, blossoms into an unruly and passionate romance.Betraying her heart, Catherine resigns herself to marry a man of her own class, leading Heathcliff down a vengeful and self-destructive path. His possessive and erratic nature drives him to enact a torturous scheme of revenge on the next generation of Earshaws. Please bring your own blankets/seating. Chairs are not provided. See above for other outdoor theatre events at Bryngarw Park.

Tabby McTat

New Theatre, Cardiff

Thursday 29 August-Sunday 1 September (Thursday 1pm and 3.30pm; Friday-Sunday 11am and 2pm)

Based on the beloved book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler this is a heart-warming tale of friendship and loyalty. Tabby McTat is a cat with the loudest of mews who befriends a busker with a guitar. Together they sing their favourite songs delighting the crowds, until one day Fred disappears.  Separated and alone, Tabby finds shelter and a new life with all the home comforts that any cat could dream of.  However, memories of his life with Fred haunt him, and he sets off to search the streets for his long-lost friend.

Tom Thumb

Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl

Saturday 31 August, 10.30am

£6.50 per person; ages 3+

Performed entirely on and under a kitchen table this classic story is brought to life in a playful and fascinating show full of Lyngo’s magic with feathery spinning birds, a flying house and a portable forest. One night tiny Tom overhears Mum and Dad talking – there’s nothing left to eat so they are going to leave him and his six brothers in the forest! Outwitting his parents and the ogre Tom shows everybody that even though he is small he is still mighty as he protects his brothers, finds the treasure and makes sure they’ll never be hungry again.

Mr Majeika and the Magic Organ

St David’s Hall, Cardiff

Saturday 7 September, 11am

Standard price, £10; family ticket £10.50 (max 3 tickets, min 1 child) or £14 (max 4 tickets, min 2 children

David Pipe (organist of Leeds Cathedral and director of the Organists’ Training Programme, Diocese of Leeds) introduces the magnificent organ of the city’s iconic St David’s Hall and is joined by John Biddle (narrator) to perform Bob Chilcott’s Mr Majeika and the Magic Organ, based on Humphrey Carpenter’s popular children’s story. He’ll also play Bach’s mighty Toccata and Fugue in D minor and, to show the organ’s versatility, music from Star Wars and Harry Potter!

Museums, castles and historical

Summer activities

The Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant

The Royal Mint Detective Trail – daily from 28 June

Free with tour bookings.

Use your magnifying glass, solve the clues and connect the letters from the Great British Coin Hunt. Crack the code to win a prize.

Great British Coin Olympics – every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 23rd July to 31st August

Free with all tour tickets or £5 per child; 5 sessions available each day

Have a go at breaking the record for furthest coin toss, longest coin roll or highest coin tower, and more.

Great British Water Fight – every Friday from 26 July-30 August

Free with all tour tickets or £5 per child; 5 sessions available each day

Water balloons and super soakers will be out in force! Change of clothes highly recommended. In the event of poor weather, a dodgeball tournament will be held indoors instead.

Sub Zero Ice Cream Workshop – Mondays 12 and 19 August

Free with all tour tickets or £5 per child; workshop times are 12pm, 1.15pm and 2.30pm

Learn about ice cream, design your own sundae and best of all… stay cool with a Subzero ice cream!

National Museum Cardiff

FREE David Nash: Sculpture through the Seasons

Until Saturday 1 September

David Nash is one of Britain’s most important artists and this exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of him living and working in Capel Rhiw – a former Methodist chapel in Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales. David Nash: Sculpture through the Seasons is the largest and most ambitious exhibition of David Nash’s work ever presented in Wales. It features key sculptures from the late 1960s to the present day, exploring the different ways the artist has cut, carved and manipulated wood to produce sculptures that sit between the abstract and figurative.

Museum ExplorAR: A living guide to the galleries

£10 per hour plus refundable deposit

A new way of looking at some of the museum’s most famous exhibits – thought augmented reality (AR) which brings the exhibits to life. Pick up a handset at the museum’s shop and use the handset for Monet’s Waterlilly Garden Experience; Underwater Life Experience; and Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures Experience in either Welsh or English. Read our full review of the AR experience here.

FREE The Fossil Swamp

National Museum Cardiff

Saturday 18 May 2019-Saturday 17 May 2020

Discover what life was like 300 million years ago – before humans, even before dinosaurs – when a vast tropical swamp covered what is now Wales. The Fossil Swamp had monster plants, giant insects, thunderstorms and floods. Beautifully preserved fossils tell us about these ancient tropical wetlands. See the remains of strange plants which lived millions of years before flowers and fruits ever evolved. The prehistoric animals were also very different to those living today. What strange creatures will you find lurking in the swamp?

Snakes!

Friday 22 June-Sunday 15 September

Adults £9, children 4-18 £7, family £17 (1 adult and up to 3 children), £20 (2 adults and up to 3 children)

Discover the slithering, secret life of snakes with this family-friendly exhibition. Come face to face with live specimens, including a boa constrictor and a royal python, learn about the importance of conservation and discover what life is like in countries where encounters with deadly snakes are a daily occurrence.

Objects on display include a Burmese python skeleton, preserved snakes and award-winning photographs of snakes from around the world.

Additional snake-themed events include:

Hissy handling sessions, Wednesdays 7, 14 and 21 August,.

Venom, Saturday 10 August

£5 per person

FREE The Moon Landing 50th Anniversary

Saturday 20 July, 11am -4pm

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landings with this family fun day. There’s a sample of moon rock in the museum’s collections that was brought back to earth from that very landing on 20 July 1969. You can view other moon samples the museum is borrowing from NASA and put your face through the Buzz Aldrin cut out to have your photo taken actually holding a piece of the moon!

Cardiff Astronomical Society will have a stand full of moon landing memorabilia and Usk Astronomical Society will bring their inflatable planetarium so you can gaze at the night sky.

Plus make your own space helmet or play with the planets. Listen to tales of outer space with interactive storytellers La, La, La, have a selfie in front of the giant moonscape or have your face glittered up so you look out of this world (charge applies for face painting).

St Fagans National Museum of History

St Fagans Makers Market

Saturday 27 July-Sunday 11 August and Saturday 24-Thursday 29 August 10am-5pm

Pick up something special that you’d never find on the high street. There’s a chance to meet the makers and find out more about their crafts as they run workshops and demonstrations throughout the week. Making activities for children available at some stalls for an additional cost.

FREE Archaeology at St Fagans

Saturday 27 July, 10am-4pm

A day of special talks, tours and activities focusing on some of the Archaeology treasures from St Fagans’ collections, as part of the UK wide Festival of Achaeology. Learn about life and death in Iron Age Wales by examining the evidence in our reconstruction of a Celtic Warrior’s grave. Take part in family friendly activities designed to inspire junior archaeologists. Drop into Gweithdy Studio to meet the conservators who care for some of the most ancient objects in the museum’s collections.

Bat Walks

Wednesdays 31 July, 7, 14, 22 and 28 August

£5 per person; age 8+; must be pre-booked

An exciting after-dark journey around the museum to find bats. Start time varies from 9pm to 8pm, depending on when dusk falls.

FREE Wildlife Walks: Bug Hunt

Sunday 11 August, 2pm-3.30pm

11 August 2019, 2pm – 3:30pm

Age 7+; not suitable for pushchairs

Wander the grounds of St Fagans to find butterflies, bugs, and other wildlife.  Use different insect catching equipment to study the creatures up close.

Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon

FREE Virtual Reality Experience

Tuesday 2 April 2019-Thursday 2 April 2020, 9.30am-5pm

Featuring real characters from Blaenavon’s industrial past, the Time Travel in the Blaenavon World Heritage Sitfollowe experience uses audio storytelling and three-dimensional technology to display the town’s rich industrial history through three virtual reality films ― showcasing life at Big Pit, the town primary school and the home of a local family in Blaenavon Heritage Town.

Using smart devices, the immersive content can be viewed at three iconic locations across the internationally celebrated region, including Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon World Heritage Centre and Blaenavon Heritage Town, which all feature in the immersive films.

The films can be viewed with or without an accompanying VR headset, which are available to borrow from Big Pit National Coal Museum (deposit of £5 required) or Blaenavon World Heritage Centre or can be simply viewed using a mobile phone.  Plus, visitors can revisit the on-site experience and view the digital package at home using a desktop browser.

Read our review here.

FREE Big Butterfly Count

Saturday 20 July-Sunday 11 August 2019, 11am-4pm

Visit Coity Tip, look around Big Pit and join in with this nationwide survey to count how many butterflies you spot and see.

Soft play (free) and face painting (£1)

Saturday 20 July-Saturday 31 August, 11am-4pm

Cost Soft Play FREE. Face Painting £1

The Play Lab is open for free soft play for under-fives, plus face painting for £1 per person.

FREE Landscape Detectives

Saturday 20 July-Saturday 31 August, 11am-4pm

Pick up a trail from the Playlab and explore the Coity Tip to discover how nature has transformed this once ugly spoil heap to a haven for wildlife.

FREE Miners’ Fortnight Postcard Making

Saturday 27 July-Saturday 10 August, 11am-4pm

Visit the Playlab to make a postcard.

Making Fossils

Bank Holiday Monday 26 August, 11am-4pm

£1 per fossil

Fossils take thousands even millions of years to form…but you don’t have to wait that long to make an instant fossil at Big Pit.

FREE The Winding Engine

Winding House Museum, New Tredegar

Saturday 27 July and Saturday 31 August; 12pm

The Winding House Museum is built on the site of the former Elliot Colliery and its centre-piece is the original Victorian winding engine. This remarkable piece of machinery was used to operate the cages that transported men and coal between the surface and the mine below. The museum’s dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers maintain and run the engine for the public on the last Saturday of the month.

Let’s Discover… William Marshal and residents of Chepstow Castle

Chepstow Castle

Saturday 20 July; 9.30am-5pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

Follow the trail and find out about Chepstow Castle’s most well known resident William Marshal – the greatest knight – and the people who lived and worked with him over 800 years ago.

https://cadw.gov.wales/lets-discover-william-marshal-and-residents-chepstow-castle

Planetarium in the Great Hall

Caerphilly Castle

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July, 10am-4pm

Adults £8.90, children £5.30, under 5s free, family £25.70, or free to Cadw members

Celebrate 50 tears of the first man walking on the moon with a visit to Caerphilly Castle’s virtual night sky. Gaze at the night sky and learn about the Apollo landings, all from the comfort of the Great Hall. Ticketed sessions throughout the day on the hour starting at 11am with the last session starting 4pm. Booking on the day only.

Legends Live!

Caerphilly Castle

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July, 11am-4pm

Adults £8.90, children £5.30, under 5s free, family £25.70, or free to Cadw members

Caerphilly Castle’s 13th-century owner, Gilbert de Clare, has returned to his old stomping ground in a bid to keep his mighty fortress safe from any unwanted intruders. Gilbert will enthral visitors with fascinating stories of his trials and tribulations and seek volunteers to re-create ceremonies of court at the castle.

Brother Thomas The Cellarer

Tintern Abbey

Saturdays 20 July, 24 August, 21 September, 19 October

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

Discover more about the daily life and duties of a Cistercian monk at Tintern Abbey in the 14th Century. Brother Thomas will tell you about the monks’ rituals and responsibilities and the workings of the abbey. Learn about the daily life of the monks at the abbey, including their monastic duties, hygiene and eating habits, as well as the numerous religious services they would have to attend throughout the day.

Excavating Medieval Castell Coch: A Victorian Expedition

Castell Coch, Tongwynlais, Cardiff

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July, 10am-4pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

A weekend of reconstructing the Victorian excavations of the 1800s. Uncovering medieval personal items, learn their uses and record them as you go. Uncover with your own hands a range of Medieval treasures, and try and guess what it is you have found. Learn to record these items, in their archaeological context and practice these methods that are still used today. Tours of the castle available at 10am, 1 pm and 4pm. Children’s activities 11am-4pm.

Chepstow Castle

Legends Live! at Chepstow Castle

Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 July, 11am-4pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

It’s 1189 and the handsome, strong and courageous Lord William Marshal is celebrating his marriage to the lovely Lady Isabel de Clare. Guests are cordially invited to step back into medieval Wales and attend the celebrity couple’s lavish celebrations – to include courtly dances and medieval tournaments galore.

Remote Control Chariot Racing Caerleon

Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths

Tuesday 30 and Wednesday July, 10am-4pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

Channel your inner Ben-Hur by piloting a remote-controlled Roman chariot around a miniature Circus Maximus. All charioteers will receive a certificate, and lap times will be added to the giant leaderboard.

Chepstow Castle

Let’s Discover… Medieval Medicine

Tuesday 30 July, 10am-4pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

Discover what happened to Chepstow’s medieval community when they required medical intervention. A medieval doctor will be on-hand to teach visitors all about the injuries and illnesses that would afflict both the rich and the poor in Britain over 800 years ago.

Chepstow Castle

Summer Make and Take Day Chepstow

Wednesdays 31 July, 7, 14, 21, 28 August, 10am-4pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

Drop-in family craft activities every Wednesday during the summer holidays, included in general admission price. Make something you can play with at the Castle and then take home!

Falconry

Raglan Castle

Wednesday 31 July, 11am-3pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

Meet the Birds of Prey from Wings of Wales with static and flying displays of these magnificent birds.

Medieval Falconry

Chepstow Castle

Saturday 3 August, 10am-4pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

Get up close and personal with a variety of birds of prey, and find out about their role in medieval falconry. Falconry displays throughout the day, plus opportunities for supervised handling and photos (extra charge applies).

The Defence of Blaenavon

Blaenavon Ironworks

Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 August, 11am-4pm

Adults £5.80, children £3.50, under 5s free, family £16.80, or free to Cadw members

Experience the sights and sounds of World War 2 with displays, stories and music painting a vivid picture of life in this troubled time. Soldiers from both sides of the conflict demonstrate their weapons and tactics in an exciting battle each afternoon while stories of real life on the home front are told by the firesides of Stack Square. A military mobile hospital, radio room, public house, artillery, military vehicles and the fashions of the time bring the 1940s vividly to life in wartime Blaenavon.

Roman Sword Make and Take Day

Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths

Thursday 8 August, 10am-4pm

Adults £4.20, children £2.50, under 5s free, family £12.20, or free to Cadw members

Make your own Roman sword, inspired by Roman soldiers, in this craft workshop, free with usual entry.

A Medieval Weekend

Caerphilly Castle

Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 August, 10am-5pm

Adults £8.90, children £5.30, under 5s free, family £25.70, or free to Cadw members

A weekend of medieval fun and mayhem. Learn archery and sword skills, and watch weapons displays and demonstrations.

Falconry

Tintern Abbey

Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 August, 11am-4pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

See majestic birds of prey in flight, and have your photo taken with them for a unique souvenir. Learn how falconry was part of Tudor life and how birds of prey live, and why falconry was the most popular sport of the day.

Falconry

Raglan Castle

Wednesdays 14 and 21 August, 11am-3pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

Meet the birds of prey with static and flying displays of these magnificent birds.

Tudor Weekend

Tintern Abbey

Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 August, 10.30am-5pm

Adults £7.30, children £4.40, under 5s free, family £21.20, or free to Cadw members

The Tudor Group and the Minstrels of the Forest will sing, dance and party like it’s 1499, with interactive living history giving a flavour of the pastimes of days long past. Abbot Richard Wyche, the last abbot of Tintern Abbey, will transport you through time back to the last days of Tintern and the abbeys of Tudor Britain during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Tournament of the Knights

Cardiff Castle

Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 August, 10am-5pm

Adults £7, children £5; Castle Key holders adults £5, children £3

A step back in time as to witness valiant knights, alongside brave squires, in thrilling displays of medieval combat. Expect fighting displays, have-a-go archery and artillery, medieval games and entertainment, circus skills and more as the Warwick Warriors compete in epic battle for the title of champion in the Tournament of the Knights.

Welsh Music Day

Caerphilly Castle

Sunday 18 August, 12pm-4pm

Adults £8.90, children £5.30, under 5s free, family £25.70, or free to Cadw members

Listen to great Welsh music from a brass band, a Welsh choir and a harpist.

Roman Shield Make and Take Day

Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths

Friday 30 August, 11am-4pm

Adults £4.20, children £2.50, under 5s free, family £12.20, or free to Cadw members

£2 to take part in the activity, in addition to entrance fee.

Be inspired by Roman soldiers and make a Roman Shield. Pre-book only.

Outdoors and nature-themed events

Nature events

Newport Wetlands

Fabulous Fish

Monday 23-Thursday 26 July,

Drop-in from 10.30am-12pm and 2pm-3.30pm

RSPB members £4.40 / non-members £5.50

Pond-dipping, building mini rafts plus fishy games and crafts.

Toddler Fabulous Fish

Friday 26 July

10.30am-11.45am and 2pm-3.15pm

RSPB members £4.40 / non-members £5.50; booking essential

Songs and stories about fish, sand sculptures plus pond dipping with safety nets.

Flutterby Butterfly Ball

Monday 29 July to Thursday 1 August, 10.30am-12pm and 2pm-3.30pm

RSPB Members £4.40 / non-members £5.50

A fancy dress butterfly hunt, where you’ll make wings and antennae.

Toddler Flutterby Butterfly Ball

Friday 2 August, 10.30am-11.45am and 2pm-3.15pm

RSPB Members £4.40 / non-members £5.50; booking essential

Butterfly filled fun for toddlers.

Fairies and Folklore

Monday 5 to Thursday 8 August

Drop in from 10.30am-12pm or 2pm-3.30pm

Price: RSPB members £4.40 / non members £5.50

A magical week looking for fairy doors and other mystical creatures with wings. Activities will be based around a Welsh folktale, and you’ll be making potions and wands plus a fairy garden as the story unfolds.

Toddler Fairies and Folklore

Friday 9 August

10.30am-11.45am and 2pm-3.15pm

RSPB members £4.40 / non-members £5.50; booking essential

Toddler fun filled fairy themed stories and songs based around local Welsh folklore. Making potions, wands and fairy gardens as the story unfolds.

Dino Dig

Monday 12 to Thursday 15 August

Drop in from 10.30am-12pm or 2pm-3.30pm

RSPB members £4.40 / non-members £5.50

Excavate bones and learn about the amazing prehistoric creatures that used to live in the Gwent Levels. Creating a miniature replica mud hut village, and make footprints in the mud just like the bronze age families did.  Make your own clay crafts and cave painting drawings to take home.

Toddler Dino Dig

Friday 16 August

10.30am-11.45am and 2pm-3.15pm

RSPB members £4.40 / non-members £5.50; booking essential

A toddler dino dig, finding bones buried in the sand, making mud footprints, along with songs and a story.

Mr Bird’s Restaurant

Monday 19 to Thursday 22 August

Drop in at 10.30am-12pm and 2pm-3.30pm

RSPB members £4.40/non members £5.50

Pay a visit to Mr Bird’s Restaurant and match the beak to the food using different tools. Watch birds feeding in the nature garden, make your own feeders to take home, plus bird-themed games and crafts.

Toddler Mr Bird’s Restaurant

Friday 23 August

10.30am-11.45am and 2pm-3.15pm

RSPB members £4.40 / non-members £5.50; booking essential

Hear a story about greedy birds slurping worms before they snooze in their sleepy nests.

Wild Woods

Monday 26 to Thursday 29 August

Drop in from 10.30 -12pm or 2pm-3.30pm

RSPB members £4.40 / non-members £5.50

Go wild in the woods and make a den for you and the woodland creatures you’ll find. Make magical mobiles and crafty creatures from natural woodland materials.  Plus sensory activities and woodland games to play.

Toddler Wild Woods

Friday 30 August

10.30am-11.45am and 2pm-3.15pm

RSPB members £4.40 / non-members £5.50; booking essential

Booking essential

Go wild in the woods and make a leafy shelter for you and the woodland creatures you’ll be finding. Making magical mobiles and crafty creatures from natural materials from the woodland. Lots of sensory activities to bring the woods alive!

Summer holiday activities

Mountain View Ranch

Saturday 20 July-Sunday 1 September (excluding Saturday 24, Sunday 25 and Monday 26 August – see below for details of Ranchfest).

£7 per person over the age of 2; family of 4 £27, family of 5 £33

A hundred acres of freerange fun including The Gruffalo Trail, a walk with the funny goats, soft archery, huge play area, enchanted wood, den building, roly poly hill and more, all included in ticket price. See website for details of summer eventse ticket price!

PLUS: Summer Ranchfest

Saturday 24, Sunday 25 and Bank Holiday Monday 26 August

£10 per person

All the usual attractions plus extra activities including summer games, street performers, live music, obstacle courses. fairy walks, food vendors and more.

Summer holiday activities

Cantref Adventure Farm Park, Brecon

Saturday 20 July-Sunday 1 September

Live shows, activities and special events including pet handling, bottle feeding, Mr Ev’s Mini Panto, pig racing, a unicorn-themed summer Maize Maze and more.

ALSO: Dino day

Wednesdays 7 and 21^st August

£12.50 per person; advance booking recommended

Realistic dinosaurs, fossils, dinosaur games, fun dino facts and more. Learn how to tame the Terrific T-Rex and stomp with the Spine Tingling Spinosauraus as they parade through the Farm Park with their Rangers.

Unicorn Day

Wednesday 31^st July and Thursday 1 August, Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 August, Bank Holiday weekend Saturday 24-Monday 26 August

£12.50 per person; advance booking recommended

A magical day with unicorn activities including pony pampering and unicorn pony rides (additional charge).

Little Sprouts Garden Club

Pyle Garden Centre, Bridgend

Saturdays 20 July and 3 August, 2pm-4pm

£9 per child, ages 4-9, book in advance

Educational fun sessions run by Rosie the Range, a fully qualified primary school teacher, who will guide children through gardening-related activities.

Superhero Trail

Amelia Trust Farm, Barry

Saturday 20 July-Monday 2 September, 10am-4pm

£2.50 per trail, plus usual entry of adults £2, children £1.50, under 2s free, family (2+3) £5

Young superheroes can take on this special trail and learn valuable lessons about the world around them and what the earth’s toughest enemies are – ie plastic, climate change, poaching – and how they can save the planet by learning what they can do to help.

PLUS: Gnome and Fairy Day

Thursday 25 July, 10am

Adults £2, children £1.50, under 2s free, family (2+3) £5

A day celebrating gnomes and fairies, with magical tractor rides for £1 per person; hang your wishes on the magical wishing tree; make your own fairy soup; space hoopers in the field; gnome and fairy trail £2.50, street food stalls,

Summer holiday activities

Tredegar House, Newport

Saturday 20 July-Sunday 1 September

Adults £11.20, children £5.60, family £28, free to National Trust members

Head on a scavenger hunt at Tredegar House this summer. Pick up a map and explore the gardens on a quest to see how many ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ you can tick off.

Also:

Geology Day

Sunday 21 July, 11am-3pm

Budding Geologists can step back in time to discover nature’s records of those animals and plants that lived a long time ago. South Wales Geology Society will be on hand for an afternoon of gold panning and fossil discoveries.

See Festivals section for details of Summer Fest 2019 on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 August

Big butterfly count

Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas, Vale of Glamorgan

Friday 19 July-Sunday 11 August, 11am-4pm

Grab an ID sheet, or download the app, and find your favourite spot in the gardens to sit while you count the different butterflies and moths that flutter past.

It only takes 15 minutes and you’ll be helping us to measure the number and types of butterflies and moths that live in our garden.

Please note: Butterflies do not come out in wet weather so check the forecast before you travel.

Also: Make It Mondays

Mondays from 22 July to 2 September

Get creative and make something nature-based to take home. All materials and equipment are provided. This is a free activity included in usual admission price.

Aberdulais Landscapes

Aberdulais Falls, Neath Port Talbot

Monday 15 July-Sunday 1 September, 10.30am-4pm

Adults £6.50, children £3.25, family £16.25, free to National Trust members

For centuries, Aberdulais has been utilising natural resources for energy to drive industrial wonders. Today, National Trust Aberdulais shares and celebrates people’s historical footprint. As once industry shaped the valley and dramatic waterfall of the tinworks, now nature reclaims this fascinating site. Discover more about people’s landscapes at Aberdulais. Children can also take part in a brass rubbings activity, with booklets available from the Visitor Centre.

Summer activities

Greenmeadow Community Farm, Cwmbran

Saturday 20 July- Sunday 1 September

Adults £6.50, children £5.40, under 2s free, family £23.50

The farm is open daily with added activities varying from cuddle corner, animal feeding, milking and so on. Special event days as follows:

Teddy Bears Picnic – Wednesday 24 July

£8.95 for Teddy Bears’ Picnic Box and admission; under 2s £4.95 for the picnic box; adults £5.50 for picnic box and usual admission of £6.50

Bring your favourite teddy and enjoy teddy-themed activities throughout the day. Can be pre-booked.

Wild West Day – Friday 2 August

More details to be announced.

Piggy Pranks – Wednesday 7 August

More details to be announced.

Mythical Creatures – Wednesday 14 August

Including unicorn walkabout, dragon bathing and more.

Theme to be confirmed – Wednesday 21 August

Stick Man Day – Wednesday 28 August

Stick Man-themed activities.

Summer Holiday events

Parc Play, Cardiff

Saturday 20 July-Sunday 1 September – open daily

Adults £1 (refunded when spending £5+ in café); ages 4-12 £6, ages 1-3 £4.50, under 1s £1.95 or free with a paying older sbling)

Plus see details of summer pass: £22.50 ages 4-12, £17.50 1-3; under 1s £7.50

Advance booking recommended for event days.

Parc’s 10^th birthday party – Monday 29 July, 11am-2.3pm

Celebrations include The Wonderful Wardrobe, face painting, balloon modelling, arts and crafts, and find golden tickets for prizes.

Fancy dress day – Monday 5 August, 11am-2.30pm

A fancy dress special with special guests and prizes up for grabs.

Jimmy Juggle – Monday 12 August, 11am-2.30pm

Circus-themed day featuring Jimmy Juggle, learn circus skills, hook-a-duck, photobooth, tin can alley, circus crafts, find golden tickets to win prizes.

Prince and Princess Training Day – Monday 19 August, 11am-2.30pm

Princess singalong and training with surprise guests. Fun and games include Disney singalong, learn how to act like a prince or princess, arts and crafts, find golden tickets to win prizes.

Unicorn Pony Parade – Monday 26 August, 11am-2.30pm

Meet the ponies, pony rides available, arts and crafts and more.

Little Green Fingers workshops

Pugh’s Garden Centre, Radyr and Wenvoe]

Sea Serpent Sock Friend (Radyr)

Tuesday 23 July, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm

£7 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Reptile Encounter (Radyr)

Wednesday 24 July, 10am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm

£10 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Reptile Encounter (Wenvoe)

Thursday 25 July, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm

£7 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Sea Serpent Sock Friend (Wenvoe)

Friday 26 July, 10am, 11am, 1pm

£7 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Unicorn Flower Pots (Radyr)

Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 July, various times

£7 per child, age 3+ must be booked in advance

Unicorn Flower Pots (Wenvoe)

Thursday 1 August, various times

£7 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Dragon Egg Making (Radyr)

Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 August, various times

£7 per child, age 5+; must be booked in advance

Dragon Egg Making (Radyr)

Thursday 8 and Friday 9 August, various times

£7 per child, age 5+; must be booked in advance

Birds and Beasts Animal Encounter (Radyr)

Tuesday 13 August, 10am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm

£10 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Enchanted Gnome Garden (Radyr)

Wednesday 14 August, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm

£8 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Birds and Beasts Animal Encounter (Wenvoe)

Thursday 15 August, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm

£10 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Enchanted Gnome Garden (Wenvoe)

Friday 16 August, 10am, 11am, 1pm

£8 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Fairy Tale Castle with Growing Garden (Radyr)

Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 August, various times

£7 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Fairy Tale Castle with Growing Garden (Radyr)

Thursday 22 and Friday 23 August, various times

£7 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Become A Woodland Warrior (Radyr)

Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 August, various times

£6 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Become A Woodland Warrior (Wenvoe)

Thursday 28 and Friday 29 August, various times

£6 per child, age 3+; must be booked in advance

Summer holiday events

Margam Park, Port Talbot

Mondays to Fridays throughout the holidays

Entry is free; parking is £6

See the website for full listings of daily activities, ranging from wildlife walks and family yoga to themed craft sessions and have-a-go archery. Some events are free, others paid.

Pond dipping

Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend

Mondays 29 July, 5, 12, 19 August

£4 per child, advance booking essential

Join the Rangers and have a go at pond dipping. What underwater creatures will you find living in the murky depths of Bryngarw’s pond?

FREE RSPB Cymru Wild Challenge

Heath Park, Cardiff

Wednesday 24 July, 10am-3.30pm

Discover what’s lurking in the depths of Heath Park pond for pond-dipping fun, from dragonfly nymphs to great diving beetles and more.

The Rain Forest Experience

Roath Park Conservatory

Saturday 27 July, 11am and 1pm

Adults £4, children £2

Explore, discover and enjoy the wonders of the rainforest paradise at Roath Park Conservatory with a rainforest guided walks will run at 11am and 1pm. £4.00 per adult.

Nature activities

Parc Slip Nature Reserve, Bridgend

Brilliant Bats – Friday 26 July, 9pm-10.30pm

Age 7+, suggested donation £2

Reptile Ramble – Wednesday 21 July, 10am-12.30pm

£5 per person or £7.50 per family, must be pre-booked

Butterflies of Parc Slip – Tuesday 6 August, 11am-1pm

Suggested donation £2

Brilliant Bats – Friday 9 August, 8.30pm-10pm

Age 7+, suggested donation £2

Moth Morning – Wednesday 21 August, 9am-10am

Suggested donation £2

Meadow walk and bug hunt – Wednesday 28 August, 2pm-3.30pm

Suggested donation £2

For more of what to expect at Parc Slip, read our review here.

Cinema and film

I’m focusing on special film events and cheap family screenings at holidays and weekends here, rather than regular cinema screenings.

Odeon Kids

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.

Movies for Juniors

Cineworld, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff

The 10am weekend and school holiday Movies for Juniors showings are just £2 per person. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.

Mini Mornings

Vue Cinema, Millennium Plaza, Cardiff

The 10am weekend and school holiday Movies for Juniors showings are just £2.49 per person. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.

Chapter Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff

A different family film every week

£4/£3 booked in advance; see website for full listings.

Memo Arts Centre Barry

A selection of family-friendly films at weekends and during school holidays.

Adults £6; concessions £4; under 16s £3 when booked in advance. £6.50/£4.50/£3.50 on the door.