⬇️At the top are events going on all half term, scroll down for your day by day guide.
☀️Updated ‘Heatwave Guide to Oxford’ : the splash parks and lidos, the alfresco hotspots to eat with kids and walks in the shade when you need them! Click HERE to read.
High Lodge Farm Big Bale: 23rd – 31st May
Come play at the biggest bale play you can find – it’s the UK’s biggest with more than 250 giant bales to explore. There’s the main huge bale maze and a smaller under-5s area with smaller bales and a covered sandpit. The usual giant garden games, barrel train rides (£) and food and drink are on offer too. There are SEND sessions too.
Earth Trust Spring on the Farm: 27th – 31st May
Help the farmer tend to the newborn lambs and calves, explore blooming gardens and minibeasts, play on the mini tractors and hobby horses, get hands-on with nature in the mud kitchen and water play, create nature inspired crafts and much more. Bring a change of clothes as life on the farm can get messy!
Waterperry Gardens Gnometastic Trail: 23rd – 31st May
Look carefully around the gardens to find the 8 cheeky little gnomes hiding. When you find one, write their name next to their number. Be careful, trust gnome one, some of the gnomes may have written their names backwards! Everyone gets a prize and the adults get to have a look at the beautiful gardens…the wisteria is a delight! The playground has a recent added addition of a swing, bring a picnic or grab something from the café.
Westgate Oxford: Shaun The Sheep Trail: until 31st May
Join the flock! This interactive trail will take you around the Westgate where you will unlock animated scenes, take part in fun challenges and enjoy selfie moments. When complete enter a competition to win £100 John Lewis vouchers.
Cotswold Farm Park: Kids go free in half term (23rd – 31st May)
Loads on! Bottle feeding, sheep shearing demonstrations, bee talks, pop-up activities and plenty of chances to get hands-on around the Farm Park. Plus all the usual favourites too – outdoor play areas, bouncing pillows, ride-on tractors and our Rare Breed Walkway, home to some of the country’s rarest farm animals. You have to book in advance to get this deal.
Cogges Farm: May Half Term Fun (23rd – 31st May)
Family fun on the farm this half term with seasonal activities, blooming gardens and the chance to meet Ruby the Tractor. There’s also the farmyard animals, adventure play, a mega sandpit and fleet of mini tractors.
Saturday 23rd May
📚St John’s College (Oxford University) : Family Literary Festival
To celebrate the National Year of Reading, St John’s is going all in with this literary festival. Puppetry by Emma Boor, interactive storytelling, creative writing, crafts and more – plus interesting events for adults. Free, but ticketed.
📅 Saturday 23rd May – Sunday 24th May⏰ From 10am💴 Free 🎫 Booking required ℹ️ More details and booking on St John’s website.
🏠Bekonscot Model Village: Birds of Prey
Have you booked your ticket to the world’s oldest model village? It is the perfect half-term outing! ! So quaint, and the perfect place for the little ones to feel like giants. Always lots going on during half term too and over bank holiday weekend birds of prey will be visiting and you will be able to see the birds up close and have pictures holding them. Book via the website 48 hours in advance for 10% off.
📅 Open 7 days a week ⏰10am – 5.30pm 💴Adult: £14, Children: £9 🎫 Booking recommended for cheaper prices ℹ️ More info on the website and see all the (very sweet!) pics and info here.
🐘Story Museum Small Worlds: Elmer Day
What better way to celebrate Elmer Day then a trip to Small Worlds where they have a giant Elmer on the wall! ? It’s especially designed for pre-school children and is so interactive and fun. The big airy room is split into 5 story themed zones and children explore each interactive zone with their grown ups – it’s full of sensory delights to keep little hands busy as well as toys and props relating to each story theme. There’s also crafts and activities in the galleries to celebrate everyone’s fave patchwork elephant.
📅 Open 7 days a week in the school holidays ⏰Session times: 10:15, 11:45, 1:15, 2:45, 4:15 💴 All tickets £7.50 🎫 Booking recommended ℹ️ More info on the Story Museum website and see one of our visits here.
🔭 Science Oxford – Family Days
This is something you will not regret booking! We LOVE these family days and highly recommend them. I’ve been with my children multiple times and on loads of school trips here too. Explore, discover, and play in the Exploration Zone and create and test flying designs at the Air Table, build a giant magnetic ball run, and see what’s hot and what’s not with the Curious Camera. Splash and be curious in the Water Lab outdoors and pick up an Explorer Backpack and see what wildlife you can spot on the outdoor nature trails around the meadows, woodland and ponds.
📅 Saturday 23rd May⏰ 10.00am – 12.00pm/ 12.30pm – 2.30pm/ 3.00pm – 5.00pm 💴 £8.50 per person, Under 3: free 🎫 Booking required ℹ️ More info on the Science Oxford website. Read about one of our visits here.
🌿Cutteslowe Greenhouse: Plant and produce sale
I love what they are doing here and I love the community vibe – we need more places like this. Support them at their produce sale (every other Saturday) or go to one of their family bushcraft sessions. Of course you could go to the plant sale, have cake and juice and talk to the plants whilst another responsible adult is in charge of taking children to the splash pad now that it’s open. Just an idea…
📅 Saturday 23rd May⏰9.30am – 12.30pm 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ More info on the Cutteslowe Greenhouse Facebook page.
Sunday 24th May
📚St John’s College (Oxford University) : Family Literary Festival
To celebrate the National Year of Reading, St John’s is going all in with this literary festival. Puppetry by Emma Boor, interactive storytelling, creative writing, crafts and more – plus interesting events for adults. Free, but ticketed.
📅 Saturday 23rd May – Sunday 24th May⏰ From 10am💴 Free 🎫 Booking required ℹ️ More details and booking on St John’s website.
🥇Decathlon RunDays at Cutteslowe
Decathlon’s community RunDay is back! A fun, family-friendly 5K with plenty of extra perks to keep little runners motivated! Every paying adult ticket includes a breathable Kiprun running t-shirt, a finisher’s medal, race-day nutrition goodies and a £5 Decathlon voucher…and the best bit? Under-16s can join for free and still get their own medal, Kiprun t-shirt and snacks too!
📅 Sunday 24th May⏰ From 10am💴 £10 adult, children free 🎫 Booking required ℹ️ More details and booking on Decathlon website.
🚒Witney Fire Station: Open Day
A fun family day out with fire engines, ambulance and specialist vehicles on display, live firefighter demonstrations, fitness challenges, face painting, BBQ and drinks. Love to turn out to show our appreciation for our firefighters 👏
📅 Sunday 24th May⏰ 10am start 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ See the Witney Fire Station Facebook page for poster and details.
🚴Dr Bike at Cutteslowe Community Centre
Free bike diagnosis, advice, safety checks, and minor on-site repairs. Get your bike checked and on the road, ready for two-wheeled adventures!
📅 Sunday 24th May⏰ 1.15pm – 4.15pm 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ More dates on the Broken Spoke Facebook page.
Monday 25th May – Bank Holiday
🎓Sheldonian Theatre : Half term activities
Yes, for families too! We had such fun on our visit and loved going receiving our honorary doctorates (from ourselves) in our mortar boards, climbing to the top of the Cupola (1000 steps!) and taking parts in the interactive Wren trail. The same is on this half term and we can’t recommend being a tourist in your own city enough!
📅 Sunday 25th May⏰ 1oam – 4.30pm 💴 £8.25 per adult, £7 per child, Under 8: Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ More dates on the Sheldonian website and see our visit here.
🚂 Cutteslowe Miniature Railway
Such a lovely miniature railway experience and with the track extension it’s great value for money too. There is SO much to do at Cutteslowe park: numerous playgrounds, huge sandpit, free splash park (now open!), crazy golf, tennis courts, wildlife area, duck pond, beach volleyball court, café and more! It’s easily a whole day adventure!
📅 Monday 25th May⏰ 1pm – 4.30pm 💴 £2 per ticket, Under 2’s free with fare paying adult🎫 No booking required ℹ️ See the website for more details and more pictures from our visit here.
Tuesday 26th May
🧪Oxford Botanic Garden: Chemistry in the Garden
A family-friendly day exploring chemistry in unexpected places. Drop in to hands-on activities exploring enzymes, magnets, chemical reactions and states of matter. Learn more about medicinal plants and ‘Hunt the Cure’ among the medicinal beds.
📅 Tuesday 26th May⏰ 12pm – 4pm 💴Adults: £9, Under 16: Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ See the website for more details.
🛍️The Oxfordshire Museum: Design a bag
Have a go at designing and decorating your own small tote bag. Linking to the theme of textiles and the Oxfordshire Textile Artist exhibition which is being hosted by the Museum in the Garden Gallery. There’s dinos in the garden, a dedicated dinosaur room and a library at the Oxfordshire museum too! Check out one of our many visits here.
📅 Tuesday 26th May⏰ 10.30am – 3.30pm 💴Pay what you can donation 🎫 Drop-in ℹ️ See Oxfordshire museum website for more details.
🪩 Museum of Oxford: FamJam
Dance, activities, making and sensory play in a fun disco party atmosphere. Show off your moves and make new friends, everyone’s welcome! Although aimed at 5 and under, siblings are welcome.
📅 Tuesday 26th May⏰ 11am and 2pm (1 hour session) 💴£3 per child (includes adult) 🎫 Booking essential ℹ️ Book via Oxford Museum website.
Wednesday 27th May
🦗Harcourt Arboretum Family Day: Marvellous Meadows
As part of UK Meadows Day, the Arboretum will open their meadows to the public, offering bug hunting and meadow plants guided tours, educational activities, and a chance to explore these vital habitats. As well as the meadows there’s lots to explore in this 130 acre site – including the ninja obstacle course!
📅 Wednesday 27th May⏰ 11pm – 3pm 💴 £3 per child, Adults pay usual entry fee: £9 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ See the website for more details.
☕Kelpie coffee x Caper bookswap
A collab we all need! The idea is simple: Bring your books and get tokens to ‘spend on any other secondhand books. Books for ages 0-11. I guess we just sit and have a coffee whilst the children choose their books, gosh what an awful chore,. The sacrifices we make as parents.
📅 Wednesday 27th May⏰ 1pm – 4pm 💴 Free to enter, bring books to ‘buy’ books 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ See Kelpie Facebook page for more details.
🚜 Mead and Sons Farm shop: Meet the Machines
The perfect day for young machinery enthusiasts! A great chance to come and see some farm machines in action! This event is free to attend with the chance to donate to a selected charity on the day.
📅 Wednesday 27th May⏰10am – 2pm 💴 Free, donations welcome 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ Details on the Mead and Sons Facebook page.
Thursday 28th May
👥Modern Art Oxford workshop: Building begins with Wire and Light
Mind opening, as always. Inspired by the Kira Freije exhibition, this flexible workshop invites families and visitors to explore sculpture-making techniques at their own pace using metal wire, fabric and light.
📅 Thursday 28th May⏰11am – 4pm 💴 Free 🎫 Drop-in ℹ️ Details on the Modern Art Oxford website.
🛝South Oxfordshire Adventure Playground
SOAP is a local charity run by volunteers & paid sessional staff, providing free, inclusive, supervised, adventurous outdoor play and activities. Thursday is 7+ kids only and no grown ups! Lots of outdoor fun and crafts. Registration needed.
📅 Thursday 28th May⏰10am – 4pm 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required but registration required ℹ️ Details on the SOAP website.
Friday 29th May
🗿Weston Library Family Fun: The Muses
Three massive Muses from Greek myth have come down to earth from the Clarendon Building’s roof. Meet the Muses, explore inspiration and let your imagination take flight with crafts and more! There’s also the ‘Pets & Their People’ and ‘The Wonder of Birds’ exhibitions on too which are fascinating and I think children would enjoy.
📅 Friday 29th May⏰ 11am – 3.00pm 💴Free 🎫 Drop-in ℹ️ More info on the Weston Library website.
🛝South Oxfordshire Adventure Playground
SOAP is a local charity run by volunteers & paid sessional staff, providing free, inclusive, supervised, adventurous outdoor play and activities. On Friday everyone is welcome! is 7+ kids only and no grown ups! Lots of outdoor fun and crafts. Registration needed if your child is staying on their own.
📅 Friday 29th May⏰10am – 4pm 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ Details on the SOAP website.
Saturday 30th May
🔺Ashmolean: Pop up and Play
This sounds a bit different, and as it involves some of our favourite people – Oxfordshire Play Association – we know its going to be a good one! Nature-based, loose-parts play followed by a printmaking and flower-making workshop in the Learning Studio. We LOVE activities like this!
📅 Saturday 30th May⏰11am – 3pm 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️More info on Ashmolean website.
🕺 FamJam
Two different venues: 1.30pm at John Bunyan Hall and 3.30pm at Rose Hill Community Centre. A joyful, feel-good family disco with a live DJ, packed full of music, movement and smiles. Expect great tunes, silly dance moves, fun games for all ages plus face painting too!
📅 Saturday 30th May⏰1.30pm/ 3.30pm 💴 Free 🎫 Drop in, no booking required ℹ️ More info on Dancin’ Oxford website.
📚Wantage Children’s Books Festival
There’s still tickets left for the very first Wantage Children’s Books Festival. A busy programme awaits from some of the UK’s best loved authors and illustrators, there’s something on offer for families with children of all ages, from babies up to teens. And the good news is that it’s all completely FREE!
📅 Saturday 30th May⏰ From 10am💴 Free 🎫 Booking required ℹ️ More info on the festival website.
🎥Headington Festival: outdoor cinema
Two showings as part of the festival: 4pm and 7.30pm. They haven’t released what fils they are yet but last year they were both family friendly. Keep and eye on the website or Facebook page for announcements.
📅 Saturday 30th May⏰4pm – 7.30pm 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ More info on the Headington Festival website or Facebook page.
Sunday 31st May
🚂 Cutteslowe Miniature Railway
Such a lovely miniature railway experience and with the track extension it’s great value for money too. There is SO much to do at Cutteslowe park: numerous playgrounds, huge sandpit, free splash park (now open!), crazy golf, tennis courts, wildlife area, duck pond, beach volleyball court, café and more! It’s easily a whole day adventure!
📅Sunday 31st May⏰ 1pm – 4.30pm 💴 £2 per ticket, Under 2’s free with fare paying adult🎫 No booking required ℹ️ See the website for more details and more pictures from our visit here.
🔭 History of Science Museum: How Does it Work
Get hands-on with the collection and experience fascinating objects in action. There’s SEND-friendly backpacks too which are designed to help children explore science stories through hands-on activities.
📅Sunday 31st May ⏰12 noon – 4pm 💴Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ More info on the History of Science Museum website.
🎉Headington Festival
It’s back! A weekend of free stuff with the best being on the Sunday: Market stalls, sports, farm animals, balloon modeller, go-karts, jester show, inflatables
food, tea, cake & bar. All free (not the bar!)
📅 Sunday 31st May⏰1pm – 5pm 💴 Free 🎫 No booking required ℹ️ More info on the Headington Festival website
