FAMILIES looking for a free or low-cost day out this half term should head for Leicester’s parks, libraries and museums.
The city council and its partners have organised a range of indoor and outdoor activities that children and young people of all ages will enjoy – and they’re all listed in a handy online guide.
This year’s Spark Festival is running performances, workshops and activities until Sunday (24 May), with many of them completely free of charge. Families, for example, can pop into the Phoenix for a Paper Movies workshop on Saturday 23 May, while Curve will also be open that day for a free Family Community Day
Leicester’s libraries are offering a wide range of free half-term activities, from Lego coding workshops at Knighton Library and a Learn to Knit Club at the Pork Pie Library, to storytelling and craft sessions.
On Tuesday 26 May, award-winning storyteller Tim Ralphs and community storyteller Jos Razzell will lead families into a magical world that will be brought to life by the youngsters’ own craft creations. Life’s Full Of Stories takes place at the Central Library on Tuesday 26 May and pre-booking on the two sessions is required.
Also on Tuesday (26 May), Abbey Pumping Station opens its doors for its popular Half Term Railway Day, when rides on the narrow gauge railway will cost just £1, while there’s a chance to meet mermaids and a larger-than-life octopus at the Haymarket shopping centre’s free Under the Sea event.
On Wednesday (27 May), the city’s Newarke Houses Museum and its beautiful gardens will be open for half-term. Families are invited to enjoy an afternoon of crafts at Fairies & Bugs, when youngsters can make a ladybird hat and a flying fairy or follow the bug hunt trail around the gardens. Tickets are £4 per child when booked online (£5 at the door). Accompanying adults are free of charge.
Wednesday also sees the return of Funky Feet and Wacky Wheels to Abbey Park. Children of all ages are invited to bling their wheels at the annual celebration of walking and wheeling, before taking part in the grand parade around the Oval.
There’s messy, creative fun at the Guildhall on Thursday (28 May), when youngsters can make their own masterpiece from air-drying clay. Admission to Clay Play Day is £4 per child when booked online (£5 at the door). Accompanying adults are free of charge.
On Saturday (30 May), there’s an open invitation to young cyclists to take part in Bike Fest at the Leicester Cycle Circuit. Bring your bike and enjoy unlimited free laps of the traffic-free circuit at the Herewoode Academy on Glenfield Road from 1pm-4pm.
Open Streets (pictured) returns on Sunday (31 May) with the Graffwerk Street Art Jam, when artists will create live street art alongside spray‑paint workshops and hands‑on upcycling activities. The Art Jam will also include bike fix‑it workshops, accessible cycling sessions from Wheels 4 All, and high‑energy live music.
Head to Graffwerk HQ on Jarvis Street, LE3 5BN, from 1pm-4pm to join in the fun.
Other ideas for things to do during the half-term break include visiting the animals at Pets’ Corner in Abbey Park, craft activities at Leicester Cathedral, and an exhibition at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery that will go down a storm with Star Wars’ fans of all ages.
Open daily, May The Toys Be With You features more than 400 exhibits representing five decades of Star Wars toys and memorabilia. And no trip to the museum would be complete without marvelling at the mummies in the Ancient Egypt gallery or popping into the Dinosaur gallery to gaze up at the enormous cetiosaurus.
The city council’s list of ideas for free and low-cost half-term fun in Leicester can be found at families.leicester.gov.uk/half-term-fun
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