Things to do in Bucks this summer

If you’re looking for things to do in Bucks this summer, look no further! I’ve got a massive roundup for you right here. Whether you’re spending a lot, or not, whether you’re indoors, or out, hopefully you’ll find something for you and your family right here. There’s so much fun to be had this summer that I’ve actually even included some events that are taking place in the areas surrounding Bucks too… so there’s a really good mix here!

Don’t forget to give me a follow on Instagram here, so you can see all that we get up to as a family this summer!

Things to do in Bucks this summer – National Trust sites

I always say it but we are so lucky to have so many gorgeous National Trust sites on our doorstep. Better still, so many of them offer free, or low-cost activities during the school holidays. So what’s going on during the summer?

• Ascott has an outdoor theatre performance of The Wind in the Willows taking place on 31st August, tickets must be booked in advance – get yours here! They are also running Nature Art sessions with Nature Makers on Sunday 10th and Monday 25th August – no need too book, these are free sessions that you can just drop into!
• Meet the beekeepers at Hughenden on 16th August. The talks are free and take place at 11:30 and 2:30. No booking needed – just buzz in!
• Cliveden are hosting some summer activities, comprising of nine challenges across the estate that will help you to become an expert explorer! The activities are running right up to the 14th September – grab your free trail leaflet from the visitors centre.
• Stowe will be running some children’s summer crafts on selected dates. Some of the activities will include making clay monsters, paper windmills and bug hotels! The sessions cost £2 per child plus normal garden admission if you aren’t a National Trust Member. Book your tickets here. They will also be doing some storytelling sessions on alternative Thursdays and Fridays. These are included in the general admission price but booking for them is essential – you can do that here. Stories will be suitable for children up to the age of 8 and take place outside, so make sure you dress accordingly!
• Dunstable Downs are having a summer of play! You can join them every day for fun at their Sports Village, with self-lead activities like football, cricket, hockey, frisbee golf and more. There will also be some coach-lead sessions including soft archery and some nature based games. All activities are free and there’s no need to book!

Farms and wildlife centres

Another thing Buckinghamshire has plenty of is local farms and wildlife centres. These make for the perfect day out with little ones! Here’s what’s going on during the summer holidays…

• Aylesbury Town Council is hosting Farm Fest Fun on Thursday 31st July from 11-3 in Aylesbury’s market square. This is an entirely free event, just come along and enjoy meeting a variety of friendly farm animals!
• Woodland Ranch is opening its doors for the summer! There’ll be teddy bear picnics, exotic animal encounters, chick handling, story telling, tractor trailer rides, animal feeding and more! They’ll be open from 27th July-10th August and tickets must be booked online here.
• Ceders Nature Centre is running several events as part of their Six Weeks Of Summer! Including The Big Zoo Quiz, Dinosaur Day, Reptile Week, Craft Day and Whose Poo At The Zoo Week. Entry is just £2.40 per person, or you can buy a summer pass for £10 per person and visit as many times as you want over the summer! Find out more and book your tickets online.

Museums

If you’re looking for things to do in Bucks this summer that will help keep your children’s brain engaged in some form of education, a museum trip has got to be on your list! Here are some to try:

• The Discover Bucks Museum, as always, has a huge variety of events going on! On Saturday 26th July, you can discover a world of mixed up fairy tales across two interactive shows, with one being suitable for ages 3-5 and one being suitable for ages 7-11. You can book tickets here. They will also be creating a summer that is out of this world, full of family friendly, space-themed crafts all summer long! You can try some space science, become a superhero and design your own mask and cape, make a universe, create a nebula in a jar, sculpt a landscape out of clay and more! They also have their sci-fi exhibition open to all and will have a space sensory room too! Book your tickets here.
• The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is having a Magical Matilda Summer from 24th July – 31st August. There’ll be science sessions, creative craft workshops, appearances from Mrs Trunchball herself, magical storytelling, family writing workshops and terrific trails too. Find out more and book tickets here.

In museums beyond Bucks…

• The Story Museum is hosting Story Explorers Summer Skills Courses for children age 8-12 throughout the summer. There will be guest appearances from authors, artists and musicians and different themes. From 4th-8th August, the theme is Defying Gravity, all about exploring the sky and space in stories, role play, drama, dressing up, crafting and more. From 11th-15th August, the theme is Fantastic Creatures, where children can explore the weird and wonderful creatures from popular stories with bug handling, drama, crafts, games and slime. You can book individual days or for the whole week – secure your spot here.
• Hertford Museum is hosting a range of summer family fun activities across the summer, with a different theme each week! Themes include Animals Around the Musuem, Fossils, Toys at the Museum and Stringy Things. Sessions cost £4 per child and there’s no need to book in advance.

Shopping centre events

• The Eden Centre’s Big Weekend is back – but this time it’s a Big Weekend-er as it’s spanning an entire weekend rather than just one day! It promises to be bigger and better than ever and runs from 19th-20th July. No need to book, just turn up and have fun!
• Midsummer Place in MK have put together a free dinosaur trail! Throughout the summer there will also be music sessions, storytelling and balloon modelling, all tying in with the dino theme! There’s no need to book, but you can find more info here.
• Victoria Place shopping centre is running FREE events every Tuesday – Saturday from 11am-4pm, all with a jungle theme! There will be hands-on craft sessions, animal trails and so much more. There’s no need to book – just come along and have fun!
• Friars Square shopping centre is being visited by Titan the Robot and some celestial stiltwalkers on Tuesday 29th July! There will also be a craft workshop and treasure trail – all for free!

Other outdoors fun

There are plenty of things to do in Bucks this summer that don’t fall into any of the above categories. From one off events to trails that run all summer long, here are some more ideas for some outdoors fun…

• Stickman is coming to Wendover Woods! He’ll be doing a meet and greet on Sunday 3rd August…more details to come on this! They have also added lots of new friends throughout the woods – all of the characters from the Gruffalo will now join the existing Gruffalo in a fun new trail. The map can be bought for £1!
• The Henry Allen Trust is hosting Henry’s Happiness Family Fun Day on Sunday 3rd August from 12-5pm. There’ll be giant inflatables, a craft village, a dog show, animal encounters and much more! Find out more info online here.
• Vale Park in Aylesbury will be home to a brand new event, Vale Park Street Art. On Saturday 23rd August, young people aged 13-18 are invited to come down and get some hands on experience in the world of Street Art. There’ll be a Graffiti School workshop, Drop-in Paint Pen Station and inclusive sessions for those with additional needs too. Activities will run throughout the day, are all free and there’s no booking required!

Out and about beyond Bucks…

• Little Acorns sessions are back at Earth Trust for the summer. Suitable for ages aged 2-6, these sessions will focus on nature-based play and learning with a sprinkle of magic. The sessions cover beautiful butterflies, buzzing bees, woodlands and fairies, mindful moments and a teddy bears picnic! Find out more information and book your tickets here. They are also hosting a Field of Fun! This will be open weekdays in August and is designed for children aged 5+. There’ll be hay bale play, a musical wall, a chill out zone, a mini obstacle course, a petal pitch with fun challenges and more! Finally, they also have Family History Days including Incredible Iron Age, Really Influential Romans and Invaders and Settlers.
• The Patch fun fields are back and bigger than ever! Featuring a brand new exhibition, ‘The Last Footprint’, there is also all the usual fun, including four immersive mazes, the barrel train, fairground style games like hook-a-duck, fossil digging, the sunflower fields, the wildflower meadow and more! Book your tickets ASAP as they are selling fast!
• Waterperry Gardens have a BUG, BIRD, BEATS exhibition in their gallery which is free to enter, running until 1st September.
• Dinton Pastures Country Park is hosting some Cre8 by Jamie sessions over the summer that will include face painting, airbrush tattoos, hair braiding, slime stations, arts and crafts, a hula hoop zone and more. She will be available on selected dates throughout the holidays, but there every weekend of August. No booking is required, just turn up and enjoy! They are also hosting ‘Sundown Friday sessions’ from 4-8pm, with live music, food, boat hire and sunset views. No booking needed!

And some indoor fun too…

• A special show of Quentin Blake’s ‘Mrs Armitage on Wheels’ will be on at Aylesbury Library on Saturday 23rd August. The show is suitable for children aged 3+. To book your tickets, click here.
• Be Creative Craft Studio is hosting some brand new workshops for the summer holidays! These Mini Makers sessions are suitable for children aged 4+ and will be hosted at the Be Creative Craft Studio in Stoke Mandeville. You can make fairy gardens, sea turtle wall art, colourful lions and Money lily pond creations. Spaces are limited so get booked on ASAP! You can find out more and book tickets here. They are also offering a summer craft camp for children aged 7-11, perfect for older siblings.
• Funtivity Play Village in Leighton Buzzard is running a series of sessions throughout the summer with cute themes! Join them for a Moana session, a Teddy Bear’s Picnic, a Cream Tea with Sweet Treats or a Summer Tuff Tray session. Tickets need to be booked in advance – grab yours here.

The fun doesn’t have to stop there!

This is just a lift of summer-specific events that are running. There is so much to do for kids in Buckinghamshire, and beyond! Check out some of my days out reviews here, for even more ideas of things to do with the kiddies.

If you’re at home, don’t stress about making your own fun. Why not check out some of my kitchen creations to make with the kids?

And for some free fun together, don’t forget to check out your local library for any summer holiday challenges (Aylesbury library is running a reading challenge called the Story Garden!) and also your local Pets At Home storie for fun, themed animal workshops!

Remember to follow along with my family and I on Instagram so you can see what adventures we get up to this summer!

Whatever you’re up to this summer, I hope you have fun! Remember, it’s all about being present and making memories. Nothing else matters!