What to do in Ipswich to keep children entertained during the summer hoildays
. Owen Free and Mark Bloom at one of the Christchurch park archery workshops last summer. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN - Credit: Archant
As parents and children prepare for a scorching six week summer break from Friday, Ipswich Borough Council has lined up scores of family-friendly events to keep the youngsters entertained.
Holywells family fun day. Callum Durnan, 13 on the sweeper. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR
From popular favourites to new additions, the council’s events team has once again been busy laying on activity days, arts and crafts, heritage experiences and sports sessions among countless others over the summer holiday.
At Holywells Park, the popular Family Fun Days return each Wednesday with sports, petting zoo and an open air cinema among those returning once again.
Elsewhere the Horrible History Tour of Ipswich sets off from the Tourist Information Centre twice a week for a grizzly and enlightening ramble through some of the town’s lesser known stories from the past.
Family favourite venues Ipswich Museum and Christchurch Mansion have once again laid on a packed out schedule which includes drumming workshops, show and tell, storytime and other arts activities.
Real animals at Ipswich Museum. Children get up close to fluffy, scaly or creepy crawly creatures in this family-friendly show. Picture: GREGG BROWN - Credit: Gregg Brown
And that’s not all. The council run swimming pools and sports centres have daily doses of active fun including snorkelling sessions, soft play, rollerskating, football, archery, dance, athletics, gymnastics and more to make sure there’s a sport out there for every child to enjoy.
Ipswich Borough Council deputy leader Bryony Rudkin said: “We have once again put on an extensive holiday programme for youngsters and their families.
The Ipswich Wheels event in Chantry Park in 2016. Picture: PHIL MORLEY - Credit: Archant
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“With so much on offer at our sports centres, museums, parks and other events and activities we are confident the long summer holiday will be full of fun.”
The family fun will be headlined this year by Christchurch Park’s first ever seafront, as a portion of the park is transformed from next week into a buzzing beach, complete with funfair, inflatable fun and a bar.
A borough council spokesman said: “We hope it proves to be another successful draw for families over the long summer holidays and will be an extra reason for families to visit one of our beautiful parks.”
The family events are run alongside the town’s usual flagship extravaganzas including the return of the Maritime Festival, Ipswich Wheels, Outdoor Cinema and 1 Big Multicultural Festival.
Launch of the 1 Big Multicultural Festival in Alexandra Park, Ipswich. Picture: SIMON PARKER
For more details see the borough council’s online page here.
The First of The Horrible History tours of Ipswich with guide Elaine Everitt leaving from The Ipswich Tourist Information Centre. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR
