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Fun, free and low-cost activities for families this February half term

There’s an array of free or low-cost activities this February half-term to keep the kids entertained across South Oxfordshire and the Vale.

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils arts centres and Active Communities team have planned a week of theatre, workshops and physical activities for children and their families to engage with.

Active Totz

Active Totz is a fun play session that is full of energy and excitement, with interactive games aimed at children from 18 months to 5 years old with siblings up to 7 years welcome to join in. There are 3 Active Totz sessions taking place across the two districts and all the activities will have a Winter Olympics theme.

Each session will be from 10-10.45am on:

  • Monday 13 – Steventon Village Hall
  • Tuesday 14 – Wootton and Dry Sandford Community Centre
  • Wednesday 15 – District Community Centre, Great Western Park, Didcot

Sessions are free for YouMove members or £8 per child and an additional £5 per sibling. To book please call Sophie Butler on 7709168740 or email sbutler@activetotz.co.uk.

The Beacon Wantage

Come along to The Beacon for an unforgettable Jurassic experience for all the family to enjoy.

At Dinosaur Adventure Live, you’ll be able to find out some amazing dino-facts, meet beautiful baby dinosaurs and even feed them as they introduce you to some of the most incredible species ever to have lived on Earth. This awe-inspiring interactive show captivates and immerses audiences in the enthralling and realistic world of dinosaurs.

Tickets are now on sale at The Beacon for performances on Tuesday 14 February, with tickets at £14, shows are at 2pm and 4.30pm.  For more information and to book your tickets visit The Beacon website.

Cornerstone Arts Centre Didcot

For those with children interested in getting crafty, Decorate Your Own Bird House on Wednesday 15 February at 11am will have children designing an exciting new home for local wildlife just in time for spring to arrive. This one-off workshop and is aimed at children in key stage 1, it costs £10 with all materials provided to get creative.

Or book tickets to see the crowd pleaser Quentin Blake’s Mister Magnolia on Sunday 19 February at 2pm. This show is full of colourful characters, live music, puppetry and audience interaction inspired by the incredible work of illustrator Quentin Blake. This is family-friendly theatre at its best.

Head to the Cornerstone website to find out more.

Xplorer

Our Active Communities team will be keeping children busy with their free Xplorer events. Xplorer is a family friendly fun navigation challenge that is suitable for all ages.

Using a simple map, the aim is to find several markers that are located around the park. Places are available for:

  • Monday 13 – Edmonds Park, Didcot
  • Monday 13 – Southern Town Park, Abingdon
  • Tuesday 14 – Benson Recreation Ground
  • Wednesday 15 – Wantage Memorial Park

Sessions run from 10am-midday and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Families can book online via this link or turn up anytime from 10am on the day with the last registration for all events at 11.30am.

Family walks and talks at Harcourt Arboretum

On Thursday 16 February, families can go along to Harcourt Arboretum near Oxford for family walks from 1-2pm and 2.30-3.30pm.

There will be lots to see and do from exploring the ground to attending some special talks from the staff on site. Free entry for YouMove card holders.

For more details, please contact active.communities@southandvale.gov.uk

Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing at South Oxfordshire District Council said: “Half term can be an expensive time for families trying to keep the children entertained. We know that finances are tight for many people and it’s great that so many of our activities are low-cost or free which hopefully means there is something for everyone to get active and enjoy.”

Cllr Helen Pighills, Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities at Vale of White Horse District Council said: “We want to make sure that children’s health and wellbeing is at the heart of the activities we’re able to offer and this February they can enjoy dinosaurs, family walks and adventures in the park, which will keep many young people active and happy and their parents and guardians too!”

There’s more information about the Active Communities team and YouMove on the council’s websites southoxon.gov.uk/activecommunities and whitehorsedc.gov.uk/activecommunities.