NOWOPEN
You’ve got kids to entertain over the summer, and now you also have Go Kid Go, your helping hand when it comes to navigating the holidays with a lot more fun and a lot less stress.
Go Kid Go is written and produced by local parents who know the area and, more importantly, what you need to know to get the very best out of the weeks ahead.
Children don’t crave complex activities, just a bit of space and the freedom to use their imaginations. This is handy, really, as our parental load increases for the six school-free weeks, and finding ways of entertaining the small people can feel like an extra job. But simplicity is key when it comes to keeping overwhelm at bay. Get out the hosepipe or paddling pool, hang a sheet up to make a den, find trees to climb, make mud pies in the rain or an obstacle course in the garden, or play sardines indoors. This summer, simplify your plans, let the little ones run a little wilder, shorten your to-do list, and keep Go Kid Go on hand for some extra ideas. From finding your perfect swimming spot to family-friendly events, scavenger hunts, baking, and ideas for rainy days, we have you covered until sweet September swings around again.
Frome Children’s Festival
27th July
Plans for a big fun Sunday are underway as the team at Frome Charity, Purple Elephant Family Support, prepare for the Frome Children’s Festival - a now annual celebration of childhood. And this year’s event falls just in time to start the school summer holidays.
Highlights this year include Somerset’s own Joe Garbett Dance company. This international touring company makes colourful, silly, playful and unifying shows that transport audiences into wild and whacky worlds. With hilarious slapstick as well as superb dance skills and tricks, the shows are about “…captivating chaos in a world where tents can dance. In this wholesome yet high-energy performance of ‘Get Lost’, the dance floor is a huge unfolding map designed to reveal adventures that ignite the audiences to push past stereotypes.” The audience becomes a key interactive part of the adventure - guided throughout by the dancers to parachute the map, tug the ropes and even hold onto their smelly shoes!
There will also be music recording workshops in the Cheese and Grain’s Bert Jansch professional studio, stilt-walking, masks, sports tasters including archery, dodgeball and tennis, as well as accessible boccia and basketball. Among the 30 planned activities, festivalgoers will also be able to take part in nature and
The Oak Fair
Stock Gaylord, 23rd and 24th August 10am - 5pm
The Oak Fair, held at the Stock Gaylard Estate near Sturminster Newton, is a family-friendly event celebrating the countryside, conservation, and traditional crafts. The fair offers over 200 exhibitors and demonstrators showcasing skills such as wood carving, furniture making and rural crafts. Children can engage in a variety of activities, including tree climbing, zip-lining, archery, axe throwing and driving mini Land Rovers. Additional attractions like a barrel train and charcoal drawing provide entertainment for younger attendees. The fair also features live arena shows, including chainsaw carving and falconry displays, as well as performances of William Barnes’ poetry.
wildlife-based fun, scrapstore crafts and have glitter tattoos and fabulous face-painting creations.
New for this year, the team is excited to introduce an opportunity to connect with the animals of Twinnies Petting Farm. Known for their work providing handson, therapeutic animal petting and feeding experiences for those with diverse needs, the Twinnies Mobile Petting Farm will enable people of all ages, especially children, to feed, touch and interact with the animals.
The Children’s Festival runs from the entry point at the Market Carpark outside the Cheese and Grain, uses the room inside the Cheese and Grain, then runs along the river path and throughout the Welshmill Woods and finally fills Welshmill Park too. The event is free, though online booking ahead is required, with online donations very gratefully received at the time of ticketing. Full details and free booking via website www.PurpleElephant.org.uk
Tickets are priced at £14 for adults, £10 for concessions, and £2.50 for children under 16, with free entry for infants in buggies. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to: www. theoakfair.com
Vallis Farm Summer Fete
Vallis Farm, 20th July, 10am - 3pm
Vallis Farm’s Summer Fete is set to be a highlight of the season—an invitation to celebrate the land, the makers and the long, golden days we wait for all year. Activities throughout the day will include wild swimming in the new swimming lake, and sauna (booking essential, over 16s only), open studios and artisan workshops, storytelling and face painting, lawn games and sandpit adventures.
No summer gathering is complete without a feast, and Vallis Farm delivers in spades. The BBQ will be sizzling with delicious offerings from Meadowsweet Farming and September House, alongside Chik Chak falafel wraps and crisp, fresh farm salads. For a more relaxed affair, pre-order a picnic basket packed with seasonal delights and enjoy a shaded spot beneath the trees. You’ll find sweet treats too, with homemade cakes, Brickell’s ice cream, and locally roasted coffee. The fully stocked bar will be selling local refreshments including Dowdings Cider & Apple Juice, Somer Valley Brewing Beers and Nania’s Vineyard Kombucha.
Wander the fields, swing under the trees, and let the kids roam freely across the open farm landscape. Meet the friendly animals, chat with the growers, and take in the scent of wild flowers and barbecue smoke drifting on the breeze. Pack your picnic blanket, sun hat and a healthy dose of curiosity. Tickets for adults are £8, for 2 - 16 year olds £6, and free for under 2s. For bookings and more information go to: vallisfarm.co.uk.
The Mid-Somerset Show
Shepton Mallet, August 17th, 9am - 6pm
The Mid-Somerset Show offers a fun day out for families and a chance to engage with rural farming life in Somerset. As the largest freeentry one-day agricultural show in the South West, it provides a diverse range of activities suitable for all ages.
Children can enjoy interactive experiences such as the ever-popular Sheep Show, terrier racing and Shetland pony displays. Live demonstrations, including bird of prey exhibitions and the Paws for Thought Dog Display Team, add excitement to the day. Traditional entertainment like Punch and Judy shows and an acoustic music stage ensure continuous amusement for younger attendees.
The show also features a variety of competitions and displays, including livestock classes (sheep, pigs, cattle), equine events, show jumping and poultry exhibitions. Families can explore the arts and crafts marquee, showcasing local talents in baking, handicrafts, photography, and children’s artwork. Vintage and classic vehicle displays, along with rural craft demonstrations, provide additional attractions for all ages.
Entry is free for pedestrians, with a £20 charge for car parking. For more information go to midsomersetshow.org.uk
Rode Comedy Festival’s
Family Festival Day
Saturday 30th August, 10am - 3pm
New for 2025, Rode Comedy Festival is launching a fabulous Family Festival Day which promises to be a joyful, laughter-filled celebration perfect for all ages. This action-packed day is set to become a firm family favourite on the festival calendar. Taking place at the Rode Comedy Festival site, Pitch Perfect Camping in Woolverton, the Family Festival Day is all about bringing people together to laugh, dance, create and celebrate the final weekend of the summer holidays. With an irresistible mix of comedy, live music, crafts, dinosaurs, face painting and interactive fun, this is more than just a kids’ event, it’s a full-blown fiesta for the whole family.
The day kicks off with a bang, with The Mighty Kids Beatbox Comedy Show. Festival favourites Jarred and Hobbit bring high-energy hilarity with a madcap mix of beatboxing, ridiculous songs and silly games. Expect belly laughs and head-bobbing fun in equal measure. Then things take a prehistoric turn with Dino Dad, a dino-mite experience led by CBeebies superstar Andy Day and bestselling illustrator Steven Lenton. This dynamic duo will bring their laugh-out-loud book series Dino Dad to life in an interactive session full of singing, sketching and dinosaur facts. Don’t forget to pack a sketchbook and pencils for your budding palaeontologists, and head over to the pop-up bookshop afterwards for a chance to get your book signed.
Horrible Histories: Gorgeous Georgians and Vile Victorians
Glastonbury Abbey, 24th July, 7pm
Experience history like never before at Glastonbury Abbey’s open-air theatre event from the hugely popular, and always hilarious BBC series, Horrible Histories. This engaging production brings Britain’s past to life with humour and educational storytelling, featuring characters such as Dick Turpin, Florence Nightingale and Queen Victoria. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating. Refreshments, including popcorn, candy floss and offerings from the abbey café and bar, will be available.
The creative fun continues with colourful arts and crafts led by Frome local illustrator Jenna Herman, whose warm, inclusive storytelling style shines through in her workshops. Face painting will be in full swing, thanks to Aggie’s Facepaints - familiar to anyone who’s wandered the Kidz Field at Glastonbury.
Make some noise with Frome’s own Sing-a-ling, an engaging, hands-on music session designed to delight mini-musicians and grown-ups alike. With props, percussion and plenty of energy, it’s an allsinging, all-dancing session that’ll have even the tiniest toes tapping.
The festival ends on a high with an unforgettable family jam session courtesy of The Red Bandits. Fusing funk, disco and irresistible grooves, this interactive musical finale invites everyone to grab an instrument and join the band; the perfect finale to the perfect day, where memories are made, imaginations take flight—and summer ends on a high! There will also be family-friendly food and drink available throughout. Tickets are on sale now at rodecomedyfestival.com
Tickets are priced at £20 for adults and £15 for children aged 5–15 when purchased online; children under 5 attend for free. For more details and to book tickets go to www.glastonburyabbey.com
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T THHE E R REED B BAANNDIITTS
Live Music & Family Jam with Family Face Painting and Fun & Games
Born Adventurers Festival
25th ~ 27th July
This summer, the quiet countryside just 10 minutes from Frome will come alive with a brand new kind of festival experience. Born Adventurers Festival,based at Thoulstone Park, offers a refreshing alternative to the high-octane energy of larger events, focusing instead on community, creativity, and connection with the natural world.
Conceived around a kitchen table by festival founder Jess Gould and her partner—both parents and experienced event organisers—Born Adventurers was designed with young families in mind. Their goal: a gathering where adults can exhale, kids can explore freely, and nobody is overwhelmed by crowds or chaos.
“We imagined a weekend that’s simple, joyful, and rooted in nature,” Jess explains. “One where kids have space to roam and parents can truly relax.”
The site is a scenic, tree-lined haven that brings a sense of wilderness without straying far from home. Activities are spread across thoughtfully curated areas, each with a unique flavour and purpose:
The Outpost invites families on an outdoor adventure with treasure trails, inflatables, water slides, and hands-on challenges led by playful characters like the Super Pirates.
The Den and The Burrow cater specifically to under5s, featuring both indoor and outdoor free-play areas complete with mud kitchens, cosy corners, and nappy-changing facilities.
The Hideaway offers a more tranquil vibe, with family-focused wellbeing sessions such as yoga, creative workshops, and even a woodland sauna for those aged 16 and up.
Wild Woods, hosted by local action group WOLT, brings thrills with ziplining, climbing walls, archery, and axe throwing—all in a lush forest setting.
“We’ve built this alongside our children — and it’s a reflection of everything we value as a family,”
Rebel Roots is the festival’s musical soul, showcasing a dynamic lineup of live bands, DJs, and genrespanning performances. A well-stocked bar serves up everything from craft beer to alcohol-free options.
Festival-goers can choose between full weekend tickets with camping access or day passes. Campervan spots and glamping in furnished tents is also available.
Family passes are reasonably priced, with special perks like free entry for grandparents. For a family of four, the full weekend experience costs just £240. Organisers are keeping ticket prices accessible, with free and discounted entry available to those who need it—especially local residents. Applications can be sent to info@bornadventurers.co.uk.
True to its community-first ethos, Born Adventurers is a not-for-profit event. From its partnerships with local organisations like Purple Elephant, WOLT, and Cheese & Grain, to its emphasis on sustainability and wellbeing, every element of Born Adventurers is
25-27 July 25-27 July 2025 2025
intentionally chosen to foster a sense of belonging and joy. “We’ve built this alongside our children— and it’s a reflection of everything we value as a family,” Jess says. “We hope people leave with stories, laughter, and a deeper connection to nature and each other.”
To learn more or book your tickets, visit www.bornadventurers.co.uk
CAPERS • HIPPO SOUND SYSTEM
Beyond Infinity: American Space Exploration Exhibition
American Museum & Gardens
Everyone can discover the wonders of space at the fantastic new family exhibition Beyond Infinity: American Space Exploration, which opens on 5th July and runs until January 2026, at the American Museum and Gardens in Bath.
This special exhibition will showcase innovation, collaboration, and the sublime magic of space that ignites awe in all of us with out-of-this-world stories and hours of interactive play, continuing the Museum’s year of exploration. Exhibition highlights include an immersive space experience with fun STEM and creative activities for the whole family, space zone with a range of play, including astronaut games, dressing up, dynamic build kits, create-your-own solar system and more. There will also be a chance to get up close to a giant moon installation and touch real lunar rock plus a video tour of the International Space Station.
Stepping into the innovation zone, visitors will be invited to explore the technology and science of the 20th-century space race, get off this planet and go up into space. In the discovering the universe zone, visitors will uncover some of the mysteries of space that have been revealed with robotic spacecraft, telescopes and exploration vehicles. The next station, exploring the moon, will tell the story of the first person on the moon, NASA’s Apollo programme, and the pioneers that made it possible. The collaboration and research zone will show how partnership between different countries and agencies have made space travel possible, with the International Space Station a centre of research for the world. The space zone will be the perfect place to get creative and make your own rocket, test your astronaut abilities and build something new.
Kids’ Rave with the Super Pirates
American Museum & Gardens
15th August, 5.30 - 7pm
The beautiful American Museum gardens will be open late to play host to the amazing Super Pirates for an awesome kids’ rave with a disco storytelling tent, circus play, barrels full of fun, and an epic dance to a classic American playlist. The kids’ rave is fun for all the family and is a chance to blow off some steam and get invigorated! Drinks and snacks will be available from the American Garden Deli.
Garden Theatre –Wind in the Willows
American Museum and Gardens
2nd August, 5.30 - 8.30pm
Pack your picnics and join Ratty, Mole, Badger and the fantastically irrepressible Toad as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime, culminating in a colourful battle to save Toad Hall from the mischievous weasels, in a wonderful garden performance by the multi-award nominated Immersion Theatre. The company proudly bring their trademark style and energy to the riverbank with heaps of interaction, stunning costumes, toe-tapping music and larger-thanlife characters, a TOAD-ally terrific treat whether you’re 4 or 104! Bring your own seats or a blanket, sit back and be entertained. Drinks and snacks will be available to purchase from the American Garden Deli before the performance begins.
2. Feared ocean predator
5. Large reptile with scales
7. Similar to a crocodile 10. Black and white bear
11. Has a horn on its nose
14. King of the jungle
15. Clever and sly mammal
16. Howls at the moon
17. Swings from Tree to Tree
19. Soars high in the sky
21. Has stinging tentacles
22. Known for their intelligence
23. Sleeps in eucalyptus trees
24. Black & white striped
25. Orange and black striped
Cross Word
Large water-dwelling mammal
Hops on its hind legs
Big & Fury land mammal
Waddles on ice
Long-necked animal
Wise Bird 12. Has eight tentacles 13. Fastest land animal 18. Largest land mammal
20. Close relative to humans 22. Antlered animal
Alligato / Bear / Cheetah / Crocodile / Deer
Dolphin / Eagle / Elephant / Fox / Giraffe
Gorilla / Hippopotamus / jellyfish / Kangaroo
Koala / Lion / Monkey / Octopus / Owl / Panda Penguin / Rhino / Shark / Tiger / Wolf / Zebra
The Science of Believing in Your Child
In 1965, a Harvard psychologist by the name of Robert Rosenthal showed up at an elementary school with a brand-new test of intelligence. He called it the Harvard Test of Inflected Acquisition, and claimed it could accurately predict which students would improve the most over the coming year.
Naturally, the school was intrigued. The students took the test, and Rosenthal later returned to reveal which children showed the most promise. Even if these students hadn’t stood out before, he assured the teachers that they were the ones most likely to bloom in the year ahead. And then Rosenthal left— back to Harvard to do more clever Harvard things.
A year later, he returned to see how the children had progressed. Alas, his predictions had come true. The children identified as bloomers had, on average, gained 27 IQ points — compared to just 12 points in the rest of the class.
Teachers described them as more curious, happier, better adjusted, and predicted they would continue to thrive.
Here’s the twist: the students Rosenthal identified had been chosen completely at random. The real experiment wasn’t on the students at all—it was on the teachers. What Rosenthal was studying was the power of expectations. Rosenthal reasoned that
By Jason Prentice
Managing Director of Super Pirates and The Awesome Studio
when teachers were led to believe certain children had untapped potential, they subconsciously changed how they treated them. They gave these children more time, listened more carefully, offered more materials and feedback, and gave them the benefit of the doubt in ambiguous situations. They were warmer, more supportive, more connected.
The result? A subtle but powerful shift in the children’s outcomes. It wasn’t about dramatic interventions or bold teaching breakthroughs. It was about the tiny, daily interactions—the ones that quietly, cumulatively moved the needle. Rosenthal summed it up simply: “When we expect certain behaviours in others, we are likely to act in ways that make the expected behaviour more likely to occur.”
And it wasn’t just children. In another study, Rosenthal handed out lab rats to researchers, telling them that some were specially bred for intelligence, while others were average. There were, of course, no super-intelligent rats—but the ones labeled as such performed better in maze tests. Why? Because they were handled with more care, more respect, more belief. Just like the kids.
It’s science - when it comes to your child blossoming - believing is seeing. If you want to sound clever in the pub - it’s call called the Pygmalion effect.
HOLIDAY CAMPS
Monday - Friday in school holidays
(excluding bank holidays)
Hayesdown First School
Alternative venues in Frome and surrounding areas 4 - 11 year olds available everyday Older group sessions on specific days
Tuesday 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Selwood Academy 3G Pitch
Reception - Year 7
Saturday 9:30am - 10:15am
Frome youth & Community Centre 2- 4 year olds
For
Monday 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Hayesdown First School
Recption - Year 7
Splashing Out
Off School Cool
OffWhen in doubt, head to the water
Summer holidays are the time for making memories, and nothing evokes the carefree feeling of long, blissful summers than messing about in water. Whether you want a day trip to the beach, a heated swimming pool, a river adventure or something more fast-paced, we think we’ve got you covered, with our guide to the best places to go to splash out, cool down and make those summer memories.
Ultimate Slip ’n’ Slide
Ultimate Slip ‘N’ Slide, in Beckington, offers an exhilarating summer activity for families. Open all summer long, until 7th September, the 95-metre-long slide features buffered sides and a spacious splash pool. Kids and adults can enjoy unlimited rides during onehour sessions, using handled rubber rings for a safe and fun experience. Located at Eastcote Farm, between Frome and Bath, the site provides covered seating, as well as on-site refreshments from Pomona Supper Club who are on site serving up refreshments from a beautiful vintage caravan, including ice cream, cold drinks, coffee, cakes and panini. Each session costs £12, and advance booking is recommended. https://ultimateslipnslide.co.uk
Warleigh Weir
Slip ‘n’ Slide
Splashing Out
Warminster Splash Pad
Warminster’s Splash Pad, located in the Lake Pleasure Grounds, is a free, family-friendly water play area open daily from 10am to 5pm. Featuring interactive water jets and tipping buckets, it provides a fun way for children to cool off during warmer months. Children must wear swimwear, and infants are required to use swim nappies, available at the Pavilion Café. Food, pets and wheeled toys are not permitted on the pad, to ensure safety. Nearby amenities include a play park, skate park and café, making it an ideal spot for a full day out.
Farleigh Hungerford and Stowford Manor Farm
Farleigh Hungerford is home to the UK’s last remaining swimming club. The river offers the chance for a beautifully refreshing dip and on-site facilities, including toilets and changing rooms. You must be an annual member to swim at Farleigh Hungerford (£12 pp, purchased online at farleighswimming.co.uk or at Stowford Manor Farm). After a dip, head to the farm for a well-earned cream tea or pizza (evenings only). You can also camp at Stowford Manor Farm, where you can hire fire pits, order breakfast and bbq boxes, and jump in the River Frome which runs alongside. Bliss. stowfordmanorfarm.co.uk
Shepton Mallet Lido
Shepton Mallet Lido is a cherished outdoor swimming facility in Somerset, offering a 25-metre heated pool, a separate children’s pool, and a splash area with fountains and water jets. Open from late spring to early autumn, the lido provides various swim sessions, including lane swimming, family-friendly times, and popular moonlight swims on select evenings. Facilities include changing rooms, lockers, a snack shop and grassy picnic areas. Operated by Fusion Lifestyle, the lido has extended its season to accommodate cold water swimming enthusiasts, aiming to serve the community for up to 10 months a year. Booking is recommended via the Fusion Lifestyle website www.fusion-lifestyle.com
Warleigh Weir
Situated between Bath and Bradford on Avon, Warleigh Weir offers wild swimming for all ages, with deeper areas for experienced swimmers and shallow pools and pebbly banks for little paddlers. The surrounding field is a picture perfect picnic spot, and the nearby canal path gives visitors the option to cycle rather than drive (parking can be tricky). Take the train to Bradford On Avon, then use the canal path to reach Warleigh Weir by bike in around 40 minutes. There are no facilities at Warleigh Weir, so visit fully prepared. A tenminute cycle ride along the canal path towards Bradford on Avon will take you past Dundas Aqueduct to The Angelfish cafe which has facilities for customers.
Warminster Splash Pad
Splashing Out
Greenbank Outdoor Pool
Greenbank Outdoor Pool in Street is a family-friendly lido open from May to midSeptember. The 30-metre main pool is heated to 30°C, complemented by a 32°C children’s pool and a splash park with water jets and fountains. Facilities include changing rooms, accessible amenities, and a grassy area for picnics. The pool operates on a first-come, first-served basis, with daily admission prices ranging from £6.25 to £8.25, and free entry for children under 2. Season tickets offer early access and fast-track entry. Located near Clarks Village, it’s an ideal spot for a summer day out. www.greenbankpool.co.uk
Further Afield
Brownsea Island
Step back in time with a day trip to the beautiful Brownsea Island. Head to Poole Quay to catch the hourly ferry to this magical little island, where you can immerse yourself in the peaceful surroundings, and swim in the lovely clear waters from the pretty little beach.
A large wooden play area and café overlooking the sea complete the relaxing set-up. You can also camp on the island, or rent an already set-up bell tent or cottage. Keep your eyes peeled for red squirrel and sika deer, which live on the island.
Admission to the island is free to National Trust members, but can otherwise be relatively costly when you factor in the ferry costs. But save money with a packed lunch and it will be money, and a day, very well spent. nationaltrust.org.uk
Greenbank Outdoor Pool
Brownsea Island
Burton Bradstock
Splashing Out
Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock is a family-friendly destination on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, offering a blend of natural beauty and engaging activities. The beach features a sloping shingle and sand bank, ideal for picnics and beach games. Children can participate in the free Mini Ranger Trail, exploring wildlife and fossils. Seasonal events, such as art and yoga sessions, provide additional entertainment. Facilities include ample parking (free for National Trust members), public toilets and the Hive Beach Café offering refreshments. While the beach is not lifeguarded, it remains a popular spot for families seeking a coastal adventure.
Studland Bay
Studland Bay in Dorset is a fantastic destination for families seeking outdoor adventures. With four miles of sandy beaches and calm, shallow waters, it’s perfect for swimming, sandcastle building and beach games. Families can explore nature through guided activities like Nature Journaling for Kids and Nature Tots, which encourage children to connect with the environment through creative expression and exploration. The bay also offers opportunities for wildlife spotting, with its diverse habitats supporting various species. Facilities such as the Knoll Beach Café provide convenient dining options. Whether it’s a day of relaxation or active exploration, Studland Bay offers a memorable experience for all ages.
Clevedon Marine Lake
Clevedon Marine Lake is a tidal pool which fills with seawater from the Bristol Channel each Spring tide. Offering a safe place to play, swim and boat, the pool looks out to sea and up to Clevedon’s famous pier.
This little town is one of those wonderfully underrated places that often gets missed off the holiday list, but walking along the beautiful 150-year-old Pier, high above the swirling sea, is a thrilling experience for little people, and the café at the end is perfectly positioned for gazing out over the waves, whatever the weather. Just next door you’ll find mini golf and a mini railway. Clevedon is full of interesting shops and lovely eateries, and even a cinema, should you decide to stretch the day out. www.clevedonmarinelake.co.uk
Weymouth on the train
Kiss-me-quick seaside destinations are a mainstay of British culture and, happily for us, one of the best is just an hour and a half away by direct train. Think arcades, fish and chips, pedalos and crystal clear water. Adult returns start at £17 and £34 for one adult with two children. U5s travel free. www.weareweymouth.co.uk
Clevedon Marine Lake
Frome Tennis Club Serving Up A Summer Of Fun
For more than a century, Frome Tennis Club has been a hidden gem in the lush centre of Victoria Park. However, this summer it is proudly stepping into the spotlight with a vast array of offerings to all ages and abilities, including pickleball, which has been growing in popularity following a very successful launch last autumn. Working closely with Pickleball England SW representatives Peter and Margaret Hunter, the club’s pickleball family continues to grow and is ready to welcome any new players who want to give it a go. You can try it out on Sunday 22nd June, on the Pickleball England Open Day.
This isn’t just a club for seasoned players – it’s a welcoming hub for all ages and all abilities. Whether you’re into tennis, curious about pickleball, or just fancy a sociable Saturday with the kids, there’s never been a better time to get involved. Launching on 7th June and continuing every first Saturday of the month, there will be free Family Community Tennis Sessions, perfect as a pitstop after a market day mooch around town. And, when this stunning weather inevitably gives way to a wetter moment, the three quality Astro-turf members’ courts
offer all year, all-weather play. Inside the brandnew pavilion, members can enjoy a stylish indoor space with table tennis, a pool table, TV lounge, and modern changing rooms with showers. It’s the perfect place to unwind post-match.
Additionally, the club have partnered with Holly’s Holistic Yoga and offer twice-weekly sessions designed specifically for racket sports – think flexibility, core strength and injury prevention with a yogic twist.
Head Coach Stephen Marcelle, recently crowned Somerset LTA Junior Coach of the Year 2024, runs popular junior and adult programmes – helping new players find their feet and rising stars reach their potential.
From sociable rallies and open days to serious league matches (they field six adult teams!), Frome Tennis Club has something for everyone – whether you’re swinging a racket for the first time or chasing that competitive edge.
Want in?
Flexible membership packages, junior perks (free with adult membership), and supportive members make it easy to join the fun. Go to clubspark.lta.org.uk/fromeselwoodtennisclub for more information.
FREE FAMILY TENNIS
COMMUNITY TENNIS COURTS MARY BAILY PLAYING FIELDS VICTORIA PARK FROME BA11 1HB 9.30 AM FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH TO 12.30 PM ALL EQUIPMENT PROVIDED KIDS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY ADULTS
FOR THE KIDS, THEIR PARENTS AND THE GRANDPARENTS. DUST OFF YOUR RACKET, OR TRY TENNIS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Best Foot Forward
School Shoe expertise from Cece & Me
Lucy is the founder of CeCe & Me Bath, a mobile shoe shop for young children, and this summer marks her first season selling school shoes.
Until now, Lucy has been running pop-ups in familyfriendly locations around Bath and offering home visits to fit and sell shoes for pre-schoolers. For the upcoming school season, she is launching a fiveweek-long pop-up event called the Back to School Base, hosted at the Hidden Store in Bath. The focus is entirely on preparing little ones for the return to school.
In this inaugural year, she will be stocking school shoes in UK sizes 7.5 to 1 (EU 25–33), carefully selected from brands such as Bobux, Ricosta, Froddo, and Camper to suit a variety of foot shapes. The range will also include Hummel trainers and Grass and Air wellies. Appointments are strongly encouraged to ensure that each child receives proper time for foot measuring, fit assessment and personalised advice.
Regardless of where families shop, Lucy’s key message is this: school shoes are worth investing in. Children wear them for up to 40 hours a week, and well-fitting shoes play a crucial role in supporting healthy foot development, with poorly fitting shoes causing discomfort and even long-term damage. Her advice is always to have children’s feet professionally measured and fitted. On average, primary-aged children grow about one shoe size per year, so it is possible for one pair to last the school year—but growth is unpredictable, so it’s wise to check the fit at the end of each term.
Because children are much more physically active than adults, school shoes must be durable enough to withstand running, jumping, skipping and climbing. A good pair of comfortable, robust school shoes is a smart investment.
CeCe and Me Bath will be popping up at Hidden Store with the ‘Back to School Base’ this summer, from 28th July to 5th September along with three other child-centred small businesses. The Back to School Base will be a hub of all things ‘back to school’, celebrating some of the best of our small creative businesses, and selling school shoes for infant schoolers, trainers and wellies (sizes 7.5-1 UK), back packs, stationery, good luck charms and summer holiday activity craft packs.
Along with CeCe and Me will be Odd Goose, a sustainable, design-led kids stationery brand, who make children’s stationery to encourage a love of creating, playing, thinking and dreaming on paper, Wild Joy who create beautiful nature packs full of wonderful items to inspire little ones to get outside and play, and also Fox and Kit, who run cafes with families and young people in mind. The pop-up will be based at Hidden Store, a beautiful shop and events space, selling items from UK-based designers, makers and creators. In the first two weeks of the popup, there will also be a series of workshops for kids aged 4-10 yrs.
Monday 28th July: 10.00 & 11.00 / £10
‘Crafty Kits’ session with Fox & Kit
Thursday 31st July: 10.00 & 11.00 / £18
‘Design a Notebook’ with Odd Goose
Friday 1st August: 10.00 & 11.00/ £20
Eco-printing with Wild Joy
Monday 4th August: 10.00 & 11.00 / £10 ‘Crafty Kits’ session with Fox and Kit
Thursday 7th August: 10.00 & 11.00 / £18 ‘Design a Notebook’ with Odd Goose
Friday 8th August: 10.00 & 11.00 / £20
Eco-printing with Wild Joy
Scan the QR code to find out more, including how to secure a shoe fitting appointment and tickets for workshops: www.hiddenstore.co.uk/ back-to-school-base-1
The pop-up will be open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10.00-16.00, and Saturdays 10.00-13.00.
BACK TO SCHOOL BASE
a pop up for all things ‘back to school’ brought to you bY: &
INFAnt-schooler shoe fitting with cece & Me Bath
*From size 7.5 to 1 - by appointment only stationery, baGs & luckY charms from lovely independent brands summer holiday Craft PACKS (& workshops!)
wiTh workshops & GIVEAWAYS from clever local folk at: odd goose | wild joy | positive planner | fox & kit
Go Down To The Woods Today: Eleven Exciting Ways to Explore Nature
If there is one thing that all adults can agree on, it is that time moves faster and faster with each passing year. The never-ending summers of childhood, a time of limitless fun, where the return of school and September seemed impossible, are but memories, and perhaps this is why so many of us are dismayed at the kind of childhoods we see our own facing: childhoods packed with screens, schedules and stress.
Thankfully, here in Somerset we are surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty. With increasing evidence to the healing benefits of time spent in nature, we encourage you to take a pause from your own schedule and slow down in the woods with your kids.
Here are eleven exciting forest school activities for you to share with your brood:
1.
2.
Mini Beast Safari
Head out on a bug hunt adventure! Equip your children with magnifying glasses or bug pots if you have them. Encourage them to gently lift logs, stones or fallen branches (and always return them carefully afterwards) to see which tiny creatures live underneath. Look out for woodlice, worms, beetles, spiders and centipedes. Talk about what the bugs might eat, where they sleep and how they protect themselves. For older children, bring along a simple identification chart to match the mini beasts they find.
Scavenger Hunt
Before heading out, create a nature-themed scavenger hunt list with items like a pinecone, a feather, a Y-shaped stick, a smooth stone, a leaf with holes, something red and something that smells nice. You can draw the items or write them, depending on your child’s age. As children find each item, encourage them to talk about where they found it, what it might be used for by animals, or how it feels. To make it more fun, set a time challenge or turn it into a team game.
3.
Nature Crowns or Bracelets
Wrap a strip of wide sticky tape (like packing tape) loosely around each child’s wrist, sticky side facing out. Then let them wander and decorate it with found treasures – fallen petals, leaves, grasses, seeds or tiny feathers. These make beautiful nature bracelets! Alternatively, bring home the collected bits and help your child glue them onto a cardboard crown cut to size. This can be a great rainy-day follow-up craft and a lovely keepsake.
Nature Scaven g e r Hunt
Pine Cone
Can you see any tiny creatures who make this their home?
Cut me out
A bird
How many different kinds can you see?
A daisy
Big or small
5 different leaves
Look for different colours and shapes
Butterfly How many can you spot?
Footprints
Who do they belong to?
A spiders web
Can you see the spider too?
What time is it?
Long grasses
These are fun for tickling!
Dandelion Clock
4.
Faces on Trees
Activities Outdoor
Use natural clay or simply mud mixed with water to stick a blob onto a tree trunk. Let children sculpt a face by pressing in natural materials for features: acorns for eyes, sticks for eyebrows, leaves for hair, and stones for mouths. It’s a wonderfully creative and sensory activity that encourages children to think about facial expressions and character. Don’t forget to take a photo, as the faces will eventually wash away –returning everything gently to nature.
5.
Leaf Printing or Rubbing
Choose a variety of leaves with interesting shapes and vein patterns. For leaf rubbings, place the leaf under a sheet of paper and use the side of a crayon or pencil to gently rub across the surface. Watch the texture appear like magic! For printing, paint the underside of the leaf, press it onto paper and carefully lift to reveal a colourful natural print. Try making a pattern or turning prints into animals or other pictures for added creativity.
6.
Stick Weaving
Go on a hunt to find a sturdy, Y-shaped stick — one with a fork wide enough to work with but not too brittle. This will become your child’s natural loom! Using long grass, string, wool or strips of fabric, show them how to weave back and forth between the two arms of the stick. They can layer in leaves, flower petals, feathers, or other found materials to create a textured, colourful piece of nature art. This calming activity builds fine motor skills and patience, and kids love showing off their woven “tapestries”. Once finished, the stick weaving can be displayed at home as a beautiful reminder of their time in the woods.
7.
Den Building
This classic forest school activity is all about imagination and teamwork. Encourage children to gather large fallen sticks, branches and even ferns or leafy boughs. They can lean the sticks against a large tree trunk to form a teepee-style den or build a lean-to between two trees. Let them experiment with structure, balance and materials to make it stable and weatherproof. Dens can be turned into woodland homes, secret forts or cosy animal hideaways. It’s a fantastic way to build problem-solving skills and cooperation—and gives them a space to call their own in the great outdoors.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. Lao Tzu
9.
Twig Rafts
8.
Fairy Houses
Invite a bit of magic into your forest school day by building tiny fairy houses at the base of trees, in the crook of branches, or on mossy stumps. Children can use bark, leaves, acorns, flowers, pinecones and pebbles to create imaginative dwellings for fairies, elves or woodland creatures. You might suggest features like leaf roofs, twig fences or petal carpets. This activity encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and storytelling—who lives there? What do they eat? Do they visit at night? It’s a wonderful, gentle way to connect with nature through play and wonder.
10.
Collect small, straight sticks and tie them together using string, twine or even rubber bands to create a tiny raft. For added fun, children can attach a leaf for a sail using a twig mast. Once complete, test the raft in a puddle, stream or even a tray of water. Will it float? How far will it travel? Kids can race their rafts, decorate them with found materials or pretend they’re carrying cargo or tiny passengers. This activity introduces simple engineering skills and problemsolving through imaginative, hands-on play.
Weather Watch
Lie on your back or find a comfy log to sit on and look up at the sky. What shapes do the clouds make? Can you see animals, faces or even whole scenes forming in the sky? Ask children to sketch the clouds they see and turn them into imaginative pictures or stories. Is that cloud a dragon chasing a knight? A whale swimming through the sky? You can also track weather patterns across your visits—sunny, cloudy, windy or rainy—and talk about how the weather affects the forest and its creatures.
Though these moments may seem small and simple, they hold quiet magic - gentle invitations to step away from the noise of modern life and rediscover wonder in the wild, together.
Awesome Rainy Day Activities Five
The way the weather has been this spring, you could be forgiven for forgetting all about the location of your wellies, brolly and mac. In fact, it has been so consistently glorious, that it began to feel like a magically Mediterranean new normal, and even the concept of water falling from the sky started to seem ludicrous. But this is Somerset, not Spain, and the return of rain has been a welcome one, especially for us gardeners. However, what about our kids who were becoming accustomed to a life lived outdoors? They may look at you, wide-eyed, hoping for extended screen time, but there are other options, and here are five that require minimal movement from the home but result in maximum fun!
1.
Indoor Obstacle Course
Materials: Pillows, cushions, chairs, blankets, boxes and string, optional: imaginary lava
Create a mini obstacle course using furniture and soft items. Kids can crawl under blanket tunnels, hop over pillows, balance along string “tightropes” and climb through cardboard box caves. Not only does the construction involve teamwork, gross motor skills, design and engineering, the play offers limitless possibilities for storytelling.
2.
DIY Puppet Show
Materials: Socks, paper bags, markers, buttons, glue, tape
Rescue the lonely, pairless socks from your drawers and repurpose them into new friends, using buttons, markers or scrap bits of material. If you have any large boxes waiting to be recycled, create a theatre by cutting a large rectangle out of one of the sides and then put on a show!
3.
Kitchen Science Fizz Whizz
Materials: Bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, food colouring, cups, spoons, baking tray
Sprinkle the baking tray with bicarbonate of soda until it is evenly covered and then put a few drops of food colouring over the bicarbonate of soda. If you have a pipette or a straw, use these to slowly drop vinegar onto the food colouring. Ask your children to carefully observe what happens as the vinegar reacts with the bicarbonate of soda. What happens to the colours? What do they remind you of? Maybe you could write a mini simile poem, comparing the fizzy colours to different things e.g. the red bubbled up and raged like lava.
4.
Indoor Stuff Seekers
Materials: Paper, pens and general bits from around the house
Create an indoor scavenger hunt that is also educational. Ask your kids to find one thing for each letter of the alphabet, or one thing for every colour. Can they line them up in the right order? If you want to make it harder, you could hide specific things around your home and even leave clues for a treasure hunt. When it comes to tidy-up time, put on a favourite tune (Europe’s The Final Countdown works well) and ask the kids to put everything back before it ends!
5.
Recycled Cityscape
Materials: Anything safe and clean from the recycling – boxes, plastic bottles, tubes etc, crayons, tape
Start off by asking the kids what they think a good city needs? What kind of amenities would its citizens want to help them live happy lives? Now, ask them to design a city that will hopefully fulfil these. For older kids, they may wish to plan out their design on paper first, or they can dive straight in and assemble their own city out of junk materials. Once the city is made, encourage them to use small world figures and cars to bring the city to life. This activity is great for encouraging imaginative play and critical thinking about the world we live in, so let your tiny town planners run wild!
Sleeping Giants / Materials: Tired grown-ups
Make the most of the sofa and pretend to be a sleeping giant. Snoring sounds optional. While you lie there, the kids must sneak around completing different missions e.g. make a cushion tower, tiptoe past to steal the giant’s gold, find hidden treasure. If the kids are noisy, stir, snore loudly or slowly roll over. If the giant should fully awaken, the kids must freeze or hide until the giant falls asleep again.
Bake It
Elsie’s Favourite
Chocolate Cupcakes
For something as perennially loved as the classic chocolate cupcake, you would think it would be easy enough to find a recipe that guarantees a perfectly moist, not-too-rich, but not-too-sweet cupcake. But, if you are anything like us, it has been a journey to find a chocolate cupcake that satisfies both the kids’ utterly sweet teeth and the adults’ ‘more sophisticated’ palettes. Usually, attempts at making chocolate cake have resulted in a dry and tasteless crumb fest that leaves us poring over the recipe wondering how so many rich and lovely ingredients could combine to leave us with a whole lot of nothin’ on the taste front. However, those days are but mere memories as
we now have the ultimate chocolate cupcake recipe, and you, lucky reader now have it too!
Grown-ups, you may wish to hand over the baking reins, as not only is this lovely, it’s also super simple and very kid friendly.
Utensils
Measuring spoons
Weighing scales
2 large heatproof mixing bowls
Cupcake baking tray
Cupcake cases
Sieve
Whisk
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Microwave
Oven
Oven gloves
Cooling rack
Optional: icing bag
Ingredients
115g plain flour
165g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
120g unsalted butter
60g chocolate (dark or milk)
35g cocoa powder
125ml milk
65ml vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
Icing
120g unsalted butter
35g cocoa powder
300g icing sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk
Optional: sprinkles, raspberries, anything else to add on top! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C Fan.
Put 12 cupcake cases in the baking tray and set aside.
Sift the flour, caster sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl. Lightly whisk.
Take one of your heatproof mixing bowls, put your butter and chocolate into it and microwave for 45 seconds, mix and then microwave for another 45 seconds. Mix until you have a lovely smooth liquid.
Stir in cocoa powder.
In this order, add milk, oil, eggs, vanilla essence and vinegar. Whisk until velvety smooth.
Add in the dry flour mixture and whisk again.
8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Pour the mixture into the cupcake cases. If you want very even cupcakes, you could use your scales to measure the weight of each one, or use a spoon to guess!
Ask a grown-up to help you put the baking tray into the oven. The middle shelf is the best position.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a fork or skewer comes out clean with no gooey mixture stuck to it.
Put the cakes onto a cooling rack. It will be very tempting to eat one now but don’t! They are hot and will burn your tongue!
Make the yummy icing to go on top.
Icing
Put the butter into a microwavable bowl and melt for 45 seconds, mix and then another 45 seconds until liquid.
Mix in the cocoa powder.
Stir in the icing sugar and milk until smooth.
Once the cakes are cool, (this is so important as otherwise the icing will run off and become seriously messy) ice the top of the cakes. If you feel like getting fancy, you could put the icing into an icing bag and, starting from the outside edge, move in a spiral shape to create a swirl. Or grab a spoon and use the back of it to spread the icing on. If you want to get really fancy, top the cupcake with fresh raspberries or sprinkles.
