Leisure time articles

An award-winning visitor attraction and educational facility, Newcastle’s Life Science Centre is packed with hands-on science opportunities for everyone from toddlers to teens (and parents too!). Jo Dunbar got stuck into experiments and exploration with her children William, age 5, and James, age 3.

Discover the wonders of the human body, the solar system and the Earth’s ecosystem through the lens of technology and science at Bristol’s activity-packed, wonderful museum. In a city known for its character and colour, We the Curious blends right in as the ultimate learning experience with a quirky twist.

Explore the world of science, technology, engineering and maths in Cardiff’s innovative museum, Techniquest. If your child hasn’t shown an interest in these topics before, they soon will after being surrounded by these exciting and futuristic exhibits. Touching the machines, gadgets, and gizmos are actively encouraged!

Help your child embrace the great outdoors and create your own DIY "Forest School" at home with these back-to-nature learning ideas.

Are you ready to enter some magical new worlds, exploring the depths of the sea, dark forests, ancient civilisations and weird and wonderful landscapes? On your travels you're sure to meet some strange characters, lots of brave heroes and heroines and a few sinister creatures wrecking havoc... It's time to head somewhere far, far away for roller-coaster adventures with our pick of the best fantasy world books for primary school children.

Whatever your child’s age, reading together at bedtime is the perfect way to bring the day to a close. We’ve rounded up 11 great reasons to make it a priority – every night.

Winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2018 (the world's largest museum prize), Tate St Ives has been drawing crowds back to its spectacular beach location after a two-year renovation project. There's always something to catch your eye, thanks to a varied exhibition programme, and plenty on offer for children too. With a rooftop cafe and beautiful beach on tap, families are sure to find something to suit everyone.

The saying goes that school days are the best of your life. So much so that some of us (like myself!) stay in them and become teachers. Read on to find out if these characters had the best days of their lives in their magical, intergalactic and incredible schools with these suggestions from primary school teacher and avid children's literature reader, Scott Evans.

Walk the same decks as British sailors supporting troops during D-Day with a visit to the HMS Belfast, a hands-on piece of naval history floating in the centre of London. Our family testers climbed aboard, and up, and down, and all over the huge ship and still have more to see on the next visit.

As crime and thrillers fill the adult shelves of most bookshops, it is no wonder that this genre for children is going from strength to strength. Immerse yourself in clue-hunting and who-dunnit sleuthing with this choice of classic and magical mysteries from primary school teacher and children's literature reviewer Scott Evans.

Is your child fascinated by the world around them? Amazed by the wonders of flora, fauna and human achievement? This bumper selection of non-fiction books is packed with information about the strangest, scariest, silliest and most spectacular aspects of our world. Be prepared: you'll have a pint-sized trivia expert dominating dinner-table discussions for years to come!

If your child loves animals, conservation and the great outdoors, these are the books that will move them and inspire them. Dogs, cats, foxes, rabbits and even beetles feature in primary teacher and prolific children's literature reader Scott Evans' roundup of the best books for children who love reading about wildlife.

If your child, like millions of others worldwide, is spellbound by Hogwarts and dreams of shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley and being sorted by the Sorting Hat, they might find any non-Potter reads unappealing. We asked primary teacher and children's literature reviewer Scott Evans to share his picks of the best books for J K Rowling fans to ensure that the reading magic continues.

Watch as a tissue ghost magically dances without you touching it, tie a bone in a knot to learn why calcium is so important for strong bones and taste some realistic-looking worms, made using the power of chemical crosslinking. This Halloween, try some spooky, creepy science fun!

Why don't you put down that phone, turn off that tablet, switch off the television and do something less boring instead? Make a marshmallow catapult, create your own fingerprint kit, prepare a tornado in a bottle and amaze your friends with rainbow bubbles – just four of the electronics-free ideas in 100 Screen-free Ways to Beat Boredom!

Teaching our kids to take responsibility for the world around them is a duty for every parent, according to TV presenter and author Nick Baker. We spoke to him about how to do our bit – and help the next generation do theirs.

Whether you're on the move or at home, a great activity book offers hours of screen-free learning and fun. Crosswords, maths challenges, mystery solving and code writing are all covered in our best activity books for kids picks. We can't guarantee you won't want to help out with the puzzling, though!

The Celts, best known for living in tribes, being rebellious and their warrior queen Boudicca, were one of the most powerful and advanced groups in Iron Age society. Have your sword, spear and shield ready because you're in for a bruising battle with this collection of texts chosen by Scott Evans, primary school teacher and children's book reviewer.

Get hands-on with slippery, slimy science with these recipes for making slime safely at home.