Leisure time articles

The world's greatest cat burglar, high-tech gadgets, mad scientists, kidnapped dragons, a mysterious island and a world full of monsters make these books for nine year olds the perfect choice for sharing and reading together. Even better news: lots of them are part of a series. We see lots of family reading sessions in your future...

When you find an author you love you want to share your discovery with everyone – including the next generation! Thankfully lots of the world's best-selling adult authors have also written junior fiction so you can get the kids hooked on John Grisham or Jenny Colgan sooner rather than later!

Armoured bears, flying witches, adventures on the rooftops of Paris, a magical shop and an island with a terrifying secret make these books perfect for eleven year olds looking for a challenging, enthralling read! You might be tempted to dive in yourself, too...

Watch giant pandas having their lunch, catch penguins on parade and even dance alongside colour-changing disco chameleons (!) – there's a world of wildlife fun to discover at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland for primary-school children and their parents.

The largest UNESCO World Heritage Site in London, Kew Gardens is a park with a difference, home to 30,000 plant species (including the world’s oldest pot plant). A natural paradise that offers the space and inspiration to play and appreciate the outdoors whatever the weather, we visited to find out what's on offer for children and families.

Paint a fabulous mud masterpiece, join a fearsome berserker bootcamp, or even check in at the seahorse hotel with our top pick of 29 fun activities for you and the family to enjoy this half term!

Each of these novels is full of adventure, inventiveness and magic – great for stimulating young imaginations. Some of these stories may have been written more than half a century ago, but their child’s-eye view of the world and their warm-hearted humour remain as engaging and entertaining as ever. Perfect for reading together, or for independent reading, these books are packed with useful new vocabulary for early readers. By Emma Harding

Children’s publishers have never tackled rugby as well as they have football, but there is some great fiction and non-fiction out there for kids in books and in magazines. Best-selling rugby author Tom Palmer picks a XV rugby union can be proud of.

Be awed by past and future science and technology in Manchester with a trip to one of the UK's most atmospheric museums, on the site of the oldest surviving passenger railway station and in the heart of the world’s first industrial city. We highlight what the Museum of Science and Industry has to offer parents, children and families.

Does your child love to perform? Do they dream of a life on the stage or on television, dancing or acting or singing? Whether they're hoping to become a ballerina or a pop star or just love reading about actors, dancers and musicians, we've picked some of the best kids' books that celebrate performance and dance.

Appear on a game show with Charles Dickens, cook dinner in a Tudor kitchen or go carol singing with a choir of polar bears. You're sure to have a fantastically festive adventure this winter with these 101 amazing and educational activities for you and the kids to enjoy together!

There is something magical about being whisked away by words into the lives of various characters and sharing a story with someone else, be it a parent, carer, grandparent or sibling. Below is a list of wonderful books, perfect for six year olds, for you to share and read together (snuggled under a duvet at bedtime, if possible!).

Picture books aren't only for young children who haven't learnt to read yet! These beautiful, thought-provoking and complex picture books are perfect for seven year olds (and their adults!).

Ninja cats, lazy dragons, stolen jewels, talking china rabbits and a magical land hidden beneath King’s Cross Station make these books for nine year olds essential and exciting reading!

What child wouldn't love receiving a new box of goodies through the letterbox every month? We tried out some of the best-selling subscription boxes and unpacked some fun, educational offerings.

Invest in a stack of books to pile up under the tree to guarantee a peaceful, adventure-filled festive break for the whole family. Whatever your child's interests or reading ability, our pick of the best new reads on offer this Christmas includes best-sellers, traditional tales for our times, wonderful world-building quests and laugh-out-loud funny reads. Enjoy!

Mess about on the river at the family-friendly River & Rowing Museum and explore the many faces and functions of the River Thames. Our family testers loved their day communing with Mole, Ratty, Toad and some friendly local ducks.

Get set for an awfully big spooky adventure this half term with our top selection of 53 educational activities for you and your family to enjoy together – watch a flying vampire acrobatic display, crack codes like a World War Two spy, or even go hunting for spirits on the streets of Tokyo!

Get a taste of the wild without leaving the capital (or getting your feet muddy!) at WWT London Wetland Centre, a 105-acre wetland visitor centre in Barnes, southwest London. Home to wildlife species including birds, water voles, bats and amphibians, the Centre offers a great family-friendly day out.