Featured Activities and Classes

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Featured Activities and Classes

Where to Start

There are so many benefits for both you and your child and you can start from when they are babies and continue up to school age and beyond.

Different classes offer many different benefits but every class will give your child many long-term advantages including:

  Health    Well-being    Socialising    Development    Education/skills/learning PLUS a massive dose of  FUN!

There is so much choice of different activities, clubs and classes.  How do you know what is right for you and your children?  It's often a case of a balance between what you want to gain from the activity and what fits with the time you have available.  Try out a few different activities and see how it goes, if it isn't right for you there are so many more activities waiting to be discovered.

With all activities and classes we advise doing your research beforehand to check all the important things are in place including:

the right level of insurance is held

health & safety policies are in place and regularly updated

risk assessments have been conducted

a suitably qualified person has designed the programme

training has been received and is ongoing

If the activity is a member of the Children's Activities Association and has been awarded the CAA accreditation then all of this and more will have been checked for you.

Academic and Educational

Usually from pre-school age up, these classes introduce early academic subjects like science, maths and reading in a fun way to keep little ones interested.  School learning can be enhanced with extra academic and educational themed classes and one-to-one tutors can support specific educational needs too.  Find out more about the benefits of Academic and Education Activities.

Looking to nurture your child's interest in computer science? Do you have a computer genius in your family that wants to be a game designer, coder or even tech entrepreneur? Holiday Clubs and After School Computing Clubs give you a chance to let them explore, play and learn with other children that share the same interests. 

There are many varieties of activities from robotics, video game design and even app development. All for a wide variety of age groups. Coding skills they learn in one area of expertise are readily transferable to other areas. The more they practice the better they get at solving problems, thinking logically and making cool projects with code. Courses teach everything students need to know to make a 3D video games, such as: 3D Modelling,  Texturing, Animation, Level Design, Scripting. During a course, there's rotation between these techniques in order to teach all aspects of games design to students.

Learning a new language can boost problem-solving, critical-thinking, and listening skills, in addition to improving memory, concentration, and the ability to multitask. Children who can speak a different language also show signs of enhanced creativity and mental flexibility.

Kidslingo’s multi-award-winning French and Spanish classes are a fun and interactive mix of games, songs, story-telling and drama. Whether you are looking for a class in local venues, in your own home, online or to run in your child’s schools or nursery – Kidslingo has the answer!

We also provide FREE access to 250+ online games and activity sheets to all customers, so the children can practise their language skills at home.

Learning languages has huge benefits including increased cognitive development and enhanced self-confidence. There’s never been a better time to give your child a skill for life.

Strong foundations in maths helps children in other subjects too as it builds confidence,  resilience and other skills for life!  Having the basics in the early years gives children a head start and promotes a positive attitude in a subject which can often cause anxiety.  

Number Train is an award-winning preschool class designed to help your children grow in confidence, learn new skills, and prepare for school through music, making, movement and maths!

The early building blocks of numeracy and ‘number sense’ are crucial for a child’s success in maths later on, and Number Train aims to teach these over the year through different themed adventures. 

Each week, your child will board the imaginary Number Train and go on a journey of discovery as they travel all over the world and back in time!  With a different destination each time, the sessions are guaranteed to keep your child engaged.

Science on a kid's level is all about bringing facts and laboratory tests to life! Classes are now available around the UK which make learning about science a fun - and interactive - experience, whilst being highly educational too.

Mini Professors are the first science program that has been designed specifically for preschool children. Our 40 minute themed sessions make science fun and enjoyable for pre-school children. With 72 different topics spanning 2 years, your child will learn something new each week ranging from microscopic creatures to chromatography or making clouds. Mini Professors get to wear their own mini lab coats and learn about the basic principles of scientific experimentation, whilst having loads of fun and generally getting stuck in.

Tutoring can help children understand the subject in more detail, boost confidence, and build important learning skills. This helps children who struggle to keep up in class, as well as those who need further challenges to expand their knowledge.

Antenatal and Postnatal

Before your baby even arrives there are a huge choice of classes and courses to help your physical and emotional well-being during pregnancy. To keep active you could try aquanatal classes or pregnancy yoga. And to help understand the changes to your body during pregnancy and get all the facts about labour and breastfeeding you can contact your health visitor or the NCT.

It's important to take time for you after your baby is born and one of the ways to do this is by attending postnatal exercise. You do need to ensure that your Doctor has agreed you are physically ready to start exercising again but the postnatal exercises will help ensure you don't over do it! Some classes are available that you can do with your baby PLUS pushchair!

Entertainment, Days Out and Family Events

Alongside regular activities, classes and groups, you will want to get out and about together to visit the many wonderful events and places across the UK.  Whatever the age of your children - or the weather - there are attractions and events that will delight the whole family.  Often a less structured experience and equally important to relax and have lots of fun together.

Many wonderful days out can be enjoyed for free in the UK coast, countryside and cities.  Equally things can get very expensive.  It's a good idea to plan your day, bring all or some of your own refreshments and prepare for all weathers.

We all need childcare, whether it's regularly or just occasionally, and there are a lot of different options such as nurseries, pre-school and after school clubs (sometimes called wrap-around), holiday clubs and community pre-schools.  All have their merits and it will be an important task to find the right one for you and your children.  Often these settings include regular activities as well.   Most will be OFSTED regulated but please be aware that not all holiday clubs are required to OFSTED regulated meaning anyone can set one up.  It is very important to check that holiday clubs are either OFSTED regulated or a member of the Children's Activities Association.

Holiday camps offer a range of exciting benefits for children, providing a great opportunity to learn new skills, make new friends, and grow in confidence.

These camps offer fun, structured activities that help children explore their interests, from sports to creative arts, while promoting teamwork and social interaction. Whether it's building independence or boosting mental well-being, holiday camps give children the chance to have fun, stay active, and develop important life skills in a safe and supportive environment.

It's a fantastic way to enrich their holiday experience!

Music, Dance and Performing Arts

Music, drama, dance and singing are proven to help build confidence and social skills in all children as well as being lots of fun so don't think these classes are just for little starlets.  Babies and young children can benefit from many aspects of music and performing arts and there are lively and colourful sessions for babies and toddlers that can help developments such as crawling, walking and talking.   More formal performing arts involving stage productions tend to be for slightly older children (usually 4+).  Find out more about the benefits of Musical Activities.

Ballet dance classes allow babies, toddlers and young children to enjoy the physical and social benefits of ballet, song and dance in a safe, caring, positive and informal environment.

Using a combination of music, movement and props, the class is a musical sensory experience for grown-ups and their babies to enjoy together with a real focus on learning through play.

Children's dance classes offer a fun and engaging way for kids to stay active, build strength, and improve coordination.

Tappy Toes – The Dance Experts for Little Ones

Looking to develop your child socially, emotionally and physically? Tappy Toes builds skills for life, one dance step at a time! Offering multi award-winning dance and movement classes for children aged 6 months to 6 years.

Our classes are designed to support your child’s physical, social, and emotional development in a fun, engaging environment. Through music, sensory props, and imaginative routines, we improve coordination, boost confidence, and nurture creativity. Perfect for all abilities, Tappy Toes is inclusive and gender-neutral, ensuring every child feels welcome. Join us and see your little one flourish, one joyful step at a time! Find a Tappy Toes class near you.

Learning an instrument offers a wide range of benefits, both mental and emotional. It enhances cognitive abilities such as memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills. Playing music also improves coordination and fine motor skills. Emotionally, it can reduce stress, boost self-confidence, and foster creativity. Additionally, learning an instrument encourages discipline, patience, and can provide a sense of accomplishment and joy through self-expression.

The Strings Club’s 5-star rated Holiday Camps inspire children aged 4-11 through the joys of music. The holiday camps provide parents with guilt-free childcare while children enjoy fun-packed days full of musical magic and creative screen-free activities.  Every morning begins with sessions on guitar, violin, or ukulele and afternoons are filled with bespoke age-appropriate activities designed by a qualified teacher that build confidence and foster new friendships.

Music classes offer children the chance to build friendships in a fun, supportive setting.

Working together through songs and activities helps them develop social skills, confidence, and teamwork. At the same time, they strengthen focus, coordination, and creativity which are all valuable skills that will benefit them well beyond the classroom.

Music unlocks magic in early years. At Jo Jingles, every class supports key development milestones through speech, motor skills, confidence, and emotional growth. But it’s more than learning; it’s quality time. Our sessions create space for parents and children to connect, play, and be creative together. We believe in joyful learning with real impact. Backed by 30+ years of experience, we’re proud to lead the way in music education that’s fun, purposeful, and built around every child’s potential.

Participating in performing arts classes helps children build confidence, creativity, and strong communication skills. They learn teamwork, self-expression, and discipline while improving focus and memory. Children gain resilience, manage nerves, and explore emotions. These classes also encourage imagination, social connections, and a lasting love for the arts and culture.
 
At The Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA), we go beyond traditional performing arts education. Alongside training in acting, singing, and film-making, our students gain invaluable life skills such as teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and multitasking.
 
Our classes for 4-6 years are 90 minutes long and the classes for 6-18 years are 3 hours long. The great thing is we offer everyone a full Free Session so your child can come and it our before committing.
 
Visit our website today and find your nearest academy!

We have heard from many Mums and Dads that find the regular activities and classes they attend important for the general well-being as they can provided much needed social interactions and general support especially when your baby is very small.  There are also many groups and networks that are set up to support families with particular circumstances or needs.  Your health professionals are a good place to start when looking for a local group that can help you.  Often they have online networks too that can help between meetings.

Uniformed groups, think Brownies, Cubs, Guides, Sea Cadets and more, have been established for many hundreds of years and are just as popular today. 

They've moved with the times but continue to provide important life skills and experiences.  They are usually run by volunteers from community venues. 

Be warned that most have a long waiting list and if you want your child to attend put them on the list well in advance, sometimes years in advance, to ensure that you have a place.