Five kids activities to try in the South Lakes this summer

We've rounded up five of the best activities available for kids of all ages and interests in the south Lakes through July and August, from forest skills to interactive play spaces and Olympic sports.

• Kendal Olympic Sports Camp

(Image: Kendal Judo Club)

Part of the legacy programme from London 2012 Olympic Games, Kendal Olympic Sports Camp will be held at The Dojo, Kendal Judo Club from August 12-15, 9am-4.30pm.

The event is open to children aged 5-14 years, offering a chance to take part in a variety of Olympic and paralympic sports throughout the week.

Though numbers are limited, tickets are available to book online, with family discounts available.

• RagTag Community Arts and Scrapstore and Stomping Ground

(Image: Appleby Road Community Garden) If you’re looking for something creative and outdoorsy, the teams at RagTag Community Arts and Scrapstore and forest school providers Stomping Ground have teamed up to run three days of outdoor play this summer.

Kids will have a choice of what they’d like to get stuck in with, including den-building, cooking on an open fire, pond-dipping, giant cardboard constructions, field games, arts, and crafts.

The summer play days are open to children aged 6-12 years, taking place at the Community Gardens at Queen Katherine School from July 22-24, 10am-3pm, with lunch and snacks included in the ticket price.

Places can be booked via the What’s On page of the RagTag website, with free HAF places available for eligible families.

• Tennis camps

(Image: Max Shaw Tennis Coaching) If Wimbledon has caught your kids’ imagination this year, why not book them onto a Summer Holiday Tennis Course?

Organised by Max Shaw Tennis Coaching, the one day courses are available for children of all abilities from reception to Year 13, with families able to book on to as many days as they wish.

The sessions are available in Heversham, Kirkby Lonsdale, Grange-Over-Sands and Windermere.

Parents can book via email max_shawtennis@hotmail.com or by calling 07917734527

• Lakeland Arts

(Image: Lakeland Arts) With three venues across Kendal and Windermere, Lakeland Arts have a whole host of activities to keep kids entertained over the summer.

Blackwell Arts & Crafts House has a range of creative activities available inspired by the current Annie Garnett exhibition, and a flora hunt trail to find all the plants featured within the design of the house, while Abbot Hall is set to host Land Art workshops every Thursday from 11am-3pm, inviting visitors to choose materials from the Nature Station to create a piece of art.

The Windermere Jetty Museum has a substantial kids offering this summer, including a Swallows and Amazons adventure trail, child-friendly performances as part of the Lake District Summer Music Festival and The Blue Space loose parts play system, perfect for budding engineers.

To book online, visit lakelandarts.org.uk

• Summer of Play at Sizergh Castle

(Image: Sizergh Castle) The National Trust has a solid reputation for providing fun and accessible ways to get kids outside and enjoying nature, and this year’s Summer of Play offers exactly that at Sizergh Castle.

Offering a programme of activites throughout the six-week holiday, the Summer of Play at Sizergh includes lawn games, dressing up, music and crafts from 28 June to 31 August.

Kids can discover the 800-year history of the family on a scallop trail through the house, check out the sensory cube, enjoy a guided story walk or explore the wild play trail.

The Summer of Play activities are free with admission to the Castle, with no booking needed. For more information visit the website.

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