South and Vale Holiday Activities

During most school holidays, our Active Communities team offer a range of free and low-cost activities, for young children, teenagers and families to enjoy at locations across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

Bookings open around a month before each holiday period – follow our new Active Communities Facebook page, you can join our mailing list to receive regular email updates, or if you have any questions; please email active.communities@southandvale.gov.uk 

The activities are usually very popular, we encourage you to book early to avoid disappointment.  See below for details of our next programme of holiday activities and how to book. Booking is required to be able to attend our activities.

What’s on, where and when:

The Active Communities team have lots of free and low-cost activities running and are attending some events over the summer holidays.  

For most activities bookings must be made in advance and tickets can be purchased online on the day if there is still space available. We are unable to take cash payments on the day and unless stated tickets must be purchased in advance to take part.

Some events are taking place outdoors and may have to be changed or cancelled due to inclement weather. Indoor activities may also be cancelled in extreme heat.

Please see each activity for the direct booking link. You can find the full list of bookable activities here.

All Stars and Dynamos Cricket – 6 weeks of fun cricket sessions Age 5-11

All Stars Cricket provides non-stop fun for all children aged 5-8 years old. The activity and game based programme is suitable for all skill levels, providing your child with the foundations to begin a lifelong love of physical activity and cricket, while making friends in a safe and enjoyable environment.

Dynamos Cricket provides boys and girls from 8-11 years old with non-stop fun. Each week there will be a focus on a different cricket skill to build their confidence and ability, before they take part in a 60-ball countdown cricket match.

• Wednesday 22 July – Wed 26 August. Didcot Cricket Club, Boundary Park, Didcot, OX11 6EF.
  • £50 per person or free bursaries available for families with benefits related free school meals, young carers, refugees, YouMove families, ethnic minorities and girls. Email youmove@southandvale.gov.uk to get your code.  
    • All Stars (Age 5-8), 9.30-10.30am. Book your space for All Stars Cricket Didcot
    • Dynamos Cricket (Age 8-11) 10.45-11.45am. Book your space for Dynamos Cricket Didcot
• Wednesday 22 July – Wed 26 August. Faringdon Cricket Club, Folly Sports Park Stanford Road, Faringdon, SN7 7AQ.
  • £50 per person or free bursaries available for families with benefits related free school meals, young carers, refugees, YouMove families, ethnic minorities and girls. Email youmove@southandvale.gov.uk to get your code.
    • All Stars (Age 5-8) 10-11am. Book your space for All Stars Cricket Faringdon
    • Dynamos (Age 8-11) 11.15am-12.15pm. Book your space for Dynamos Cricket Faringdon
• Thursday 23 July – Thursday 27 August. Berinsfield Recreation Ground, Lay Avenue, Berinsfield.
  • £50 per person or free bursaries available for families with benefits related free school meals, young carers, refugees, YouMove families, ethnic minorities and girls. Email youmove@southandvale.gov.uk to get your code
    • All Stars (Age 5-8), 10-11am. Book your space for All Stars Cricket Berinsfield
    • Dynamos Cricket (Age 8-11) 11.15am-12.15pm. Book your space for Dynamos Cricket Berinsfield

Week 4

Monday 10 August

• 10am-Midday – Mini Fun Day; Cholsey Pavilion, Station Road, Wallingford OX10 9PT. £2 per person or £1 with YouMove card. Discount when booking 3 or more tickets. £2 per person or £1 with YouMove card. 20% discount for bookings of 3 or more tickets.
  • 9.30-10am – Book Born to Move Early Years (walking-5)
  • 10-10.30am – Book New Age Kurling (age 5-12)
  • 10.30-11am – Book Boccia (age 5-12)
  • 11.15-Midday – Book Family Dance Party
  • We will then have a free picnic and play from Midday – details are below.
• 10am-Midday – Free Explorer Walk, Abingdon Abbey Meadow, Free Scavenger Hunt with chalks etc. Meeting at 10:00am for a 10:15 start by and finishing in the park. Book your free Explorer walk space.
• 10am-1pm – Free Summer of Skate, Botley Skate Park. Free event turn up on the day to join in the fun. Equipment is available to borrow. All ages welcome from early years to teens and adults.
• Midday – 2pm – Free Picnic & Play; Cholsey Recreation Ground, Station Road Wallingford OX10 9PT. Book your free space for Cholsey Picnic and Play. Family activity for all ages.
• 2pm-5pm – Free Summer of Skate, Abingdon Skate Park. Free event turn up on the day to join in the fun. Equipment is available to borrow. All ages welcome from early years to teens and adults.

Tuesday 11 August

• 10am-3pm – Free Henley Fun Day; Henley Leisure Centre, Gillots Lane, Henley, RG9 1PA. This is a joint event with GLL. All ages welcome from early years to teens and adults.
  • 10-10.30am – Born to Move Early Years movement to music session (Walking – 5 years)
  • 10-10.30am – Book Boccia (Age 5-12)
  • 10.45-11.15am – Book Early Years Fun Games (Age 2-5 years)
  • 10.45-11.15am – Book New Age Kurling (Age 5-12 years)
  • 11.30-Midday – Book Fun Games (Age 5-12 years)
  • 12.15-1pm – Book a Badminton court
  • 12.15-1pm – Book a Pickleball court
  • 1-1.45pm – Book Zumba Kids (Age 5-12)
  • 1-1.45 – Book a Badminton court
  • 1-1.45 – Book a Pickleball court
  • 1.45-2.30pm – Book a Badminton court
  • 1.45-2.30pm – Book a Pickleball court
  • 2-3pm – Book Family Dance Party
• 10-11.30am – Mindful Me – Beacon, Wantage.  New Mental Health workshop, giving children the opportunity to learn new tools to tackle Anxiety and Depression through being active. £1 per child. Book a space for Mindful Me.
• 1-3pm – Free Picnic and Play session Shrivenham Pavilion and Recreation ground, Highworth Road, Shrivenham, SN6 8BL. Book your free space for Picnic and Play Shrivenham

Wednesday 12 August

• 10am-midday – Free Xplorer Kingston Bagpuize. Free event. Find out more and book your space here or turn up on the day.
• 10am-midday – Free Family Fun Games, Kingston Bagpuize. Free event. Find out more and book your space here or turn up on the day.
• 1.30-4pm – Mini Fun Day, Southern Community Centre, 2 Sorrel Crescent, Didcot OX11 6HQ. . £2 per person or £1 with YouMove card. 20% discount for bookings of 3 or more tickets.
  • 1.30-2.30pm – Book Craft session
  • 1.30-2pm – Book Fun Games Early Years (Age 2-5)
  • 2.15-3pm – Book Fun Games Age 5-8
  • 2.45-3.45 – Book Craft session
  • 3.15-4pm – Book Fun Games Age 9-12

Thursday 13 August

• 9.30am-midday – Free Sonning Common Fun Morning, Memorial Park & Kidmore End War Memorial Hall, Reade’s Ln, RG4 9SH. This event is in partnership with Sonning Common Parish Council.
  • 9.30-10am – Book family Rounders
  • 10.15-10.45 – Book New Age Kurling Age 5-12
  • 11am-Midday – Book Make & Move Age 5-12
• 10am-3pm – Faringdon Fun Day, Faringdon Leisure Centre.
  • 10-11am – Book Football 6-11
  • 11am-Midday – Book Family Cricket.
  • Midday-1pm – Book Badminton
  • 1-2pm – Book Pickleball
  • 2-245pm – Book Zumba Kids
  • Booking with Better Leisure Swimming Taster lessons for children aged 4years+
    • 3:45-4:15pm
    • 4:15-4:45pm
    • 5:15-5:45pm

Week 5

Monday 17 August

• 10am-Midday – Mini Family Fun Day Watlington, Watlington Recreation Ground, Shirburn Rd, Watlington OX49 5BZ. £2 per person or £1 with YouMove card. Discounted tickets for 4 or more people. Book your space for Mini Fun Day Watlington.

Tuesday 18 August

• 10am-midday – Mini Fun Day; The Junction, Broad Street Abingdon, OX14 3LZ. £2 per child or £1 with YouMove card. Book your space below.
  • Zumba Kids 10-10:45am
  • Make and Move – 11-11:45am
• 1.30-3.30pm – Free Mini Fun Day; Long Furlong Community Centre, Abingdon, OX14 1XP. Book your space for Mini Fun Day Long Furlong here.

Wednesday 19 August

• 10am-midday – Free Xplorer, Benson. Free event. Book your space online in advance or turn up on the day.  
• 10.30am -12.30pm – Free Picnic and Play Botley, Louise Memorial Fields, OX2 9JE. Book your free space here or turn up on the day.
• 1.30-4pm – Mini Family Fun Day; GWP District Community Centre, Didcot, OX11 6GR. £2 per person, £1 with YouMove card. 20% discount when buying 3 or more tickets.
  • 1.30-2.30pm – Book craft session
  • 1.30-2pm – Book New Age Kurling Age 5-12
  • 2.15-2.45pm – Book Boccia Age 5-12
  • 2.45-3.45pm – Book craft session
  • 3-4pm – Book Family Dance Party

Thursday 20 August

• 9.30am-midday – Free Sonning Common Fun Morning, Memorial Park & Kidmore End War Memorial Hall, Reade’s Ln, RG4 9SH. This event is in partnership with Sonning Common Parish Council.
  • 9.30-Midday – Book Play in the Park. Lots of equipment for families to have a play with.  
  • 10-10.45am – Craft
  • 11-11.45am – Craft
• 10am-1pm – Free Summer of Skate, Faringdon Skate Park. Free event turn up on the day to join in the fun. Equipment is available to borrow. All ages welcome from early years to teens and adults.
• 2pm-5pm – Free Summer of Skate, Grove Skate Park. Free event turn up on the day to join in the fun. Equipment is available to borrow. All ages welcome from early years to teens and adults.

Friday 21 August

• 10-11.30am – Free Xplorer and play in the park Thame. Elms Park Thame, 78A Park St, Thame OX9 3HX. Book your free space for Play in the Park Thame.

Saturday 22 August

• Midday – 5pm – Fun at Basildon Park. Basildon Park, Lower Basildon, Reading RG8 9NR. Join us for Boccia, fun games and more at Basildon Park included in your entry. YouMove families can get free entry by showing your cards on the day. Plan your visit to Basildon Park here.
  • Midday-1 – Boccia
  • 1-1.30pm – Early Years Born to Move (Age 2-6); movement to music session
  • 1.45-2.15 – Early Years Games (Age 2-6)
  • 2.30-3pm – Family Fun Games (Age 5+)
  • 3.15-3.45pm – Family Fun Games (Age 5+)
  • 3.45-17:30 – Open play – lots of equipment for adults and children to enjoy. 

Week 6

Monday 24 August

• 10am-11am –  Free Toddler Fun games and Circuit, from walking to 4 years.  Abingdon Carousel, Caldecott Chase, Abingdon, OX14 5GZ.  Booking essential Book toddler fun games and circuit Abingdon.

• 12:30-14:30 – Free Picnic and Play activity session.  Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, OX11 7HN.  Please book: Book your space for Picnic and Play Didcot.

Tuesday 25 August

• 10am-3pm – Free Fun Day Didcot Leisure Centre, Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot, OX11 8AY.
  • Book Badminton Court
    • 10-10.30am
    • 10.30-11am
    • 11-11.30am
    • 11.30-midday
  • Book Pickleball Court
    • 10-10.30am
    • 10.30-11am
    • 11-11.30am
    • 11.30-midday
  • 10-10.30am – Book Born to Move Early Years Age 2-5
  • 10.45-11.30am – Book Zumba Kids Age 5-12
  • 11.45am-12.15pm – Book New Age Kurling Age 5-12
  • 12.30-1pm – Book Boccia Age 5-12
  • 1.15-2pm – Book Fun Games Age 5-8
  • 2.15-3pm – Book Fun Game Age 9-12

Wednesday 26 August

• 10am-1pm – Free Summer of Skate, Berinsfield Skate Park. Free event turn up on the day to join in the fun
• 1.30-4pm – Mini Fun Day, Southern Community Centre, 2 Sorrel Crescent, Didcot OX11 6HQ. £2 per person, £1 with YouMove card. 20% discount when buying 3 or more tickets.
  • 1.30-2.30pm – Book craft session
  • 1.30-2pm – Book Born to Move Early Years (walking-5 years); movement to music session.
  • 2.15-3pm – Book Born to Move Age 5-12. Fun fitness session.
  • 2.45-3.45pm – Book craft session
  • 3.15-4pm – Book Born to Move Family. Fun fitness session for the whole family to do together.  
• 2pm-5pm – Free Summer of Skate, Chinnor Skate Park. Free event turn up on the day to join in the fun.

Thursday 27 August

• 12:30-2:30pm – Free Picnic and Play Abbey Meadows (park nearest Abbey House look for the Active Communities sign), Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3JE. Book your space for Picnic and Play Abingdon.

Friday 28 August

• 10am-midday – Free Mini Fun Day Chinnor; Chinnor Recreation Ground, Whites Field, Rear of Mill Lane School, OX39 4RF. Book your space for Mini Fun Day Chinnor.
• 1-3pm – Free Mini Fun Day Chalgrove; Baron Hurst Drive, Chalgrove, OX44 7TE.
  • 1-1.30 – Book New Age Kurling (Age 5+)
  • 1.30-2 – Book Boccia (Age 5+)
  • 2-3pm – Book Family Dance Party

Looking ahead to October half term:

Active Leaders Course – Age 14-18

We will be running an Active Leaders Course in the October half term 26-30 October. 4 days of training to gain the Active Leaders Qualification.

Please email youmove@southandvale.gov.uk to register your interest.

The Beacon, Wantage

Keep an eye on The Beacon’s website for even more activities coming soon.  

Cornerstone Arts Centre

Keep an eye on Cornerstone’s website for even more activities coming soon. 

We offer a range of free and low-cost activities, for young children, teenagers and families to enjoy at locations across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse during term time.

To find out more, visit our Term Time Activities page.

We also work across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse to help residents with their physical health and wellbeing, running a variety of weekly activities for all ages and abilities.

To find out more and to see what activities are available near you, visit our pages on Active Communities in South Oxfordshire and Active Communities in the Vale of White Horse.