Here to help you this summer, there are loads of things happening in the local area of Slough and Windsor for all budgets. As I said last year, generally in whichever area of the UK you live in, check your local shopping centres, libraries, museums, leisure centres for what they are putting on this summer. Hop on a bus or train and have an adventure to a new destination – it can be local, you don’t have to travel far. Find a new playground or splash park. Take colouring books and crayons so you can sit in a coffee shop and the kids won’t be bored. If it’s raining, have a look at my rainy day post for more ideas.

Free Playgrounds that are good!

Starting with with playgrounds – these are our faves around Slough and Windsor:

★ Pirate Park playground – Clewer Memorial Recreation Ground, Dedworth Rd, Windsor SL4 5BD
Sandy playground with pirate ship play area, cafe and small free car park

★ Black Park playground, Black Park Road, Wexham SL3 6DS
Lovely playground in the woods, with a cafe. You do have to pay about £4 for parking.

★ Langley Park playground, Billet Ln, Iver SL0 0LS
Again it’s a wooden playground, not huge but a beautiful location with a cafe too. About £4 parking, and very close to Copas Farm if you want to combine with fruit-picking

★ Batchelor’s Acre Playground, Batchelor’s Acre, Windsor SL4 1ER
This little playground is right behind the shopping streets of Windsor/Windsor Castle and sometimes they have fountains on so bring a change of clothes if your kids like running around in water! There’s a cafe and Windsor library is directly opposite for a chill after.

★ Upton Court Park playground – Upton Road, Slough SL3 7LU
We like the newer playground at the Langley side. No cafe here though. Large free car park at the other end.

★ Lammas Recreation Ground, 115 Wraysbury Rd, Staines TW18 4UA
Well worth a little extra driving to get to Staines because the splashpark here is the best! And it’s free. Good playgrounds too. So colourful, riverside location – there’s a cafe, mini golf and you can also hire boats.

★ Pinewood Centre Playground, Pinewood Centre, Old Wokingham Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 3AQ
This playground is a short drive from Bracknell so you can combine with a trip to The Lexicon. It’s set in the woodlands, with free parking and a cafe onsite. The playground is open everyday, but if you visit on the third Sunday of the month (July 21st and August 18th), you can also ride the Pinewood Miniature Railway.

★ California Country Park Playground, Nine Mile Ride, Finchampstead, Wokingham RG40 4HU
Another one worth driving to get to – it’s new-ish, great water features, beautiful location, paddling pool (extra fee for that) and a cafe. Parking was about £4 from what I remember.

★ Datchet Village Playground, Datchet, Slough SL3 9HR
A nice big playground, younger area separated from the older area. Not the newest equipment but it’s in a huge green space. There’s a tiny Costa a short walk from here, a little library and a level crossing if you like watching trains. Small car park fee, but I think there are some free car parking spaces on the road.

★ Denham Country Park Playground, Denham Court Drive, Denham UB9 5PG
Worth driving a bit further to get here, lovely playground with sandpit, cafe and woodland/canalside walks. Car parking is about £4.

★ Gerrards Cross Common Playground and Woods
Free on street parking (1 hour) and lots of cafes nearby

★ Ray Mill Island/Maidenhead Riverside
Ray Mill Island is beautiful, with a cafe and small aviary.
Maidenhead Riverside is a short walk away with a sandpit playground and mini golf.
Car park fees apply.

★ Ruislip Lido, Reservoir Road, Ruislip, HA4 7TY – this is our artificial beach – free entry. There’s a playground in the sand, a railway in the woods (fares apply), splashpark. It can get very busy though. Don’t go in the reservoir water, it is not safe. Car park fees apply.

FREE Activities

★ Eton College Museums – open on Sundays

★ Animal Safari Trail, Uxbridge Town Centre, 20 July – 4 Aug

★ Reading Museum Summer Activities
25 July – 3 Sept Activity Cart: Throughout the holidays. No charge but donations welcome

★ Slough Olympica – Free Sports Festival
28 Jul 10am-5pm
Try new sports, children’s activities, watch demos and competitions

★ Children’s Centre Picnics, Slough

The Children’s Centres Team will bring a small selection of games and activities, please bring your own picnic.

30 July: Salt Hill Park, 11am-1pm

6 Aug: Chalvey Recreation Ground, 11am-1pm

13 Aug: Upton Court Park, 11am-1pm

2 Aug: Herschel Park – 1.30pm – 3pm

9 Aug: Upton Court Park – 1.30pm -3pm

16 Aug: Kennedy Park – Britwell – 1.30 – 3pm.

★ Free Family Cook & Move sessions for under 5s, Slough
29 July, 5 & 12 Aug – Monksfield Way Children’s Centre 10-11.30am
31 July, 7 & 14 Aug – Ramsey Close Children’s Centre 10-11.30am
Email to book: kerrybyde@homestartberkshireeast.org.uk

★ Family Flower Making, Norden Farm
30 and 31 July at 11.30am – join Artist in residence Aysha Khan to help create a wonderland of huge flowers to decorate the Kite Festival. Free – Book a spot

★ Croxchella festival
31 July at Croxley Park, Watford 10am-3pm

★ Elmer Workshops for age 3+
31 July 11am – 12pm Langley Library
2 Aug 11am – 12pm The Curve, Slough
15 Aug 2-3pm Cippenham Library

★ Snow Princess Parade
1 Aug, starting at Burnham Park Hall at 12pm (moved from 2 Aug due to booking clash)

★ Bug Hunt at Swan Meadow, Iver
1 Aug 11am – 1pm

★ Summer Fete
3 Aug St Johns Church, Stoke Poges Lane, Slough 12.30-4pm

★ Pop up games
3 Aug Cippenham Library 12-1pm

★ Wool Weaving for age 4+
5 Aug 11am – 12pm Langley Library
6 Aug 11am – 12pm The Curve, Slough
22 Aug 2-3pm Cippenham Library

★ Teddy Bears Picnic and Storytime, Iver Heath Recreation Ground
6 Aug 10am – 12pm

★ Summer of Fun Days in the Bracknell area, 11am – 3pm
with inflatables, circus skills, balloon modelling, stall and more
31 July Warfield Memorial Ground
2 Aug Sandhurst Memorial Ground
7 Aug Great Hollands Memorial Ground, Bracknell
13 Aug Morgan Recreation Ground, Crowthorne
21 Aug Farley Wood Recreation Ground, Binfield
28 Aug Braybrooke Recreation Ground

★ Outdoor Theatre – Thursdays in Staines
1 Aug : The Guy in the Luggage Rack by She Said Jump, Memorial Gardens 1-2pm, book a space
8 Aug: Tape That by Hands Down Circus, Costa Ring at Two Rivers, 11am & 2pm – no booking required
15 Aug: Jukeboxes by Bootworks Theatre, Staines High Street, 12pm-3pm – no booking required
22 Aug: Knot by Motionhouse, Elmsleigh Shopping Centre, 12pm & 2.30pm – no booking required
29 Aug: Jemima Puddle Duck by Quantum Theatre, Memorial Gardens, 1pm

★ Grays Farm PYO, Wokingham
Fruit/Veg picking plus Play Area, Picnic Areas & Farm Trail
Free entry, pay for what you pick

★ Amersham Heritage Day
8 Sept

Shopping Centre Activities – FREE/Small charge

I always recommend checking out what your local shopping centre has on, there’s usually free/low cost activities plus you can get your school supplies shopping done.

★ The Lexicon, Bracknell – Summer Activities
Character Visits 11am – 3pm: 5 Aug The Gruffalo • 12 August Bluey & Bingo • 19 Aug Paddington
Summer Sticker Trail: 19 Jul – 8 Sept – enter to win a £200 giftcard
Roller Rink, Thursdays – Sundays, 20 Jul – 1 Sep, from £6
Summer Sports Screen: 26 Jul – 11 Aug Olympics • 28 Aug – 8 Sept Paralympics

★ Eden, High Wycombe 24 July – 4 Sept
Visit the UK’s first cardboard maze – the Eco Maze! It’s a free fun obstacle course with a different sporting theme each week:
Week 1: Eco obstacle course • Week 2: The big sporty scavenger hunt • Week 3: Time to dribble • Week 4: Going for gold • Week 5: Trash can basketball • Week 6: Mini golf maze time

★ The Oracle and Broad Street Mall, Reading
27 July – 18 Aug : BRICKLIVE Fantasy Quest Trail
Grab a trail map and explore the magical Fantasy Kingdom BRICKLIVE installations across The Oracle, Broad Street Mall and various locations within Reading Town Centre.

★ Broad Street Mall, Reading
1 – 27 Aug – Broad Street Beats music celebration
10 and 24 Aug –  FREE festival friendship bracelet making, and live music

★ The Oracle, Reading
Beach Bar until 24 Sep – Enjoy table tennis, darts, and skittles (free for customers) and a foosball table for £1 a go. Live music performances and DJs.

★ Queensmere Observatory, Slough
Free Summer of Fun Kids Activities with Art Classes Group – Fridays in August
9 Aug – Titan the Robot & Crown Decoration
16 Aug – Circus Skills & Crafts
23 Aug – Football Freestyling and Scratch Art
30 Aug – Exotic Creature Show and Sand Art

★ Windsor Royal, Craft Coop
Wednesdays this summer – Kids Crafting Workshops for £2
Book a slot

★ Two Rivers, Staines – Memorable Mondays – free
29 July – Nerf Fun with The Entertainer, face painting 10am-3pm
5 Aug – Dance with Crazy Hazy at 11am-3pm, glitter tattoos 10am-3pm.
12 August – Fun of the fayre. Free children’s ride, candy floss, face painting 10am-3pm, Punch & Judy performances 11am-2pm.
19 August – Martial Arts
26 August – Archery
Plus Sandpit all summer

★ The Chimes, Uxbridge
10 Aug only – FREE Lego Safari Make & Take sessions, plus Lego ball pit and get a safari hat.
Sessions must be booked. Choose one session only:
12pm-1pm: Book Giraffe session
1pm-2pm: Book Monkey session
2pm-3pm: Book Elephant session
3pm-4pm: Book Lion session

★ The Chimes, Uxbridge
10 – 27 August – BRICKLIVE Zoo Safari exhibition
Find all the life-size sculptures for a chance to win tickets to Woburn Safari Park

Under £5 Activities

★ Holtspur Scarecrow Trail 27 July – 4 Aug – maps £2.50

★ Explore Kids Workshops, at The Curve Venue, Slough, book slots at £4
1 & 15 Aug: Rhymetime (preschool)
1 & 8 Aug: Music (age 5-7 and 8-11)
1, 8 & 15 Aug: Arts and Crafts (age 5-7 and 8-11)
1 Aug: VR (age 5-7 and 8-11) / Street Dance (age 8-11)
8 Aug: Magic (age 5-7 and 8-11) / Animation (age 5-7 and 8-11)
15 Aug: Djembe Drumming (age 5-7 and 8-11) / Circus Skills (age 5-7 and 8-11) / Street Dance (age 5-7)

★ Norden Farm Arts & Crafts, Maidenhead – Tickets £4
45 min sessions at 12.30pm on these dates: 2, 6, 7, 15 & 16 Aug

★ Burnham Beeches Woodland Safari summer trail, 24 Jul – 3 Sep`
Pick up trail/activity booklet from Information Point, recommended for up to age 12. Suggested donation £2. Bring a pencil

★ Copas Farm Iver or Cookham – Pick Your Own Fruit – Tickets £4

★ Reading Museum Summer Activities 25 July – 3 Sept
26 July 11am & 2pm  Victorian Schoolroom Experience in the Abbey Gateway, for age 5+, £1
31 July 10am – 3pm Reading Museum’s Teddy Bears Picnic, Rhymetime and Craft £1
6 Aug 10am – 3pm Make & Take: Spoonimals £2
14 Aug Bug Club: The Creepy Crawly Crew £4, book here
20 Aug Get Into Stitching for age 5+, £4 per child, book here
22 Aug 10am – 3pm Make & Take: Medieval Tile Decorating £3
28 Aug Nature Navigators Outdoor Sessions £4, book here

★ Pinewood Miniature Railway, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ
21 July and 18 Aug, 1.30-4pm – fares £1.50, under 3s free

★ Jocks Lane Miniature Railway, off Binfield Road, Bracknell RG12 2BH
28 Jul/11 Aug/26 Aug, 1-4pm – Fares £1

★ Prospect Park Miniature Railway, Reading
3 Aug – Fares 60p or 10 rides for £5

★ Ickenham Miniature Railway
3 Aug – Fares £1

★ Black Park Pirate Trail – 20-23 Aug
Slots from11.30am – 2pm Tickets £2.73

★ Summer BBQ at The Beck – Family Fun Day 24 Aug
Tickets from £3, under 2s free

★ Funfair at Salt Hill Park, Slough
25 July to 4 Aug

★ Brocas Park Funfair, Eton
19 July to 4 Aug

Under £12 activities

★ Trainmaster Berkshire track days Tickets £7.50, Adults free
28 July – Bracknell
11 Aug – Maidenhead

★ Black Park activities for age 5-10, 1.5 hour sessions (only child tickets are required)
Kids Go Wild – 2 and 6 Aug, Tickets £8.08
Wildlife Detectives – 30 July, Tickets £9.15
Dino Camp – 14 and 15 Aug, Tickets £11.82

★ Salt Hill Activity Centre, Slough
Soft Play – £7.60
Bowling – from £8.15
Trampolining from £9.95
VR, min age 8, £10

★ Slough Ice Arena
Public skating from £9.95, Ice Disco £8.80

★ Windsor Leisure Centre Pool
Family Swim Tickets from £5.40

★ Roller Disco, Windsor Leisure Centre
Fridays 6-7.30pm ad 8-9.30pm, £6 entry, £1 Skate Hire

★ Teddy’s Playtown Softplay and Roleplay centre
Child age 4-11 £8.50, Adult £1

★ Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre, Great Missenden
Tickets £9.95, Under 5s free

★ Classic Bus Running Day – Windsor 28 Jul – Programme £9

★ BCA Family Zoo Day, Maidenhead 27 July – Tickets £9, under 2s free (please note they are closed in August)

★ Maidenhead Mini Golf – Dinosaur themed – Tickets from £7

★ Windsor Adventure Golf, Alexandra Gardens – tickets from £5.50

★ Spinners Reading, Indoor crazy golf and bowling, from £6.50 (children allowed in venue until 6pm)

★ River and Rowing Museum, Henley
Tickets from £7 (Child), from £10 (Adult), under 4s free

★ Clip n Climb Reading, tickets from £11.95

★ Chiltern Open Air Museum – Terrific Tuesdays for families
30 July and Tuesdays in August 11am – 3.30pm
Tickets from £9.50, under 4s free

★ Kite Making Workshops, Maidenhead from £5
3 Aug at Nicholson Centre 10.30am – 2pm & at Norden Farm Night Market 6 – 9pm
10 Aug Maidenhead Library 10.30am – 2pm
16 – 17 Aug & 31 Aug at Norden Farm

★ Oasis Soft Play

Good for a treat outings

★ Chobham Adventure Farm
Tickets from £7.95, under 1s free

★ Odds Farm Festival of Fun, 24 Jul – 3 Sept
Tickets £18.95, under 2s free

★ Coral Reef Waterworld – Swimming + Water Slides
Tickets from £13.20 (Age 5+)

★ Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Aylesbury
Summer Holiday Steaming Days 26 Jul – 3 Sept Adults £12.50, Child £1

★ Buzz Bounce, Beaconsfield Rugby Club, Windsor End, Beaconsfield, HP9 2SQ, over 3s £12 – unlimited goes on inflatables for 2 hours

★ Legoland Windsor Summer of Fun
Tickets from £29 (Limited time £19 child ticket offer is on now)

★Tumblestone Hollow
Tickets from £7.50, under 92cm free

★ Hobbledown Heath Hullabaloo Summer 20 July – 3 Sep
Tickets from £15

★ Birdworld
Tickets from £15.95, under 3s free

★ Stonehenge
Tickets from £16.50, under 5s free
It is worth looking into an English Heritage Membership for best value-for-money, starts from £6 a month with 6 children coming free per adult.

★ Bekonscot Model Village
Tickets from £9.30, under 2s free

★ Chocolate Making Workshops, Dr Chocs Windsor
Tickets from £24.95

★ Windsor Duck Tours
Tickets from £19, Under 2s free

★ Windsor Great Park Adventure Play
Child £16, Adult £12, Under 2s free

★ Wellington Country Park
Summer Fun 29 Jul – 1 Sept
Tickets from £19.95, under 2s free

★ Didcot Railway Centre
2 Aug – Railway Children & Steam Day
26 Aug – Paddington Beat at Didcot
Tickets from £11 , under 3s free

★ Go Ape, Black Park
Tickets from £21

★ Jump In Slough, Trampolining, Dundee Road
Tickets from £14.50

★ Jump Giants, Heathrow, Trampolining
Tickets £15

★ Rush High Wycombe, Trampolining
Tickets from £14.50

★ Young Driver – Driving Lessons for 10-17-year-olds
Get 10% off a first lesson with code MumSty10 (valid until 30 Sept)
4 Aug and 25 Aug – Reading, Mereoak Park
10 Aug – Hertfordshire County Showground
17 Aug – Uxbridge, The Chimes
18 Aug – Surrey, Lingfield Park
31 Aug – Surrey, Kempton Park

★ Tuff Nutterz Inflatable Obstacle Course
1 – 6 Aug, Christchurch Meadows, Reading
Tickets from £17

★ Windsor Castle
Tickets from £15, under 5s free

★ Theatre Tours at Windsor Theatre Royal
Tours are available at midday on Thursdays and Saturdays – Tickets £12.50

Local Cinemas

★ Maidenhead Odeon Luxe

★ Odeon Bracknell/Uxbridge

★ Cineworld Bracknell/High Wycombe/South Ruislip
PS you must try a 4DX screening at Bracknell, so much fun!

★ Vue Staines/Reading

★ Reading Biscuit Factory

★ Everyman Gerrards Cross/Wokingham

★ Norden Farm, Maidenhead

★ Showcase Cinema de Lux, Reading

★ Pinewood Cinema

★ Regal Picturehouse, Henley

Theatre

★ Kids go FREE at London Theatre Shows
See participating shows here

★ Peter Pan outdoor theatre – Black Park 26 July
Tickets from £15.56 , under 3s free

★ Shows at Crocus, Dorney Court, for children age 3+ Tickets from £2.50
30 Jul Peter Pan & Tinkerbell Show
13 Aug Captain Hook and the Lost Boys Show

★ Dinosaur World Live, Beck Theatre 1-3 Aug
Tickets from £12

★ The Tale of Jemina Puddle Duck, South Hill Park 2 Aug
Tickets from £12.50

★ Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out, Wycombe Swan 3-4 August
Tickets from £10

★ Slough’s Got Talent, Venue at The Curve, 3 Aug
Tickets £5

★ Jack and the Beans Talk, Norden Farm 8 Aug
Tickets from £10

★ The Little Prince Norden Farm 13-14 August
Tickets from £10

★ The Railway Children, South Hill Park 16 Aug
Tickets from £11.50

London trips we recommend

★ London Transport Museum, Covent Garden
Tickets from £22, Under 18s free

★ Postal Museum*, Farringdon
Tickets from £10, under 3s free

★ London Museum of Water and Steam, Brentford
Tickets from £9.50, under 16s free

★ London Zoo, Regents Park
Tickets from £18.90, under 3s free

★ Fever Attractions*
Bubble Planet – Tickets from £14.90
Paradox Museum – Tickets from £16.50
Dopamine Land – Tickets from £11.50 (Get 20% off tickets with code CLOSING20DL)
VR – Horizon of Khufu and Life Chronicles – Tickets from £18

★ Kew Gardens*
Tickets from £6

★ Junkyard Golf
Cool indoor golf, children are welcome Sundays – Thursdays before 7pm
Tickets from £12

–★ F1 Arcade
Formula 1 Simulator Racing for families
Tickets from £15.95

I hope this guide helps with your summer holiday planning. Please CHECK with the attraction/event you are interested in visiting BEFORE you travel (links included in this guide) – dates/times/prices may change after I have written this guide.

We have been to most of these places and can personally recommend them. If you’d like to see detailed reviews, photos and videos, do check my Instagram page @themummystylist – everything is there!

Share this guide with your friends and TAG me @themummystylist on socials with your adventures – I love seeing what you get up to, and it inspires others.

Have an amazing summer!

Sabrina x

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*affiliate links