Thanet, Kent and London summer holiday survival guide

The summer holidays are just around the corner and no doubt the panic about how you’re going to keep the kids occupied has already set in. Don’t worry, we’ve already had that panic so that you don’t have to. 

Below we’ve put together lists of things to do around Thanet, Kent more widely and on trips up to London - hopefully avoiding most of the obvious things you’ve done multiple times already. And if you have been to any of these before - good news - they’re in there because they’re worth doing again.

Thanet

The isle of Thanet has loads of events and activities to choose from over the summer holidays. There’s fun for all the family, plus activities they can head off and do on their own - leaving you time to work/have a nap/contemplate existence. 

Ramsgate Festival of Sound
This annual event brings together music, sounds and art across Ramsgate for four days in August. Plenty of events are family-friendly (and often free). Full programme due later this month. 
Various locations, Ramsgate. August 22-25. All ages. Free and paid. Register for updates. 

Broadstairs Folk Week
This week-long festival bang in the middle of the summer holidays has plenty of family-friendly events throughout, spanning music, dance, theatre, circus skills and craft. 
Various locations, Broadstairs. August 9-16. All ages. £0-10. See the full programme of family events. 

This Museum Is (Not) Obsolete and The Micro Museum
These two museums filled to bursting with old tech are located on the same street in Ramsgate. There’s a heavy emphasis on interactivity in both, perfect for curious minds. Read our recent interview with This Museum Is (Not) Obsolete founder Sam Battle here.
Church Hill, Ramsgate. Wednesdays and weekends, 1-4pm. All ages. £0-6. Check websites for full info: TMINO - TMM

Crab Museum
Whether a local or just a visitor, 96.3% of experts agree that you haven't properly experienced Margate if you haven’t spent some time in the Crab Museum. Come for the crabs, stay for the covert education on climate change and the nature of truth. 
9 Broad Street, Margate. Friday to Sunday, 11am-5pm. All ages. Free. Crab Museum website.

Tide & Seek Beach School
Giving kids the opportunity to spend a day learning about the natural world, Tide & Seek has announced four sessions over the summer. Pupils can join in with a range of activities from exploring marine habitats to creating beach art.
Stone Bay, Broadstairs. August 8, 14, 22 & 28, 9.30am-12pm. 5+. £20. DM to book. 

Pierremont Hall Summer Theatre
Pierremont Hall will be hosting a programme of outdoor theatre productions through the summer, including several children’s shows. There’ll be puppetry, clowning, dance and more. 
Pierremont Park, Broadstairs. Various dates and times. All ages. Free. See website for full programme. 

Skate & Scoot Camp
If your kids are into skateboarding or scooter riding, this is always a great way to keep them entertained. Running Monday to Friday over three separate weeks of the holiday, passes are available for the full week or single days. As well as access to the ramps, there are games, challenges and lots of new friends to be made. 
Revolution Skatepark, Oakwood Industrial Estate, Broadstairs. w/c July 29, August 12 & August 26, 10am-4pm. 7+. Prices vary. Full details and book here. 

Quex Adventure Farm Park
This place has proven to be a life-saver countless times in recent years. It’ll keep kids occupied for hours and (more importantly) wear them out completely with giant bouncing pillows, an adventure playground, toddler area, animal feeding, maize maze and more.
Quex Park, Birchington-On-Sea. Daily, 9.30am-5pm. 1-15. Prices vary. Full details and menu of activities.

The WonderWorks
Describing itself as “Kent’s ultimate hobby experience”, The WonderWorks occupies the old Hornby factory and gives an insight into the history of the Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix, Corgi and Pocher toy brands. There are also lots of toys to play with, including a huge Scalextric track.
Westwood Industrial Estate, Margate. Daily 10am-4pm. 5+. £2-5. Find out more on the website.

Seashore Safaris
Aimed at primary school age children (and their families), these regular events along the Thanet coastline give a crash course in exploring and understanding the creatures living in rock pools. 
Various locations, dates and times. 4-11. Book via Eventbrite. 

Kent

Thanet has plenty to offer, of course. But don’t forget the rest of Kent is right there too. There are a huge number of events, attractions and activities on offer over the summer. We’ve collected a few of our favourites here. 

bOing! Festival
The bOing! family arts festival marks its tenth anniversary this year. There are performances, workshops, activities and more, plus a sensory garden if you need to take a moment to get over all the excitement. 
Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury. August 24-25. All ages. Free (some events ticketed). Find out more here. 

Smugglers Festival
One of the best festivals in the UK by our estimation, Smugglers Festival is great with or without kids. With most of its stages hidden in woodland, it feels truly magical. Last time we went, the second stage had a playground built across the top of it. As well as all sorts of avant garde music, there are tons of craft activities and a calmer family camping area too.
Secret location near Deal. August 29 to September 1. All ages. Prices vary. Full info on the Smugglers website.

Dover Castle Under Siege
Opening on July 22, Dover Castle’s new exhibition tells the story of a three month siege at the castle in 1216. This is done through immersive interactive displays, reopened mediaeval tunnels and a siege-themed play area (fireable trebuchet and all).
Castle Hill, Dover. Daily, 10am-6pm. 5+. £16-26 (family ticket also available). English Heritage has all the info.

Lower Leas Coastal Park
We love this park that stretches along the coast between Folkestone and Sandgate. As well as just being a lovely spot for a walk, a bike ride or a picnic, there’s plenty more to see and do - including the south east's largest free adventure playground.
Lower Sandgate Road, Folkestone. Daily, 8am-8pm. All ages. Free. Full details on the Folkestone & Hythe District Council website. 

Betteshanger Country Park
Another great spot for getting outdoorsy, particularly for families who enjoy cycling - the 3.5km cycling track is great fun. There are lots of events going on over the summer, including the return of inflatable assault course The Beast over the bank holiday weekend. 
Sandwich Road, Deal. Daily 8am-5pm (6.30pm at weekends). All ages. Everything you need to know is here. 

London

Probably stating the obvious here, but London is absolutely filled with great summer holiday activities. The ease of travel between the coast and the capital really is a blessing (especially as kids’ off-peak train tickets only cost a quid). It’s not exactly easy to draw up a shortlist, but here are some things we’ll be heading to before school starts again.

Paradox Museum
Opened in West London just this week, the Paradox Museum is set across 25 rooms with an array of mind-bending optical illusions, you can experience anti-gravity and gaze into infinity. 
90 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge. Daily, 10am-5.30pm (7pm Friday & Saturday). All ages. £16.50-22 (family ticket also available). Find out more and book online.

Young V&A
The V&A’s museum of childhood is a hit for kids and adults - we went around the whole place twice when we visited last year. As well as the main exhibition, on right now is Japan: Myths To Manga, exploring how landscape and folklore have influenced Japanese art, technology and design. The queue to get in can get long, so it’s worth trying to avoid peak times. 
Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green. Daily, 10am-5.45pm. All ages. Free (Japan exhibition £10). Full details here. 

Discover Children's Story Centre
Well worth a trip into Stratford, this immersive play centre will get your kids’ imaginations firing. Beyond its two indoor floors and outdoor area, it is currently also hosting a special interactive exhibition designed by children’s author Nadia Shireen.
383-387 High Street, Stratford. Daily, 10am-5pm. 0-11. £5-10 (Nadia Shireen exhibition £5). More information and booking here. 

Greenwich + Docklands International Festival
This free festival featuring outdoor theatre, dance, circus and installations returns this summer. This year’s performances include an eight hour aerial show on top of a rapidly melting block of ice. 
Various locations. August 23 to September 8. All ages. Free. See all the events announced so far here. 

Dinosaur rEvolution
As the old saying goes: At some point in the summer holidays, you’re going to have to look at some dinosaurs. This exhibition is a little different though, as it features five animatronic beasts based on current scientific thinking about what dinosaurs actually looked like. 
100 London Road, Forest Hill. Daily, 10am-5.30pm. 3-16. £7-10 (family ticket also available). Plan your visit here.