What's On in Essex

Guess How Much I Love You - A Garden Adventure

Venue: RHS Garden Hyde Hall

Website: www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall

The Guess How Much I Love You Garden Adventure is a trail inspired by the book of the same name. The trail contains a series of activities that encourage children to learn through play, using the senses...

Woodland Adventure Days

Venue: Audley End Railway

Website: www.audley-end-railway.co.uk

Enjoy off-peak, great-value days, where you can make use of the adventure playground, explore the fairy walk and ride on one of the trains! The perfect day out for parents and grandparents to take the...

Anna Fiorentini Theatre and Film School

Venue: North London Camden, East, South East London and Loughton

Website: www.afperformingarts.com

Anna Fiorentini Holiday Schools give children the opportunity to explore their creativity while strengthening key life skills. For more information about Saturday and Holiday Schools, as well as courses...

BeWILDerwood

Venue: Cheshire and Norfolk

Website: www.bewilderwood.co.uk

Get outdoors and visit BeWILDerwood for a summer filled with fun, imagination, and muddy knees. Follow the Pongy Potions stink trail, watch their new show Minty and the Big Stink, meet Minty herself and...

Great Notley Country Park Junior Parkrun

Venue: Great Notley Country Park

Website: www.explore-essex.com

Join this free, weekly 2k run aimed specifically at juniors aged 4 to 14 years-old. Parkrun organise free, weekly, 2km timed runs around the world for children. They are open to everyone and take place...

Harlow Leisurezone

Venue: Harlow Leisurezone

Website: www.harlowleisurezone.co.uk

Whether your child is trying trampolining, karate, or swimming for the first time, now is the perfect time to dive in.To book or find out more, visit Harlow Leisurezone’s website or contact their friendly...

Jigsaw Performing Arts Brentford

Venue: Becket Keys Secondary School, Sawyers Hall Ln

Website: www.jigsaw-arts.co.uk

From babies as young as 6 months to teens of 18, Jigsaw's wide range of classes offers something for every budding performer. Join them this term and let your child take centre stage. Their journey in...

Kids for a Quid

Venue: Epping Ongar Railway

Website: www.eorailway.co.uk

Keep the kids entertained on a day out with a steam and hauled heritage train service when Child tickets are just £1! Tickets offer unlimited travel on heritage steam and diesel trains and vintage London...

Kumon Southend

Venue: Christchurch Centre, 56 Colbert Avenue

Website: www.kumon.co.uk

The Kumon Southend Study Centre has been part of the local community for over 25 years, and offers maths and English study programmes to children of all ages. The centre is proudly recognised as an Elite...

Northlands Junior Parkrun

Venue: Northlands Park

Website: www.parkrun.org.uk/northlands-juniors

A free, fun, and friendly weekly 2k event for juniors (4 to 14 year olds) held every Sunday at 9am. Free to join but you must register before you first go along. The aim is to have fun so go along and...

Razzamataz Theatre Schools

Venue: Various locations

Website: www.razzamataz.co.uk

With classes running across Essex, Razzamataz offers high quality training in Dance, Drama and Singing. Performances, local events, and even Cruise Ship, Disney and West End opportunities give children...

Young Farmers Club

Venue: Lambourne End

Website: www.lambourne-end.org.uk/youngfarmersclub

The young farmers will be in a group of 12 and led by one member of staff along with additional team leader volunteers. The club aims to provide opportunities for young people to develop and participate...

Nature Tots and Home Education with Essex Wildlife Trust

Venue: Multiple locations with Essex Wildlife Trust

Address:

Website: https://www.essexwt.org.uk/whats-on

Join the popular Nature Tots and Home Education sessions, where children can have lots of fun exploring the great outdoors. Each session offers activities designed to spark curiosity, build confidence,...

CO2: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Venue: Mercury Theatre

Website: www.mercurytheatre.co.uk

Willy Wonka invites five lucky golden ticket winners, including young Charlie Bucket, into his secretive factory. There, they discover a world beyond their own imagination, with Oompa-Loompas, nutty squirrels,...

Southern Giants - Steam Gala

Venue: Epping Ongar Railway

Website: www.eorailway.co.uk

The annual steam gala will feature locomotives from the home fleet, alongside some interesting giants of the Southern region! Join Epping Ongar for three days of intensive steam action with the locomotives...

Free Family Fun Festival

Venue: Castle Park

Website: www.colchester-events.co.uk/event/free-family-fun-festival

Discover lots of brilliant free things to do for all the family including bouncy castles, face painting, games and activities.

Glow for Havens

Venue: Little Havens Hospice, Daws Heath Road

Website: www.havenshospices.org.uk

Light up the night and support Havens Hospices! Put on your brightest outfits, load up on glow sticks, and sparkle your way around the exciting 5k or 10k route in the Little Havens woodlands and Hadleigh...

National Country Show Live

Venue: Hylands Estate

Website: www.hylandsestate.co.uk

It’s the ultimate family day out, complete with shopping, food, entertainment, animals, live music, have a go activities, stunning arena displays, as well as all of your traditional country show finds....

The Paper Dolls

Venue: Chelmsford Theatre

Website: www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk

A Little Angel Theatre and Polka Theatre co-production, based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb. They face the Jurassic clutches of a toy dinosaur and the snapping jaws of the ovenglove crocodile,...

The Dinosaur That Pooped

Venue: Towngate Theatre

Website: www.towngatetheatre.co.uk/dinosaur-pooped

Adapted from the number 1 best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, the whole family will have a poopy good time enjoying a brand, new story for the stage. Featuring new songs by Tom and Dougie,...

Family Knees Up

Venue: Queen's Theatre

Website: www.queens-theatre.co.uk

A zany, interactive family event full of family favourites you’ll want to sing along with. Enhanced by bubbles, puppets and plenty of audience participation it’s a great morning out for adults, babies...

Fun For Little Ones – A Tribute to Ms Rachel

Venue: Queen's Theatre

Website: www.queens-theatre.co.uk

Bringing Ms Rachel’s character to life in a FUN, interactive LIVE on stage performance with lots of audience participation for the little ones! Fun for Little Ones encapsulates the bubbly personality,...

Guess How Much I Love You – Autumn Weekend

Venue: RHS Garden Hyde Hall

Website: www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall

Take part in a storytelling adventure around the garden with captivating storyteller Mike Dodsworth, then explore the Guess How Much I Love You™ garden adventure trail.Meet at the Welcome Building for...

The Story Forge: Make Your Own Myth

Venue: Chelmsford Theatre

Website: www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk

Prepare for uproarious pandemonium in a uniquely hilarious family theatre adventure for all ages! Two loopy Professor Doctors invent three brand-new myths live by unleashing cardboard chaos and your boundless...

Tom Gates EPIC stage show!

Venue: Harlow Playhouse

Website: www.harlowplayhouse.co.uk

Based on the bestselling books by Liz Pichon, and brand new for 2025, Tom Gates EPIC Stage Show comes to Harlow theatre bringing alive the illustrations and music that makes Tom Gates hugely popular around...

All Star Superslam Wrestling

Venue: Towngate Theatre

Website: www.towngatetheatre.co.uk

Witness some of the very best wrestlers from around the world showcasing their skills in the ring, promising an unforgettable night of action! Whether it’s one on one, two on two or everyman for himself...

SOS Wrestling

Venue: Charter Hall

Website: www.colchester-events.co.uk/event/sos-wrestling-2

Wrestling returns to Charter Hall … Another Action Packed Afternoon of Awesome Wrestling comes to Colchester! Line-up subject to change.

Surinderella

Venue: Queen's Theatre

Website: www.queens-theatre.co.uk

A brand new British South Asian family pantomime. Welcome to Bolly Woods, where the naach is non-stop, the drama is bigger than your aunties’, and the romance is straight out of a filmy blockbuster!Get...

Astaria Model Village Candlelight Illuminations

Venue: Museum of Power

Website: www.museumofpower.org.uk

The magical Model Village becomes even more wonderful at night with over 500 Candles illuminating the enchanting fairy houses and village life …. The Miniature Railway will be running (charge of £2...

Stick Man

Venue: Chelmsford Theatre

Website: www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk

What starts off as a morning jog becomes quite the misadventure for Stick Man: a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, and he even ends up on a fire! How will Stick Man ever...

Cirque: The Greatest Show – Reimagined

Venue: Towngate Theatre

Website: www.towngatetheatre.co.uk

Get ready for a dazzling fusion of Musical Theatre and jaw-dropping circus acts, taking the original Circus meets Musical Theatre spectacle to thrilling new heights. Experience iconic West End showstoppers...

Exotic Animal Weekend

Venue: Hopefield Animal Sanctuary

Website: www.hopefield.org.uk

Go and meet the amazing rescued animals, including exotic residents like meerkats, skunks, foxes, parrots, birds of prey, and so much more! Additional activities including Saddle Up Bar, Soft Play Bus...

Model Show

Venue: Museum of Power

Website: www.museumofpower.org.uk

An array of different kinds of models…from railway lay outs and miniature trains to model boats, traction engines and other miniature exhibits. The day starts at 10am, with exhibits inside the Museum...

Steam Day

Venue: East Anglian Railway Museum

Website: www.earm.co.uk/events

During Steam Days, The Museum is open for you to look around the various buildings, trains, displays and exhibits. A firm favourite with families, it's a great opportunity to visit the Museum and have...

WiFi Wars

Venue: Palace Theatre

Website: www.trafalgartickets.com

WiFi Wars returns with an entirely new show to celebrate their 10th Anniversary! It’s the live comedy game show where you all play along - Log in with your smartphone or tablet and compete in a range...

RBC Race for the Kids at School

Venue: Nationwide

Website: www.gosh.org/get-involved

Take part in the annual school charity fun run between 6-10 October and help build the new Children's Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Get the whole class - or even the whole school...

Little Women

Venue: Chelmsford Theatre

Website: www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk

Step into the world of sisterhood, courage, ambition, as the March sisters - tomboy Jo, beautiful Meg, sensitive Beth, and spoilt Amy - navigate the challenges of the Civil War era, forging unbreakable...

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Venue: Palace Theatre

Website: www.trafalgartickets.com

Join Alice, as she takes the audience on a magical journey into a world of talking animals, comic royalty, The Mad Hatters frantic tea party and races where the contestants run in circles! This timeless...

Backstage Tour: Little Women

Venue: Chelmsford Theatre

Website: www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk

Experience the magic of going behind the scenes at Chelmsford theatre. You’ll learn about the theatre’s history and how various departments from the box office to theatre technicians come together...

Space Safari

Venue: Hylands Estate

Website: www.hylandsestate.co.uk

Hylands Park transforms into a glowing galaxy of safari animals and starlit storytelling with swarm of 500+ drones. Alongside the drone show, you can enjoy Fairground rides, Immersive sound and light experience, gaming...

Hansel and Gretel

Venue: Chelmsford Theatre

Website: www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk

The Let’s All Dance ballet company presents this captivating new ballet, adapted from the original Brothers Grimm fairytale. Combining charm, suspense and fantasy in a beautifully choreographed production,...

Creative Education: Special Effects Make Up (7-11)

Venue: Chelmsford Theatre

Website: www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk

Get ready to be introduced to the art of special effects makeup, learning and creating wounds, injuries and fantasy FX using techniques used in the film and tv industries. All products are skin friendly,...

Shakespeare 4 Kidz: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Venue: Mercury Theatre

Website: www.mercurytheatre.co.uk

This lively, funny and accessible musical retelling of William Shakespeare’s timeless comedy masterpiece follows the Duke of Athens as he prepares to marry the Queen of the Amazons. The show is 5+ and...

Halloween Kidical Mass Family Bike Ride

Venue: Outside Firstsite Art Gallery, Lewis Gardens

Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/583946906992805

FREE Halloween themed Kidical Mass family bike ride at 2pm. Beforehand from 12pm to 1.50pm inside Firstsite to enjoy free bike-related craft activities, flag and helmet decorating, creating number plates...

Fortnite Laser Tag Mayhem

Venue: Pryors Farm

Website: www.lasermayhem.co.uk

Visit for two hours of action-packed Fortnite Laser Tag! Battle your way round tanks, helicopters and planes trying to hunt down and destroy the enemy. Use the code Primarytimes to get 20% off, 2-4pm,...

Jack and the Beanstalk

Venue: Queen's Theatre

Website: www.queens-theatre.co.uk

The panto we've all BEAN waiting for! Join Jack and his mum in their family-run farm-shop, where business is down, the rent’s overdue, and there’s nothing left to do but sell Pat the Cow at Romford...

Sleeping Beauty

Venue: Towngate Theatre

Website: www.towngatetheatre.co.uk

Basildon favourites, Sophie Ladds and Ian Hallard, will return to the stage as everyone’s favourite panto villain and dame. With stunning scenery, colourful costumes, dazzling dancers and a fantastic...

Aladdin

Venue: Chelmsford Theatre

Website: www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk

Expect magic lamps, a flying carpet, exceptional disguises, pure hearts, spectacular costumes, sing along songs, laughter and whole world full of fantastic adventure in a dazzling new ride through a classic...

Cinderella

Venue: Cliffs Pavilion

Website: www.trafalgartickets.com

Go to the ball this Christmas with television presenter, radio DJ, podcaster and number one best-selling author Rylan, who returns for another year to play the Fairy Godfather! Cinderella features laugh-out-loud...