In the first two years of compulsory education (Key Stage 1/5-7 years), pupils begin to explore their local environment. If the school is lucky enough to have a museum nearby, it will be an important starting point in their development. Further afield, there are activity-based museums such as the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, the Science Museum and the Wellcome Foundation museums in London, or the various museums of childhood in Derbyshire, Edinburgh and the Victoria and Albert in Bethnal Green; all of which are popular venues for Key Stage 1 students.
Many providers cater for both day and short-term residential adventure activities, and both the National Trust and Forestry Commission run activities specifically tailored for the KS1 age-group.
Children are often interested in the theatre and music, and usually begin with trips to pantomimes and musicals in Key Stage 1. You can find guidance on ‘kids’ theatre in London here, and over in East Anglia there is the Norwich Puppet Theatre with Bristol Old Vic in the West Country; there’s bound to be a good venue near you!
A wide variety of animals for you to look at and feed. There is an outdoor play area for children under 8, a beach to play and build sandcastles for all ages, and an indoor ball pool and soft play for children under 5.
A lovely little range from guinea pigs to micro pigs, via parrots, horses and alpacas.
Create your individual design. Unleash your creativity and start painting your own pottery - great idea for presents for the family as well.
Step into royal domesticity where the royal family lived as the 'simplest country gentlefolks'.
Take advantage of free entry for under-16s and free preliminary tickets to prepare for your visit.
Kew Palace, the Royal Kitchens and Queen Charlotte's Cottage... some of the must see sites at Kew.
300 acre Parc Slip Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve with its Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre has something for everyone. A variety of different habitat types supporting many different species for wildlife enthusiast, a safe area for school parties to discover and enjoy nature.
Have a fun session with us doing our fantastic pottery painting or decopatch activities. Relax in our large, friendly and open studio with a tea/coffee and piece of cake and be creative! We also have a selection of great birthday party packages.
Offers a soft play frame that is designed for children up to 1.48m tall and we also have a specific toddler area for under 3s.
The perfect day out to fuel your creative juices. We are an amazing venue for a family fun filled afternoon out and perfect for all ages from aged 1 to 100. Our fabulous staff will be on hand to help you with hints, tips and inspiration for you to create your masterpiece, which will be glazed and fired.
Paint Your Own Pottery - Great fun for kids, relaxing for adults. Choose from over 400 items - the biggest choice of any studio in the Herefordshire, Worcestershire & Gloucestershire area. Indoor kids' play area, plenty of free parking right outside our door, refreshments available.
A multi-level jungle themed adventure soft play facility, plus toddler area, jungle themed party room and bookable sports court. Unleash the little monkeys!
A huge multi level adventure play area 5.5m high with loads of slides and other features, plus dedicated toddler and baby zones and equipment.
Multi level play equipment up to 6.5m including enormous slides, plus sports areas, toddler zones and more. New feature: activity assault course Bouncy Castle!
Bouncy castles, and an amazing soft adventure play area with classics including ball pools, plus 'The Drop' slide: 31 ft long. And one of the biggest indoor astra slides in the country!
Indoor play area with loads of slides and fun features plus dedicated toddler zone, attached to a family restaurant. Outdoor play too in summer.
This splendid 17th century baroque building housed a courtroom for assizes, raised on arches over a market space. It now houses the Abingdon Museum. On sunny days take in the lovely rooftop views overlooking the market square.
An ancient story of vanished oceans and fossilised sea creatures is the reason why the Oswestry Hills are so rich in wild plants, including orchids.
Activity examples:
Butterfly surveys, tree investigations, bug hunting, pond dipping, habitat investigations, natural art, sensory explorers. John Muir Award (environmental award for KS2 upwards).
The main footpath along the Stiperstones ridge goes straight down the side of The Hollies nature reserve. Few people step off the track to explore this ancient, scattered grove of hollies, but those that do soon fall under its spell. The trees are extraordinary characters, some of them three or four centuries old.
Activity examples:
Steep wooded slopes rise from the banks of the River Teme, leading to open grassland with glorious views across Ludlow to the Clee Hills. Networked with footpaths and flights of stone steps, the Common is easy to explore, with numerous seats for walkers to rest and enjoy the views.
Activity examples:
A moated enclosure, probably the site of a manor owned by the Bishops of Llandaff during the 13th and 14th centuries. The site is composed of a large level area, roughly 39 metres by 45 metres, wurrounded by a wide moat, making the total size of the site an impressive 72 metres by 76 metres.
With a station motto of ‘The Strongest Link’, Biggin Hill was an important sector or 'controlling airfield' during and after the Battle of Britain. First established during the First World War as a radio and instrument research station and a fighter airfield, the second conflict saw it upgraded to accommodate modern fighter aircraft.
A world-famous stone circle and on-site museum at the heart of a prehistoric landscape.
With its huge circular bank and ditch and inner circle of great standing stones, covering an area of over 28 acres, Avebury forms one of the most impressive prehistoric sites in Britain.
One of the most important prehistoric archaeological collections in Britain, housed in the Stables Gallery, and including many artefacts from the World Heritage Site (WHS) monuments. The admission fee includes access to both the Stables and Barn Galleries. The Barn Gallery (belonging to the National Trust) tells the story of the WHS, its monuments, and the people associated with it.
The museum collection on display reveals an island community changing over the years to both external and internal pressures. Alderney has a fascinating history starting with extensive Stone, Bronze and Iron Age activity, with object evidence of historically important Roman activity at Longy.
The story of Aldershot Military Town and the civil towns of Aldershot, Farnborough and Cove.
Housed in the only surviving brick-built barrack blocks left in Aldershot, the museum tells the story of daily life for both soldier and civilian since 1854.
Activities for Schools
Although the Museum touches on other aspects of the National Curriculum the main core subject covered is History. Details are set out below as to how a visit to the Museum may benefit students in the various key stages of History.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.