Schools out for the summer!
Make the most of the summer holidays in Newcastle - a city that’s full of culture, rich history, and stunning scenery. Whether you're into museums and music, food and festivals, or coastlines and countryside, Newcastle has something for everyone. Wander along the Quayside, uncover centuries-old castles, soak up the sun on nearby beaches, and treat yourself to some of the North East’s best local bites.
With beautiful parks, an thriving arts scene, and the unbeatable warmth of the Geordie welcome, Newcastle is the perfect place for unforgettable family adventures this summer.
Read on to discover things to do with kids in Newcastle during the school summer holidays.
Family Fun at BALTIC
BALTIC are offering plenty of activities and exhibitions to keep the kids entertained over the school holidays. Head to one of the many activities that take place throughout the week - on Wednesday-Sunday you can take part in the Exhibition Spotlight Tour, which is the perfect way to find out more about the current exhibitions. Every Wednesday you can join in the Play and Learn sessions, where under 5's can explore the world around them through imaginate, creative, self-led play.
Calling all disco divas! On 28th August you can join in Baltic's Big Summer Disco from 12-4pm. Use records, CDs and recycled materials to create new party sculptures, turn up the glow with some UV graffiti, accessorise yourself and get ready for the beats, come join us on the dance floor to groove and sway the day away until you can’t techno more.
Enjoy a day out at the Life Science Centre
Head to the Life Science Centre for their Summer of Fun. Families can enjoy amazing live shows, exciting experiments, interactive exhibits and hands-on making activities.
Plus, enjoy exciting, interactive new exhibits in Lightbox, including a 6-metre-tall tornado tower! Other highlights include Space Zone, complete with a replica of part of the International Space Station and Play Zone for under-7s.
Highlights include:
- New hands-on exhibitions in Lightbox including a giant ‘string’ of light.
- New fulldome show Life: The Greatest Story – is there life elsewhere in the universe?
- Enjoy sparkles, surprises and the danger of someone getting wet with our best demos from the last 25 years in an exciting live science show.
- Make (and take home) your own spinning creation in the Making Studios.
- Be a real scientist in the Experiment Zone! (ages 7+)
- Discover the 6-metre tall ‘Big Machine’ and see what sound looks like with our amazing hands-on exhibits in Wow Zone.
- Feel what it’s like to be an astronaut in Space Zone – complete with a mock-up of the International Space Station.
- Nurture your young explorers in Play Zone, a fascinating world where little ones can take the lead and set their imaginations free.
- Be amazed by Gaia, our glowing replica of Earth. Grab an easel and create your own Earth-inspired artwork.
The Great North Museum: Hancock
Another family friendly day out is a visit to The Great North Museum: Hancock. This award-winning attraction in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne is free to enter and open daily for visitors who want to explore centuries of Northern history.
The Living Planet gallery spans the ground and first floor of the museum and tells the story of wildlife and habitats alongside the Hadrian's Wall gallery which enables visitors to discover the detailed history of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Investigate the evolution of telescopes, examine historical instruments and other ground-breaking discoveries, and get hands-on with interactive activities. Enjoy Time Odyssey: A Family Adventure, on selected dates starting from 22nd July, a new interactive learning experience which takes families on a quest through the museum physically and virtually. Time Odyssey is played on a tablet and uses gaming techniques and impressive AR technology, to engage and learn through the power of play!
The Angel of the North
For those visiting Newcastle and Gateshead in the summer holidays, one of the must see and famous attractions in the North East is the iconic Angel of the North. Visible from far and wide, this colossal piece of public art was created in 1998 by artist Antony Gormley and his since become one of the most recognisable landmarks in the UK.
A symbol of home for many locals, the Angel rises 20 metres from the ground and has a wingspan of 54 metres. Making it even more impressive, is that visitors can get close to it by walking up to the site and snapping some impressive photographs at the feet of the monument - the perfect memento from your trip.
Ouseburn Farm
For the animal lovers out there, Ouseburn Farm is a community-led project located in trendy Ouseburn Valley, just a mile from Newcastle city centre. The purpose-built barn and the farm's compact fields and meadows provide the perfect home for all manner of critters from sheep, to goats, pigs and chickens.
Visitors never tire of visiting Ouseburn Farm due to its regular event schedule which includes animal petting and feeding sessions and child- friendly activities to entertain and educate during school holidays. Ouseburn Farm is free and fully accessible for both pushchairs and wheelchairs, making it an inclusive and interactive day out.
Seven Stories
Seven Stories is The National Centre for Children's Books and can be found in the heart of Newcastle's cultural quarter, the Ouseburn. The book-lover's paradise is committed to preserving British literature heritage for children and future generations and is guaranteed to spark creativity and imagination in all ages.
This free experience, includes work by over 250 authors and illustrators including Enid Blyton, Philip Pullman, Robert Westall and Judith Kerr. All situated in a beautiful grade listed building, over seven storeys, it is free to enter and a perfect place to bring children for a day out. Regular events and workshops are hosted throughout the year. This year you can take part in the Page Turners Book Club.
Beamish: The Living Museum of the North
A day out at Beamish Museum is always a great choice for families. The award-winning living, working museum has plenty to keep all the family busy as you immerse yourself in North East heritage as early as the 1950s and way back into the Victorian era. Visitors to the award-winning, family-friendly attraction will be fully immersed in the smells, sounds, experiences and even tastes of the past. With plenty of places to sample the delights of yesteryear, don't forget to stop off at the Jubilee Sweet Shop in the 1900s Town to pick from a treasure trove of confectionary and sweets. Tuck into fresh fish and chips at Davy's Fried Fish Shop in the Pit Village; enjoy an afternoon tea in the Victorian Town, drop into Herron’s Bakery or cosy up in The Sun Inn pub.
Join in the Beamish Summer of Fun: Tales from the Rails, it is packed with exciting activities for all ages. Beamish is marking Rail 200, by exploring the importance of the railway throughout different time periods. Each week we will be focusing on a different theme.
Throughout the summer holidays, experience a variety of engaging activities across the museum’s different time periods.
- Week 1 – Early Development of Railways (19th – 27th July 2025)
- Week 2 – Emigration (28th July – 3rd August 2025)
- Week 3 – Suffragettes (4th – 10th August 2025)
- Week 4 – The General Strike (11th – 17th August 2025)
- Week 5 – Evacuees (18th – 24th August 2025)
- Week 6 – Cup Finals (25th August – 1st September 2025)
NE1's Summer in the City
NE1 are putting on a whole summers worth of events for you to enjoy and they are completely free! Head to Screen on the Green and watch blockbuster films, live sport and entertainment until Sunday 31st August. Highlights include Paddington in Peru (21st July), Minions (27th July), Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (18th August) and much more! Join them for Toddler Takeover every Tuesday at 10:30 am featuring Julia Donaldson’s adaptations. Enjoy films, juice cartons, and picnic rugs.
Tiny Toon has landed at Old Eldon Square from Monday, 21st July, and will be open every day until Sunday, 31st August 2025.
Tiny Toon has landed in Old Eldon Square and is home to tiny versions of local places and businesses where kids can pretend they’re cooks at a mini-Blackfriars restaurant. They can even pretend they’re a train driver on a mini-Metro! Tiny Toon is on until 1st September.
Travel for free!
Don't forget that when you are out and about exploring NewcastleGateshead, Bus, Metro, and the Shields Ferry will allow free travel for up to three children aged 11 and under, when travelling with an adult with a valid ticket or concessionary pass holder during school holidays over the next year. Kids Go Free will cover the area of the North East Combined Authority – County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside, and Sunderland between Saturday 19th July until Sunday 31st August 2025.
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