The Summer Holiday Activities for Families in the UK

    While the Astronaut spacewalk, Manchester last year remains in the memory of some families, our week-by-week guide to the school summer break this year features a host of special events and outdoor fun for kids, from open-air cinema and live music to coming face to face with dinosaurs.

    Polar fun, Edinburgh

    Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh is keeping cool this summer with lots of polar-themed activities, including family science shows on the Arctic and Antarctic, icy experiments, and craft designs where kids can make their own penguin, walrus or polar bear.

    Until 28 August, £15 adults, £9.50 children, dynamicearth.co.uk.

    Dinosaur events, various locations

    Dinosaurs in the Wild is a vivid, walk-through experience taking visitors back 67 million years to the late Cretaceous period. Dinosaur Babies is an exhibition of dinosaur embryos and eggs, plus a model nest. Dinosaurs of China displays fossils and skeletons never before seen in Europe.

    Until 23 August, NEC in Birmingham, then 7 October to 7 January, Event City Manchester, £29.50 adults, £26 children, dinosaursinthewild.com.

    Proud Country House kids fest, Brighton

    Just 15 minutes from the centre of Brighton, this 18th century Georgian manor house in Stammer Park has a packed programme of events and activities on throughout the summer, including storytelling in the forest, guided bike rides, tree climbing and family yoga.

    1 July〜10 September, prices vary, usually from £5〜10, booking for events required but bouse and gardens can be visited without booking, stammerhouse.co.UK /kids fest.