🗓️ Wednesdays between 22nd July – 26th August 2026 Come to Studland Bay on Wednesdays throughout the summer for outdoor games and sports in Knoll Beach’s sand bowl. There’ll be fun for all the family, including: Children must be supervised.
Events for kids
There’s loads of fun-filled events happening for kids throughout the year in Swanage – from art workshops & educational activity trails in nature, to seasonal games & special events during school and festive holidays.
Find a family-friendly event or activity to keep the children entertained whatever the weather, whether you live here or are visiting on holiday – and there’s loads of free options too.
🗓️ Wednesday 22nd July – Wednesday 12th August 2026 Get out into nature at Durlston this summer and explore the Marvellous Meadows Children’s Trail. Use your activity booklet to guide you around the park and learn all about what makes Durlston’s meadows so special – answer the questions to win a prize!
🗓️ Thursday 23rd July 2026 Join Craig from Squashbox Theatre as he brings the wondrous world of trees to life for little ones in this funny, educational family show. As the forest ranger, it’s Craig’s job to keep the peace among the trees – but he’s being hampered by cheeky squirrels, the mysterious Wizard of […]
🗓️ Saturday 25th July – Saturday 1st August 2026 Swanage Carnival is one of the main highlights of the year in Swanage and Purbeck, with eight days of entertainment taking over the town in one of Dorset’s most popular family-friendly festivals. There’s a different carnival theme each year – the theme for 2024 was Jurassic […]
🗓️ Sunday 26th July 2026 Get the date in your diary for a brand new family-friendly event at The Blue Pool this summer. Expect live characters, creative activities and stalls at this family-oriented day out. The nature reserve’s first ever Fairy Day is a celebration of “nature, wonder and enchantment”, packed with fun events and […]
🗓️ Wednesdays between 29th July – 26th August 2026 Join in a fun, family-friendly trail and series of free activity sessions in Corfe Castle village this summer – inspired by the Horrible Histories books. The trail will take you around the village and can be done on any day (pick up your trail booklet from […]
🗓️ Thursday 6th August 2026 A reimagining of the classic story of Pinocchio by outdoor theatre company Illyria comes to Corfe Castle today. The adaptation follows Carlo Collodi’s wooden puppet as he longs to become a real boy. Tickets Booking: Book tickets online: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/corfe-castle/events/2a017413-8ac9-41b3-a536-7c747ef494af
🗓️ Saturday 8th – Sunday 16th August 2026 The annual Swanage Lifeboat Week returns this summer for eight days of RNLI festival fun, both on the water and on land at Prince Albert Gardens and around town. Swanage Lifeboat Week has a packed programme of activities and entertainment, from the much-loved build-a-boat competition and family-friendly […]
🗓️ Sunday 9th August 2026 Meet the illustrator of Horrible Histories at Sandy Hill Arts in Corfe today and take part in a themed drawing workshop. Martin Brown is leading the day of family-friendly events, which include an interactive talk, book-signing and art workshop. You’re invited to bring a picnic to have on-site as part […]
🗓️ Thursday 13th August 2026 Come to Corfe Castle this evening for an enchanting adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s The Tales of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny. The outdoor performance by Quantum Theatre follows Peter and Benjamin as they get up to mischief in Mr McGregor’s garden. Tickets Booking: Book tickets online: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/corfe-castle/events/bd767ad2-ef2e-4245-9744-cecd95c23a5b
🗓️ Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th September 2026 Learn the art of medieval combat training at Corfe Castle this weekend. Get Medieval is an educational and events team who bring the Middle Ages to life for kids (and big kids!) through historically-informed sword fighting, duels and “epic team battles”. So if you’ve ever wondered what […]
🗓️ Saturday 12th – Sunday 13th September 2026 Get hands-on with history at Corfe Castle this weekend and discover what medieval life was like through crafts and demonstrations. The living history weekend will feature traditional food and cooking methods and historic crafts including dying, spinning and weaving. Plus you’ll get to meet medieval characters who’ll […]
🗓️ Saturday 19th September – Sunday 22nd November 2026 Enter the magical world of folklore and fairies at Corfe Castle this season. Join in a family quest, where you’ll solve clues and discover the secrets and superstitions in family homes of the past, from beliefs about protecting your home to ways to keep the witches […]
🗓️ Saturday 24th October – Sunday 1st November 2026 Explore Studland’s beach, dunes, and woodland this half term through its spooktacular Wicked Wildlife Trail. This year, you’ll start the trail by making your own wand before discovering the different activity stations – fill in your wizard’s passport as you and discover the secrets of Studland’s […]
🗓️ Friday 30th – Saturday 31st October 2026 Step aboard the Swanage Railway this half-term – if you dare – as the Halloween Ghost Train returns. Back by popular demand, the family-friendly spooky train ride will be packed with pumpkins, ghouls, gentle chills and Halloween magic. The whole family’s encouraged to come in Halloween costume […]
🗓️ Saturday 7th November 2026 Join Whale on a heartfelt and unforgettable journey through the ocean as he tries to find a friend to hear his song. Be part of an interactive deep-sea adventure as the Loneliest Whale explores coral caves and faces sea creatures in his quest for friendship. Featuring original songs, puppetry and […]
🗓️ Friday 15th – Saturday 23rd January 2027 (Selected dates) Save the date for Swanage Drama Company’s next pantomime, Robinson Crusoe. Get ready for adventure, comedy and an array of colourful characters at the annual SDC panto, which will be held at The Mowlem Theatre in January 2027. Showtimes Keep an eye on the latest […]