If you’re looking for things to do during the summer holidays in Teesside, look no further than this list. With this bumper list of free and low cost (below £12 per person) summer events and activities, kids won’t have time to be bored. Take a look and start planning your summer holidays in Teesside with things that won’t break the bank, but will keep kids entertained.
The events are in date order and some may have multiple dates, but will be listed in line with the first date of the event. Each event title is a clickable link to get more info or book.
Summer Kids Disco at Darlington Market on Sat 19 July – FREE – enjoy an afternoon full of music, dancing and fun. There’ll be games, dance competitions and prizes to be won.
Station Garden Crafts with S&DR 26 Miles at Hopetown Darlington on Sat 19 July – FREE – join the S&DR 26 Miles team in the new Station Garden at Hopetown Darlington for a day of crafting.
Arriva Extended Service Activity Day at Teesside Park on Sat 19 July – FREE – Arriva are launching a new extended service to Teesside Park and to celebrate, they’re hosting a day of activities. Head to the retail park for kids’ crafts, cupcakes, a balloon artist and more.
Guided Pond Dipping at RSPB Saltholme from Sat 19 July to Sun 7 Sept – £4 per ticket (reserve entry not included) – grab your nets and dive into the watery world of pond dipping. There’ll be expert guidance on hand to tell you all about the mini beasts you find.
Darlington by the Sea in Darlington town centre from Sat 19 to Wed 23 July – FREE – head to Darlington for five days of sun (hopefully), sea and sand for this ever-popular annual family event. From 11am until 5pm each day families can enjoy free sandcastle building in a giant sandpit in the market square, sandart, activities and lots more fun and games.
Hopetown Darlington’s First Birthday Bash on Sun 20 July – FREE – there’ll be cake, a climbing wall, stilt walkers, bubbles and even circus workshops, plus live music all day!
Circus Skills at Darlington Libraries on Mon 21 July – £5 per ticket – an exciting and interactive workshop where kids will have the opportunity to learn juggling, plate spinning, stilt walking and more.
Animal Story Encounters at Hopetown Darlington on Mon 21 July – £6 per child – Animal Story offers exceptional exotic animal workshops, with gentle handling and displays for everyone. These hour-long sessions encourage an interest in wildlife and the natural world around us.
Summer Of Play: Let’s Circus at Ormesby Hall from Mon 21 July to Mon 25 Aug – included with admission, £3.50 per child, £7 per adult (or free for National Trust members) – get involved with interactive performances and try your hand with workshops including juggling and hula hooping! The workshop sessions are from 10.30am – 3.30pm, with breaks in between.
Summer Holiday Pool Parties at The Dolphin Centre on Tues 22 and 29 July, and Tues 5, 12, 19 and 26 Aug – £2.75 per child and £5.40 per adult (£2.45 and £4.85 with card) – dive into the summer holidays with a fun-filled Pool Party! Including a live DJ on poolside for the main pool, diving boards, slides and toddler pool!
Magician Marvin at STACK Middlesbrough on Wed 23 July, and Tues 5 and 26 Aug – £1.50 per child – watch as Magician Marvin takes the stage with his fabulous magic show, guaranteed to leave little ones wide-eyed with amazement! From mesmerising tricks to balloon modelling, juggling, and puppeteering, Marvin brings a burst of fun and laughter for the whole family.
Summer Of Play: Wildlife Wednesdays at Ormesby Hall from Wed 23 July to Wed 27 Aug – included with admission, £3.50 per child, £7 per adult (or free for National Trust members) – head to the garden for some bug and bird spotting using magnifying glasses, binoculars and bug pots. What mini-beasts might you find during your visit?
Toy Fayre at Darlington Market on Thurs 24 July – FREE – a market for toy collectors and kids alike!
The Hare in the Moon at Kirkleatham Museum on Thurs 24 July – included with admission ticket, £2 per adult, £1.50 per child, free for under 4s – The Hare in the Moon tells the heartwarming story of a hare who goes to great lengths to bring happiness to others. This captivating performance combines interactive storytelling, puppetry, and original music to bring a beautiful folk tale to life.
A Celebration of Bluey at STACK Middlesbrough on Thurs 24 July – £2.50 per child – from performances to meet and greets, plus exciting kids’ activities, interactive disco, games, colouring, mouthwatering street food and lots more – there’s something for everyone!
Saltholme Safari at RSPB Saltholme on Thurs 24 and 31 July, and Tues 5 to Thurs 28 Aug – £6 per ticket (reserve entry not included) – this action-packed, one-hour guided adventure is the perfect introduction to nature for children of all ages. Your young explorers will get hands-on with wildlife as they create their own natural art masterpiece, play Boardwalk Bingo, practice their bird calls and more.
Beach Art Workshops on Skinningrove Beach with Land Of Iron on Thurs 24 and 31 July, and Thurs 14 and 28 Aug – FREE – take part in games, challenges and creative activities to learn about flooding, climate change and how we can all stay safe. Then you’ll head down to the beach creating STEM-based artwork using stones, shells, seaweed and more that you can find on the beach!
Summer Of Play: Music Mayhem at Ormesby Hall from Thurs 24 July to Thurs 28 Aug – included with admission, £3.50 per child, £7 per adult (or free for National Trust members) – head to the marquee to compose some music on the floor pianos and get creative with the percussion instruments. Then make some more music in the courtyard with the giant xylophone and glockenspiel.
Big Science Fizzy Foam Reactions at Dorman Museum on Fri 25 July – £7.50 per child – children will have the opportunity to take part in some real ‘hands on’ science experiments. The children will make fizzy, foaming and colour changing chemical reactions in this amazing workshop.
Science Below Decks: Float Your Boat at NMRN Hartlepool on Fri 25 and Sat 26 July – included with museum entry (£11 per adult, £9 per child when booked online) – put your engineering skills to the test! Use everyday materials to design and build a boat—then see if it floats in the water tank. The level up and see if your creation can carry a load of cargo without sinking. Plus other activities!
Shanties on the Shore with the Saltburn Smugglers on Fri 25 July and Fri 8 Aug – FREE – the Saltburn Smugglers invite you to join them on the shore as they sing for their supper! Join them with your deckchair, your family and your picnic and enjoy the sun setting over Teesside!
Summer Of Play: Bust A Move at Ormesby Hall from Fri 25 July to Fri 22 Aug – included with admission, £3.50 per child, £7 per adult (or free for National Trust members) – join in with the dance drop in workshops on the lawn and learn some new moves.
Orange Pip Market on Baker and Bedford Street, Middlesbrough on Sat 26 July – FREE – an artisan market with food, drink, live music and so much more!
Stockton Pride in Wellington Square on Sat 26 July – FREE – enjoy live performances, music, a Pride market, creative workshops, family arts & crafts, a pop-up parade, and more.
Cockerton Carnival in Cockerton, Darlington on Sat 26 July – FREE – a fun-filled family day with live music, carnival rides, steam train ride, community stalls, food and drink, and more.
Summer Of Play: Game On at Ormesby Hall from Sat 26 July to Sat 22 Aug – included with admission, £3.50 per child, £7 per adult (or free for National Trust members) – drop by and take part in some team games with other families and friends. You can enjoy a game of cricket, rounders or parachute games for some sporting fun.
Family Fun Weekend at Myton House Farm, Ingleby Barwick on Sat 26 and Sun 27 July – FREE – enjoy fairground rides, police brass band, police dogs, grand craft marquee, dog show and more.
Teddy Bears Picnic at Newham Grange Farm, Middlesbrough on Sat 26 and Sun 27 July – included with admission, £5.70 per adult, £4.85 per child, free for under 2s – bring a bear and your picnic to join in! The price includes the entry to the farm too, so you can enjoy the rest of the site.
Summer Of Play: Slow Down Sundays with Kismet Yoga at Ormesby Hall from Sun 27 July to Sun 24 Aug – included with admission, £3.50 per child, £7 per adult (or free for National Trust members) – drop in with Kismet yoga for magical movement, calming breath work, and mindful fun designed just for little ones. The yoga sessions help children feel calm, confident, and connected – all while stretching, playing, and using their imaginations!
Saltburn Food Festival on Sun 27 July – FREE – a highlight in the Teesside foodie calendar! With around 120 stalls offering a delightful mix of food, drinks, and crafts, this is an event that celebrates the finest flavours and creative talents from the local area and beyond.
Pirate Story Party at The Hullabaloo on Mon 28 July – £4 per ticket – set off on a rollicking, sea-splashing journey as you dive into the pages of 10 Little Pirates in a magical, multi-sensory experience designed for little adventurers! Expect sensory play, music, movement, Makaton and merriment as you swashbuckle our way through the 30-minute session.
Seaside Crafts with S&DR 26 Miles at Hopetown Darlington on Mon 28 July – FREE – join the S&DR 26 Miles team at Hopetown Darlington for a beach-themed craft session.
Rock Pooling on Skinningrove Beach with Land Of Iron on Mon 28 July, and Mon 11 and 25 Aug – £3 per person – go on the hunt for crabs, fish, anemones and all sorts of curious sea creatures that make their home in this unique coastal habitat. With expert guidance, you’ll learn all about the incredible marine life you discover and how these creatures survive between the tides.
South Asian Heritage Festival at NMRN Hartlepool on Tues 29 July – kids go free, £11 per adult – get ready for a fantastic day full of music, dance, food and history. Families can explore HMS Trincomalee, the last remaining Royal Navy ship to be built in India, and experience South Asian culture brought to life on the historic dockside with dance classes, Henna painting and Indian cuisine. Don’t forget to stop by and try on some colourful Saris to get immersed in the vibrant atmosphere!
Forest Club at Hardwick Park on Tues 29 July and Tues 26 Aug – £8.50 per child – a hands-on experience designed to engage children with the world around them through natural and play based activities. The programme is aimed at children between two and six years of age, and each session will include a different element or skill.
Darlington Libraries Takeover Day in Darlington town centre on Wed 30 July – FREE – enjoy a fun-filled family day out as Darlington Libraries take over the town’s outdoor market square. Throughout the day, they will showcase fantastic entertainers, storytellers, illustrators, authors and more!
Winkle And Storm Pirate Adventures at STACK Middlesbrough on Wed 30 July, and Wed 6 and 20 Aug – £2.50 per child – prepare to set sail on an unforgettable adventure with a spectacular pantomime pirate show! Winkle & Storm are ready to whisk you away on a swashbuckling journey filled with laughs, fun and entertainment for the whole family!
Wacky Wednesday at Cornmill Shopping Centre, Darlington on Wed 30 July – FREE – celebrate all things seaside holidays with arts and crafts sessions to get the kids ready for a summer by the sea.
Funday Fridays at John Whitehead Park, Billingham on Fri 1, 15 and 29 Aug – FREE – head to John Whitehead Park in Billingham on Fridays throughout August for a variety of free and family-friendly activities.
Stockton International Riverside Festival across Stockton town centre from Fri 1 to Sun 3 Aug – FREE – this world renowned outdoor arts festival will be full of surprises, skill and spectacle for all the family. SIRF 25 brings together some of the finest street theatre, dance, music and arts from across the globe, with more than 140 shows taking place over the weekend for all ages.
Curious Takeover at The Hullabaloo and Darlington Hippodrome on Sat 2 Aug – FREE – you can expect storytelling, workshops, arts and crafts and so much more! A day filled with fun, free activities for all the family.
Move More Monday in Darlington town centre on Mon 4 and 18 Aug – FREE – enjoy a variety of free, fun activities to promote the benefits of keeping active. On the first Move More Monday, there will be a climbing wall and free games including mini golf and frisbee shoot out in the Market Square. The second Move More Monday (August 18) is circus-themed with performers showing off their skills throughout the day as well as arts and craft, and face painting.
Kirkleatham Owl Sanctuary Meet & Greet at Great Ayton Discovery Centre on Tues 5 Aug – £3.50 per group – Kirkleatham Owl Sanctuary’s animals will be making guest appearances at the Great Ayton Discovery Centre. Come and say hello to them!
Club Groovy: Funky Family Fest at ARC Stockton on Tues 5 Aug – £5 per person – it’s time to shine in Club Groovy’s mini music festival party. Get your glitter on and join the team in a show that promises to be jam-packed full of feel-good anthems, colour and celebration!
Colourscape at Captain Cook Birthplace Museum on Tues 5 and Wed 6 Aug – £7.75 per child, £10.50 per adult – immerse yourself in a unique and mesmerising experience that blends light, colour and music. Explore a mesmerising labyrinth of colour and space. Wander through beautiful tunnels of radiant colour and discover musicians and dancers in a unique journey of the senses.
Pioneers: Nature’s Aviators at NMRN Hartlepool on Tues 5, 12, 19 and 26 Aug – included with museum entry (£11 per adult, £9 per child when booked online) – join Zoolab every Tuesday for thrilling 45-minute shows at 11am, 12pm, and 1pm. Meet incredible creatures like snakes, tarantulas, giant snails, cockroaches, frogs, rats, and scorpions up close—and uncover the surprising ways animals “fly” compared to human aircraft!
Pirate Play at The Hullabaloo on Tues 5 Aug to Wed 17 Sept – FREE – join the crew in the new Pirate Play, held in the theatre space at The Hullabaloo! There’s a giant deconstructed pirate ship with endless opportunities for play.
Wacky Wednesday at Cornmill Shopping Centre, Darlington on Wed 6 Aug – FREE – experience magic and wonder with live magic performances and other activities.
Family Workshop at Creative Village CIC, Stockton on Wed 6 Aug – £10 per person – using air drying clay, you will make small sculptures in any theme you wish. Children love characters, mini houses, animals, bug hotels and more! Just take your child and their big imagination(s) to this workshop to spend a morning creating with clay!
A Celebration of Stitch at STACK Middlesbrough on Thurs 7 Aug – £2.50 per child – head down to STACK for a fun-filled event packed with Hawaiian themed dancing, interactive stage games, and a special meet and greet with everyone’s favourite blue alien!
Pioneers: Gassed Up Science Shows at NMRN Hartlepool on Thurs 7, 14, 21 and 28 Aug – included with museum entry (£11 per adult, £9 per child when booked online) – explosive live science shows where you’ll witness the raw power of combustion, the secrets of jet thrust, and the science that makes the impossible take flight. Feel the roar of jet engines—and get up close with our museum’s legendary engine collection, including marvels that changed aviation history!
Big Science Physics and Chemistry at Hopetown Darlington on Fri 8 Aug – £4 per child – there are experiments galore to partake in during these immersive scientific sessions – from making and enjoying your very own sherbet to crafting hovercrafts and making them fly – plus much more!
Create An Insect Workshop at Dorman Museum on Fri 8 Aug – FREE – using paper, scissors and a dollop of imagination, help to fill a Cardboard Pop-Up Museum with insects before it tours Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland this Autumn. Whether it’s a giant glitter butterfly or a peaceful paper moth, these creations will all become part of the exhibition.
Sedgefield Show on Sat 9 Aug – £8.50 per adult, £4.50 per child, free for under 5s – an agricultural show with animals, machinery, handicrafts and so much more, plus fairground rides and food.
Sonic Weekend at Newham Grange Farm, Middlesbrough on Sat 9 and Sun 10 Aug – included with admission, £5.70 per adult, £4.85 per child, free for under 2s – head to the farm to meet everyone’s favourite blue hedgehog and enjoy the rest of the site.
Billingham International Folklore Festival’s 60th Anniversary from Sat 9 to Sun 17 Aug – price varies from FREE and pay what you decide to £15 – an exciting programme of concerts, events, workshops and activities over the 9 days of the festival. If you enjoy dance, music and meeting people from all over the world then this festival is for YOU!
Pride Picnic at Hopetown Darlington on Sun 10 Aug – FREE – Hopetown’s luscious outdoor spaces are the perfect location for a relaxed, family-friendly pride picnic with crafts, face painting, live music by Tracks Darlington, bubbles and storytelling.
Pirate Takeover Day at Captain Cook Birthplace Museum on Tues 12 Aug – FREE with museum entry, £4.80 per adult, £3.75 per child, free for under 3s – join the interactive pirate trail and take part in the swashbuckling activities throughout the galleries, meet pirate friends and take part in their fun challenges.
Billingham Folklore International Dancers in Darlington town centre on Tues 12 Aug – FREE – bringing dance and music to Darlington! Spectacular performances on the big stage from world dancers as part of the International Billingham Folklore Dance Festival 2025.
Wacky Wednesday at Cornmill Shopping Centre, Darlington on Wed 13 Aug – FREE – create your own magic themed arts and crafts to take home and practice on your family!
Family Workshop at Creative Village CIC, Stockton on Wed 13 Aug – £10 per person – using a rainbow of colours, you will each paint a terracotta plant pot in any design you wish. You may draw on your pot in pencil first until you’re happy with your design before using masonry paint to add colour. You will then fill your pot with soil and add seeds.
Making Sense Together in Darlington town centre on Thurs 14 Aug – FREE – a community day to raise awareness and support people with learning disabilities or autism, promoting inclusivity for all. Activities include face painting, printing, animal encounters, bubbles, nature-themed crafts and more.
Ice Extravaganza at STACK Middlesbrough on Thurs 14 Aug – £2.50 per child – get ready to sing and dance along at STACK for a fun-filled morning with laughs, fun, and entertainment for the whole family, all themed around Frozen.
Dino Day at Dorman Museum on Fri 15 Aug – £3 per person – join Dorman Museum’s team of intrepid Jurassic explorers and take part in some roar-some dinosaur activities! Meet Pete the T-Rex and the baby dinosaurs, take part in our Jurras-tic family craft and handle real dinosaur fossils along the way.
Middlesbrough Mela in Albert Park on Sat 16 and Sun 17 Aug – FREE – the Middlesbrough Mela will host a mega weekender in Albert Park to mark their 35 year milestone. The family-friendly festival is now the UK’s longest running Mela and is renowned for celebrating culture, music and diversity.
Family Music Day at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Mon 18 – £4.50 per person – drop in to any workshop you like, then get involved with the participatory concert with lots of singing and dancing to close the day. Activities include musical crafting, fusion drumming and iPad music composing.
S&DR26miles Family Day in Darlington town centre on Tues 19 Aug – FREE – join the Stockton and Darlington Railways team to explore the history of the railway in the North East! With family crafts, activities and STEM workshops hosted by organisations and partners including Preston Park Museum and Grounds, Hopetown, Locomotion and the Friends of Stockton and Darlington Railway and the 26 Miles team.
Wacky Wednesday at Cornmill Shopping Centre, Darlington on Wed 20 Aug – FREE – enter a world of fantasy, magic and fairy tales with legends and fairy tales themed arts, crafts and activities.
A Superhero Takeover at STACK Middlesbrough on Thurs 21 Aug – £2.50 per child – enjoy an action-packed afternoon as your favourite superheroes take over the stage at STACK! Join them for an epic family event filled with high-energy interactive fun that will have everyone big and small getting involved.
Fairy Tales & Legends Day in Darlington town centre on Thurs 21 Aug – FREE – by royal command, you are invited to be part of Fairy Tales & Legends Day. Please feel free to dress to impress! Market Square activities and play from 11am – 3pm.
Family Workshop at Creative Village CIC, Stockton on Thurs 21 Aug – £10 per person – choosing from a rainbow of colours, you will use polymer clay to sculpt, roll, join and marble to create your desired colour and shape. You can make keyrings, cord necklaces, earrings and bracelets within this workshop.
Daytime Roller Disco at Stockton Globe from Thurs 21 to Sat 23 Aug – £9 per ticket – get your skates on for a family fun roller disco at the Globe! Take to the roller rink in the iconic art deco auditorium and skate to your favourite tunes.
Darlington British Produce Festival in the town centre on Sat 23 and Sun 24 Aug – FREE – a festival to celebrate local producers with great food and live music.
Between The Tides Festival in Redcar on Sat 23 and Sun 24 Aug – FREE – Between the Tides is Redcar’s free outdoor festival for children, young people and their families featuring an exciting programme of street theatre, puppetry, circus, dance, storytelling, music and more.
Wacky Wednesday at Cornmill Shopping Centre, Darlington on Wed 27 Aug – FREE – create ROOAAARsome dinosaur themed arts and crafts as the dinosaurs roam Darlington town centre.
Family Workshop at Creative Village CIC, Stockton on Wed 27 Aug – £10 per person – using recycled materials, you will create your own animal to take home with you. Just take your child/family and their big imagination(s) to this workshop to spend a morning creating with cardboard, cartons, bottles, lids, fabric and much more!
Dinosaur Day in Darlington town centre on Thurs 28 Aug – FREE – Step back in time and come face-to-face with the giants of the prehistoric world with Wild West Dino Discovery. Their Portable Dinosaur Exhibition is roaring into town, bringing life-sized, jaw-dropping dinosaurs right to your doorstep. Touch real fossils, snap epic selfies with a T-Rex, and uncover the secrets of the Mesozoic era!
Pioneer Discovery Days at NMRN Hartlepool on Thurs 28 and Fri 29 Aug – included with museum entry (£11 per adult, £9 per child when booked online) – from building and racing mini ships, decoding maritime signals and experimenting with early navigation tools, every activity is designed to spark curiosity and encourage participants to think like true pioneers. Creative zones will inspire young minds to design their own naval inventions, while storytelling sessions and live re-enactments will immerse guests in key moments of naval innovation.
Big Science: Superb Slime at Dorman Museum on Sat 30 Aug – £7.50 per child – make your own pot of slime to take home! While making the slime, you’ll explore solids, liquids and non-Newtonian fluids in this sensationally slimy science workshop. Make some magic when you carry out three science experiments, and enjoy some amazing Big Science demonstrations!
STEAM to the Future at Hopetown Darlington until Sun 5 Oct – FREE – a family-friendly exhibition that looks at steam as a source of power and wonders how the future of rail travel looks.
There are so many fabulous free and low cost events happening across Teesside for the summer holidays. How will you be spending the school holidays and which of these events will you be going along to?
