Things to make & do

Harriet and Anne Coates attended the VIP opening of the Paradox Museum in Knightsbridge, London and recommend the experience.

Leading wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation is today calling on people across the UK to take part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count (12 July to 4 August) and help scientists understand how climate change is moving butterflies. Find out how to join in the Big Butterfly Count.

Ai WeiWei has collected "things’" both ancient and  contemporary from China, scouring flea markets, rescuing derelict buildings and more for the priceless, valueless, functional, broken, decorative, mass produced, artisan made but all reconfigured for a new audience. Angela Woods highly recommends a visit to the exhibition at the Design Museum.

This October half term, Imperial War Museums (IWM) invites visitors to enjoy a range of free family activities full of stories to inspire. Visitors can uncover the secrets of camouflage with Camouflage, Dazzle and Disguise, season of activity at IWM London and IWM North packed with trails, crafts and performances. Families are also invited to speak to eyewitnesses to conflict and travel back in time to 1944 at IWM Duxford and HMS Belfast.

Enhance a day out or a holiday in the UK by taking part in a Treasure Trail. Great fun for family and friends and you try to find the clues and solve the mystery as Harriet and Anne Coates discovered in Weymouth Harbour and Dorchester.

A fun way to explore this lovely seaside town and solve the crime of Margate's Missing Masterpiece. The Coates family donned their deerstalkers to solve the mystery.

Marwell Zoo will reopen on Wednesday 2 December and its Chief Executive has urged families to support their vital conservation work by visiting the Hampshire wildlife park this Christmas. 

Exploring the great outdoors together is sure to be a much-cherished bonding experience for you and your family. But what if you would like to cover more ground than the typical family walk, or get more exercise out of the day? Well, a family bike ride is a great way to go! It gives many outings a bit of an extra kick and a more stimulating sense of adventure, writes Emily Roberts.

Perfectly timed for the half term holidays and greater restrictions on our lives during the pandemic, comes Claire Balkind's Great Family Days In, reviewed by Anne Coates.

With Halloween just around the corner, why not change things up this year and get baking treats that the whole family will love to stay in for. Created in partnership with @feedingthegram and made with naturally sweet Yacon Viva's Yacon Syrup and Cacao Nibs, these vegan Salted Caramel Cookies are the perfect alternative to sweets this year.

To celebrate 80 years of inspiring children to dream big in 2020 with a variety of activities, initiatives and publishing, including the release of The Puffin Book of Big Dreams, available from 3 September Puffin has put together some activity sheets that are free to download.

Andy's Rock Star Training Camp is offering a free pack of summer activities to help ensure children stay creative, while having a bit of fun!