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This is your one-stop site for everything you need to know about living in Southend with children.
Kickstart your summer holiday organisation with our downloadable planner sheet!
We've started adding lots of events to our What's On page for the summer holidays and with so much to chose from already you might find our downloadable summer holiday planner useful.
Thanks to our very talented colleague Jane at Mum's guide to Romford who put this together and kindly made a Southend version for us to share with you. We know that many of you found it really useful last year because we've already had requests for it!
π¨οΈ Print
π and check out our 'What's On page' and 'Things to do' to start filling it in.
We will of course keep adding more events and activities to the website as we hear about them, so do keep checking back.
A great day out for every summer is fruit picking and it's fun for the whole family. We don't have many farms that you can pick your own near Southend unfortunately, but we've pulled together the closest. Always check before travelling what and if/what fruit is available, depending on how much has been picked the day before. Most PYO farms require you to book before visiting.
Click here to find out more about these PYO farms
π Hilltop Farm - Benfleet, SS7 1PH (Approximately 15 - 20 minutes from Southend)
π Lathcoats Farm - Great Baddow, Chelmsford. CM2 8LX (approximately 30 minutes from Southend)
πLittle Mountains Farm (approximately 45-50 minutes from Southend)
π Cammas Hall Farm - Hatfield Broad Oak. CM22 7JT (approximately 50 minutes from Southend)
π Foxes Farm Produce - Colchester. CO6 3PR (approximately 1 hour from Southend)
π McLauchlans of Boxted - Boxted Berries - CO4 5RB (approximately 1 hour from Southend)
Is fruit picking on your list this summer? If you go somewhere new, tell us about it here
The Summer Reading Challenge is free and runs from Thursday 24 July to Saturday 30 August. You can join in at any of Southend's 6 libraries.
π³This year's theme is Story Garden - Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors. It will help children use their imagination by reading stories and learning how nature and storytelling go together in a fun and magical way.
How it works
Join the challenge at any of our libraries from 12 July (or at any time during the challenge).
Borrow books you like and read them at home.
Come back to the library and tell us about the books you read. You will get a collector's card and a sticker for each one.
Keep collecting rewards as you read more books.
The rewards are as follows:
Read 3 books - you will get a bookmark
Read 6 books - you will get: A medal
A certificate
A chance to win prizes like tickets from:
Caddies
Adventure Island
Southend Theatres (Pantomime)
Southend United Football Club
Children under 4 can join the mini challenge. It is a simpler challenge where you read or share 6 books with a grown.
Nuclear Splash
28th May
- 2nd September
Wild Forest, Kelvedon Hatch, Brentwood
Waddle On Sea
(FREE)
11th July
- 3rd September
Southend-On/Sea, Southend centre, Shoeburyness and Leigh
Oasis Space - Free Pop-Up Cafe, craft activities and toys
(FREE)
12th July
St Mary the Virgin, Church Hall North Shoebury, Shoeburyness
Free family open day
(FREE)
12th July
Waterside Farm Leisure Centre, Canvey Island
Oasis Space - Free Pop-Up Cafe, craft activities and toys
(FREE)
12th July
St Mary the Virgin, Church Hall North Shoebury, Shoeburyness
Kids activities at Phab Life - Paint your pot
21st July
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Paint your pot
23rd July
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Summer Fayre
(FREE)
24th July
Trust Links Shoeburyness, Southend-On-Sea
End of term picnic at The Hive
24th July
The Hive, Southend-On-Sea
Mad Science
(FREE)
25th July
Leigh Community centre, Leigh on sea
Annual Moofest party
25th July
St James Church, Leigh-On-Sea
Feel Good Festival Southend
(FREE)
26th July
Garon Park, Southend
Summer Fun Day
28th July
Holy Trinity Church, Church Hall and Garden, Southchurch
Wild Science event
28th July
Leigh Community centre, Leigh on sea
Summer fun day
28th July
Holy Trinity Southchurch, Southend-On-Sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Biscuit bling
28th July
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Biscuit bling
30th July
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Big Bluey messy party
30th July
St James Church, Leigh-On-Sea
The Meadowlark Music Festival
(FREE)
2nd August
The Meadowlark Pub, Shoeburyness
Anglo Saxon Weekend
2nd August
- 3rd August
Prittlewell Priory, Southend on Sea
Big Bluey messy party
4th August
St James Church, Leigh-On-Sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Egg box animal portraits
4th August
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Penguin Workshop
5th August
Leigh Community centre, Leigh on sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Egg box animal portraits
6th August
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Art ministry event
7th August
Leigh Community centre, Leigh on sea
Summer Fun Day @ Holy Trinity Southchurch
11th August
Holy Trinity Church, Church Hall and Garden, Southchurch
Summer fun day
11th August
Holy Trinity Southchurch, Southend-On-Sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Magnetic masterpieces
11th August
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Magnetic masterpieces
13th August
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Little Drivers MARIO SPECIAL
14th August
St Michaels and All Angels, Leigh-On-Sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Wacky cone cakes
18th August
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Pizza party with stitch
19th August
Grumpy's Diner, Southend
Circus workshop
19th August
Leigh Community centre, Leigh on sea
Summer Community event
20th August
Wellbeing Garon Park, Southend
Kids activities at Phab Life - Wacky cone cakes
20th August
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Terry's magic show
21st August
Leigh Community centre, Leigh on sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Pizza making
25th August
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
EcoFest @ St Mary's North Shoebury
(FREE)
26th August
St Mary the Virgin, Church Hall North Shoebury, Shoeburyness
Kids activities at Phab Life - Pizza making
27th August
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Art ministry event - Pirate theme
28th August
Leigh Community centre, Leigh on sea
Taste Of The Caribbean Food and Drink Festival - Southend
6th September
Priory Park, Southend-on-sea
Here's the latest recommendations from our visitors and followers. Click on the business name to find out more. If you'd like to add a recommendation for a business or organisation search for their listing here on the site and click on the Leave a recommendation button.
"What a fantastic party we had for my 11 year old daughter. She actually went to another Sketchy Art party a few months earlier, and when I collected her she came out beaming and said "Mum, this is definitely what I would like for my birthday!'. Sure enough - we did and it was perfect. Her friends all loved it - being creative and expressing their individuality through their artworks/bags - whilst listening to their favourite music. Brilliant set up and the time whizzed by. Thanks so much Farida and Co at Sketchy Art x"
Why not browse through some of the listings we have recently added to the site...
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