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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
Little Drivers play session - At the car wash
18th July
Ferndale Baptist Church, Southend
The Destination Lakeside Summer beach
(FREE)
18th July
- 31st August
Destination Lakeside, Thurrock
Summer Festival at Audley End Miniature Railway
19th July
- 31st August
Audley End Miniature Railway, Saffrom Warden
Rangers and Raptors
19th July
- 31st August
Call of the Wild Zoo, South Woodham Ferrers
Summer holiday fun at RHS Garden Hyde Hall
19th July
- 31st August
RHS Hyde Hall, Chelmsford
My Pet Pals workshops
(FREE)
19th July
- 31st August
Pets at Home, Rochford Road, Southend
Bugs and butterfly summer trail - FREE
(FREE)
19th July
- 31st August
Hadleigh Country Park, Hadleigh
Summer at Barleylands
19th July
- 31st August
Barleylands Farm, Billericay
Nuclear Fit Storm
19th July
Nuclear Event Village, Brentwood
Nuclear Fit
19th July
Nuclear Races Event Village, Brentwood
Little Drivers play session - At the car wash
18th July
Ferndale Baptist Church, Southend
Little Drivers play session - At the car wash
21st July
ST ANDREWS CHURCH HALL, Shoebury
Forest School Nature drop-in session
21st July
Trust Links Shoeburyness, Southend-On-Sea
Kids activities at Phab Life - Paint your pot
21st July
The Phabulous Cafe, Leigh-On-Sea
Emergency Services day
(FREE)
23rd July
Jubilee beach, Southend-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 Fete
(FREE)
26th July
Kingsclere Court, Westcliff-on-Sea
Forest School Nature drop-in session
28th July
Trust Links Shoeburyness, Southend-On-Sea
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
Southend pier puppet festival
1st August
- 3rd August
Southend Pier (Pier head), Southend On Sea
The Meadowlark Music Festival
(FREE)
2nd August
The Meadowlark Pub, Shoeburyness
Shaun the sheep - Outdoor Cinema at the Big Screen
(FREE)
2nd August
The Forum / Focal Point Gallery, Southend-On-Sea
Summer craft event
(FREE)
2nd August
The Forum, Southend-on-Sea
Anglo Saxon Weekend
2nd August
- 3rd August
Prittlewell Priory, Southend on Sea
Big Bluey messy party
4th August
St James Church, Leigh-On-Sea
Forest School Nature drop-in session
4th August
Trust Links Shoeburyness, Southend-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
Migration- Outdoor Cinema at the Big Screen
(FREE)
9th August
The Forum / Focal Point Gallery, Southend-On-Sea
Little Drivers play session - At the car wash
9th August
LifeStreams @ St. Peter's Church, Southend
Little Drivers play session - At the car wash
11th August
ST ANDREWS CHURCH HALL, Shoebury
Forest School Nature drop-in session
11th August
Trust Links Shoeburyness, Southend-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
Little Drivers play session - At the car wash
15th August
Ferndale Baptist Church, Southend
Paddington - Outdoor Cinema at the Big Screen
(FREE)
16th August
The Forum / Focal Point Gallery, Southend-On-Sea
Forest School Nature drop-in session
18th August
Trust Links Shoeburyness, Southend-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
The Wild Robot - Outdoor Cinema at the Big Screen
(FREE)
23rd August
The Forum / Focal Point Gallery, Southend-On-Sea
Forest School Nature drop-in session
25th August
Trust Links Shoeburyness, Southend-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
Emergency Services day
(FREE)
27th August
Jubilee beach, Southend-On-Sea
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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