On this page you'll find activities and workshops from our arts, culture and heritage partners in these categories:
There’s also
If you're aged 16-24 take a look at the Connecting Notts website.
Here's the link to the latest Parents Newsletter covering the school holidays and new term.
Find out about events, workshops and classes for children and young people from Nottingham’s arts, cultural and heritage organisations straight to your inbox. Sign up to receive the bi-monthly newsletter below. Read the first issue here.
YCA is now open for applications. Ages 11-24.
Entrants need to live, study, or work in Nottingham. Entries can be made as an individual, as a group, or as a class, study group or club and they can enter one or more of the eleven categories. The three age ranges are 11–15, 16–18 and 19–24-year-olds. The 11 categories are Animation and Digital Media, Creative Writing, Dance, Design and Architecture, Fashion and Textiles, Film, Graphic Design, Music, Photography, Theatre and Arts. Deadline 25 April.
Ages 5+. 5-14 April
Explore the wonderful world of robots at Broadway, take part in workshops, build a scribblebot, meet various robots and visit NED, the Never-Ending Dancer, in the Gallery space. NED, is a robotic contraption inspired by the circus. Created by immersive and sensory experience designers Makers of Imaginary Worlds, NED is inquisitive and excited to play and dance with anyone in its sight. Find out more or book here.
From Saturday 2 until Sunday 24 April Find the hidden facts around the historic gaol to solve the Easter Trail and earn yourself a prize! Ask at reception for your card on entry. Find out more.
National Justice Museum and City of Caves Joint tickets
All ages. Visit the historic National Justice Museum and explore the extraordinary underground wonders at the City of Caves. Joint tickets are available to purchase online or either venue. Find out more.
Wollaton Walled Garden, Tuesday 12 April. 1.00-2.30 pm. £15 for one child and accompanying adult.
Try an afternoon of Stone Age survival in Wollaton’s Walled Garden. Build shelters, use a bow saw to make beads, learn about foraged food, and create your own cave art. You’ll also be able to handle Stone Age tools and learn about pre-historic life in our outdoor learning space. This session takes place outdoors in our wooded area, please wear suitable clothes and shoes. Meet at Wollaton Hall 508 Café (by the playground) at 12.45pm. Book tickets and find out more.
Ages 5-10. 9-11 April, 10am–11.30am and 1.30pm–3pm. £9.95 per person.
Journey back to Victorian Nottingham and solve the case of the escaped prisoner! This family-friendly activity takes place in the Victorian streets of our Narrow marsh museum experience. You will become one of the different families living in the slum and help our detective search for an escaped convict before he commits another crime. Once you’ve finished gathering your evidence, you will be escorted to the Grand Courtroom to go through your findings and solve the case! Find out more.
All ages. Wednesday 6 and 13 April, Ronald Street Playground, Radford. Free.
Explore colour and pattern, build shapes and structures and play games. These fun workshops are part of Build Create Play - a project working with local families and young people around Ronald Street Playground, to help shape the future of the playground as it is developed by Nottingham City Council. . For more information visit the website.
Ages 7+. Garden Room, Newstead Abbey, Tuesday 5 April, 1.00-2.30 pm. £15 for one child and accompanying adult
A practical silk painting workshop inspired by the Japanese Room created by Ethel Webb at Newstead Abbey in 1892. Explore Japanese design and objects, make a mini sketchbook to fill with your drawings and use these to design and create a beautiful silk painting to take home. Find out more and book, or book in the Newstead Abbey shop
Learning Studio at Wollaton Hall.
Ages 6+ £10 per child, Under 3’s Free, Adults go free (maximum of two adults per family group)
Become a Palaeontologist workshop
Wednesday 6 April, 1.00-2.00pm and 2.15-3.15pm Find out how real palaeontologists find fossils, go on a dig and see if you can find some yourself. .
Become a Paleo-artist workshop Wednesday 13 April. 1.00-2.00pm and 2.15-3.15pm. Use Science to create your own dinosaur art work with Palaeo-artist Jed Taylor and Learning.
Free Resources: Part of Our Silver City, 2094 Gallery visits and Artist workshops, until 18 May. Free.
A new resource for families to get you out and about in the city, exploring positive action for change. Available to pick up at the gallery, to download, or can be posted out to you. Find out more.
Free. The Small Steps Big Changes (SSBC) Ideas Fund offers local community groups and organisations funding to test new and existing ideas for expectant parents and children aged 0-4 years in SSBC wards (Aspley, Bulwell, Hyson Green, St Ann’s and Arboretum) to grow happy, healthy and confident! Find out more about joining in with the groups and the Ideas Fund. All sessions are free for residents of the named areas.
• City Arts: Early Years Family Festival
• Education FC: Grow Together
• Freedom Foundation: Funky Tots
• Ignite Futures: Curious Tots
• Makers of Imaginary Worlds: Outdoor Adventures - an exploration of nature, arts and wellbeing
• Shifting Your Mindset: Nurturing Fatherhood Project
• Sisters of Noor: Boogie Mites
• Windmill Community Gardens: Outdoor Fun for the Under 4's
• The Toy Library: Twigglets
• St Ann’s Allotment: New Shoots
• Framework: Pregnancy Yoga
• Literacy Volunteer’s: Learning to Love Books
• Belong Nottingham: For Pre and Ante-natal ESOL for migrant mums
Find out more about all the projects.
Ages: 0-5. Free.
Download the EasyPeasy app today and get thousands of tips and activities to try with your 0-5 year old! Parents can enter the age of their child and topics of interest to get content tailored to their needs and tackle specific problem areas. For more information and to download, visit the Small Steps Big Changes (SSBC) website.
Places available this Autumn 2021 :
There are plenty of free bursary places available for each of these programmes. Email to find out more.
Ages 8-11 11.30am-1pm
Lit Theatre Company is excited to welcome new members to join its youth theatre. Weekly workshops include a mix of theatre practices to develop skills, promote creativity and make friends. 12 weeks bookings cost £55 (one week free) Visit the website to find our more and book or email.
Younger YARD Ages 8-12 years Tuesdays 4.15-6.15pm. Term Time. Free. Develop confidence, communication and creative skills through games, story-making, and drama exercises. As well as making new friends, they explore new ways to express themselves and share their own stories. Sessions are safe, fun and stimulate the senses!
Older YARD Ages 12-18 12-18. Wednesdays 5.15-7.15pm. Term Time. Free. Develop performance skills, explore different styles and devise their own work. Working closely and collaboratively they explore the issues that matter to them and develop their own style as performers and theatre-makers. They create exciting, thought-provoking, and original work..
FREE and open to all, we welcome new members, come along and try a session anytime. To find out more contact.
Nonsuch Studios from 19 April until 28 July
Advanced Young Company: Ages 12-15. Thursdays, 5.30-7.00pm. £9.00 per week.
Senior Young Company: Ages 8-11. Saturdays 11.15am-12.45pm. £8.00 per week or £80 per term.
Junior Young Company: Ages 5-7. Thursdays 3.30-4.15pm, Saturdays 10.00-11.00am. £7.00 per week or £70 per term.
Little Creators: Ages 2-4. Thursdays 9.00am-9.45am, Saturdays 9.00-9.45am. £6.00 per week or £60.00 per term. Have fun trying out a broad range of high-energy drama, dance, musical theatre, singing, improv and acting exercises that are both fun and challenging. NYC sessions are all about creating together, building confidence, developing skills and having fun. Find out more.
Nonsuch Young Performer Training Company
Ages 16-25. Tuesdays 6.00-8.00pm, £100.00 per 10-week term. NYPT Summer Auditions, 7 April 6.00-8.00pm. Free. Designed to provide the best professional training to kick-start the development of those aiming for careers in performance. Find out more.
Nottingham Music Hub: Robin Hood Youth Orchestra (RHYO)
Ages 11-19. Saturdays 9am-1pm, Nottingham City centre
RHYO plays a diverse range of music from classical to film to jazz. For 11-19 year olds in Nottingham City who can play their instruments to around Grade 4+. They rehearse once a week on Saturdays in the city centre (currently at the Nottingham Cathedral). The annual fee is £48 for pupils living within Nottingham City boundaries, £90 for pupils living in the county and £11 for young people eligible for pupil premium. For more information visit the NMH website.
Nottingham Music Hub: RHYO InterConnect
A great place to meet new people, make friends and become a better musician. Young people get performance opportunities throughout the year and the chance to work with professional musicians.
Strings Folk Connect
For pupils who play the violin, viola and/or cello and can play around Grade 1+ Level. The group will meet once a week on Monday, 4.30-5.30pm.
Guitar Connect
For pupils who play the acoustic guitar at around Grade 1+ Level. The group will meet once a week on Wednesday, 4.30-5.30pm.
Salsa Jazz Connect
For pupils who play brass and woodwind instruments at around Grade 1+ Level. The group will meet once a week on Fridays, 4.30-5.30pm.
For young people living or studying in the city, the annual cost of joining any music hub ensemble will be £54 (£15 concessions). Please note that you only have to pay one annual fee but can be part of more than one Music Hub ensemble. For young people living AND studying in the county, please note that the annual cost of joining a music hub ensemble is £110. For more information visit the NMH website.
Ages 8-14. Wednesday, term-time, 4.00-4.55pm. Nottingham Playhouse
A new, fun and exciting vocal group that provides opportunities to learn from professional musicians through workshops, competitions and concerts. The group will have both online and live rehearsals. Enrol here.
Ages 13-16. Launching in November, Saturdays 10am-1pm, term-time. Free.
Members will try their hand at a variety of different art forms in our free weekly workshops and masterclasses with professional artists. With access to Nottingham Trent University’s excellent Art and Design facilities, they’ll make new friends, and have the opportunity to exhibit their artwork nationally! The club also looks great on their CV if they decide to apply to college or university later on. The club is run in partnership with Nottingham Trent University and the National Saturday Club. To find out more please email.
Ages 15-25. Nottingham Contemporary
1525 Collective are looking for new members to join them. 1525, are a group of young creatives who gather regularly at Nottingham Contemporary. They strive to be a proactive collective sharing resources, discussing ideas, and mutually supporting each other’s creative interests. More information can be found on the website.
All ages. Play and Learn: In Gallery, at Home, and Outside! Join the family workshops at Nottingham Contemporary or enjoy the activities on the website to keep you busy at home and outside. You can use objects from around the home and for others you might need a few art materials. Free material packs are available for collection from the reception in Nottingham Contemporary, or they can post them out to you! Please email for free material packs.
Tuesdays 4.00-6.00pm. Free.
Are you aged 8 to 11 years? Do you love art and design? Would you like to take part in painting, photography, model making and many other creative activities, every week? You will be virtually visiting the exhibitions at New Art Exchange, finding out about artists and making your own art, with the option to work towards your Explore Arts Award. To book your place please email.
Wednesdays, 5.00-7.00pm. Free.
Calling all 12-16 year olds! This art club is for your OWN art, your OWN style, your OWN ideas! Led by artist Shamila Chady you will be learning art and design skills and taking inspiration from the amazing exhibitions at New Art Exchange. You will also have the chance to work towards your Bronze Arts Award which includes the opportunity to display your OWN artwork. Email to book your place.
Ages 5-11
When puzzling postcards start arriving through your letterbox asking for help, only you can crack the code and figure out who the mystery writer is. Following a successful postcard drama format, New Perspectives' latest series, Fair Play, is a six-part postcard adventure for families with children aged 5-11 to enjoy together. Plus there's a QR code on each postcard to download with an activity sheet to explore a variety of creative challenges. For more details and book please email.
All Ages
The Rainbow Library is a pioneering initiative to make more books for young readers that include LGBTQ+ identities and experiences. In summer 2023, they’ll publish eight LGBTQ+ inclusive titles for young readers of all ages, including picture books, fiction and nonfiction, poetry and comics. These books will be developed through consultations with LGBTQ+ young people in Nottingham. The aim is to get these books into every school and library in the UK and Ireland. If you’re interested in supporting the project get in touch by email.
All ages.
Nottingham City Libraries have a wealth of resources and activities for children and their families. The brand new website makes it easy to find information about libraries, resources, book recommendations, events and more. Whether you are looking for stories and rhymes for little ones, code clubs, after school home work sessions or holiday activities, it’s all covered. You can find out more by signing up to our e-newsletter on the webpage.
In response to parents and carers asking for information on Phonics, Read On Nottingham volunteer Literacy Champions, Mehnaz and Dee, have recorded a video showing how to make the sounds that children are learning at school. Please share the video with any parents and carers that might find it useful.
Little Movers - Dance4
Ages 0-5. Two Fridays per month, 10-11am, online via zoom
Join Oksana Tyminska for Little Movers fun, creative movement sessions for 0 to 5 year olds and their adults. Booking is essential. Visit the website to find out more.
Jump Start – Dance4
Ages 7-11. 4.15pm – 5.15pm each Monday during term time.
Creative dance experiences to enthuse and excite children to get involved in dance and develop new skills. Cost per session is £3/£1.50 (concessions for those living in or attending primary schools in Sneinton and St Ann’s). Find out more on the website.
Monday-Friday after school, across Nottinghamshire.
The Pythian Club (TPC) offer a comprehensive timetable of after school activities taking place at venues across Nottinghamshire. TPC aspire to support the development of our young people by progressing them onto further initiatives such as a coaching opportunities, young leader’s academy, vocational courses and/or employment opportunities. For more details visit the website or email.
Ages 8+
The Creating Connections learning activities have been designed by NAE Associate Artists Shamila Chady and Elaine Winter for use at home or school. Creating Connections is designed to help young people make positive connections with others their age where there is a feeling of disconnection due to cultural and other differences. Download the activity pack.
Ages 11-14 Saturdays and 15-19 Wednesdays at Base 51
LGBTQ+ group - a safe space for young people to express themselves and make friends and join in with a wide range of activities. Book spaces through the Base51 website.
Ages 11-25. open Monday-Friday, 3.30-8pm, Saturday 1-3pm.
Base 51 is a safe and welcoming place for Nottingham's Young People. Facilities include a gym, a dance studio, kitchen, bouldering wall, table tennis, computers, games, arts and crafts and much more. They also run LGBTQIA+ youth groups, a young women’s group, podcast sessions, young leaders program, art sessions and many other youth projects. One-to-one support as well as a counselling service and C-Card pick up are also offered. Find out more on the website.
All ages. Thursday 24 February, 5.30pm–9pm. Free, booking essential.
For one night only, physicists from Nottingham Trent University are taking over Nottingham Castle. Academics and students will demonstrate a wide range of experiments that show the wonders of physics. Everyone with a curious mind is invited to come and take part, to learn, to think differently, and to have lots of fun. Find out more and book.
Broadway: BFI Film Academy activity for 16-25's Illustrated talks for 16-25s exploring the world of film, followed by a film screening. Find out more about the Midday Movie Masterclass + Screening season.
Broadway: Monthly Ticket Tombola Broadway invites film lovers aged 16-25 to enter the monthly Ticket Tombola to see a film and Q&A for free. Enter at Ticket Tombola.
The Change Makers Initiative in partnership with The Burns Price Foundation supports young people under the age of 19 from across the UK, with grants of £100 each to work on grass roots level ideas with art and science at the core of the social action project. Find out more on the website.
Ages 14 years+ first Thursday of each month 5pm-6.30pm. Free.
An exciting arts and activism programme organised by, and for, young people. Be part of a small and dedicated team and learn all aspects of event production. You will produce events and opportunities you want to see for young people in your city. All specialist skills and training are provided. To get involved or find out more please email.
Ages 12-17 Fridays, 5-7pm. Ages 8-11 Wednesdays, 5-7pm.
Join in with Football, Table Tennis, Basketball, Pool, Music and Board Games. Find out more on the CRS website.
From Tuesday 1 June. 10.30-12noon and 1pm-2.30pm £4 per child. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Meet some of Wollaton’s magnificent trees, learn to identify them and take a closer look at their leaves, flowers, bark and seeds as well as the animal life that lives on and around them. Contact Wollaton Hall to find out more.
The Next Gen Platform is an online hub for young people to access a range of workshops and seminars, covering various subjects such as mental health, business and social media marketing. Regular workshops include:
Nottingham Inspired - Mondays 6pm-7pm
Social Media Marketing - Tuesdays 6pm-7pm
CV and Cover Letter Writing - Wednesdays 5.30pm-6.30pm
DJ Classes – Every Thursday 5pm–6pm
Next Gen Monthly Focus Group
We're pleased to bring you the second edition of our free creative activities pack designed for Nottingham’s children and young people. It’s filled with over 40 engaging and fun activities created by 20 of Nottingham’s arts organisations. Read the online version here on issuu or download the pdf here - with all the embedded hyperlinks to videos, music and further activity sheets or download the PDF Print version (without embedded links).
Take part in creative online tutorials and workshops, just for fun or to learn a new skill. Make sure to share your creations on social media and use #challengenottm and we'll share them on our social media
Here's a great list of free literary activities, downloadable books and read-alouds by famous authors.
Dance and Fitness are a great way to improve physical and mental health. Here's a selection of activities for children to try at home.
Learn how to play an instruments or enjoy performances by local artists, all from the comfort of your own home.
Get out into the garden or stay indoors to learn about nature and gardening.
Lots of fun activities to try from learning how to Body Beat or learn sign language to Family Kitchen Raves.
Fun activities covering everything from weather maps to engineering.
Take the opportunity to visit galleries and exhibitions in Nottingham and around the world from the comfort of your own home.
The second edition of the ChalleNGe Nottingham Activities Pack is filled with over 40 engaging and fun activities created by 20 of Nottingham’s arts organisations.
Read online or download the pdf with embedded links to videos, music and more.
Accompanying teachers notes are available to support curriculum planning.
The activities can be enjoyed in small groups, with family, friends or in the classroom or individually at home. We hope you find ideas that inspire you!
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