Holiday activities and support
Entertaining kids at the weekends and school holidays can be costly. This page includes lots of handy links to days out for children and families across the district and further afield.
Prices below were correct when published, but we do advise you check websites before visiting just to make sure.
Free holiday activities and food
If you claim certain benefits and your child gets free school meals, they can attend activities in the christmas, easter and summer holidays and get a meal, all for free.
The holiday activities and food scheme is funded by the Department for Education. Staffordshire County Council has teamed up with local organisations to offer a wide range of activities where children can try new things, make new friends, work on arts and crafts, cook and play sport, as well as getting a meal. Find out about free holiday activities
Active Lichfield activity programmes
Active Lichfield offer a variety of free and low costs activites over the holiday period - from football sessions through to dance fusion sessions. Find out more.
Spark Burntwood
Spark Burntwood are offering a timetable of activities and sessions over Easter - find out more.
Lichfield District days out
- Lichfield City augmented reality app - meet historical characters on a walk around the city.
- Lichfield Historic Parks - lots of activities and events and places to visit in the city.
- Friary Grange and Burntwood leisure centres - great value activities including swimming, football, inflatables and more.
- Active Lichfield website - great value holiday activities across the district.
- SPACE passes - 170 free space leisure passes will be available on a first come first served basis from Friday 21 July 2023 from both Burntwood & Friary Grange Leisure Centres. Once the 170 have been given out, they will be available to purchase for £20 per person.
- National Memorial Arboretum - free admission. Several free talks and trails. Land train tours £7.50 adult, £3.75 children, and outdoor escape challenge £12 - £15 per group. Parking £6 on the day, £4 in advance.
- Lichfield Cathedral - visit for free (donations encouraged). From July visitors will be able to bring their dogs into the cathedral on a Friday, provided they are well behaved and kept on a short lead.
- Lichfield Cathedral - The Beach is back (22 July - 3 Sept) - free entry and free craft activities and water play.
- Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum - free admission.
- Erasmus Darwin House - adults £5, children (over 11) £2, children under 11 free with an accompanying adult.
- Chasewater Country Park, free entry, parking charges apply.
- Chasewater Railway – family £22, adults £7.50, children £4.95.
- Staffordshire Regiment Museum, near Whittington – Family ticket £15.00, adult day ticket £6, child day ticket £4.
Other days out
As recommended by the Enjoy Staffordshire 30 days for under £30 campaign and more - find out more.
- Ancient High House in Stafford, Stafford, free admission.
- Animal Zone at Rodbaston near Penkridge - family £28, adults £8, child £6.
- Apedale Valley Light Railway - family £19, adult £4, child £2.
- Apedale Country Park, free entry, parking charges apply.
- Baggeridge Country Park near Wombourne - fish at Island Pool (£5 adults, £3.50 child/concessions), visit the well-equipped play area, or tackle the free family mountain bike trail
- Billy’s Farm Barn at Amerton Farm near Stafford – 2 adults & 2 children £29.96, adults £5.99, children £8.99.
- Brampton Museum & Park, Newcastle under Lyme - free admission.
- Branston Water Park, near Burton on Trent - free admission.
- Cannock Chase Forest near Rugeley - free to visit, Gruffalo trail pack £4, bike hire from £15 child, £28 adult. Full day parking £10.
- Churnet Valley Railway – adults £12, child (aged 4 - 15) £1, children under 4 are free.
- Dorothy Clive Garden near Newcastle under Lyme – 2 adults & 2 children £26.00. Annual pass £22 adult, £44 family.
- Emma Bridgewater Factory, Stoke on Trent - free admission; Decorating session £2.95 pp + cost of pottery.
- Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stoke on Trent - family ticket £25.50. Annual pass 2 adults + 2 children £47.74, adult day ticket £8.50, child day ticket £5.95.
- Go Ape! Cannock Chase - families save 15% on the Treetop Challenge course. Use code FAMILY15.
- Leek & Rudyard Lake Steam Railway – 2 adults & 2 children £29, adult day ticket £9, child day ticket £5.50.
- Manifold Trail - bike hire from £13 child, £17 adult.
- Middleport Pottery - free admission to site. Heritage trail from £6, factory tour £11.
- Museum of Cannock Chase, Hednesford - free admission.
- Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent - free admission.
- Rosliston Forestry Centre, near Swadlincote - free admission, car parking charges apply. Great range of free and low cost activities on offer.
- Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford - Horrible Histories Up in the Air Adventure (22nd July-3rd Sept) £25 for five people, or £7.50 per person.
- RSPB Coombes Valley & Consall Woods, near Leek – free admission
- Stafford to Newport Cycle Route
- Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre, near Rugeley - free admission.
- Tamworth Castle Pleasure Grounds - free admission to grounds. Castle family ticket £37.50 (up to 5 people).
- Tittesworth Water, near Leek – parking £3.50 to £7.
- Waterworld & Adventure Mini Golf, Stoke on Trent – Advance combo ticket deal £28pp.
- World of Wedgwood – Free admission. Decorating session £5 per person, 15-mins clay session £10 per person, factory tour £12.50 per adult (children free).
Other ways to save money
Annual passes and season tickets are a great way to save money - particularly if you live locally and will go time and time again. Here are some really great deals available across Staffordshire and beyond.
- Alton Towers Resort - Annual pass £129 per person.
- Drayton Manor Resort - Annual passes from £99 per person.
- Peak Wildlife Park - Annual pass £54.95 adult, £49.95 child.
- Play@Lower Drayton Farm - Annual membership from £140 per person.
- Tamworth Castle - Annual pass £29.75 adult, £22.50 child, £100 family (up to 5 people).
- Trentham Estate - Annual membership £60.35 adult, £13.60 child, £134.30 family.
- Trentham Monkey Forest - Annual membership £35 adult, £25 child, £120 family.
- Twycross Zoo - pay for a day and visit for free for 12 months! Adults (17+) £22.50 (in advance), children (3 - 16) £17.10 in advance, infants (under 3) go free. Pre-booking essential to get lower prices.
- Weston Park - Standard membership £35 adult, £85 family (two adults, three children).
- The National Trust - Annual membership £84 (1 adult family), £146 (2 adult family).
- English Heritage - Annual membership £69 (1 adult family), £120 (2 adult family).
Great websites
- Visit Lichfield - has links to lots of activities and events taking place in Lichfield District.
- National Forest website - has links to lots of activities taking place across the National Forest.
- Enjoy Staffordshire - has links to lots of activities and events taking place across Staffordshire.