The cost-of-living crisis is affecting many families right now so finding free things to do with the children is a lovely bonus to help keep them entertained and perhaps even tire them out a bit! Here are a few things you can do in Harlow that are absolutely free!
Visit the libraries!
There are lots of libraries in Harlow, including the main one in the town centre which has recently been refurbished including a lovely children’s area with comfy seating and a sensory area.
There are also the sharing libraries in the Water Gardens where you can leave your unwanted books and perhaps find some new ones to take away – completely free!
Soft Play and Sand Garden in Treehouse Family Hub
The new summer timetable is available for the family hubs in Harlow. They host a range of activities and classes but in the Treehouse Family Hub at Staple Tye there is a small soft-play room and a sand garden that children under 5 can go and play in for free from 9.30am to 4.00pm Monday to Friday. The sand garden contains other toys too that the children can play with.
Free Trial at Caterpillar Music
Looking for a new class to attend with your little one? Caterpillar Music Harlow West offer free trials to new customers! With puppets, colourful instruments and a range of props, it makes singing songs lots of fun! There are some summer sessions going on too so you can try one out over the holidays and then come back to join the brilliant classes in September. Classes in Harlow are on Saturday mornings at 10.45am and are held in Hastingwood Village Hall, just off the M11 roundabout and past the hospice. Book here
Paddling Pools and Splash Parks around the town
There are many different paddling pools in Harlow and 2 splash parks. They are open from Saturday 22nd July and will be open for the summer holidays! There have been some brilliant updates completed in the past few weeks so that the pools can all open on time. No booking required and completely free to use! Take a small picnic/packed lunch with you and spend the whole day there. A brilliant way to entertain little ones and tire them out.
Harlow Town Park
Harlow Town Park is located near to the town centre. It is huge and has many different areas within it. There can be free events held near the bandstand which are often very popular. With many different places to explore, such as the lovely water areas, you can easily take a picnic and spend a good chunk of your day here. There is also a café where you could eat if you had a bit of spare money.
Pets Corner
Within Harlow Town Park there is a lovely little attraction, Pet’s Corner. They have some lovely animals to look at including goats, pigs, and donkeys. With free entry (donations are welcomed), this is a great little thing to do to pass some time. There is a gift shop too if you want to make any purchases after your visit.
Parndon Wood Nature Reserve
This is a really lovely place to go if you have children with lots of excess energy. A great way to get outdoors without breaking the bank! It is completely free to enter. You can walk around the trail where you can look at the lovely bug hotel and go on a bug/plant hunt. There is a den building area with really long huge sticks to help you make some brilliant dens! There is also the lake where you can see lots of different wildlife. Onsite there is a café if you wanted to eat there or grab a nice hot drink. Occasionally there are events there such as craft events which are held by local businesses. These do sometimes have a cost attached to them but are often low prices. The reserve often holds themed events in the various school holidays too, so it is easily somewhere to visit again and again.
*Gibbard Garden*
*I have included the Gibbard Garden on this list as it is so low cost for entry. Children under 5 go free, children 5-16 are £1 and a full ticket is £5 (prices checked 21st July 2023). It is a wonderful place to explore and is open to visitors every Wednesday and Sunday. It is full of meticulously crafted landscapes, sculptures and a variety of plants. All designed by Sir Fredrick Gibbard. The children will love exploring the various sculptures and looking and amazing plant life there. Onsite there is a café if you wanted to grab some food and drink.
If you are struggling to find things for the children to do and don’t really want to spend any money, pick something off this list. It is sure to be a hit. It may even give you some ‘me’ time afterwards if it is one of the ones guaranteed to wear the children out (fingers crossed for an early bedtime or a slightly longer nap)!
Recent Comments