If you’re looking for things to do this weekend with the family in Oxfordshire, there’s loads happening and we’ve got all the best, not-to-be-missed bits right here for you.
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The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio
15 & 16 February
The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio is showing at The Kenton Theatre in Henley, Oxfordshire on 15 & 16 February 2019
Immersion Theatre is thrilled to present a brand new, larger-than-life musical adaptation of the much-loved classic, Pinocchio!
This talented company performed Robin Hood, last year’s panto at the Kenton to widespread acclaim, and this year’s production of Dick Whittington promises to be just as enjoyable.
Based on the fantastical children’s book, this magical story leaps off the page and onto the stage in this high energy re-telling of Pinocchio’s extraordinary adventures.
Packed with comedy, audience interaction, and a host of new songs guaranteed to have you singing along from start to finish, this high energy musical promises to be the perfect treat for the whole family, no strings attached!
Show Details.
Tickets: Adult £12, Child £10
(includes £1 theatre restoration levy)
Running time: 110 minutes (includes a 20 minute interval)
To book tickets please click here
Half Term Trail at Thame Museum
16 & 17 February
Thame museum opens again on February 16th with some new things to see and do:
To celebrate St Valentine head along to Thame Museum and play Shape Bingo and win a craft heart to take home and decorate. There are 8 wooden hearts hidden round the museum each with a different shape on the front. Can you find all 8 and win your own wooden heart?
NEW ROMAN EXHIBIT!
Did you know that the Roman once lived in Thame? Visit Thame Museum and see a model of the kind of house they might have lived in and find out how they used heat to dry the corn they had grown.
There is also the popular dressing up basket full of different clothes to try – what will you choose to be? A Tudor Queen? A highwayman? A Victorian?…….
Thame Museum is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 am-4 pm and on Sundays from 1-4pm. Entry is FREE.
To visit the Thame Museum website click here
Snowdrop Weekend at Waterperry Gardens
16 & 17 February
It’s Snowdrop weekend at Waterperry Gardens on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th February, 10am till 5pm daily
With more than 60 different snowdrop varieties carpeting the ornamental gardens over the season, enjoy these little heralds of spring in a magical setting. Free guided tours at 11am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm (Winter Garden entrance fee applies).
For more details click here
Alphabet ‘I Spy’ at Waterperry Gardens
16 & 17 February
Alphabet I spy at Waterperry Gardens this February Half Term is great family fun over the week. Spy the whole alphabet and win a prize!
£2.50 per child – children must be accompanied by an adult for whom the winter garden entrance fee applies.
To visit the Waterperry Gardens website click here
February Half Term Trail at Greys Court (National Trust)
February Half Term Trail is taking place at Greys Court between 16 – 24 February.
William Morris & The Thames at The River & Rowing Museum
16 & 17 February
This new exhibition at the River and Rowing Museum illustrates the rich and little-known story of William Morris’ deep connections to the Thames.
It brings together a unique selection of works, with loans from the V&A, The William Morris Gallery, British Library, and many more. Highlights include Morris’ Thames series of textiles alongside his original hand-drawn designs, a signed copy of News from Nowhere, and his personal fishing tackle and spectacles. Materials from the Morris & Co. workshop illustrate the production process, while socialist pamphlets that Morris penned and published demonstrate his deep commitment to socialism in later life.
The influence of the Thames and its tributaries flowed through William Morris’ life and work. The river provided the setting for his leisure time spent angling and boating, inspiration for his designs and writing, and the ideal water conditions for the manufacture of his textiles. One notable Thames boat trip from his London home via Henley to his rural retreat in Oxfordshire was so moving that it inspired his socialist utopia novel, News from Nowhere.
Explore the Thames through Morris’ eyes: a beautiful retreat from urban excess and the capitalism he despised, a valuable resource continuing the river’s working heritage, and a rich source of creative inspiration. Step from the exhibition straight out onto the riverbank and find your own earthly paradise.
“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” William Morris
For more information click here
Pop Art in Print at Banbury Museum
16 & 17 February
Featuring work by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Damien Hirst and more
Drawn from the outstanding collection of Pop Art graphics from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, this exhibition showcases work by iconic artists of the 60s and 70s alongside contemporary artists influenced by the modern age’s most important art movement.
Pop Art reflected a fascination with celebrities and brands. Pop artists recognised the potential of prints to communicate ideas quickly and cheaply, creating art which both mirrored and critiqued the American Dream.
Inspired by commercial graphics and popular culture, the movement generated an innovative and prolific culture of printmaking. Bringing together over 60 works by more than 30 artists, this exhibition offers a comprehensive and exciting view of artists working in this style from the 1960s to the early 2000s.
Exhibition organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
For more details click here
The Giant Jam Sandwich at Cornerstone, Didcot
The Giant Jam Sandwich is showing at the Cornerstone in Didcot on Sunday 17 February 2019 at 11:30am and 2:30pm
What a to-do!
One hot summer’s day, four million wasps invade the quiet village of Itching Down. The picnickers panic and the farmer stops haymaking. The wasps are noisy, nasty and worst of all, they don’t mind who they sting! That is until the baker has an ingenious idea…
Following successful tours of Farm Boy and The Butterfly Lion (Michael Morpurgo), Not Now, Bernard (David McKee) and The Tiger’s Bones and Other Stories (Ted Hughes), we bring one of the most loved picture books to life on stage to enthral a new generation.
Join the villagers in their giant sandwich-making plan to defeat the wasps and help save the day, in a fun-packed feast for 3–7 year-olds and their families.
The Giant Jam Sandwich is showing on Sunday 17 February 2019 at 11.30am & 2.30pm
Age Guidance: 3–7yrs
Location: Cornerstone Arts Centre,, 25 Station Road,, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 7NE
To book tickets or more information please click here or call the box office on 01235 515144
KIDS CLUB AT YOUR LOCAL CINEMA
16 & 17 February
Little Ankle Biters are always on the look out for ways to entertain the kids without spending a fortune. Lots of cinemas run kids clubs on weekend mornings where you can go to the cinema at a discounted price.
Here’s our guide to cinema kids clubs in Oxfordshire:
ODEON IN Banbury & Oxford – £3.25 EACH
Vue in Oxford – £2.49 each
“Love your Pets” at Green Dragon Farm
16 & 17 February
Year round, Green Dragon Farm celebrates the animals in its care from the rare breeds farm animals, the animals in the Wildlife Zone to those in Pets’ Corner. This purpose-built centre is home to a wide variety of reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and small mammals. Over February Half-term there will be a special ‘Love Your Pets’ theme where the animals in Pet’s Corner will be stars of the show.
Exciting and Informative Hands-on Encounters
The skilled and experienced livestock staff will be hosting a variety of educational and fun experiences with the pets, including hands-on encounters, Q & A sessions and workshops on welfare, enrichment, small mammals and reptiles. A special holiday programme of encounters will provide fun, engaging, informative interaction with all the animals, including those on the farm and in the Wildlife Zone. There will also be a special ‘Love your Pets’ quiz trail – fun for all the family ending in a prize draw with the fabulous prize of a Family Day Pass (two adults & two children) or a selection of soft toys for annual pass holders!
Feathered and Furry to Cold-blooded
Best practice local suppliers and vets will be taking part in this popular Half-term Event at set times during the week, providing advice and encouragement to budding and existing pet owners! There’ll be something for every age from the feathered and furry to the cold-blooded. Little ones will be fascinated by rabbits and guinea pigs while older children and adult visitors will be excited by the exotics and there are plenty of these – snakes, stick-insects, lizards, tarantulas, scorpions, cockroaches and poison-dart frogs. Chickens are also included as they also make unusual but interesting pets with the addition of providing fresh eggs for breakfast!
Go along and find out more about the Green Dragon pets and their care!
Farm admission applies: Adult £9, Child £8.
For more information click here
Half Term Trail at Cliveden National Trust
This February Half Term from 16 – 24 February bring the children to Cliveden for their fantastic trail. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air and the gorgeous grounds at this National Trust estate in Berkshire. At the end of the trail children children will make a craft to take home with them. The trail runs from 10.00am – 2.30pm, it’s £2.00 per child and suitable for children aged 3 years +. There’s no need to book, just turn up and join in. Admission to National Trust applies unless you have membership.
To find out more about half term at Cliveden please click here.
Lamb Watch at Odds Farm Park
16 & 17 February
Over 30 ewes will be ready to lamb at Odds Farm Park from this February half term! Head into the lamb nursery to meet the new arrivals, whilst you learn all about lambing from the farmers. Be sure to keep a close eye on the ewes during your visit for signs of labour, as you may even be lucky enough to see a lamb being born. Why not also help the farmers to bottle feed the goats. The ever-popular goat bottle feeding will be back daily from February half term.
There will also be all the usual fun on the farm. To find out more and book tickets, click here
WINTER WEEKENDS AT WADDESDON MANOR
Weekends, 5 January – 24 March 2019, 10.00am – 4.00pm
Forget the winter blues by getting out and enjoying nature. This January to March explore the Waddesdon Manor gardens that are wonderful at this time of year, with early spring-flowering snowdrops and winter aconities, winter shrubs and unusual views before the trees come into leaf. It’s a perfect time to be inspired and connect with nature, spend time with friends and family, or cosy up with a delicious hot chocolate.
To find out more, click here.
LAST CHANCE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE FAMILY FRIENDLY BUSINESS IN THE LITTLE ANKLE BITERS’ AWARDS
The nominations are in, the checking’s been done, and we’re delighted to officially open voting for the Little Ankle Biters Awards 2019!
You can vote in as many of the categories as you want, remember these great businesses need your votes to win, so get clicking!
Voting closes at 23.59 on Monday 18 February 2019.
To vote click here
Looking for somewhere to go over Feb Half Term?
With only a few weeks to go until Half Term, we have put together a guide of what’s on in Oxfordshire.
Click here for more details
EATING OUT WITH THE KIDS IN OXFORDSHIRE THIS WEEKEND?
If you fancy grabbing a bite to eat while you’re out and about this weekend with the family we’ve got loads of suggestions for child-friendly restaurants in Oxfordshire. Check out our handy guide, please click here.
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Have a great weekend x