Summer is here and there are lots of fantastic free and low-cost creative and performing arts, sports and physical activities, youth and play projects, as well as trips, on offer for children and young people in Camden.

Check out these activities and programmes:

• Camden Summer University. Aged 13 to 19? Live in Camden, go to a Camden state school, attend a Camden Council youth centre or have a Camden social worker? Choose from nearly 70 free courses in arts, media, fashion, sport, cookery, work and life skills at venues across the borough. The programme runs from Thursday 25 July to Friday 23 August. Bookings now open - check the website to book your places
• Summer Holiday Activities and Food Programme. Runs from 25 July to 30 August; open for children and young people aged 5 to 16 who live in Camden and are eligible for free school meals. The programme offers free, fun activities and nutritional education - from learning to make healthy meals, to creative activities, including photography, drama, arts and crafts, and sports such as football and basketball. A free hot meal is included as part of each day’s activities. Find out more and book your places
• Sports and physical activities. Summer activities for children and young people run from Wednesday 23 July to Friday 30 August. These include Kids Swim for a Quid (£1) in local leisure centres; Girls Get Moving Week from Monday 19 to Friday 23 August, 11am to 4pm each day at Talacre Community Sports Centre (only £3.45 per child, per day - register here); free Arsenal in the Community football training sessions for both primary and secondary school ages at Cantelowes Gardens Sports Pitch; Active Wednesday free multi-sports activities at Talacre Community Sports Centre on Wednesday 14 August, 4pm to 6pm. Visit the website - or you can download the full programme. If you have any questions, please email [email protected] 
• Holiday youth programmes. Check out youth projects near you on Camden Rise's youth clubs and projects page
• Holiday play schemes for ages 4 to 12. The play provision in Camden is run by community and voluntary organisations, funded by the Council. These holiday schemes can cater for children and young people with varying needs. Find out more and book
• Creative Health Camden Youth Hub at The Gym, Kentish Town Health Centre, 2 Bartholomew Road, NW5 2BX. Visit their chilled, arty, wellbeing space, which is a quiet social space for 14 to 18-year-olds, bridging the gap between school and weekend. Activities include art workshops, table tennis, beanbags, books and graphic novels, refreshments and old-school board games. They’ll have yoga later in summer 2024. Please fill in the form on the back of the CHC Youth Hub flyer to join in. View or download the CHC Youth Hub August 2024 programme or contact Li for their monthly programme - send a text to 07523 533490 or email [email protected]
• The Pirate Castle Summer Holiday Scheme. Have fun, get active and make waves with a range of paddlesport and canal boating activities run by accredited, experienced British Canoeing instructors, qualified staff, skippers and volunteers. For ages 8 to 17 (up to 25 with low to moderate additional needs). Monday 29 July to Friday 30 August, 10am to 3.30pm each day. Find out more
• Films for the Family. Join The Garden Cinema, 39-41 Parker Street, Holborn WC2B 5PQ, every Saturday and Sunday morning and on weekdays during the school holidays for some of their favourite family films. On Sundays, the films are followed by free, fun and creative activities for children. All the screenings are Pay What You Can, which means you’re free to pay as much or as little as you can afford. See the full listings
• Folk Unlimited Summer Course‌ at Cecil Sharp House (EFDSS). A free fun, creative and multi-sensory folk music and dance course for learning disabled young people who live in Camden. Runs over four days at the English Folk Dance and Song Society, Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Road, NW1 7AY from 20 to 23 August - morning session, 10.30am to 12pm, for 7 to 13 year olds; afternoon session, 2 to 3.30pm, for 14 to 25 year olds. Price: Free. Find out more and book places
• Family Station: Explore and Play at the British Library. Free, drop-in. Suitable for all ages; fully accessible and suitable for children with SEND. On the last Sunday of every month, plus special dates. Explore the British Library with our creative offer, designed with families. The Family Station, located on the Upper Ground Floor, includes creative resources full of ideas to explore, make and play in the Library. Start your family adventure here, then go off to discover our building and learn all about the Library. It is completely drop-in, so arrive anytime between 11am and 3pm and stay for as long as you like. While our Learning Assistants will be onsite, Family Station is completely family-led and informal. Play, read and explore as a family, and help yourself to our various creative resources. Find out more
• Wac Arts Summer School. Ready for a summer of non-stop creativity, laughter, and friendship-building? Look no further than the Wac Arts Summer School, based at the Old Town Hall, 213 Haverstock Hill, NW3 4QP. The summer programme, which runs from 29 July to 23 August, is tailored for young people aged 4 to 14, offering a dynamic and diverse range of activities that promise to make their summer holidays unforgettable. Find out more and book.