Fri-YAY Fun
Love Basingstoke Presents is back this summer with free family Fri-YAY fun during the school holidays across the Top of the Town and War Memorial Park. Free activities will also be at six out of town locations during August.
From 11am to 3pm every Friday in August you’ll find activities designed for children aged three to 16 giving them the chance to have a go at a new sporting activity, take part in arts and crafts or try something totally different! All activities are free, most activities you will be able to just turn up to enjoy, but some may require waiting to take part or pre-booking.
Friday 2 August 11am to 3pm
On Cross Street find a variety of activities including PopUp Play who will be bringing their role play supermarket, sports hero training zone and for those who like to get creative, medal decorating. Olivia will be running a workshop decorating tote bags and the Roger Morris Centre will have a selection of fun activities. Catch a BMX Flatland show at 11am, 12:30pm and 2pm which will be directly followed by workshops.
You can also find a fun nine-hole mini golf course set up on London Street.
Local company PFT Academy will be in Market Place with parkour and free running workshops and demonstrations. Demonstrations will be at 11am and 1pm with four workshops running between 11am and 3pm. Places on workshops are limited and you will need to book a place in advance (minimum age 6 years).
11.15am Parkour Workshop - FULLY BOOKED
12noon Parkour Workshop - FULLY BOOKED
1.15pm Parkour Workshop - FULLY BOOKED
2pm Parkour Workshop - FULLY BOOKED
Head over to Basingstoke Sport and Social Club to practice your sporting skills with a range of activities for all ages and then go crazy on the bouncy castle. Join Bounty Squash for fun games and activities using rackets and balls for kids aged 5 upwards – parents can join in as well. Places are limited – email bountyjuniorsquash@gmail.com to book. In addition, a fun introduction to non-contact rugby led by fully qualified coaches from Chineham Rugby Club. Suitable for aged 5 upwards. As well as, batting, bowling and fielding stations with Basingstoke North Hants Cricket Club. Come into the clubhouse to refresh at the bar after a day of fun with food by Greek Street. Activities run from 11am to 3pm.
Friday 9 August 11am to 3pm
Find a two-sided, 18ft high portable climbing wall at Market Place that allows two people to climb at the same time (height and weight restrictions apply). Each side of the climbing wall has different routes and a realistic "Grip a Rock" surface.
On Cross Street, come and play noughts and crosses with a difference with local artist Louise Hight; make your own mini beast noughts and crosses using pebbles, paint, felt pens, card and googly eyes. Also on Cross Street will be facepainting, LEGO workshops with the Brick People and a craft workshop with Olivia decorating frisbees and softballs.
Head over to Basingstoke Sport and Social Club to practice your sporting skills with a range of activities for all ages and then go crazy on the bouncy castle. MFC Popley will be offering some fantastic football fun for all ages along with some great football skills. Come into the clubhouse to refresh at the bar after a day of fun with food by Greek Street. Activities run from 11am to 3pm.
Friday 16 August 11am to 3pm
Basingstoke Voluntary Action need your help, their cheeky gnomes have left their home at The Orchard and gone hiding in the War Memorial Park. Can you help them find them using the clues they left? Collect your free map from BVA’s Volunteer Hub (White Hart Lane, Basingstoke, RG21 4AF) where the trail starts. There will be a ‘sweet’ reward waiting for those who complete the trail! Maps must be collected by 2pm.
On Cross Street, join Junk Jodie in a fun recycling make-and-take activity! Choose to make either a Rainbow Butterfly or a Rainbow Rocket to fly around Love Basingstoke Fri-YAY with pride. The Roger Morris Centre will also be back with more fun activities.
Drop in and join Fatima on Cross Street for a fantastic art session. You can stay as little or as long as you want. Together you will become reporters of our beautiful town. Draw outdoors, capturing what you see from direct observation! This is aimed for kids and young adults - all ability levels and ages welcome. Children need to be accompanied at all times by an adult.
A fun nine-hole mini golf course returns to London Street.
Professional scooter rider and ex-world champion Terry Price will be showing off his tricks and hosting scooter coaching workshops at Market Place. This activity includes scooters and helmets for kids to use on Terry's portable skatepark ramp set-up, under the expert guidance of Terry's coaching. Places on workshops are limited and you will need to book a place in advance (minimum age 5).
11am scooter workshop - FULLY BOOKED
12noon scooter workshop - FULLY BOOKED
1pm scooter workshop - FULLY BOOKED
2pm scooter workshop- FULLY BOOKED
Head over to Basingstoke Sport and Social Club to practice your sporting skills with a range of activities for all ages and then go crazy on the bouncy castle. Join Bounty Squash for fun games and activities using rackets and balls for kids aged 5 upwards – parents can join in as well. Places are limited – email bountyjuniorsquash@gmail.com to book. As well as, batting, bowling and fielding stations with Basingstoke North Hants Cricket Club. Come into the clubhouse to refresh at the bar after a day of fun with food by Greek Street. Activities run from 11am to 3pm.
There is also a chance to see the entries to the Love Basingstoke History Through Your Eyes competition at the Discovery Centre in Festival Place (check the Discovery Centre website for opening times).
Friday 23 August 11am to 3pm
On Cross Street, find two games with a football twist! Footpool is an exciting game that merges football with pool and 10 Pin Football merges football and ten pin bowling.
There will also be inflatable axe throwing at Market Place and facepainting on Church Street.
Head over to Basingstoke Sport and Social Club to practice your sporting skills with a range of activities for all ages and then go crazy on the bouncy castle. MFC Popley will be offering some fantastic football fun for all ages along with some great football skills. Come into the clubhouse to refresh at the bar after a day of fun with food by Greek Street. Acttivities run from 11am to 3pm.
There is also a chance to see the entries to the Love Basingstoke History Through Your Eyes competition at the Discovery Centre in Festival Place (check the Discovery Centre website for opening times).
Friday 30 August 11am to 3pm
The final Fri-YAY will be held in War Memorial Park with activities including disc golf and soft target archery.
Join Philippa and Frannie on their mission to encourage the new generation off t'interweb and out having fun with a sports day you’ll never forget. Drop into a session at 11am, 12noon and 2pm.
Specifically for Mums with young babies, YogaBellies will be running yoga sessions to give mums an opportunity to relax and bond with their baby. Classes include some calming baby massage, baby yoga poses, postnatal yoga flow and relaxation for you and baby to enjoy. Mums need to be at least six weeks postnatal to attend. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a blanket for baby to lay on. Yoga mats will be provided. Pre-booking is required.
Come along and score a goal with WeeKicks North Hants. Like their classes, each goal will have a theme so why not jump over a sleeping Stegosaurus, wear a firefighter helmet or pretend to be a snake whilst going through some trees before scoring a goal (suitable for 15 months to 7 years).
Meet the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council ranger team in the park to create clay flower fairies and owls between 11am and 3pm.
Head over to Basingstoke Sport and Social Club to practice your sporting skills with a range of activities for all ages and then go crazy on the bouncy castle. A fun-based introduction to non-contact rugby led by fully qualified coaches with Chineham Rugby Club. Suitable for aged 5 upwards. Come into the clubhouse to refresh at the bar after a day of fun with food by Greek Street. Activities run from 11am to 3pm.
There is also a chance to see the entries to the Love Basingstoke History Through Your Eyes competition at the Discovery Centre in Festival Place (check the Discovery Centre website for opening times).
Out and About!
Love Basingstoke will be out and about this August.
Oakridge West Community Centre - Wednesday 7 August - 1pm to 5pm
Professional scooter rider and ex-world champion Terry Price will be showing off his tricks and hosting FREE scooter coaching workshops at Oakridge West Community Centre. This activity includes scooters and helmets for kids to use on Terry's portable skatepark ramp set-up, under the expert guidance of Terry's coaching. Places on workshops are limited and you will need to book a place in advance (minimum age 5).
1.30pm Scooter Workshop - FULLY BOOKED
Get creative and have fun making a unique pop-up card with a silhouette of you on a scooter using stencils, paint and felt pens with Louise Hight. You can add any design you like, graffiti, patterns, paint splurges, or nature to make it personal to you.
Brighton Hill Park - Tuesday 13 August - 11am to 3pm
In the park behind Cafe Dome in Brighton Hill, have a go at a seleciton of traditional games including Beat the Goalie, Hoopla, Milk the Cow, Hook a Duck, Giant Kerplunk and Magic Mitt. There will also be facepainting with Routine Riots.
Bishops Green Village Hall - Thursday 15 August - 11am to 3pm
Parkour and free running workshops and demonstrations with PFT Academy. Places on workshops are limited and you will need to book a place in advance (minimum age six years).
Maximum Play will be providing activities including a roleplay village where children can choose to become a builder at the construction site, help run the farm, create yummy desserts and dress up. The fun doesn't stop there with four small world play trays, carnival games such as hook a duck and coconut shy, and giant garden games with Jenga and snakes and ladders.
Penwood (grass next to Woodlands shop) - Tuesday 20 August - 11am to 3pm
Join Junk Jodie and Beverly Butterfly, in a storytelling adventure! Meet Jodie’s recycled friends, including Barry Badger, Oprah Owl and Uni Unicorn. This show will inspire you to make toys from junk and bring them to life with your imagination. Including sing songs, rhymes and all the colours of the rainbow... it’s going to be Rainbow-LICIOUS! Shows at 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1.30pm.
Pop Up Play Village are looking forward to popping up for some summer fun with a roleplay construction site, pebble painting with a summer theme and creating clay hedgehogs to take home.
Ridgeway Community Centre - Thursday 22 August - 1pm to 5pm
Get ready to race in style with the four player Race Simulators. Each Race Simulator hire comes with authentic bucket racing seats, a force feedback steering wheel which makes the driving experience realistic, a full pedal set and individual HD screens to give you a perfect view of the race track.
Get creative and personalise your own frisbee or softball in a fun colouring activity with Love Basingstoke. There will also be facepainting with Routine Riots.
Russell Howard Park - Wednesday 28 August - 11am to 3pm
Find a two-sided, 18ft high portable climbing wall at Russell Howard Park that allows two people to climb at the same time (height and weight restrictions apply). Each side of the climbing wall has different routes and a realistic "Grip a Rock" surface.
Get creative and personalise your own frisbee or softball in a fun colouring activity with Love Basingstoke. There will also be facepainting with Routine Riots.
We can’t wait to see you all there.
If you are looking for other ideas to keep your little ones or not so little ones entertained over the summer months then see our guide of things to do in Basingstoke town centre and our Summer Fun blog.
Fri-YAY is organised by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Booking will be required for workshops where spaces are limited and these spaces can be reserved via a third party website, Eventbrite. Clicking the links to book will take you to the Eventbrite website. Please familiarise yourself with its Privacy Policy. If you have any queries or would prefer not to use Eventbrite please get in touch via hello@lovebasingstoke.co.uk. Workshop places are free of charge.
June 2024, updated July 2024
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