Family activities at museum in holiday

THE River & Rowing Museum in Henley has lots of family-friendly activities over the summer, including the launch of its new work and play club on Wednesdays, aimed at helping working families with childcare.

On Monday, August 5, from 10.30am to 11.30am (cost £7.75), “Toad’s travels: clickety clack to Paris and back” is an activity where children aged six and under can make a vehicle – a train, a car, a boat or a plane – to help get Toad to Paris for the Olympic Games.

On Tuesday, August 6, from 11am to 2pm (drop in), a sport-themed summer fete will involve competitions, badge and medal making and summer games. There are prizes to be won (each activity has a small charge between 50p and £3).

On Thursday, August 8, from 10.30am to 11.30am (cost £9) is “Musketeers: making and munching”, where children aged five and over can make a Parisian brunch – croissant or pain au chocolate and juice - followed by crafting a fencing sword and learning more about the sport of fencing and its French roots.

The following week has a teddy triathlon, a sports gala and screen-printing sessions.

On Monday, August 12, from 10.30am to 11.30am (cost £7.75), there is a teddy triathlon. Children aged six and under can make a bike, swimming pool and running track for their teddy bears.

On Tuesday, August 13, for the sports gala, from 10.30am to 11.30am (cost £9 including an ice cream), children aged three to eight can join in a range of races and activities, followed by an ice cream. Decorate a spoon for the egg and spoon race, try the beanbag balance and rope balance and enjoy the awards ceremony presented by Mr Toad.

On Thursday, August 15, from 10.30am to 11.30am (cost £7.75), children aged six and over can try screen-printing with Camilla. They can make a hobby horse ready for showjumping and find out about the importance of horses in Henley’s history.

The week after that, there are merry mascots, a scavenger hunt, storytelling and puppetry.

On Monday, August 19, from 10.30am to 11.30am (cost £7.75), in “Merry mascots”, children aged six and under can make a lucky mascot animal for their favourite sport in their favourite colours (no sewing involved).

On Tuesday, August 20, from 10.30am to 11.30am (cost £7.75), there is a wild champions scavenger hunt. Children aged four and over will explore Marsh Meadows and enjoy the challenges of finding the smelliest leaf, the shortest petal, the hairiest stem and the most colourful name.

On Thursday, August 22, from 10.30am to 11.30am (cost £7.75), there is storytelling and puppetry with Sarah. Children aged four and over will listen to stories of winners and success, then create their own puppets.

All children must be accompanied by an adult.

On Wednesdays, August 7, 14 and 21, the museum’s new work and play holiday club, suitable for all primary school-aged children, will be running from 9.30am to 4pm (cost £26 for one child, £48 for two).

The museum will also be displaying its very own treasure trolley on some afternoons and Fridays, where visitors can enjoy object handling and badge making.

For more information and to book the activities, visit rrm.co.uk