A Hub of Activity this Summer for Kids

Summer holidays can be met with dread by parents as they face the prospect of having to dream up seven weeks' worth of entertainment for their little ones. 

Come the middle of July, parents all over the country will be faced with the same dilemmas and host of familiar questions: How will we keep them occupied? How will we afford to pay for the extra childcare costs? Should we take them abroad, or should we stay in the country? Do we need a secured loan to pay for the costs? Colchester residents have a little advantage though, for our town is host to several unique and fun things to keep our kids entertained. Here's a little selection of the best - and the more alternative - activities on offer.

 

Become a zoo keeper for the day

 

Colchester Zoo is running a popular scheme that is proving to be the envy of almost every kid in town; it is offering youngsters the opportunity to become a zoo keeper for a day in its aptly named 'Keeper for a Day' scheme. The scheme, which takes place on a daily basis from 11am until 3.45pm, offers kids the opportunity to "get involved behind the scenes on a number of exciting animal sections", according to the zoo. In the morning session, which lasts approximately two and a half hours, kids are able to participate in typical zoo-keeping activities such as feeding the gibbons, meeting Sun bears and preparing an 'enrichment feed' for them. The Asian-themed morning session also includes an educational insight into the animals of Asia, with the opportunity to meet red pandas and Hornbills. Kids will also learn about the zoo's breeding programmes for these animals. Next kids will learn about rainforest animals, preparing feed for Marmosets and Tamarin monkeys and meeting the chilled-out sloths. They will then hear the zoo's plans to breed the endangered Golden Lion Tamarins and Saki monkeys. 

 

After lunch, the children will be taken to meet the scariest animals of all - the tigers and the wolves. They will witness an exhilarating wolf feed, and will then get a close-up look at the biggest cat - the Amur Tiger. Then, slightly less scary, they will finish off their day learning about the training programmes for the rarest species of deer in the world, before meeting the adorable pygmy hippos. 

 

To apply for the Keeper for a Day scheme, visit click here.  

 

Cycle Colchester

 

Available to book through Colchester Leisure World, there are many cycling events available to kids this summer. The Summer Cycling 2012 scheme aims to bring all events run by the area's cycle clubs, organisations and volunteers into one accessible place. There are plenty of rides and clubs that are specifically aimed towards children - from those confident enough to cycle on their own for a couple of hours, through to those that are just learning to cycle. For the littler ones, Footprints Theatre is running a club called Cycle Ted. This is a fun-packed way to ensure your child gets the most out of cycling this summer. Parents can pick up a pack from Footprints Theatre that contains a Ted (a soft toy), and journey sheets with ten different cycle routes. Kids need to complete the routes - taking their Ted with them - take photos of Ted en-route, fill in the forms and send them back to receive medals. Children with the most creative journey sheets and photographs will win a bike. 

 

To apply, click here. 

 

Be a West End star

 

Stagecoach Theatre school in Colchester is this summer offering a course with a difference. Its West End Musical Theatre Week - which takes place between the 13th and 17th August 2012 at the Gilberd School in Brinkley Lane - will teach children how to sing, dance and act as though they were in a top West End production. For the first time ever, the Stagecoach is visiting Gilberd School, which it says has an impressive range of arts facilities. A host of professional teachers - themselves veterans of the live West End stage - will teach classes in dance, drama and singing throughout the week. The children will then work towards a live performance at the end of the course - the aim is to create a musical that all the family can come and watch and enjoy on the Friday afternoon. "It's amazing what can be achieved in a week!", says Stagecoach. 

 

For further information or to book a place, call the hotline on 0845 603 0880.