Inside, Outside and Around the World

Free Summer Holiday Activities for children aged 3-16

Workshops are for individual children and families. If you would like to bring a community group to the museum during this time, please contact Laura Bedford on Tel: 020 7749 6042 or E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tuesday 14 - Friday 31 August 2012

Three weeks of exciting activities inspired by the museum’s At Home with the World exhibition, exploring home and garden spaces from across the globe.  Become a plant hunter and learn about the international origins of different herbs, spices, flowers and plants; make and decorate fabulous things for your home; bake tasty treats; create your own soaps; and take a closer look at mini beasts in the gardens.

Weeks One and Two

Tuesday 14 - Friday 17 August, 10.30am - 12.30pm and 2.00 - 4.00pm

Tuesday 21 - Friday 24 August, 10.30am - 12.30pm and 2.00 - 4.00pm

Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis 30 minutes in advance of the workshop.

Week Three

Tuesday 14 – Friday 31 August 2012

A week of activities run on an informal 'drop-in' basis - join in at any time during the workshops.

Please note: All children under eleven must be accompanied by an adult.

WEEK ONE: 14 – 17 August

Tuesday 14 August

Nursery Rhyme Time:  Spice Up Your Life (age 3-5)

10.30-11.30am and 12.00-1.00pm

Explore Indian spices and their uses in this interactive storytelling and craft session.

Planet Dome (age 5+)

10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Make a Victorian-style nature dome and fill it with international objects.

Mini Beasts handling with Animal EDUtainment (all ages)

2.00-3.00pm and 3.30-4.30pm
An opportunity to learn about, touch and handle unusual mini beasts from around the world.

Wednesday 15 August

Nursery Rhyme Time:  Casa Verde (age 3-5)

10.30-11.30am and 12.00-1.00pm

Learn about how Italy has influenced English food in this interactive storytelling and craft session.

Moody Moorish Lanterns (age 5+)

10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Make an atmospheric Moorish lantern and decorate it with Islamic patterns.

Suitcase Keepsakes (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm

Create a little suitcase-shaped box to put your travel keepsakes in.

Thursday 16 August

Nursery Rhyme Time:  Jelly On a Plate (age 3-5)

10.30-11.30am and 12.00-1.00pm

Explore the wibbly-wobbly world of jelly in this interactive storytelling and craft session.

Smelly Soaps (age 5+)

10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Make your home smell sweet by creating mini soaps and herb bags.

Wearing the World (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm

Create brilliant badges inspired by vibrant patterns and plants.

Friday 17 August

Nursery Rhyme Time:  Herby Gardens (age 3-5)

10.30-11.30am and 12.00-1.00pm

Discover what herbs grow in our gardens in this interactive storytelling and craft session.

Global Planters (aged 5+)

10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Decorate a plant pot with colourful papers and patterns and plant herbs to grow at home.

I-Spy (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm

Make your own binoculars and go bug spotting in the garden.

WEEK TWO:  21 – 24 August

Tuesday 21 August

Nursery Rhyme Time:  Hot Chocolate! (age 3-5)

10.30-11.30am and 12.00-1.00pm

Learn where hot chocolate drinks came from in this interactive storytelling and craft session.

Groovy Garden Notebooks (age 5+)

10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Make a bug or bloom-inspired notebook to keep records of what you spot in the park or garden.

Mini Beasts handling with Animal EDUtrainment (all ages)

2.00-3.00pm and 3.30-4.30pm
An opportunity to learn about, touch and handle unusual mini beasts from around the world.

Wednesday 22 August

Nursery Rhyme Time:  Plant Hunters (age 3-5)

10.30-11.30am and 12.00-1.00pm

Explore where our garden plants have come from in this interactive storytelling and craft session.

Wacky Wallpaper Shirts (age 5+)

10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Print a wonderful wallpaper pattern-inspired t-shirt.

Arty Frames (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm

Be inspired by Art Nouveau patterns and decorate a photo frame.

Thursday 23 August

Nursery Rhyme Time:  Time For Tea (age 3-5)

10.30-11.30am and 12.00-1.00pm

Learn about the history of tea in this interactive storytelling and craft session.

Feathery Friends (age 5+)

10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Create a beautiful 19^th-century style fan to keep you cool.

Fluttering Flags and Breezy Bunting (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm

Make decorative flags or bunting to hang in your home.

Friday 24 August

Nursery Rhyme Time:  Planet Plant (age 3-5)

10.30-11.30am and 12.00-1.00pm

Explore plants and flowers in this interactive storytelling and craft session.

Ca Mau Tea Cakes (age 5+)

10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Learn about the Ca Mau ship wrecked tea set and bake yummy tea-flavoured cakes.

Growing Global (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm

Discover where our garden plants have come from, plant a seed and make a flag-shaped label.

WEEK THREE: 28 - 31 August

Tuesday 28 August

Beautiful Bowls (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Craft a Chinese patterned bowl from clay.

All About the Bees (all ages)

2.00-2.30pm, 3.00-3.30pm and 4.00-4.30pm

Join bee-keeper Angela Dougall to learn more about the life of bees.

Wednesday 29 August

Patterned Porcelain (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Paint patterns onto ceramic plates, spoons, mugs and more.

Fan-tastic Headdresses (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm

Create a 19^th-century-inspired headdress decorated with fan, peacock or tree motifs.

Thursday 30 August

Amazing Masks (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Make a colourful plant or insect-inspired mask.

Beautiful Bird Boxes (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm (24 places available)

Decorate a wooden bird box with garden patterns.

Friday 31 August

Moving Pictures (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm

Create a Chinese patterned plate where the animals, plants and people on it magically move.

Tea-riffic Tea Caddies (all ages)

Drop in anytime between 2.00 and 4.00pm

Decorate a special patterned box to hide your things in.