The ‘Summer of Fun’ project has funded a huge range of activities over the warmer months in support of helping young people and children recover from the pandemic.
As part of the £5m investment, many local companies have received grants from the government which have funded a number of free activities for young people and children throughout the summer holiday and beyond.
Thankfully, there is no shortage of things to do in Swansea this summer – from the usual summer hotspots like Blackpill to the more niche activities like Dryad Bushcraft – and the best part is, they won’t dent your bank account in the slightest.
Read more:35 things to do in Wales with all the family during summer 2021
1. Gower Unearthed and Dryad Bushcraft
Gower Unearthed and Dryad Bushcraft are offering a range of free unique family experiences over the summer, including workshops that explore the Giants of Green Cwm, wild foraging, pottery painting and apothecary.
The workshops will be held on August 24 and 25 and September 11 and 18, down at the Gower Heritage Centre (The Roundhouse), and are suitable for a range of ages. The sessions are a unique opportunity for your children to meet new people, have some fun and to get in touch with their hunter-gatherer roots.
Spaces are limited, and you can book directly via Helen at 07887 993772.
2. The Egypt Centre
Swansea University’s Egypt Centre has long been popular with schools and avid museum-goers. This year, the centre is hosting a free summer programme called Museum Makers that runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from August 9 – 27.
Children enjoying a previous workshop at The Egypt Centre, Swansea
As a Museum Maker, your child can expect hours of fun exploring the museum’s galleries, handling real ancient objects and discovering the stories behind them. If that isn’t enough, they will also be able to choose their favourite object and decide what story they want to tell with it.
If art is your child’s forte, they will also have the chance to create their own piece of artwork to share online as part of the centre’s new display.
It’s suitable for children aged 7 – 11, and you can book your free place here.
3. Glynn Vivian Creative Workshops
This summer, the Glynn Vivian is hosting free creative workshops every Thursday that are focused on exploring the meaning of ‘home’.
On August 12, the gallery will launch the ‘my house is the people I love’ project – a collaborative family sculpture project that uses cardboard cutting techniques to explore the idea of the home as something more than just a place where you live.
The Glynn Vivian in Swansea
(Image: Phil Boorman Photography Ltd)
The workshops will also explore the materials, ideas and techniques used by Carlos Bunga in his exhibition, Terra Ferma .
The workshops run at various times, and you can book your space here.
4. Anxiety Warriors (Anxiety Support Wales)
Anxiety Warriors is opening up the discussion around child mental health by running a fun summer programme in Singleton Park.
It’s a week-long course which will involve creating a ‘calm box’ that’s filled with items that help soothe anxiety in children. The course will also involve exploring the park to collect sensory items, as well as breathing exercises, mindfulness, and lots of fun games.
The workshops run Monday – Friday, from 10am – 12.30pm and are suitable for children aged 6-12.
To book, you can email them directly on [email protected], or via their Facebook page.
5. Local Beaches
An obvious free summer favourite: a family trip to the beach.
Swansea is home to some of the nicest beaches in the region – not long ago Rhossili Bay was voted TripAdvisor’s best beach in Britain; the third best beach in Europe and ninth best in the world.
Caswell Bay in Swansea
(Image: Robert Melen)
A trip to the beach is even more tempting with the new free bus scheme that offers free transport across Swansea every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday during August – including beach locations such as Rhossili.
When the sun is shining, Swansea beaches are a perfect place for the kids to burn off energy, and for you to relax and soak up the rare sun. Caswell beach is a destination that never disappoints, with its clean water, natural beauty and excellent hospitality facilities – including an ice cream shop, a fish and chip shop, and a cafe.
If you’re looking for a beach for the whole family, including your four legged companions , good choices would be Mumbles , Pwll Du, Pobbles, Three Cliffs, Tor Bay, Crawley, Oxwich, Mewslade, Rhossili , Llangennith, Broughton, Whiteford Sands and Port Eynon – although lead restrictions may apply.
6.Brynmill Park
Brynmill is a popular park that’s home to a gorgeous lake and a wide range of wildlife. In addition to the ancient trees and well-kept grassy areas, the park is home to the new Discovery Centre. The centre is a unique outdoor classroom which features a large one way glass window, giving you the chance to view the birds and wildlife undisturbed in their natural habitats.
The Brynmill Park play area
(Image: WalesOnline/Gayle Marsh)
The park is home to an excellent range of facilities, including a lake, toilets, a kiosk, a bowling green and a large children’s playground.
7.Mindfulness Movement and Fun at the Swansea Wellbeing Centre
Swansea Wellbeing Centre is offering a full summer of fun for all ages, from babies and parents to children and teenagers. The classes run every Monday and Tuesday, and they are packed with a range of activities from mindful movement (including yoga), mindful artwork, singing, sensory play, body scans and breathing exercises.
You can book a space by emailing them at [email protected]
The Swansea Wellbeing Centre is in Walter Road, SA1 5PQ
8. BRD Mountain Boarding and Gravity Centre
For a truly unique experience, you can head down to the BRD Mountain Boarding and Gravity Centre, which is offering free taster sessions for kids throughout the summer as part of the ‘Summer of Fun’ provision.
With BRD Gravity, you can get a taste of exciting new activities mountain boarding (similar to a snowboard, but with wheels), grass sledges and dirt scooters.
Based on the beautiful Gower Peninsula and Pembrey Country Park, the sessions are popular in demand, so booking is essential. You can book a session by dropping an email to [email protected] , or by calling them directly on 07856 152540.
9. Blackpill
Most people who grew up in Swansea will have fond memories of splashing around in Blackpill Lido. It’s open from 9am – 5pm every day in August, and it’s a must when the sun is shining.
Blackpill Lido
(Image: Jonathan Myers)
Located in the heart of Mumbles, the lido features a fantastic paddling pool, an extensive children’s play area, climbing rock and picnic facilities. There’s also a cafe and ice cream shop, and it’s just a stone’s throw from the award-winning Clyne Gardens and Swansea Beach, if you want to make a full day of it.
No ‘things to do in Swansea’ list would be complete without Blackpill – and it promises a jam-packed day of fun for the whole family.
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10. The National Waterfront Museum
A stark contrast to its older sibling, Swansea Museum, the Waterfront museum is a modern glass building that tells the story of industry in Wales over the past 300 years.
The museum is a brilliant place to learn more about how the Industrial Revolution impacted Welsh people, communities and lives, and there are some impressive pieces of machinery that are sure to capture the attention of both children and adults.
The Waterfront Museum in Swansea
(Image: Robert Melen)
It has a wide range of things to see – from traditional glass displays to interactive digital experiences. The younger ones can be sure to enjoy the Sali the Seagull Summer Trail which involves spotting seven seagulls hidden around the galleries.
For the older children, the museum is also hosting a series of fashion fixing and upcycling workshops that teach young people from 12 years old onward how to repair, embellish and upcycle their old clothes into something they can be proud of, which can be booked here.
The museum is free, but booking is essential.
11. Clever Cubs Club
Clever Cubs Club is a new stay and play group for children, run by ex primary school teacher Natalie Thomas. Their summer sessions are run through their own exclusive Clever Cubs music, and the kids can play with instruments, dances, props, puppets, role play, as well as engage in lots of sensory fun.
Each week at Clever Cubs features a new theme, such as pirates, aliens, farms – which all activities are linked to.
The club is aimed at younger children under the age of four – but siblings are welcome too (although there will be a small fee if the siblings would like a resource pack). Club owner Natalie, 34, from Swansea, said: “Siblings and guardians seem to have just as much messy fun as the little ones!”
Clever Cubs have weekly sessions in Tircoed Village Hall, Birchgrove Community Centre and Gendros Community Centre. They are free from Tuesday, August 17, for the last three weeks of the summer holidays, and you can book a place through their Facebook page.
12. Cwmdonkin Park
A local favourite, Cwmdonkin park is a day out that’s suitable for you, the children and your pets.
Dubbed “A world within the world of the sea town” by Dylan Thomas, Cwmdonkin Park combines natural beauty with fantastic up-to-date facilities, including a children’s park with a zipline, fun slides, a cafe, tennis courts, a bowling green, a multi-use basketball court, lots of open green space and picnic benches.
Cwmdonkin Park in Swansea
(Image: Media Wales)
Situated in the heart of the city, the park has recently benefited from an extensive regeneration programme with funding from Heritage Lottery Fund, European Regional Development Fund, Visit Wales and the City and County of Swansea.
13. Dylan Thomas Exhibition
If your trip to Cwmdonkin inspires you to learn more about the poet Dylan Thomas, the Dylan Thomas Centre is taking free bookings for its exhibition throughout the summer.
The exhibition features interactive timelines and displays, including the Children’s Trail which brings to life some of the animals that appear in Dylan’s writing, and the People’s Trail, which helps viewers understand the key people in Dylan’s life. You will also get to listen to recordings of Dylan himself, and those who knew him, through the built-in speakers in the chairs.
Booking is essential, and the centre is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
14.Swansea Museum
Swansea Museum is home to a wide range of interesting artefacts, from wartime objects to Hor the Egyptian Mummy, and some of the world’s earliest photographs. The museum also has two boats that float on the nearby Marina, including the bright red Helwick and the tug boat ‘Canning’, which is an oil-burning steam tug which worked from Swansea Docks from 1966.
The Helwick Lightship in Swansea Marina
(Image: Robert Christie)
The museum is free, but booking is essential.
Are there any other free activities you will be doing this summer with your children? Let us know in the comments :
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