30 things to do in Chelmsford this May half term

If you're in need of some inspiration during the school holidays, look no further than our guide to what's on in the Chelmsford district this half term.

Whole days out

Marsh Farm: Mega May-Hem

Marsh Farm in South Woodham Ferrers has over a week of brand-new entertainment planned from 24 May. There’ll be a giant inflatable course and a splash pool with purpose-built beach alongside all the usual Marsh Farm activities like meet the dinosaurs, animal encounters, fairground rides, indoor soft play and walkabout entertainers.

Family Fun Day at Chelmsford City Racecourse

If you’re looking to banish the Sunday blues as half term draws to a close, Chelmsford City Racecourse’s Family Fun Day on 1 June could be what you’re looking for. A day of entertainment is planned with Shetland pony races, outdoor inflatables, fairground games, face painting and arts and crafts. There’ll be street food available from a dedicated ‘Food Village’ and live music from DJ Marky T.

Call of the Wild Zoo

Another attraction in SWF is also a firm favourite with Chelmsford families: Call of the Wild Zoo was a runner up in the ‘Best Family Experience’ category of this year’s Essex Muddy Stilettos awards. Expect to see lemurs, meerkats, wallabies, birds of prey and reptiles. Visitors can also buy special experiences, including the chance to be a keeper for the day.

Activities for teenagers

Pickleball with friends at council leisure centres 

Pickleball is a fun, friendly, fast-paced racket game that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. You can book a pickleball session and hire rackets at all our leisure centres. SWF Leisure Centre also has ‘come and try’ beginner sessions every Wednesday at 6pm and a club night on Fridays from 6pm for more advanced players.

Musical Theatre Intensive: Six at Chelmsford Theatre

Budding performers aged 13-18 can enjoy a full day of singing and choreography at Chelmsford Theatre based on the hit musical about the wives of Henry VIII. At the end of the day, workshop participants will perform the pieces they’ve polished to parents and carers.

Create cute, customised ceramics

Paint pottery to treasure at Ceramics on the Hop in Writtle, turning a blank ceramic item into a unique artwork. Unleash your inner artist on an ornamental piece or paint something more functional to use every day, like a mug or bowl. The studio aims to offer a relaxing experience for all ages, and your finished work will be glazed and fired in the kiln, ready to be collected a couple of weeks later.

Cool cafés to visit

Chelmsford is fortunate to have many fabulous cafés and coffee shops, which deliver delicious drinks and inspiring aesthetics. If you want to treat your teen and spend some quality time together, there are plenty of options in the city centre and beyond. Driink on Baddow Road serves elegant artisan coffee and tea in a cool industrial setting; new coffee kid on the block, Thirst, delivers beautifully made drinks in hand-made mugs under the railway arches; and Heidi’s in Runwell is one of the most insta-worthy cafes around, with beautiful pink décor and a cherry tree to gaze at as you sip your flat white.

Ten pin bowling

The city now has two indoor bowling alleys to choose from. City Bowl, on Bishop Hall Lane by the ARU campus, has a ten-pin bowling alley and six pool tables, open from 10am every day, serving a menu which includes small plates, pizza, burgers and hotdogs. Kingpins is another, relatively new addition to the city centre on Market Road alongside High Chelmer. Players can take their own photos and project images across their bowling lanes as they play. Both venues are open throughout the week, from morning until evening.

Fun indoors

Museum of Chelmsford: History Heroes

It’s Saxons Week at the Museum of Chelmsford between 27 and 29 May. Learn all about runes and riddles, discover how Saxons dyed wool, try your hand at weaving, create your own Saxon brooch and dress up like a Saxon! The two-hour sessions start at £7.20 and are suitable for children over 6 years.

Essex Police Museum

This museum in Springfield, dedicated to our local police force, is open Saturdays and Wednesdays in the school holidays. Learn more about the story of policing in Essex from 1840 to the present day and try an extra Cops and Robbers trail for £1. Directions, opening times and details about parking can be found on their Facebook page.

Shows for kids at Chelmsford Theatre

Half term is dedicated to fun at Chelmsford Theatre with a series of family shows for kids of all ages. The ever-popular Wifi Wars has a new challenge for young (and not so young) gamers to celebrate its 10th anniversary; Preschoolers and Reception-aged children will love art adventure Splat!; and entertainer Nicky Trix promises magic with a side order of comedy.

Geek Retreat: Pokémon sessions

Geek culture venue Geek Retreat stocks board games, model kits, collectables and trading card games. They put on regular daily events and tournaments and this half term there’s a Pokémon club running from Monday to Friday between 12pm and 3pm. More established Pokémon trainers can also battle each other at an under-16s Pokémon tournament on Wednesday 28 May. If you prefer a traditional boardgame, there are lots to try in their friendly onsite café.

Chelmsford Cathedral: Pipes and Popcorn

Film fans can enjoy big screen music at Pipes and Popcorn in the Cathedral this half-term as assistant director of music, Samuel Bristow, takes to the organ to perform songs from The Lion King, Harry Potter, Star Wars and more. There will be a pop-up café serving juices and popcorn, with the music beginning at midday on Wednesday 28 May.

Soft Play at Mace Playce

Most parents of young children will already know of soft play venue Mace Playce, but if you’re new to the area or paying Chelmsford a visit, their centre on Cuton Hall Lane could be what you’re looking for. Children up to the age of 12 are catered for and there are two separate play areas for under and over-5s, along with a café serving hot and cold food.

Get outside

Go Ape at Hylands Park

If you haven’t yet visited Go Ape, May is a great time to get up into the Hylands tree canopy. Adventurers from 1m in height will find an exciting course at an appropriate level and after your treetop experience, head over to the nearby adventure playground for more fun or The Deli kiosk for refreshments.

RHS Hyde Hall: The Great Garden Game-a-thon

Put your skills to the test at RHS Hyde Hall this half term, with giant garden games for the whole family. Navigate your way out of a grass labyrinth and try the vegetable Olympics! On Tuesday 27 May, there’ll be storytelling walks around the garden, setting out from the Welcome Building. Check times on the Hyde Hall website; general garden admission applies.

Essex Wildlife Trust Hanningfield Reservoir events

As you’d expect, there’s plenty to do at Hanningfield Reservoir during the school holiday. There’s a family forest fun session planned, pond dipping and even a woodland evening adventure with a rare chance to explore the reserve after hours.

Danbury Country Park: Forest School

Enjoy a family forest school for all generations at Danbury Country Park. These stay and play sessions are suitable for toddlers through to school-aged children and all kids will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. Tickets are £10 for the first child and £6 for siblings (includes free car parking and free admission for accompanying adults).

Getting active

Holiday activities at our leisure centres

Our leisure centres have a wide range of sessions for children aged 4 to 14 this half term. Half and whole-day Mini and City Camps are running across Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers, and athletics holiday courses are on throughout the week at CSAC. Other holiday sessions include parkour and free running, inflatable fun at the SWF pool, swimming, scuba diving, trampolining and ice skating.

Jump, climb and soar at AirHop Chelmsford

The indoor adventure park (formerly called Jump Street) with Essex’s biggest trampoline arena and largest Clip'n Climb has added airslides to its list of activities, which send you down an almost vertical drop and into an oversized airbag. If you want to stay for longer or trampolining isn’t your thing, there’s also a separate soft play area for kids up to the age of 10, with four levels of activities and an area for parents and carers to relax from the sidelines.

Challenge yourself at Ninja Warrior

Ninja Warrior, right in the city centre, has two separate challenge areas. The first is the classic obstacle course with a ‘Warped Wall’ to conquer and ‘Mount Sasuke’ to climb. The second is their large inflatables area, popular with younger children. Sessions run from 9am to 8pm most days in the holidays, for kids aged 5 and over.

Outdoor mini golf

Hylands Golf Complex: mini golf

Hylands Golf Complex has an 18-hole course reopening just in time for May half term. Designed to resemble a full-size course in miniature, the layout features realistic and entertaining challenges for players of all ages. Putters and balls are included in the entry price.

Rascal Bay

This popular crazy golf course on Waterhouse Lane has an impressive line-up of features, from dinosaurs and an erupting volcano, to rafts and pirate cannons. Rascal Bay first opened in 2021 and since then, it’s become a family favourite, close to the city centre.  

West Park Pitch and Putt

West Park Pitch and Putt is a mature, 18-hole pitch and putt golf course overlooking the River Can and Admirals Park, situated next to Rascal Bay. The course is perfect for slightly older and more confident young golfers and provides a challenging round for all levels. Foot Golf is also available, along with equipment for hire.

Geocaching

Lathcoats Farm

If you’re looking for something new to do, Lathcoats Farm on Beehive Lane is offering a geocaching adventure. For £5, a group of up to 10 people can take part in a 1km-long trail which is suitable for those aged 5 and over. Smart phones are essential to participate, and booking is required.

Hylands geocaching

If you’d like to try geocaching (or you’re already a veteran), there are many caches hidden around Hylands Estate. These might be found around trees, under bushes, or on fences, but you’ll never need to dig for them. You can find them by downloading the official Geocaching app and switching on your GPS. The app will identify caches near you and help you navigate towards them.

Free fun

Head to our parks and green spaces

The Chelmsford district is known for its beautiful outdoor spaces, with nature reserves, Green Flag parks and play areas aplenty. Head to the Love Your Chelmsford website to find an area you’ve never explored before, or find a series of free walking and biking trails with I Spy challenges included.

Free tennis at Oaklands Park

Lawn Tennis Association Barclays free tennis sessions are taking place in Oaklands park both Sundays during half term. The hour-long courses are run by Chelmsford Tennis Academy and designed for anyone aged 7 and over who isn’t playing regularly but would like to start their tennis journey. Equipment is provided if needed. Book your free spot online.

Become a bird song expert

If you’ve ever wondered how to tell a Chiffchaff from a Mistle Thrush, it’s never been easier to find out which birds you can hear. Apps like the CornellLab Merlin app listen to the birds around you and add real-time suggestions about what you can hear. You can also listen back to your recordings afterwards to get your ear in for your next walk.

Get snapping for the Love Your Chelmsford photo competition

To celebrate the nature in our neighbourhoods, the council’s city parks team has launched a new photography competition. They’re looking for photos on the theme: ‘Bees, Pollinators and Insects’ and finalists’ images will be displayed in an outdoor gallery, at Oaklands Park this August. Under-16s must seek permission from a parent, carer or guardian to enter.