The summer holidays are about to begin and the weeks that lie ahead are just waiting to be filled with fun and activity. If you are short of ideas on how to keep the kids in your life occupied, Jersey Heritage has plenty of entertainment planned.
As part of our ‘A Summer of Fun’ programme, sponsored by Ogier, we will have creative activities happening across our castles and museums every weekday from 11am-3pm. From pottery to performance, there will be something to engage and delight youngsters at a different heritage site each week.
All activities will be drop-in with no booking required, although children must be accompanied by an adult who is on hand and ready to help as the creativity begins. Start with Oodles of Doodles at Elizabeth Castle, then take part in some wild play, drama sessions and pottery during the middle of the holidays, before heading into the Junkyard Jungle at Hamptonne Country Life Museum as the summer comes to an end.
If you’re not already a Jersey Heritage member, the summer holidays are the perfect time to join because membership gives you free access to all our sites for ‘A Summer of Fun’, as well as for site visits in general and the opportunity to take part in member-only activities such as lizard walks and kayaking.
The Wall Lizard Walks are the perfect way to fill the first days of the holidays and run daily from 18 to 22 July. Join Sarah Maguire from the Jersey Biodiversity Centre as she takes you and the family on a guided walk in search of the Podarcis Muralis. The walks start at Gorey Pier and finish in the grounds of Mont Orgueil Castle.
There’s also a kayak adventure at Ouaisné on Friday 19 August to discover La Cotte de St Brelade, enabling you to explore one of the Island’s beautiful seascapes and journey into the past as you find out more about how Neanderthals used the ancient site. Children need to be over the age of eight to take part in this adventure.
More information about becoming a Jersey Heritage member is available at jerseyheritage.org/join-us/membership
While you’re out and about visiting our heritage sites during the holidays, there will be plenty of Living History characters around to entertain you, from the master gunner at Elizabeth Castle – a firm favourite with visitors and especially children, who love the loud bangs of the cannon and muskets – to the blacksmith at Hamptonne and storytellers at La Hougue Bie. Check jerseyheritage.org for full details of dates and times for each character and site.
A big event during the holidays this year is the Commonwealth Games and if your kids are sporting fans, bring them along to Meet the Collections on Saturday 13 August. For a small island, we have a mighty sporting history and there will be everything from trophies and equipment, to memorabilia from sports events on display. Our collections team will also be on hand to share with you and your family the stories behind each object.
If it’s music that your child is into and they just want to chill out over the holidays, why not bring them to our final Summer Nights Sessions on Thursday 18 August at Mont Orgueil Castle. The event runs from 7pm to 9pm, enabling families to share an evening together as a family while listening to DJs playing relaxed, Ibiza-style sounds.
The castle is also the place to enjoy some Shakespeare this summer with open-air performances of one of the Bard’s finest tragedies, Othello, on Wednesday and Thursday 27 and 28 August. This could be the perfect way to end the school holidays as thoughts turn to returning to school, especially if Shakespeare is on their study list.
A SUMMER OF FUN OODLES OF DOODLES
Elizabeth Castle
Monday 25 to Friday 29 July 11am-3pm
Take your imagination for a walk with artist Jools Holt, who’ll be providing oodles of fun opportunities to draw, play and explore. We’ll provide the materials and clear up afterwards. All you have to do is join in, ‘collabradoodle’ and create.
WILD PLAY
Hamptonne Country Life Museum Monday
1 to Friday 5 August 11am-3pm
Wild Play days at Hamptonne are perfect for connecting with each other and experiencing nature through crafts, skill learning and free play. All sessions are led and supported by naturalist Stephen Le Quesne. Activities will vary daily but themes will include dens and ropes, wood and whittling, the art of colour, natural crafts and the living world (insects).
KIDS CASTLE THEATRE
Mont Orgueil Castle
Monday 8 to Friday 12 August 11am-3pm (sessions start at 11am and 1pm)
Explore Mont Orgueil through the world of theatre with a professional team from Butterfly Theatre Company and enjoy an exciting week of immersive and creative workshops. Each day will focus on a different theme, giving the opportunity to learn fun performance skills through games and activities.
GOING POTTY
La Hougue Bie
Monday 15 to Friday 19 August 11am-3pm
Pottery is an ancient art form so where better to spend time creating with clay than at the ancient and beautifully inspiring La Hougue Bie? Join potter Stuart Copeland, whose enthusiasm for his craft is contagious. He will help you to create unique artworks to take home with you.
JUNKYARD JUNGLE
Hamptonne Country Life Museum Monday
22 to Friday 25 August 11am-3pm
Escape into your imagination with the help of artist Margarida Lorenco Olivier. Join her in the orchard at Hamptonne to turn everyday rubbish into creative treasure, inspired by the natural beauty of your surroundings. All these activities, sponsored by Ogier, are drop-in sessions and no booking is required. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Normal entry fees apply. Free to Jersey Heritage members and children under the age of six.
JERSEY HERITAGE MEMBERS’ EVENTS WALL LIZARD WALKS
Gorey/Mont Orgueil Castle
Monday 18 to Friday 22 July 11am or 12pm
Join Sarah Maguire from Jersey Biodiversity Centre as she takes you on a guided walk in search of these reptiles. Explore the stone walls and rockeries of Devon Gardens and discover how urban areas can be a haven for wildlife, such as these lizards and pollinators. The walk starts at Gorey Pier bus stop and finishes in the grounds of Mont Orgueil Castle. Along the walk, you’ll be recording what you see to help ReptileWatch.je, a local conservation project. To book tickets, go to eventbrite.co.uk and search for Wall Lizard Walks. This event is for Jersey Heritage members only and is free. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
WHERE NEANDERTHALS ONCE WALKED – LA COTTE KAYAK TRIP
Ouaisné Friday
19 August 2pm-4pm
Jersey Heritage has teamed up with Jersey Kayak Adventures to offer an exclusive experience of kayaking at La Cotte de St Brelade, accompanied by geopark guide Nicky Mansell. Nicky will share her knowledge of Jersey’s southwest coast and the importance of La Cotte as a crucial site in European prehistory. Starting on land at Ouaisné beach and making your way by kayak around the granite headland, discover how the collapsed cave and granite ravines provided a home for Neanderthal hunter-gatherers for over 200,000 years. To book tickets, contact members’ curator Carmella Knight at Carmella.Knight@jerseyheritage.org. This event is for Jersey Heritage members only (aged 8+) and costs £25. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
OTHER EVENTS
MEET THE COLLECTIONS
Sir Francis Cook Gallery
Saturday 13 August 10am-2pm
With the Commonwealth Games taking place this summer, take a look at a range of sporting goods from our collections, ranging from medals and equipment to records of sports events. Entry is free.
SUMMER NIGHTS SESSIONS
Mont Orgueil Castle Thursday
18 August 7pm-9pm
Join us for the final Summer Nights Sessions experience and see Mont Orgueil Castle in a completely different light. Ease yourself and your family into the weekend with Ibiza sunset vibes within the walls of this historic site as we welcome back the Weekender crew for this atmospheric live music event. Enjoy relaxed DJ sets with Simon Gasston and Warren Le Sueur in the open air of the Middle Ward, beneath the towering strong-hold of the Castle Keep. Bring your own wine, picnic and blanket. To book your tickets, go to eventbrite.co.uk and search Summer Nights Sessions. Entry is free for children under the age of ten.
OTHELLO
Mont Orgueil Castle
Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 August 7.30pm
ADG Europe and TNT Theatre present the tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare. The production is part of ADG Europe’s Jubilee Tour and the performances are complemented by powerful live music and sung harmonies. The setting will be historical but the staging will be contemporary. Tickets can be booked at adg-europe.com or at the castle one hour before a performance. Concessions include students.
