Take out some pins at the bowling alley
Darlington Borough Council has opened a five-lane bowling alley this year in a bid to increase its offering to families. A family session costs £23 at peak times, or £21 for an off-peak session.
Go swimming
If the Olympics are inspiring your youngsters to get in the pool why not get splashing at the Dolphin Centre? The Darlington leisure centre also has a diving pool for those hoping to follow in the footsteps of Tom Daley following his gold medal winning performance. There is a booking system in place for lane swimming and people are being asked to come swim ready where possible.
Roller skating
Have some fun on four wheels at the free roller rink in the town centre. The rink in the Market Square will be there until Sunday and is open between 11am and 4pm each day.
It is free and open to children over the age of eight.
Booking is advised.
It’s not the only activity available in the Market Square this summer. On Wednesdays, there will be a number of activities, including mini golf, cycling and skateboarding.
Check out the new soft play at the Majestic Theatre
Gi-Gi’s is the newest soft play in Darlington, only opening in July. It has undergone a complete refurbishment and during the holidays the animal-themed play area is open from 10am to 6pm every day.
Get active for free
A series of outdoor activities are taking place across Darlington during the summer holidays. Rounders, football and team challenges are among the activities youngsters between the ages of eight and 12 can try their hands ar. They run throughout the holidays from Mondays to Fridays and are free to take part in. For the full programme visit www.darlington.gov.uk
Bring out your creative side
On the back of its two-week theatre festival in South Park, Theatre Hullaballoo is trying to get children to be creative at home. It has guides to a series of crafts, from using chalk to draw your own bug eyes to making masks and puppets. Videos are available on the theatre’s website and it is asking creative youngsters to send in photos of their efforts.
Enjoy some culture in the park
Proms in the Park is back on Sunday, August 8 with a variety of music on offer. The free event was due to take place in July but was rescheduled because of coronavirus restrictions. It takes place in South Park from 3pm to 5pm, is completely free and families are invited to come along with a picnic to enjoy the music. No tickets required.
Pride picnic
Darlington Pride Weekender takes place this year from August 7-9. It includes a range of activities, including a Pride picnic and rainbow trail for families in South Park. Taking place on Sunday, August 9, it features relaxed entertainment and children’s activities.
Get reading
Now that lockdown restrictions are easing, Darlington library is back open. Once again, the library is running its summer reading challenge and has a range of prizes up for grabs. Younger readers can enter by visiting branches in Crown Street and Cockerton.
Go for a run!
Park Run is back after a break of almost 18 months. Adults can take part in the 5km run around South Park, or children can give the junior event a go. The 2km event is open to children between the ages of 4 and 14. Both are free and start at 9am on Saturdays. Visit www.parkrun.org.uk/southpark-juniors/
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You can also follow our dedicated Darlington Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.
For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here