With the school summer holidays right around the corner, parents looking for fun, affordable and creative ways to keep their children entertained during the break need look no further than the Artsreach summer programme of activities, which runs from the 27 July – 31 August.

Whatever your child’s creative streak, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into this summer including music, theatre, outdoor adventures, crafts, storytelling and more!

Dorset Forest Schools will host a range of outdoor adventure workshops exploring everything from making bows and spears, constructing shelters and bug-hunting to crafts, games and open fire cooking at Sixpenny Handley, Tolpuddle, Piddletrenthide, Portesham and The Kingcombe Centre in Toller Porcorum.

Parents and toddlers can enjoy a fun-filled session of minibeast-themed arts, crafts, songs, storytelling and cooking with Fiddlesticks On Tour at Sixpenny Handley and Sturminster Newton.

At Milborne St Andrew, parents and children can get hands on drawing to music together. After a storytelling session, children can create the house of their dreams from a cardboard box in Drawing, Dancing & House of Dreams.

Then in an Oops Wow Messy Art session at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton, children can make and wear their very own Decorator Crab Shell before embarking on an enormous drawing and storytelling adventure. Dressing for mess strongly is advised!

The Story Boat will be at Sixpenny Handley and Charmouth for two special days this summer.

At a Song Writing Workshop learn a range of different vocal techniques before writing your very own brand new song and giving a mini performance for friends and family at Milborne St Andrew.

Budding artists have plenty to turn their hands to, with Abigail Thommes Graffiti Experience designing and painting new tags with black paint at Martinstown and The Dorset Wildlife Centre in Toller Porcorum.

Local artist Fran Quinlan leads a Wacky Willow constructive craft workshop at Piddletrenthide and The Kingcombe Centre, and a Mammoth Monoprint session at Martinstown, experimenting with a range of materials to create gigantic prints! 3D sculptor Darrell Wakelam returns this summer with sessions creating magnificent 3D Secret Treasure Chests at Toller Porcorum, Charmouth and Milborne St Andrew, or 3d Space Scene at Sturminster Newton.

Finally, Squashbox Theatre invites you to join friends Forest Range Craig on a woodland adventure at Child Okeford and Durlston Country Park with Tales from the Trees. Expect puppetry, storytelling, live music and comedy! A post show puppet-making workshop is also available!

See artsreach.co.uk to book