CHILDREN of all ages will be able to enjoy a summer of fun and try their hand at something new this August with free activities on offer in Basingstoke town centre and communities across the borough.

Love Basingstoke will be hosting its Fri-YAY programme every Friday throughout the month, providing children aged three to 16 years-old with the chance to enjoy new activities, including sports and arts and crafts.

On Friday, August 2 visitors to Cross Street will be able to drop into the Pop Up Play Village, colour and keep a tote bag with artist Olivia Egbunike from Proteus and get involved in activities with the Roger Morris Centre pop-up, all between 11am and 3pm.

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For adrenaline seekers, parkour and free running workshops and demonstrations will be hosted by local company PFT Academy in Market Place. Pre-booking is required via LoveBasingstoke.co.uk.

Other activities on the day include BMX Flatland shows and workshops in Cross Street, a nine-hole mini golf course in London Street and more sports activities and Basingstoke Sport and Social Club on Fairlands Road will have more sports activities and a bouncy castle.

Taking it up a level in Market Place on Friday, August 9, those with a head for heights can tackle a climbing wall and in Cross Street, artist Louise Hight will be showing children how to make their own mini beast noughts and crosses game.

The Brick People will be giving visitors the chance to get hands on by building mosaics and holding speed building races and Olivia Egbunike will be back with sessions to decorate a frisbee or softball to keep.

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Sports activities and a bouncy castle will return to Basingstoke Sport and Social Club in Fairfields Road and there will be face painting in Church Street. All the activities are free to drop in between 11am and 3pm.

Entries from the recent Love Basingstoke ‘History Through Your Eyes’ art competition will be exhibited at The Basingstoke Discovery Centre between 9.30am and 5pm from August 15 to September 2 so visitors to Fri-YAY can pop in and view them at the same time. 

On Friday, August 16, professional scooter rider and former world champion Terry Price is offering scooter workshops and coaching in Market Place. Pre-booking is required via LoveBasingstoke.co.uk. 

Junk Jodie will host a recycling make-and-take activity and the Roger Morris Centre Pop-Up returns, with both sessions being held in Cross Street. Urban Sketchers, who featured in the recent Basingstoke Festival programme will also be found in Cross Street.

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Youngsters can have a ‘tee-tastic’ time with the return of the mini golf in London Street and enjoy more sports activities and a bouncy castle at Basingstoke Sport and Social Club on Fairfields Road, between 11am and 3pm.

Basingstoke Voluntary Action’s gnomes will be hiding around War Memorial Park, giving visitors a chance to connect with nature. Maps can be collected from The Orchard between 11am and 2pm to go gnome hunting.

Visitors to Cross Street can try their feet at Footpool – sinking footballs into the pockets of a giant pool table – or 10-pin football, where they can knock down the pins by kicking a football on Friday, August 23. At the Top of the Town, activities on offer include inflatable axe throwing in Market Place and face painting in Church Street. Activities at Basingstoke Sport and Social Club will also return.

Bringing Fri-YAY to a close on Friday, August 30, visitors to War Memorial Park can try their hand at disc golf, played with frisbees, or soft target archery. At 11am, 12noon and 2pm Philippa and Frannie’s Physical Fitness can also be found in the park, where they will be encouraging children to get off their screens with an unforgettable sports day. Yogabellies for mums with young babies is a relaxing opportunity to bond in War Memorial Park, but pre-booking on the Love Basingstoke website is essential. Activities at Basingstoke Sport and Social Club will be back, with youngsters free to drop in between 11am and 3pm.

New for this year on six weekdays in August, free activities will also be available in Oakridge, Brighton Hill, Bishops Green, Penwood, Buckskin and South Ham. More information can be found on LoveBasingstoke.co.uk/news/fri-yay-fun.

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Cabinet member for sports, leisure and culture Cllr Kerry Morrow said: “The free Summer Fun programme offers fun for children and young people of all ages this August. This is a great opportunity to try a new sporting activity, be creative, explore a park or simply get away from screens for a few hours during the summer holidays, with a jam-packed programme of activities on offer.

“We hope the summer holidays will be full of sunshine, but we would encourage everyone to check Love Basingstoke’s social media channels for any last-minute changes.”

All these summer activities are free and for most activities families will be able to just turn up on the day. Some activities may require waiting to take part or pre-booking.  

More information about all the activities on offer is available at LoveBasingstoke.co.uk, with updates through following Love Basingstoke on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to get any last-minute changes to the schedule.