Explore the summer with action-packed activities for children and young people

Food and nutrition will play a big part in the summer offer this year; Lunch Bunch is back, so children can enjoy a healthy packed lunch alongside activities and older children can take part in cooking activities to prepare their own meals from scratch.  Activities are taking place face-to-face and all will be in line with current public health guidance.

Cllr Michelline Safi Ngongo, Executive Member for Children and Families, said: “Council teams and partners have been working extremely hard to put together this year’s summer programme, in what has been another challenging year for our children and young people.

“We are delighted we can offer so many courses and opportunities face-to-face. There is bound to be a lot of demand, so make sure you to register and book as soon as possible.”

Young people aged 13 and over, who live or go to school or college in Islington, can sign up for free Summerversity courses. For young people aged 16 and over there are also Launchpad courses on offer, all of which will help them make the most of their summer holiday while staying safe. The range of opportunities to try include kayaking, bike repair, carpentry, music, life skills, employability support and sport and fitness. All sessions need to be booked in advance, either by contacting the venue, activity organiser or online at www.summerversity.co.uk

For younger children, the Summer Reading Challenge is back, offering the perfect opportunity for families to return to their local library over the summer break and keep improving their reading skills. The theme this year is Wild World Heroes, and the challenge is an opportunity to help children aged 4-11 keep up the reading habit over the summer and discover new authors and types of books to read. To check out the reading lists and for more information on how to take part in the challenge, visit your local library or follow @Islingtonlibs on Twitter.

In addition, Islington's 12 adventure playgrounds are open for outdoor play sessions, giving children the opportunity to safely socialise with others, burn off energy and boost their physical and emotional health. They are safe, welcoming, fun and open to children aged 6 and over. Visit www.islington.gov.uk/adventureplaygrounds for more information.

Bright Start activities for under-5s will also be running over the summer holidays, including stay and play sessions indoors and outdoors, and discover the parks activities. Further details are at www.islington.gov.uk/brightstart

Childcare is also available for children aged 5 to 11 years at a range of holiday playschemes. Some free places will be available for vulnerable children, and for those eligible for benefits-related free school meals. Childminders can also provide holiday childcare. See www.islington.gov.uk/holidaychildcare for details.

Full listings can be found at www.islington.gov.uk/heatwave or by calling the Family Information Service on 020 7527 5959. Information for young people is also on www.izzy-info.com and you can keep up-to-date throughout the summer on Twitter via @IslingtonLife

Notes to editor

The council funds a range of free or low-cost summer activities, alongside free lunches to tackle holiday hunger during the school holidays. Some additional funding from the Department for Education to target free school meal eligible children has enabled us to expand this summer's programme.