Get the most out of summer with huge variety of activities for children and young people

From Caribbean cooking to poetry, film-making to roller-skating, special effects make-up to animal care, there are dozens of workshops and events offering something new and exciting for every taste. Full listings for all ages are available on the Heatwave website.

In addition to what’s on offer through the Heatwave programme, the council is providing free activities with healthy food to eligible children and young people in Reception to Year 11 over the holidays. To check if your child is eligible, find out what's on and to book a place, visit our Holiday Activities and Food page.

Cllr Michelline Safi Ngongo, Executive Member for Children and Families, said: “No matter what your children are into, there’s something on offer here in Islington to suit them this summer, however hold they are – and plenty of opportunities for them to discover new passions and pursuits.

“As always, we’ve worked hard with our partners to put together this year’s summer programme and I’m delighted to see how varied and interesting it is

“As demand for these activities will be high, make sure you register and book as soon as possible to avoid missing out.”

There is plenty for the under-5s to do, including stay and play sessions indoors and outdoors, and activities designed to help them discover Islington’s parks and green spaces. Find out more on

Islington’s libraries are again hosting the Summer Reading Challenge, encouraging a passion for reading in children aged 4-11, helping them discover new authors and keeping up the reading habit over the holidays. This year's theme, 'Gadgeteers', will spark children's curiosity about the world around them. 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.

Meanwhile, the borough’s 12 adventure playgrounds are safe, welcoming and fun places for outdoor play sessions for children aged 6 and over.

There are hundreds of free, fun and educational activities for children under 13 in the popular Heatwave programme, while young people aged 13 or over can sign up for Summerversity and choose from more than 100 free activities including costume design, music production and tennis. Most activities are suitable for complete beginners, with no previous experience required – but they do need to be booked in advance.

Older teenagers aged 16 and over can check out the Launchpad programme for a range of free courses and workshops to help them learn new skills, get careers advice and gain new experiences to add to their CV – sign up via the Summerversity pages.

To keep up-to-date with Summerversity courses, follow @IslingtonLife and @IslingtonBC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Childminders can also provide holiday childcare. Visit the holiday childcare pages for more details, or contact Islington FIS on 020 7527 5959 or email fis@islington.gov.uk.

Notes to editor

All activities will be Covid-secure and meet the latest public health guidance.

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

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.