Have fun and do summer your way in Islington

With the school summer break upon us for some and just a few days away for others, many parents and carers will be starting to think about how to keep their children engaged, fed, safe and happy – and how to afford it in a time of increasingly stretched finances for everyone. Young people and teenagers, too, will no doubt be wondering what’s on for them here in Islington.

The good news is there’s plenty of fun for families and children of all ages to look forward to. We’ve worked hard to ensure that no-one does summer like Islington does summer.

We’re delivering thousands of hours of free activities and courses for children, families and young people – many including a free lunch – helping to keep our young people healthy, happy and safe. 

There’s so much available, with 127 parks and green spaces of all shapes and sizes suited for play and sports, rest and relaxation, as well as 12 adventure playgrounds, three fantastic nature reserves, four swimming pools and seven leisure centres.

Check out the events and things to do there and in our 11 libraries, 63 community centres and one urban farm – not forgetting our brilliant Bright Start programme of free activities for the under-5s. On top of that, our excellent Family Information Service can help parents find childcare over the summer, while our three welcoming Family Hubs are the ‘front door’ to dedicated support and information on everything for families with children from birth to 19, or up to 25 for special educational needs and disabilities.

There’s much more to summer, too. You can also find out how to keep your children safe at 10 workshops during July’s Standing Together Fortnight, and help them stay healthy by checking in on their mental wellbeing and getting them immunised against serious diseases.

Many of our streets have been transformed in recent years to offer greener, healthier spaces to walk, wheel or scoot, and we’re delivering more than 1,000 hours of free cycle training and walking maps to explore Islington and make the most of your summer. Closer to home and also free, you could apply to close your own street to traffic for a few hours to hold a summer celebration with your neighbours and give children the freedom to have fun and play safely on their doorstep.

Islington’s united communities, vibrant high streets and buzzing cultural hubs are also bursting with free or affordable events and festivals right through the summer, from theatre, music and dance to arts, crafts and food.

To find the latest information and inspiration on all of the above and much more, see islington.gov.uk/Summer and search #DoSummer on X – and if you’d like regular updates and more delivered straight to your inbox, just sign up to the IslingtonLife newsletter.

Whatever summer you want, do summer in Islington. 

- Cllr Michelline Safi-Ngongo, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Families, Islington Council