There’s lots of free activities for families to do during the Christmas holidays in Leicester.
From story-telling to cinema, and from pop-up plays to a lunchtime New Year’s Eve party, there’s plenty of free activities taking place in the city.
A summary of child-friendly activities taking place in Leicester this Christmas includes:
Friday 20 December – Monday 6 January
- Christmas Treasure Hunt at Beaumont Leys library. Find the pictures of presents hidden around the library and win colouring sheets and puzzle packs
Saturday 28 December
- Free family workshop with hands-on creativity and play based activities for child aged 5-10 years (but younger/ older siblings and participants are more than welcome). The event will take place at Leicester Gallery, Vijay Patel Building, De Montfort University from 1pm to 3pm.
Monday 30 December
- Stay and play – Junk modelling at Beaumont Leys Children’s Centre from 1pm to 2.30pm
- Physical pop up play at New Parks Children Centre from 10am to 1pm
- New Year crafts and games at Eyres Monsell Children’s Centre from 10am to 12 noon
Tuesday 31 December
- Open Play: New Year’s Eve Party – put your party hats on for Leicester Gallery’s first ever New Year’s Eve Party for babies and toddlers aged 0-4 years. There will be music, refreshments and play led activities. Older siblings welcome!
The event will take place at Leicester Gallery, Vijay Patel Building, De Montfort University from 11am to 1pm
Thursday 2 January
- Stay and play – junk modelling at Bewcastle Children’s Centre from 1pm
to 2.30pm - Pop up play – free event with lots of fun activities going on including Lego play and remote control cars at Belgrave Children’s Centre from 10am to 11.30am
Friday 3 January
- Pop up play at Belgrave Children’s Centre from 10am to 11.30am
- Stay and play at Eyres Monsell Children’s Centre from from 10am to 12 noon
- Traditional nativity scene and Woodland Tales. Town Hall Square. See the story of Christmas and an animated tableau scene under the festive lights in Leicester’s historic Town Hall Square
Some of the best Paid for activities include:
The Wheel of Light, Jubilee Square
Enjoy a bird’s eye view of Leicester’s Christmas lights from the 110-ft Ferris wheel.
Daily (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) until 6 January.
Standard ticket £5; children under 1.4m £4; family ticket £15.
11am-9pm Mon-Thurs; 11am-11pm Fri-Sat; 12noon-9pm Sun.
Funfair, Humberstone Gate
Family-friendly fairground rides in the heart of the city centre until 6 January
Christmas Ice Rink, Jubilee Square
Skate on the spectacular real ice rink, whatever the weather!
Tickets from christmasinleicester.co.uk, Visit Leicester on Gallowtree Gate and the Jubilee Square box office. £10/£8.50.
From 10am daily until 8pm until 5 January. Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Christmas shows in Leicester include:
- 23 November – 11 January: West Side Story. Curve
- 9-31 December: Giraffes Can’t Dance. Curve
- 9-26 December: Beauty and the Beast. Peepul Enterprise
- 13 December – 5 January: Robin Hood. Little Theatre
- 14 December – 5 January: Aladdin. De Montfort Hall
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