Summer Holiday Activities in Gosforth: The Complete Guide for Families

Six weeks of summer holidays can feel like a long time when you are staring down the barrel of mid-July with no plan. The good news is that Gosforth and the surrounding area have more than enough to keep children busy, active, and entertained from the moment school breaks up until they go back in September. Here is your complete guide.

Holiday Camps and Clubs

Several well-established providers run multi-activity camps in and around Gosforth during the summer holidays.

Epic Camps operates at Gosforth Junior High Academy on Regent Avenue, offering eight weeks of holiday childcare for ages 3 to 13. Activities include football, dodgeball, basketball, arts and crafts, drama, and team challenges. Sessions run from 10am to 3pm, with wraparound care available. You can book by the day or by the week.

Sport Schools run multi-sport courses at venues across Newcastle, including sessions near Gosforth. Activities cover team games, trampolining, gymnastics, and outdoor sports for ages 5 to 14.

Playtime Paradise runs a holiday club at Havannah on the Great Park, offering sports, cookery, dance, music, gardening, science experiments, and creative arts throughout every week of the school holidays.

Best for: Holiday camps are popular and fill up quickly. Book early, particularly for the first and last weeks of the holidays.

Free Outdoor Activities

Gosforth is well served by parks and green spaces. Paddy Freeman's Park has a large adventure playground, a lake, free tennis courts, and connects directly into Jesmond Dene for longer walks. Gosforth Central Park has a playground, basketball court, and tennis courts right behind the High Street.

The Town Moor is one of the largest urban green spaces in England -- bigger than Hyde Park -- and perfect for kite flying, cycling, and wildlife spotting. In summer, you can often see cattle grazing and butterflies in the wildflower meadows.

For longer adventures, Jesmond Dene is a wooded river valley with waterfalls, stepping stones, and Ouseburn Farm at the bottom, where children can meet goats, pigs, chickens, and rabbits for free. Exhibition Park has a large playground, a splash pad that operates in warm weather, and is home to the Centre for Life, which runs family science events throughout the summer.

Best for: See our full guides to parks, playgrounds, and free things to do in Gosforth.

Swimming

Gosforth Leisure Centre on Regent Farm Road has a 25-metre pool and a children's pool, with family swim sessions, lane swimming, and Swim for All throughout the holidays. Holiday intensive swimming courses help children progress quickly -- ideal if they are between stages of their regular lessons. See our full swimming guide for all the options.

For something more adventurous, our watersports guide covers kayaking, paddleboarding, and open water swimming within easy reach of Gosforth.

The Summer Reading Challenge

Newcastle's libraries run the national Summer Reading Challenge every year, and 2026's theme is Read to the Beat, exploring the connection between stories and music. Children aged 4 to 11 sign up at their local library, read six books over the summer, and collect rewards along the way. It is completely free.

Gosforth Library on Regent Farm Road is the most convenient branch. Beyond the reading challenge, the library runs free holiday activities including craft sessions, author visits, and Lego Club.

Day Trips Within Easy Reach

You do not need to travel far for a full day out. Whitley Bay beach is around 25 minutes by car or a straightforward Metro ride. The Great North Museum and Discovery Museum in Newcastle are both free. Tynemouth Aquarium on Longsands Beach combines sea life with a day at the seaside.

Further afield, Whitehouse Farm near Morpeth is a brilliant family farm with animal encounters, a toboggan slide, trampolines, and go-karts. Alnwick Castle runs broomstick flying and archery sessions through the summer.

Free Holiday Activities for Eligible Families

Newcastle City Council's Best Summer Ever programme provides free holiday activities and meals across over 140 venues in the city for children eligible for free school meals. Activities include sports, arts and crafts, cookery, dance, nature trails, and more. Check the council website for details and booking.

Rainy Day Backup

The North East weather being what it is, you will need indoor options. Our rainy day guide covers soft play, pottery painting, the library, swimming, and the Civic Theatre -- all without leaving the Gosforth area.

Summer Events

Specific summer events -- from outdoor cinema in Central Park to festivals and family fun days -- will be listed on our events calendar as dates are confirmed. Keep checking back throughout the summer for the latest listings.