Festivals
Set in the beautiful grounds of Lulworth Castle in Dorset, the three-day Camp Bestival (adults from £180, 15- to 17-year-olds £113, 11-14s £98, under-10s free) is the only UK mainstream music festival designed specifically for families. So while Labrinth, Heaven 17, The Proclaimers and Billy Bragg are playing on stage, kids will probably be more interested in the freesports park, Mr Tumble, the new Dance Space, junior football tournament, Insect Circus and kids' comedy club, to name but a few of the dozens of attractions.
At the International Youth Arts festival in Kingston, Surrey, (6-28 July), young people can take part in workshops on graffiti and urban fashion, or even record an album; many events are free. The Aberdeen International Youth festival (from £6, 26 July-3 August) showcases the work of young actors, dancers and musicians. The Sting in the Tale (events from £3, 16-26 August), also in Dorset, is a festival dedicated to storytelling.
Opera
Opera Holland Park (0300 999 1000, operahollandpark.com, adults £8, kids £3, but there are 10 free tickets per show; call to join the waiting list) in west London gives away 1,200 kids' tickets in July and early August, and there's always a family opera. This year it is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Will Todd. Regular tickets have sold out but more will be released.
Dance
Pavilion Dance (from £5, summer school £50, to 17 August) in Bournemouth, has shows, activities and a pop, jazz, rock and hip-hop summer school. London has a four-day Charlie and the Chocolate Factory workshop (£155, 27-30 August) and dance summer schools from 29 July-2 August (£235).
Art
The Tate group of galleries has plenty to tempt children this summer, most of it free. In St Ives, there is a drop-in art base, stories in the sculpture garden and beach workshops. In Liverpool, family events and workshops are linked to the blockbuster Marc Chagall exhibition. In London, interactive performances are aimed at under-fives.
Music
OMG's Cameras Everywhere is a free week of music video-making in London (29 July-4 August); Royal Conservatoire of Scotland kids' courses include a "junkyard jam", making music from scrap (from £35); and Youth Music Theatre has courses in Edinburgh and south-east England (£495).
Theatre
During Kids Week (1-31 August), under-16s can see London shows for free (book in advance) and attend other events. Elsewhere, see puppet shows at the Upfront Gallery Puppet Theatre in the Lake District; the Norwich Puppet Theatre; or the Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre in Fife.
Comedy
The Comedy Club 4 Kids offers stand-up for six-11s at venues nationwide, plus fortnightly workshops (workshops £20, show prices vary). There are lots of great children's events at the Southbank Centre, London, including The Queen's Knickers (, £12, 6-20 August).
Circus
Circus Space in London runs summer schools for 10-18s (from £190, 29 July-2 August). Rogue Play in Birmingham (£95, 29 July-2 August) has a course for seven-15s , as does Aerial Ledge in Glasgow, this one for eight-16s (£150, 5-9 August).
Literature
The Edinburgh International Book festival (prices vary, 10-26 August) has kids' events from picture-book craft to an audience with Judith Kerr. Website bookeventsforchildren.co.uk lists UK-wide literary events from talks at the Roald Dahl museum in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, to the Just So festival in Cheshire.
Film
Find film-making summer schools in Oxfordshire and Bristol. One at Grendon Hall, Northamptonshire (01604 407 771, £499, 19-23 August) also offers outdoor fun. Studio Film School, Wilmslow, Cheshire, has a two-day course (0845 533 3763, £135, 27-28 Aug).
