May Half Term in Hampshire 2025

Prices correct at the time of writing. Click through to each venue for up to date pricing and information.

If you’re looking for things to do this May half term in Hampshire then you have come to the right place. You may be looking for a lovely family friendly day out or just somewhere to go for walks or you might prefer an organised event or school holiday activities, put on especially for May half term. Read on to find out everything going on in Hampshire this half term.

When is May Half Term in Hampshire?

May half term, in the middle of the summer term 2025, in the Hampshire school holidays runs from 26 May to 30 May 2025 which is the same as many of the neighbouring county half terms this year. Make sure you check term dates on your school website.

Days Out in Hampshire

If youโ€™re just looking for a day out to enjoy over the May half term holiday dates then we have a lot of inspiration for you and these posts should be helpful:

If youโ€™re happy to go a little further afield then these posts may be helpful too:


Afternoon Tea in Hampshire

If you fancy going for afternoon tea as a half term treat there are plenty of places to choose from and these guides may help you find somewhere perfect!


National Trust Trails

National Trust sites often have fantastic trails to keep children entertained. Here are the ones on this half term in Hampshire:

The Vyne – Vyne Rd, Sherborne St John, Basingstoke RG24 9HL

Little People, Big Dreams – 3rd May to 22nd June 2025 – Free with admission

Lively games and pioneering fun will encourage kids to โ€˜be bold, be braveโ€™ and โ€˜dream bigโ€™ in The Vyneโ€™s house and gardens where young readers can look out for vibrant illustrations from this best-selling biography series for kids by Maria Isabel Sรกnchez Vegara.

You can read about our time at The Vyne here

Mottisfont – Romsey, Hampshire SO51 0LP

Grow, Explore, Play at Mottisfont – 24th May to 1st June 2025 – Free with admission

Get ready for a fun-filled adventure this May half term! From planting sunflowers to building dens, tackling garden-themed obstacle courses, and discovering minibeasts, thereโ€™s plenty for the family to enjoy. Follow the activity trail, test your skills in the Bug Olympics, and see what wildlife you can spot along the way.

You can read about our trip to Mottisfont here


Days Out with Half Term Activities in Hampshire

Winchester Science Centre – Telegraph Way, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 1HZ

May Half Term – 23rd May to 2nd June 2025

Get set for some Jurassic sized mayhem this May half term! Experience hours of action-packed fun for the whole family this May half term where you can get hands on with science across 2 floors of exciting interactive exhibits, watch as science comes to life in a free 20-minute live science show, The Dino Show, be wowed by huge โ€˜donโ€™t try this at home’ demos in Science Live and so much more!

You can read about our time at Winchester Science Centre here


Beaulieu – Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Hampshire SO42 7ZN

New Forest Folklore: Fairies, Witches & Dragon Trail – 1st May to 8th June 2025

Embark on a journey of wonder and legends as Beaulieuโ€™s Mill Pond Walk becomes home to the mythical New Forest Folklore: Fairies, Witches & Dragon willow trail! This walk will delight visitors of all ages with its magical blend of fantasy and artistry. Follow the enchanting trail, leading you around the story of the legends, myths and folklore of the New Forest.

Read about our last visit to Beaulieu here


Mid Hants Railway Watercress Line – Station Road, New Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9JG

Day Out With Thomas – 24th May to 1st June 2025

Peep, peep! Join Thomas & Friends for a day of family fun at The Watercress Line. Take a train ride with Thomas, meet some of your favourite characters and join Sodor Station Sweepers Rusty & Dusty for a trainload of excitement!

Read about our Day Out With Thomas here and about the Wizard Week event here


Finkley Down Farm Park – North Way, Andover, Hampshire SP11 6NF

May Half Term Fun – 24th May – 1st June 2025

Celebrate the May Bank Holiday with farm-tastic play and adventure for all the family! All the amazing live children shows and hands-on animal activities are included in the all-day entry to Finkley Down Farm. Thereโ€™s so much to see and do!

You can read about our day at Finkley Down Farm here


Longdown Activity Farm – Deerleap Lane, Ashurst, Southampton, Hampshire SO40 7EH

Tractor Time – 17th to 18th May 2025 (Not during half term but I thought it was worth a mention!)

If you like tractors, youโ€™ll love Longdown during this special tractor weekend when The New Forest Vintage Tractor and Engine Club will be at the farm. Tractor enthusiasts will be delighted to have the opportunity to see a variety of tractors from yesteryear featuring names such as Ferguson, Fordson, Nuffield, and many more.

You can read about our trip to Longdown Activity Farm here


Butser Ancient Farm – Chalton Lane, Chalton, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO8 0BG

Roman Reenactment Weekend – 31st May to 1st June 2025

Discover Roman living history and combat reenactments with the Butser IX Roman Legion. Find out what life would have been like in Roman Britain as you explore our open air site.

You can read about our time at Butser Farm here and a more recent review of Butser Ancient Farm here


Milestones Museum – Basingstoke Leisure Park, Churchill Way West, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 6PG

Sherlock Holmes: Adventure of the Emperor’s Gold – 24th May to 1st June 2025

An epic history mystery with treasure, suspects and puzzles! A priceless collection of Roman coins has vanished and itโ€™s up to you to solve the mystery! Step into the shoes of a detective and follow the clues around Milestones Museum in this exciting family-friendly adventure.

Gather evidence, crack puzzles and eliminate suspects from a list of 24 intriguing characters in a Guess Who-style investigation. Can you piece together the clues and uncover the thief before they escape?

You can read about our trip to Milestones here


Portsmouth Historic Dockyard – Victory Gate, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3LJ

Ship shape and anchors away! May half-term activities at the Mary Rose Museum – 24th May to 1st June 2025

Itโ€™s time to pack your bucket and spade and start planning your holidays at the Mary Rose Museum this half-term! What do you take on holiday with you in 2025? Your clothes? A comb? Some spending money? See what a Tudor crew took with them when they hoisted up the anchor of the Mary Rose and set sail!  Spend some time with your family and friends hunting for them in the museum.

You can read about our time at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard here


Osborne House – York Avenue, East Cowes, Isle of Wight PO32 6JT

May Half-Term Fun & Games at Osborne – 24th May – Sun 1st June 2025

Visit Osborne for hands-on activities this May half term. Enjoy family fun and games in the fresh air!


Carisbrooke Castle – Castle Hill, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1XY

May Half-Term Fun & Games at Carisbrooke Castle – 24th May – Sun 1st June 2025

Visit Carisbrooke for hands-on activities this May half term. Enjoy family fun and games in the fresh air!


Blackgang Chine – Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 2HN

Wild West Week – 24th May to 31st May 2025

Fancy yourself the next Sheriff or Outlaw of Cowboy Town? Take in the adrenaline-inducing live action Cowboy show, and round-up those dastardly outlaws this Wild West Week!


Treasure Trails

If you want to get outside but you donโ€™t really know where, we love Treasure Trails. Itโ€™s an adventure that the whole family can get involved in for less than ยฃ10. Solve a mystery, save the day or be a spy! Itโ€™s great fun and we always really enjoy it. Here are some of the Hampshire Treasure Trails โ€“ you can see the full list here.

You can read about one of our Treasure Trail adventures here.

Going on an Adventure with Treasure Trails

Half Term Activities in Hampshire

Wherever you are in Hampshire, there’s bound to be somewhere nearby with organised family activities or events to keep your children entertained over the holidays. Here are a few suggestions of things to do in May half term in Hampshire:

The Arc – Jewry Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8SB


SeaCity Museum – Havelock Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 7FY

Southampton Culture Club for Kids – 27th May to 29th May 2025 – 9am to 4pm

A day of investigation, imagination and discovery for children aged 7 to 12yrs who love being creative and learning through fun activities. Led by the experienced cultural services learning team, at Kidsโ€™ Club children will explore the past, experience the museum and gallery and make really cool things!


Army Flying Museum – Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20 8FB

May Half Term Family Fun – 26th May to 30th May 2025 – Included with admission

Visit Army Flying Museum and enjoy some exciting marble and maze themed activities between 10am and 12.30pm every weekday.

On Sunday 26th and Thursday 29th May, Models for Heroes will be back with their popular model making sessions for all ages. Come along between 10:00 and 15:00 for the chance to make and paint your very own scale plastic model under their expert guidance which you can then take home with you.

Don’t miss the chance to meet engaging farm animals including a pony, goats, pigs and sheep from Em’s Friendly Farm between 10am and 2pm on Friday 30th May.


Theatre Shows in Hampshire

Going to the theatre is a great activity that the whole family will enjoy and Hampshire has a lot of great theatres to really make the most of. Here are the family shows on during May half term:

Theatre Royal Winchester – Jewry Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8SB


Princes Hall – Princes Way, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 1NX

  • Play in a Day – 27th May 2025
  • Dance in a Day – 28th May 2025
  • Ministry of Science – 28th May 2025
  • Dinosaur Live Adventure – 30th May 2025

Mayflower Theatre – 22-26 Commercial Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO15 1GE

  • The Worst Princess – 27th and 28th May 2025
  • Miss Americana: A Tribute to Taylor Swift – 30th and 31st May 2025
  • Children’s Theatre Trail – 31st May 2025

The Anvil Basingstoke – Churchill Way, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 7QR

  • Pirates Love Underpants – 23rd and 24th May 2025
  • Taylormania – 25th May 2025
  • Rude Science – 27th May 2025

Indoor Activities in Hampshire

If the weather isn’t great over half term then you may want to do something indoors that still gets you out of the house. Here are some ideas:

Libraries in Hampshire

There are many libraries across Hampshire and the vast majority of them have activities and events on for children on a regular basis but especially during school holidays. You can find your local library here and book available sessions online too.


Escape Rooms in Hampshire

Escape rooms are super popular and there are so many family friendly versions around. Here are some ideas for escape rooms in Hampshire:


Roller Skating in Hampshire

Roller skating is such a popular activity and there are so many places you can skate in Hampshire. Here are some suggestions:


Leisure Centres in Hampshire

Leisure centres can be a fantastic place to spend time as a family and theyโ€™ve come far over recent times, now having so much more than just swimming pools. Many have climbing facilities, soft play centres and even trampoline parks within them! Here are all the ones in Hampshire to choose from:


Trampoline Parks in Hampshire

Trampolining is a fantastic activity that children love and it’s perfect for a wet weather day. Here are the trampoline parks in Hampshire – and many of the leisure centres above offer trampolining classes too. It’s great fun for all ages.


Soft Play and Indoor Play Centres in Hampshire

Soft play and other indoor play centres are fantastic for children and are great for bad weather days too. We have so many great indoor activity hubs in Hampshire from typical soft play centres to role play dressing up experiences.


Shopping Centres in Hampshire

Shopping centres are a great place to spend time. You can wander round the shops, grab some lunch and there are often organised activities and events in to make the most of as well.

  • Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth
  • Cascades Shopping Centre, Portsmouth
  • Westquay Shopping Centre, Southampton
  • Marlands Shopping Centre, Southampton
  • Brooks Shopping Centre, Winchester
  • Festival Place, Basingstoke
  • Whiteley Shopping Centre, Fareham
  • Port Solent, Portsmouth
  • Westgate Retail and Leisure Park, Aldershot
  • The Meads Shopping Centre, Farnborough
  • The Meridian Centre, Havant
  • Swan Centre, Eastleigh
  • Fareham Shopping Centre
  • Hart Shopping Centre, Fleet

Pottery Painting in Hampshire

Pottery painting is a fantastic activity for the whole family as well as being a calm and relaxed experience. Children of all ages will love it and it’s so nice to have something to take away with you afterwards – or pick up a few days later when it’s been fired! Here are our Hampshire pottery painting destinations.


Bowling in Hampshire

Bowling is another great activity for the whole family and perfect when the weather isn’t great. Here are the Hampshire bowling alleys to choose from.

You can read more about where to go bowling in Hampshire here


Laser Tag in Hampshire

Laser Tag was such a new thing when I was a child but theyโ€™ve grown massively in popularity over recent years and now laser centres are everywhere. Here are both indoor and outdoor laser tag sites across Hampshire.

You can read more about where to play laser tag in Hampshire here


Climbing Centres and Aerial Adventures in Hampshire

Climbing is another great family activity and we have so many centres across the county – plus those included in the leisure centres above. Here are some more indoor and outdoor centres to give you some climbing inspiration.

You can read more about climbing centres in Hampshire here


Cinemas in Hampshire

Most cinemas have reduced tickets at weekends and in school holidays, a great budget activity that the whole family can enjoy together

VueMighty Mornings

At Vue’s Mini Mornings you can see the best kids and family films from only ยฃ2.49 each. Mini Mornings run every Saturday and Sunday morning from 10am plus every day in the school holidays.

OdeonOdeon Kids

With special Odeon Kids screenings of the most spellbinding fairy tales and animated films, grown-ups pay kids’ ticket prices, making it a great value day out for the whole family.

There are many other cinemas in Hampshire – Everyman, Empire and Harlequin to name a few, but they all seem to have the same ticket prices and offerings during school holidays.


Afternoon Tea in Hampshire

If you fancy going for afternoon tea as a half term treat there are plenty of places to choose from and these guides may help you find somewhere perfect!

Easter Holidays in Surrey

Holiday Clubs in Hampshire

If you need to work over the holidays and need childcare then holiday clubs are a really popular idea – and there are so many across Hampshire that you’re bound to find one perfect for your children that’s close to where you live or work. This post should help you find one:


I hope that helps with half term inspiration. I’ll be doing a roundup for each of the following school holidays too and if there’s anything I’ve missed please do get in touch and let me know. I hope you have a lovely half term!

May Half Term in Hampshire

Author

  • Donna Wishart is married to Dave and they have two children, Athena (13) and Troy (12). They live in Surrey with their two cats, Fred and George. Once a Bank Manager, Donna has been writing about everything from family finance to days out, travel and her favourite recipes since 2012. Donna is happiest either exploring somewhere new, with her camera in her hand and family by her side, or snuggled up with a cat on her lap, reading a book and enjoying a nice cup of tea. She firmly believes that tea and cake can fix most things.

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