Skip to main content

Free half term activities in Wales

Looking for some free half term activities to keep the kids occupied? It’s so important to get out the house, get moving and reconnect with nature.

Get your steps in

Set yourself an individual challenge or a family target to hit an amount of steps a day, or to each walk for one hour a day.

Walking is an easy way to build your stamina. You don’t have to walk for hours, it can be 10 minutes here and 5 minutes there. Not sure where to start? You can read more about getting started with walking and the health benefits here.

If you’d like to set a slightly larger challenge, the Wales Coast Path stretches the entire length of Wales’ coastline. There are sections of the Wales Coast Path that are accessible and suitable for wheelchair users, visitors with limited mobility and families with prams and pushchairs. 

Just visit the Wales Coast Path website for more information on easy access walks.

Become a yogi

Yoga is a low impact activity that is completely free to do. It’s incredibly valuable for stretching, mobility and flexibility. Beyond the mat, it’s also relaxing, giving you more energy and brighter moods to support your mental health.

All you need is some comfy, flexible clothing and enough space to lay down. Yoga with Adriene shares free sessions and programmes you can follow as much or as little as you like. If you’d like to practise in Welsh, you can try Carioga.

Find one that works for you and give it go! 

Make a splash with free swimming

There’s nothing like making memories with family and friends at the swimming pool - the good news is that children can go swimming for FREE in Wales.

Not only is swimming an exercise for the whole body that builds strength and endurance, but it’s proven to lowers stress levels and reduces anxiety. 

Get in touch with your local leisure centre to make the most of free swimming for under 16s and over 60s.

Explore the outdoors on your bike

Cycling isn’t just for summer, Wales offers beautiful landscapes that evolve around the seasons. Though it may be chilly, there’s no better feeling than going off on an adventurous bike ride and then coming home to a nice cup of tea and a Welshcake.

Before you go, make sure you plan your route so you don’t get lost! Visit Wales suggest plenty of low traffic, family-friendly cycling routes around the country. There are also plenty of mountain bike trails and BMX tracks where you can practise some tricks.

Make sure you follow these essential tips for Winter cycling.

Find your nearest Parkrun

Did you know there are 71 parkrun events across Wales? Taking place every Saturday morning at 9am, you can walk, jog or run a 5k. For the little ones, there’s a 2k on a Sunday morning which is designed for 4-14 year olds.

It really doesn’t matter about your speed or what you wear. What’s important is that you are moving your body in a way that feels right for you, surrounded by amazing volunteers.

Find your nearest Parkrun.

Reach higher levels

We are fortunate in Wales to have such a vast array of different landscapes, from the coast and lakes to the mountains and valleys. It’s often said that we should spend more time exploring the UK, so why not try a hike?

The National Trust recommend a range of walks across Wales , or if you’d like to take your family with you, Visit Wales have narrowed down some of the less challenging walks.

Hunt for treasure (Geocaching)

Were you absorbed into the Pokémon Go trend in 2016? Did you like hunting for the treasure whilst also getting your steps in? Well, geocaching is basically the same thing! It’s a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game that uses maps and GPS. 

The aim is to navigate to specific GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache container hidden at that location. If you find the cache, there are often trade items in them that you can swap and a logbook to record your visit. 

The Bannau Brycheiniog National Park has hidden 180 caches to discover. You can go geocaching almost anywhere, and it’s free! 

Check out the Geocaching website for more information.

Latest News

Try cold water swimming at a festive swim in Wales

Thinking about trying cold water swimming at a festive swim in Wales?

Read More

Free things to do in Wales to stay active over the festive season

Here are some activities to get your body moving and boost your wellbeing over the holidays.

Read More

Grants for sport clubs affected by storm damage

Sport Wales has launched a Storm Damage Fund after many sports facilities suffered from the impact of…

Read More