Free ways for kids to learn this summer

Retailer Pets at Home is offering kids the chance to learn about pet care by participating in activities, and arguably the best bit, meeting some in-store animals, as part of its My Pet Pals workshops. These run in over 450+ stores until Sunday 31 August, depending on your location.

To take part, book your child's place online. Children of all ages are welcome, but sessions are designed for kids aged four and older, and they will need to be supervised at all times by a parent or guardian.

The sessions last 45 minutes and kids will receive a pocketbook full of activities as well as a certificate for taking part. Sadly, you can't take any animals home with you!

Dobbies Garden Centre runs Little Seedlings workshops every Sunday, but just for summer it has added a special Little Seedlings holiday club where kids can learn about summer scents.

The workshop will teach mini green-fingered enthusiasts about flowers, herbs, and the history of perfume, as well as giving them the chance to make their own petal perfume to take home.

All you need to do is find your nearest Dobbies and book your child's place online. Dates vary depending on location, but these run throughout July and August.

If your kids have been inspired by Wimbledon, they can net totally free tennis coaching via two separate organisations.

Firstly, there's Barclays Park Tennis, organised by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). It's on at more than 60 venues across England, Scotland, and Wales (sadly not Northern Ireland), and runs throughout the year (not just summer). These are aimed at all ages and abilities, so this works as a great way to get the whole family exercising together as well as learning tennis skills – note, children under eight should be accompanied by an adult. These run at 10am every weekend, and you just need to book your place beforehand to join.

There's also Tennis For Free, which does exactly what it says on the tin. Some sessions are available to all ages, while others are limited to those aged 12 and over, but this depends on location, so check beforehand to avoid disappointment. Tennis For Free says the sessions aren't professional coaching, but instead they're more focused on having fun. A session lasts for about 90 minutes – you'll spend the first hour with a coach/assistant and the final half hour in 'open play'. You can book your place online.

Racquets and equipment are provided at both.

We've rounded up over 200+ free museums and galleries across the UK in our guide – all you need to do is search by location and find your nearest.

A good one for kids is The Young V&A Museum (East London), formerly known as the Museum of Childhood, as it was redesigned with input from children themselves. It aims to inspire creativity in the younger generations with a focus on play. Expect to see a collection of historic toys, childhood equipment and costumes. There's often exhibitions too, but these can come with a cost. Entry to the museum itself is free.

The Summer Reading Challenge has been going since I was a kid (I fondly remember getting my certificate upon completion of this many, many summers ago), and as the name would suggest, it's a free annual reading program for kids during the summer holidays.

You can sign up online or at your local library and the premise is simple... encouraging kids to read for pleasure while improving literacy skills. There's no pressure to read a set amount of books, so kids can set their own goals and read whatever they like.

Beyond the flat pack furniture and meatballs, Ikea hosts a variety of free workshops and activities at its stores. We spotted sessions on herb planting, mini hot air balloon making, and 'Rhyme Time' (singing and dancing) for kids at Ikea Greenwich (what's on will differ from store to store).

Some of these are exclusively for Ikea Family members (sign up for free). Enter your local store to check what events are available to you.

The tech store runs free workshops for kids that are designed to get them engaging with technology as part of its Today at Apple initiative (there are adult sessions available too).

What you can do differs from store to store, though to give you an idea of some events, we spotted Make Your Own Emoji, Make Your Own Friendship Film, and even Code Your Own App – browse what's on offer.

If your kids love getting creative, these free crafting sessions at John Lewis Welwyn could make for a great day out. You'll need to be a My John Lewis member (it's free to sign up) to access the sessions, which run until Thursday 28 August. When we checked, there was pom pom making and friendship bracelet making, but only at John Lewis Welwyn (though more stores could be added, so it's worth keeping an eye out over summer). Booking is required.