To accompany the museum’s “Megabugs” exhibition, there will be “study a bug” and “date a bug” sessions in its science and archaeology rooms, July 23-25, August 1; “make a bug” workshops in the Glan Ely gallery, July 23-25, 30, 31; and bug hunts in the Bute Gardens (6 to 13-year-olds). Plus every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from July 23, fossil plant collecting excursions to Llanilid Open Cast, near Llanharan. Tel: 01222 397951 ext 276.

CARDIFF: MUSEUM OF WELSH LIFE

Seven to 11-year-olds can practise Victorian-style handwriting in Maestir school, and try daubing, weaving, spinning and milling in the Celtic village. Folk tales on July 22, 26, 29 and August 2. Tel: 01222 569441.

CAERLEON, GWENT: ROMAN LEGIONARY MUSEUM

Roman days for children aged 7 to 11 until September 1, will include hands-on activities, dressing up, quizzes, prize competition and afternoon art workshops. Plus talks for adults and traditional craft demonstrations at weekends. Tel: 01633 423134.

NORTHERN IRELAND

HOLYWOOD, CO DOWN: ULSTER FOLK AND TRANSPORT MUSEUM

Patchwork, embroidery, lace and work produced by spinners, weavers, and machine knitters in the Textile Guilds of Northern Ireland are on display. On July 27, there will be open hearth cooking, needlepoint and bobbin lace plus traditional music. Tel: 01232 428428.

PORTAFERRY, CO DOWN: EXPLORIS AQUARIA

The London Science Museum’s Science Box on Tour looks at the information superhighway and global telecommunications. Visitors of all ages can explore interactive television, the Internet and more. Admission: Pounds 3.50, Pounds 2.15 concessions, Pounds 10 family. Tel: 012477 28062.

SCOTLAND GLASGOW MUSEUMS; McLELLAN GALLERIES As part of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh exhibition, collage workshops for children aged 11 upwards, July 31, 10am-noon and 2-4pm, Pounds 2. Tel: 0141 331 1854 weekdays NORTHERN ENGLAND NEWCASTLE:DISCOVERY MUSEUM A computer playground will provide megafun for all the family, admission Pounds 1, and on July 22, 24 and 26 visitors are invited to record their childhood experience on video. Tel: 0191 232 6789 ext 408.

KENDAL MUSEUM, ABBOT HALL ART GALLERY, AND MUSEUM OF LAKELAND LIFE AND INDUSTRY

At Kendal Museum children aged 4 to 7 will discover animal life on July 25 and August 1, and can join sessions on people in art at Abbot Hall or market stalls at the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry on August 2. Abbot Hall has also organised activity sessions for 8 to 12-year-olds on “Changing faces”, July 23, and “Looking at prints”, July 30. All 11am-2 pm, cost Pounds 2. Tel: 01539 722464.

SUNDERLAND MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

The museum celebrates its 150th birthday with free art and craft activities for children aged five upwards. In “Fish and ships”, July 22-23, they help to create a fish for the museum’s frieze and a 3D sailing ship picture. In “Birds and butterflies”, July 29-30, they will make bird mobiles and butterfly suncatchers. Under eights must be accompanied. Tel: Jo Cunningham, 0191 565 0723.

LIVERPOOL MUSEUM

As part of its “Arts of the Samurai: 14th-19th century” exhibition running to August 28, the museum has bonsai sessions on July 23, 25, 27 and 28. Craft demos are daily at 1-3 pm. Japanese tea ceremony, July 20 and August 1. Tel: 0151 478 4399.

CENTRAL ENGLAND

LEICESTERSHIRE

County museums are running free activities for 7 to 12-year-olds, including meeting Romans and trying on armour at Jewry Wall Museum, July 23; building a huge pyramid in Museum Square at Leicestershire Museum and Art Gallery, July 25; Victorian games at Belgrave Hall on July 26; a storytelling and dance at Leicestershire Museum and Art Gallery on July 30. Tel: 01530 510851.

SOUTHERN ENGLAND

BRISTOL ZOO GARDENS

July 22-August 4 hands-on activities for all ages, trails and quizzes for children on the theme “Variety of life”, which will cover animals and plants. Plus face-painting, badge-making and lots more. Tel: Stephen Woollard, 0117 970 6176.

BRIGHTON: BOOTH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

July 22, 23 and 26 “bumpy bees” workshops for children of eight upwards, 10am-noon and 2-4pm, in which they will make a huge sculpture of a bee after closely observing them with magnifiers. Tickets: Pounds 5 in advance, tel: 01273 552586.

LONDON

ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, SE1

July 21-28 free performances of The Field, “a finely balanced courtship played out atop frighteningly flexible four metre poles”, by Strange Fruit from Australia (Level 2 Terrace, 2 pm, plus 9 pm on Saturday), will form part of the “Great Outdoors” festival to be held every weekend this summer. A highlight of week one at the South Bank’s annual dance festival, Blitz ‘96, is “Gigantic Tickles”, a magical mystery tour of the human body for children with choreographer Rosemary Lee and squishy sculptures by Jan Niedojadlo. Tel: 0171 960 4242.

LONDON ZOO, REGENT’S PARK, NW1

July 25 “Close up” evening at the Children’s Zoo, where young people can meet the keepers, touch friendly farm animals and learn about pet care. Tel: 0171 722 3333.