School’s almost out for summer! Thankfully our city centre shops, bars and restaurants have plenty of family fun lined up to keep the kids entertained
Party Time!
Selfridges is planning to kickstart the holidays by throwing a party for families on Saturday July 29.
Guests can enjoy character appearances, sweet treats, live music and creative workshops for the whole family at the Bullring store.
The event takes place from 9.30am to 11.30am in the Kids & Toyshop on 1. Tickets cost £10 per child. Adults go free.
You can book tickets here www.selfridges.com
Tee off for a fun summer
Tee off the holidays with a fun round of golf in the ‘jungle’ at Treetop Adventure Golf in the Bullring.
Kids will love exploring its two 18-hole mini golf courses which are set among crumbling temples, twisting vines and mysterious talking trees!
Afterwards you can try out the new summer menus at the Thirsty Toucan Bar, Jungle Buzz Café and Pizza Cabana.
The indoor venue is ideal for rainy days and if you get there early you can play two courses for the price of one with its Early Bird Offer.
•Plan your adventure here adventuregolf.com
Get Your Game On
Gaming fans won’t want to miss out on a new state-of-the-art VR venue which promises to take screen time to a whole new level.
Sandbox VR, which opens on July 19 in Grand Central, is a futuristic experience for up to six where you can interact with everyone in the game as if you’re in the real world.
Hollywood motion capture cameras, 3D precision body trackers and haptic suits produce a unique experience which Sandbox promises you won’t find anywhere else.
Whether you fancy a trip to space or escaping a zombie ambush there are plenty of adventures to choose from.
The kids can even watch post-play video performances with their friends while enjoying a drink from Toni, the robot bartender.
Find out more at sandboxvr.com
Game like a pro
Kids can get their hands on the latest gaming technology and compete with other players from across the UK at the Belong Gaming Arena inside Sports Direct in New Street.
With 37 seats and high-powered PC’s, PlayStation 5s and Xbox Series X consoles it’s the ideal place to try out the latest games and join Belong esport tournaments whether they’re fans of Rocket League, League of Legends or FIFA 23.
•Find out more at belong.gg/arenas/birmingham-new-street
Pimp up your picnic
Ditch the traditional sausage rolls and plan a picnic to remember by popping into Anderson and Hill in Great Western Arcade.
You can grab some delicious treats from its delicatessen, which sells everything from buffalo milk cheddar to high-quality chorizo from Spain.
They do sandwiches too, including the New Yorker which is filled with Dijon, pickles, pastrami and Napoli salami.
Afterwards you could pop over to Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in the Arcade to pick up some retro sweets.
i-Tea
If the kids are thirsty after all that gaming, golfing and shopping head to bubble tea shop i-Tea in Piccadilly Arcade on New Street. Its colourful and refreshing drinks, which promise an authentic taste of Taiwan, are bound to appeal to kids.
Summer flavours include slushies with mango popping and The Miami Vice – a lychee-based fruit tea with a taste of rose and soft coconut jelly pieces. You can grab something to eat too. Kimchee Noodles anyone?