Join Ben Brown, founder of Explorer Dome and one of the UK’s top science communicators, for an explosive journey into the world of chemistry! With a background in zoology, music, and hands-on science, Ben brings energy, humour, and awe to every show. Expect thrilling experiments, plenty of laughs, and a few surprises as he shares his passion for science with kids and families at CarFest 2025. Get ready to be amazed!

Drop into our LEGO zone in KidsFest and get building! With tubs full of bricks, wheels, and car parts, kids (and grown-ups!) can create their very own dream car—from wild and wacky to sleek and speedy. There’s no limit to imagination, just plenty of hands-on fun for all ages! Cost: Free

Explore the world’s oceans and waterways. Visit Mares and DiveSSI at The Curiosity Factory to discover how you can become an underwater explorer! See the equipment that can help you explore the underwater world, learn about how you can become a qualified Scuba, Snorkeller, Freediver or even a Mermaid. Take part in freediving breath hold workshops and be amazed at what your body is capable of. SSI Explorers experiences for children 6 yrs and older.

Come and meet the Medical Mavericks, where you can experience some amazing equipment that explores your own physiology, senses and quirks of the human body!

The most popular activities include:

- Using an ultrasound to see if you are still growing

- Taking a photo of the inside of your eye

- Trying keyhole surgery

- Suturing fake skin

- Taking blood from a fake arm

The Accelerator

Do you think you're as fast as Usain Bolt? Could you beat him over a short 10m sprint? Well, at CarFest 2025, you can find out by sprinting through The Accelerator with Medical Mavericks! All you have to do is run through our special 10m tunnel in 1.74seconds or less to beat him! Just look for the big inflatable tunnel in KidsFest this year!

Join The Shark Trust and explore the incredible world of sharks and rays! With over 1,200 species, from palm-sized to bus-length giants, these fascinating creatures have ruled the oceans for over 400 million years.

Experience their world like never before with The Shark Trust’s brand-new 360° VR adventure, learn what makes them so extraordinary, and discover how you can help protect their future. It's fun, educational, and fin-tastically interactive!

Come and explore the life-saving work of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance — the charity that brings a Critical Care Team to those in urgent need, day and night.

Ever wondered what it’s like to fly a helicopter? Now’s your chance! Climb aboard our mobile flight simulator, built inside a converted van, and experience the sights, sounds, and sensations of piloting an air ambulance.

Plus, enjoy fun family activities including dressing up, colouring, remote control cars, hook-a-duck, and more.

Flight simulator by optional donation — all other activities are free!

Visit the HANTSAR gazebo to discover how our all-volunteer team supports police in searching for vulnerable missing people, including those with dementia, mental health challenges, and children.

Explore real search-and-rescue gear, try out key skills, and learn about our 24/7 work using specialist teams in water, drone, rope, and medical response.

Come say hello — we’re always looking for new recruits!

"The Potty One" is a lively, nature-inspired session at The Curiosity Factory. Join Simon Terry (Anglepoise), Libby Hilling (Garden for Mind), young voices from Kids on Track Andover, and Sparsholt College learners for a playful conversation about growing plants, people, and potential.

With pots on our heads and roots in the garden, we’ll explore how nature helps us all thrive. Expect laughter, insight, and a little mud!

Join Football Escapes for an action-packed experience where kids can train like pros with real ex-Premier League stars and UEFA-licensed coaches! Step onto the pitch in our exciting Football Escapes Activation Zone, showcasing the fun, family-focused coaching that makes our luxury football holidays so unforgettable. Expect high-energy sessions, personalised kits, and plenty of smiles—football, fun, and family all rolled into one!

Get stuck into some fast-paced fun with Basingstoke Hockey Club! Try your skills in the "Beat the Goalkeeper" challenge, master dribbling and passing in mini games, and race against the clock on our hockey obstacle course.

Whether you're a complete beginner or a budding pro, Th e Basingstoke Hockey Club coaches and ambassadors are here to show you the ropes and help you get hooked on hockey!

Take on a Rugby Rumble with the Overton Rugby Club, a high-energy assault course packed with rugby-inspired challenges!

Show off your passing accuracy, power through tackle pads, weave through posts, crawl like a pro in scrumming position, and finish with a kick through the mini posts!

Think you've got what it takes? Don’t miss a challenge twist on a playground classic, Rugby Hungry Hippos, where speed, strategy, and scrum stance collide in a colourful race to collect the most balls.

Fun, fast, and full of team spirit—this is rugby like you’ve never played it before!

Sands United is a unique football community that brings bereaved men together through a shared love of sport. It offers a safe, supportive space where men of all abilities can build trust, form connections, and, when they’re ready, begin to talk about their grief. By playing as a team, many are able to break the silence around baby loss and support others on the same journey.

At CarFest, Sands United will be running a fun football activity for children, where they can dribble around cones and aim at target goals. Nearby, in the Sands United marquee, adults can learn more about the charity’s work, speak to volunteers, and take away helpful information for themselves or someone they care about.

For anyone affected by baby loss, whether a parent, family member, or friend, Sands United offers a compassionate space to connect, to be heard, and most importantly, to speak their baby’s name.

Join the South Coast Spitfires and discover the fast, fun, and inclusive world of flag American football!

Open to boys and girls aged 7–17, this non-contact version of the game is all about speed, skill, and teamwork.

Based in Eastleigh, Hampshire, and powered by passionate volunteer coaches, the Spitfires are 5-time National Champions and the current Under-17 title holders. With 16 players already representing Great Britain, this team is helping shape the future of flag football—set to debut at the LA 2028 Olympics!

Come along, meet the team, try out some drills, and learn more about one of the UK’s fastest-growing youth sports. Whether you're a total beginner or a future Olympian, everyone’s welcome to give it a go!

Get ready to serve, spike, and smile with South Hants Volleyball Club! Designed for children aged 10 and up, these fun and inclusive sessions offer hands-on coaching, exciting live demos, and plenty of chances to give volleyball a go, no experience needed.

Led by passionate coaches and players, it’s the perfect way to learn new skills, make new friends, and discover the fast-paced fun of this amazing team sport!

PFT Academy, your local hub for Parkour, Freerunning, and Tricking, is bringing the excitement to CarFest this year! The PFT Academy is dedicated to fostering a community filled with creativity and passion.

What to Expect: - Thrilling Freerunning Displays - Engaging Workshops (£15 per session) - Open Freestyle Sessions (£15 per session) - Exciting Time Trials (£2.50 per attempt).

Don't miss out on the adventure and PFT madness! Come check them out for an unforgettable experience full of entertainment and adrenaline-pumping action.

Get ready to bounce, climb, and slide your way through our biggest inflatable adventure yet! With 15 thrilling inflatables to conquer, including walls, tunnels, and slides, it’s the ultimate challenge for kids and grown-ups alike.

New for this year: The Big Horseshoe – a 60m inflatable loop packed with obstacle challenges, epic slides, and high-energy fun runs. Plus, don't miss the 40m Bish Bash and Squeeze Challenge! It’s interactive, action-packed, and full-on fun for the whole family. Are you up for The Big Challenge?

Children & Adults welcome! (different assault course/bouncy castle)

Test your skills and conquer the Mobile Climbing Wall—a fun and thrilling activity for all ages! With multiple routes to suit beginners and more confident climbers, it’s the perfect challenge for kids, teens, and adults alike.

Fully staffed and run to the highest safety standards, this exciting experience is all about building confidence, having fun, and seeing how high you can climb. So, whether you're a first-time climber or a mini mountaineer in the making, give it a go and add a little adventure to your day!

Grab your board and get ready to ride with our Surf Simulator, the perfect blend of balance, skill, and just a bit of wipeout fun!

Whether you're going head-to-head with friends or testing your solo skills, it’s all about laughs, thrills, and making unforgettable memories.

Suitable for all ages and fully supervised by trained staff, this safe and exciting activity brings a splash of seaside energy to the festival.

Will you stay steady or take a tumble? There’s only one way to find out!

The Go Wild Adventure Zone is an action-packed arena designed for families and friends to unleash their adventurous side. Inside this giant themed space, visitors can dive into five thrilling activities: Axe Throwing, Kids Axe Adventure, Laser Tag, Tiki Mini Golf, and the fast-paced Gel Blaster Shooting Range. Whether it's axes flying into bullseyes or laser battles in a purpose-built commando arena, there’s non-stop excitement for all ages. The zone also features a central chill-out area complete with deckchairs, sunshades, and tropical decor—perfect for relaxing between adventures. Don’t miss the giant GO WILD letters, which double as scribble walls where everyone can leave their mark.

Pricing Individual Activity prices - PAY ON THE DAY

• Axe Throwing - £10pp

• Laser Tag - £10pp

• Kids Axe Adventure - £5pp

• Tiki Mini Golf - £6pp and includes a tiki floral neck garland

• Gel Blaster shooting range - £5pp

Unlimited Access Activity Wristbands - PRE BOOK OR PAY ON THE DAY

• Adventure Activity Day pass - unlimited access (individual) - £30

• Adventure Activity weekend pass - unlimited access (individual) - £50

• Adventure Activity Family Day pass - unlimited access (2 kids + 2 Adults) - £75

• Adventure Activity Family Weekend pass - unlimited access (2 kids + 2 Adults) - £125

• Adventure Activity Family Day pass - unlimited access (3 kids + 2 Adults) - £90

• Adventure Activity Family weekend pass - unlimited access (3 kids + 2 Adults) - £140

ArtLab is a vibrant, hands-on space where creativity meets mindfulness. Dive into a journey of self-discovery through immersive, expressive art activities that encourage you to lose yourself in the joy of making.

Let your imagination run wild as you explore eco-art and bring ideas to life using recycled materials. From building cardboard cars and painting your own vinyl record to crafting dreamcatchers and tie-dyeing tote bags, ArtLab is a fun, feel-good space for creators of all ages.

Messy Play and Mark Making is what Little Learners does best! They are thrilled to be bringing their award winning educational messy play sessions to CarFest! Come say hello to the Little Learners Team and explore some of their incredible activities in person or learn a little more on how they can help your child develop early writing skills! Let's make sure EVERY child can make their mark!

Little Learners run messy play and mark making classes, parties and events for 5 months to 5-year-olds. We follow our unique mark making programme where we encourage every child to make their mark through messy play, painting, fine motor activities, playdough and lots more.

From slime-making to pebble painting, wooden swords to fairy wands and sun catchers—there’s messy, crafty fun for everyone!

Slime Making: Got a slime-obsessed kid? Let us handle the mess! Choose your colour and take home your very own pot of gooey fun.

Craft Time: Pop into the Art Studio to decorate and create - paint a pebble, design a sword, craft a wand or customise a ceramic money box. Loads to choose from!

Let imaginations run wild in this hands-on building adventure where kids become the architects, designers, and builders of their very own creations!

At Tinker Town, children and families use real tools, timber, and teamwork to construct incredible dens, structures, and play spaces, learning through doing in the most exciting way.

All activities are supervised by trained staff, with safety always our top priority. Children are supported in using tools safely and confidently, helping them build not just structures, but life skills too.

It’s messy, imaginative, and brilliantly empowering, Tinker Town is where play meets possibility, in a safe and supportive environment.

Back for their fourth year, the brilliant Berkshire Printmakers return with their ever-popular T-shirt printing workshops, a creative CarFest favourite for all ages! In this fun and hands-on 45-minute session, children (ages 5+) and adults can design and silkscreen print their very own organic cotton T-shirt to take home.

With new screen patterns, paper stencils, and a rainbow of funky water-based inks, you’ll create something totally unique. Learn how to use a squeegee, get creative with colours, and make your own festival fashion statement. No experience needed, just bring your imagination! (All under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.)

Plane Characters are back again at CarFest this year and will be providing a face-in photo board, so get your cameras ready for some great Instagram selfies, as well as books, activity books, and tables where young visitors can rest their feet and engage in storytelling and colouring.

Edx Education® x The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ Bringing Magical Play to Life at CarFest KidsFest!

This August 22–24, Edx Education® is excited to bring their enchanting collaboration with The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ to life at CarFest KidsFest! Inspired by Eric Carle’s iconic story, this immersive play experience is bursting with colour, creativity, and joyful learning for children and families.

Inside the Edx Education® x The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ Play Tent, little ones will explore five beautifully themed zones designed to inspire hands-on discovery and imagination. From threading and twisting in the Junior String Art Activity, to stacking and sorting in the Rainbow Pebbles® Corner, every activity is crafted to support early childhood development through play. Children can also dive into colourful fun, cuddle up for story time, and transform into caterpillars and butterflies in our delightful Dress-Up Zone.

At the heart of the experience is a celebration of curiosity, confidence, and creativity values shared by both Edx Education and Eric Carle’s beloved world. Families can capture unforgettable memories in our Butterfly Photo Zone, perfect for sharing the magic.

Join Edx Education® at CarFest KidsFest for a truly magical, educational adventure and see The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ brought to life through play.

Pop-up Spray Studios CIC is a family run business that hosts spray painting workshops for all ages and abilities. We encourage artistic freedom, whilst being on hand for friendly support and guidance throughout the process.

Perfect for a first-timer, or someone just wating to “give it a go!”. We provide the space, paint, PPE, and a vast array of pre-cut stencils, to encourage participants to try something new and embrace their creativity.

Create your very own artwork onto A2 card, to proudly take away and display at home.

*Under 16’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

£8 per person

Step into a world of stories, imagination, and creativity at The Book Nook with Waterstones– a brand-new space in KidsFest at CarFest! Designed as a peaceful escape from the festival buzz, The Book Nook invites children (and grown-ups!) to slow down, settle in, and dive into the pages of some truly magical tales.

Join us for live readings and interactive activities with some amazing children’s authors. Each session will bring stories to life through fun, themed crafts and storytelling adventures linked to the books.

Here’s just a taste of what’s waiting in The Book Nook:

• Ben Miller – Welcome to the Fairytale Woods
• Chris Smith - The New Famous Five: Five and the Forgotten Treasure
• Rachel Bright – The Lion Inside
• Rachel Morrisroe – A Million Chameleons
• Tom Tinn-Disbury – Duck Delivers

Plus we have got some exciting news coming soon from the BBC 500 Words and we are also paying tribute to Hampshire’s very own literary legend Jane Austen as we introduce our younger readers to one of the greatest story tellers of all time.

Whether your kids are roaring with courage, solving mysteries, or exploring enchanted forests, The Book Nook is the perfect place for children to lose themselves in a story and discover the magic of reading.

Celebrate beloved local author Jane Austen with a joyful session for children, filled with creativity and storytelling. Very young participants can colour in bonnets and whimsical scenes from Austen’s world, while older children enjoy read-aloud tales featuring lively Lizzy Bennet and curious Catherine Morland. The session includes a friendly group chat about favourite characters, helping young imaginations discover why Jane Austen’s stories remain so popular today 250 years after she was born.

Get ready for a quack-tastic adventure as author-illustrator Tom Tinn-Didsbury brings Duck Delivers to life in this entertaining storytelling event. Follow Duck on his daring deliveries, then dive into crafty fun by making your own duck beak, fold paper aeroplanes and design a postcard just like Duck’s! With laughter and imaginative hands-on activities, it’s the perfect session for little ones of 3-7 who love stories with adventure and a creative twist.

Join actor, comedian and bestselling author Ben Miller for a magical journey through the Fairytale Woods. Meet an out-of-shape Big Bad Wolf, an ambitious Puss in Boots and other hilarious characters from Ben’s delightfully twisted tales. With big laughs, storytelling surprises and even a fairytale-themed quiz, this is a fun-filled session for children who love classic characters with a cheeky, modern twist.

Join bestselling author Harriet Muncaster for a magical celebration of storytelling, as part of BBC’s 500 Words - the UK’s biggest story-writing competition for children. Discover behind-the-scenes secrets from the world of Isadora Moon, enjoy interactive readings, draw-alongs, and get creative tips to inspire young imaginations. Perfect for ages 5–11, this session offers everything kids need to kick-start their own writing adventures.

Meet Buzz Sausage Wolf! A hilariously silly sausage dog who's determined to be the PERFECT pet - but how? Funny and friendly cosy full-colour illustrated story about being yourself, ideal for newly independent readers moving on from picture books.

'Buzz is a furry little heart-stealer on a mission: be loved, supply laughs, win you over. Mission accomplished.' - James Davis, author of Scarlet: Defender of the Universe.

Buzz Sausage Wolf is keen to win the love (and biscuits) of his New Family. He wants to be the perfect pet and impress them, but who is Pack Leader? Is it Britney, the small but shouty one? Her brother who secretly gives Buzz delicious and definitely not-for-dogs snacks? Or Mum, the one who holds The Lead . . .

With the help of his wise friend, Trilby, Buzz must decide whether to be a silly Sausage or a brave Wolf to win their hearts - because too much of either ends in chaos!

Author Rachel Bright shares the heartwarming story of The Lion Inside, a touching tale about finding your voice and embracing who you are no matter what your size. Through gentle rhymes and engaging characters, little readers learn that even a tiny mouse has the ability to give a mighty roar. This session invites children into a world of bravery, kindness but most of all the power of believing in yourself.

Dive into mystery and imagination with author and broadcaster Chris Smith in this interactive session for curious minds aged 7-11. Packed with outdoor escapades, hidden treasures, and secret passages, this gripping book draws inspiration from Enid Blyton’s Famous Five. Expect engaging storytelling, writing tips, and creative sparks from the co-author of Kid Normal, perfect for budding authors with a taste for thrilling tales and excitement.

Prepare for a supercharged, one-hour spectacular with one of Britain’s favourite storytellers which will include hilarious performative readings and a chance to get YOUR questions answered live on stage. Fun for all the family – laughter guaranteed.

Big Adventures for Little Explorers! Step inside for a magical story time, singalongs, world-travelling cartoons and a shop full of fun!

Let’s Go See believe that when children are inspired to explore the word, they grow up curious, compassionate, inspired and full of wonder. Created especially for adventurous minds aged 3-6, character-led story books, cartoons, music, and dance materials take little explorers on unforgettable journeys. Whether it’s discovering different cultures, spotting wild creatures, or learning fun facts, every trip with us sparks new ideas and big dreams.