WHAT TO DO: 10 Oxfordshire family-friendly shows and events to catch over the New Year!

1. Winter Family Day at Science Oxford – TODAY – Thursday, 30th December. 12.30-2.30pm or 3pm-5pm. Suitable for ages 3+. Visit the Science Oxford Centre for a unique family experience this December. Explore, discover and play in the Exploration Zone, pick up an activity sheet and follow the exciting winter woodland nature trails. Visit the Skogen Café there until 4pm and warm up with festive treats, hot drinks and light lunches. If you miss it book in for the FAMILY DAY on January 15 instead. https://scienceoxford.com/events/family-day-30-dec/

2) Robin Hood, Oxford Playhouse – Until Sunday 9 January. Robin Hood and his Merry Band will treat us to songs, dance, laughter, and derring-do! Living in Sherwood Forest to escape crippling taxes and the nasty and wicked Sheriff of Nottingham, will our rebel heroes get the better of him and build a brighter future? Get ready to shout for the goodies, boo the baddies, sing along with the merry folk in green tights and cheer the heroes who’ve come to our rescue. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/robin-hood-panto

3) Creation Theatre – After their Christmas production Pinocchio sadly had to be cancelled due to Covid, Creation have now introduced live online drama classes for ages 5-16, designed to inspire a life-long love of stories and storytelling in young people as well as develop creativity, turbo-charge confidence and unleash imaginations. https://creationtheatre.co.uk/creation-home-delivery/

4) Suddenly A Star, The Story Museum, Oxford, until Jan 2 – a storytelling show for children aged 5+ and their families, all wrapped up in music and song. With gentle humour and a big dollop of light hearted family squabbles, Suddenly A Star weaves a galaxy of stories stretching back through time to the present day that’s guaranteed to leave you with music in your heart and stars in your eyes. https://www.storymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/suddenly-a-star

5) Rapunzel – The Theatre Chipping Norton Pantomime. Until 9 January. Rapunzel has been stuck in a castle tower for 18 years, imprisoned by a witch’s magical powers. But she’s not the sort of girl to let that defeat her! With the help of her Nanny, a charming yet cheeky Prince, and an awful lot of hair, she’s going to escape into the big wide world. So let your hair down and enjoy this latest and greatest adventure. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/whats-on/rapunzel or 01608 642350.

6) Christmas at Blenheim, until January 3. Enjoy the wonderful after-dark illuminated trail sparkling with over a million lights, lasers and seasonal sounds in the palace gardens. From glittering tunnels of light, dancing lakeside reflections and trees drenched in jewel-like colour to flickering flames in the fire garden and a glimpse of Father Christmas along the way. https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/christmas/

7) School Of Rock. New Theatre Oxford. Until Sat 1 January Strapped for cash, wannabe rocker Dewey Finn accepts a job as a substitute music teacher at a stuffy prep school. Shaking up the curriculum, he transforms the kids into a mind-blowing band – but what do the parents and the uptight headmistress think about this when the kids start to Stick to the Man? https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/school-of-rock/new-theatre-oxford/

8) Family tour of Anish Kapoor: Painting exhibition at Modern Art Oxford – The exhibition runs until February but you can enjoy a family tour of the world famous painter’s current show on January 15. Immerse yourself in the vibrant colours and textures of Anish Kapoor’s enormous paintings on this exciting family tour with Creative Associate, Angela Stattersfield. https://www.modernartoxford.org.uk/whats-on/family-tours-anish-kapoor-painting-2

9) Festive Favourites Family Trail at Oxford Museum of Natural History until Jan 3. Keep in the Christmas mood by exploring the museum for some festive favourites. Will you be able to find all 7? Perfect for those age 5+, the trail starts at the reindeer skeleton. No booking needed. https://oumnh.ox.ac.uk/event/festive-favourites-family-trail-0

10) Revel in The story of The Nutcracker re-imagined within Blenheim Palace until January 3, the interior full of hidden surprises – from the toymaker’s workshop, through the glistening Land of Snow and onto the candy-cane Kingdom of Sweets adorned with the sweetest of treats and larger-than-life gingerbread men. It’s a fairy-tale world where nothing is quite as it seems, from a dashing Nutcracker Prince and an army of mice to a Sugar Plum Fairy and a music box with a difference. https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/christmas-market/