Friday Fledglings

About this event

Take part in activities inspired by the themes and collections of the museum through nature exploration, our mud kitchen, water play, and more. Each session includes storytelling, a craft, singing, and a snack.

Friday Fledglings is run by Charlotte, a local teacher and Level 3 Forest Leader. Sessions take place during Reading Borough Council school term time. Everyone is welcome to attend – including parents, grandparents, and childminders.

Find out more:

• Discover Friday Fledglings at The MERL (blogpost)
• Join the Friday Fledglings group on Facebook

Age suitability

The session is suitable for children aged approximately 18 months+ but you are welcome to join us sooner. Friday Fledglings is for pre-school children only. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate older siblings or other older children within the session.

Tickets

Sessions are run on a weekly pay-as-you-go basis but tend to sell out fast, so booking is recommended. Bookings open at 12 pm on a Friday, one week ahead of the session you’d like to attend.

• Click the ‘Book now’ button
• Select and pay for the number of ‘participating child’ tickets that you require. You will be prompted to select how many free adult tickets you need as well.
• We will only be able to accept refunds up to 24 hours before the event start time (before 10am each Thursday). To request a refund, please email merlevents@reading.ac.uk

What to bring

• Suitable clothing for all-weather outdoor sessions
• Your own drinking water for story time
• We will serve bananas and biscuits as a snack, or bring your own if you prefer

Parking

We have limited parking spaces available. Although we do our best to help those who need to come by car to find a space, we encourage you to use alternative means of transport when possible.

If our car park is full, you can use a special parking permit to park in the University car parks on Acacia Road adjacent to the museum or White Gates car park off Crown Place. This permit is also valid for all sessions in a half term. Please be sure to park in designated bays only and display your permit clearly. View the car park locations, driving and walking routes.

Current permit

Please collect a permit from reception at the museum or download and print your permit at home.

If you don’t display a permit, you may be issued with a penalty.  We apologise for any inconvenience, but this solution means we can continue to offer free parking in the nearby University car parks. I

If you have any questions, please call 0118 378 8660 or email merlevents@reading.ac.uk.