For a list of family friendly events happening in January, please see below.

 

 

KINGSTON LACY WINTER WOODLAND TRAIL

Info: Follow the snowflake trail to meet some clever creatures who know just how to stay warm during a chilly winter. No booking needed, free trail (normal admission applies).

Dates: Tuesday 11th November 2025 – Sunday 25th January 2026
Address: Kingston Lacy, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 4EA
Website: National Trust Kingston Lacy

 

MOORS VALLEY COUNTRY PARK CHRISTMAS QUEST

Info: Ranger the Elf has been up to mischief and stolen names from Santa’s Nice List. Can you help find them? Purchase your activity pack from the Visitor Centre and find the boards hidden around Moors Valley, solve riddles, complete challenges, and uncover the missing names to save Christmas.

Dates: Friday 28th November 2025 - Monday 5th January 2026
Address: Moors Valley Country Park, Horton Road, Ashley Heath, BH24 2ET
Website: Moors Valley Country Park

 

CORFE CASTLE MONTY & MATILDA TRAVELLING TALES FAMILY QUEST

Info: Search for the festive scenes and find out what other National Trust properties Monty & Matilda have visited this year.

Dates: Friday 5th December 2025 – Sunday 4th January 2026
Address: Corfe Castle, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5EZ
Website: National Trust Corfe Castle

 

CINDERELLA

Info: Get ready for the ultimate festive treat as Cinderella bursts onto the Bournemouth Pavilion stage in a glittering pantomime spectacular from UK Productions Ltd – packed with dazzling magic, laugh-out-loud comedy, and West End-scale glamour.

Dates: Saturday 6th December 2025 – Sunday 4th January 2026
Address: Bournemouth Pavilion, Westover Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 2BU
Website: Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre

 

DICK WHITTINGTON

Dates: Thursday 11th December 2025 – Sunday 4th January 2026
Address: Lighthouse Poole, 21 Kingland Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1UG
Website: Lighthouse Poole

 

RED HOUSE MUSEUM FESTIVE GNOME HOME HUNT

Dates: Saturday 13th December 2025 – Sunday 4th January 2026
Address: Red House Museum, Quay Road, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1BU
Website: Red House Museum

 

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS

Dates: Saturday 13th December 2025 – Sunday 4th January 2026
Address: The Tivoli Theatre, 19 West Borough, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1LT
Website: Tivoli Theatre Wimborne

 

DURLSTON COUNTRY PARK CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Dates: Wednesday 17th December 2025 – Wednesday 7th January 2026
Address: Durlston Country Park, Lighthouse Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2JL
Website: Durlston Country Park

 

THORNCOMBE WOOD IN WINTER TRAIL

Info: Pick up a free pocket map from the car park or Visitor Centre and follow the pink and blue waymarked routes through the woods. Along the way, look out for beautiful hand-painted wooden discs hanging in the trees, each one reveals fascinating facts about the animals and plants that call this place home over winter.

Dates: Thursday 18th December 2025 - Sunday 1st February 2026
Address: Thorncombe Woods, High Brockhampton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8QH
Facebook: Hardy’s Birthplace

 

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Dates: Friday 19th December 2025 – Saturday 3rd January 2026
Address: Weymouth Pavilion, Esplanade, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8ED
Website: Weymouth Pavilion

 

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS AT THE TANK MUSEUM

Info: Enjoy free Christmas colouring, Frank on a Tank Elf Trail, Christmas in the Trenches and more! Venture around the Museum to see a Christmas-themed 1940s House and take a photo with the festively lit up Challenger I.

Dates: Saturday 20th December 2025 - Sunday 4th January 2026
Address: Tank Museum, Linsay Road, Bovington, Dorset, BH20 6JG
Website: Tank Museum

 

UPTON COUNTRY PARK SNOW & ICE FAMILY TRAIL

Info: Trail maps are available to purchase from the Welcome Centre. Follow the clues around the Country Park to help the Ice Queen put her snowman companion back together! Complete the trail to receive a cuddly prize.

Dates: Saturday 20th December 2025 - Monday 5th January 2026
Address: Upton Country Park, Poole Road, Upton, Poole, Dorset, BH17 7BJ
Website: Upton Country Park

 

POOLE QUAY BATH RACE

Date: Thursday 1st January 2026
Location: Poole Quay

 

NEW YEAR BOUNCY FUN PLAY & INTERACTIVE GAMES

Info: Let the kids burn off some steam on the massive bouncy castles, inflatable slides, assault course, baby bouncers, ride ons, soft play, toddler area and much more!

Date: Friday 2nd January 2026
Address: Ashdown Leisure Centre, Adastral Road, Canford Heath, Poole, Dorset, BH17 8RE
Website: Get Up and Bounce

 

MONKEY WORLD HALF PRICE LOCAL RESIDENTS OFFER

Dates: Friday 2nd – Saturday 31st January 2026
Address: Monkey World, Tout Hill, Longthorns, Wareham BH20 6HH
Website: Monkey World

 

ALADDIN

Dates: Friday 9th, Saturday 10th, Friday 16th & Saturday 17th January 2026
Address: The Mowlem, Shore Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1DD
Website: The Mowlem

 

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Dates: Selected dates in January 2026
Locations: Bournemouth, Christchurch, New Milton & New Forest
Website: Threehouse Theatre

 

ILLUMINATE AT THE BLUE POOL

Info: After dark, experience The Blue Pool beautifully lit in colour, with professional lighting transforming the landscape into a magical atmostphere. Wander the trail and enjoy stunning views across the lake.

Dates: Selected dates Saturday 10th January – Sunday 8th February 2026
Address: The Blue Pool, Furzebrook Road, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5AR
Website: The Blue Pool

 

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD & THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

Dates: Friday 23rd, Saturday 24th, Friday 30th & Saturday 31st January 2026
Address: The Village Hall, High Street, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6DF
Website: Castle Players

 

THE WIZARD OF OZ

Dates: Saturday 24th – Saturday 31st January 2026
Address: Verwood Hub, Brockway, Verwood, Dorset, BH31 7QE
Website: Verwood Pantomime Society

 

If you know of any more events coming up soon then please do Contact Us.

 

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Dick Whittington is a truly entertaining pantomime with comic brilliance, audience participation and non-stop energy from the cast.

CBeebies and pantomime legend Chris Jarvis is back, sprinkling his magic as the hilarious Dame Dolly Doughnuts.  The creative storyline is easy for kids to follow and you’ll find lots of funny references to Poole throughout the show.

The story goes that Dick travels to London to find his fortune and the first friend he makes is Tommy the Cat who stays by his side and delivers some awesome gymnastics on stage.  Dick then meets the lovely Alice Fitzwarren and instantly falls in love.

Dick needs money so Alice tries to get him a job in her dads shop but they need to buy more chocolate to sell and they only have a bar of gold to use as money.  Dick is supposed to be watching the gold in the safe but King Rat steals it and tricks everyone into thinking that Dick took it.  When the family find out they send Dick on his way but it doesn’t take long for them to realise it was all an elaborate set up and so they make up and start their travel to Poole so they can purchase the chocolate.

After the interval, the crew are on a big ship travelling to the Isle of Wight and King Rat is trying to sink it!  Luckily, Fairy Bowbelles is on their side and she helps save the day.  I wish the Fairy had been on stage more though because her incredible voice gave me goosebumps.

The cast are clearly having a lot of fun in this panto and there was never a dull moment.  All of the actors were exceptional and of course the young rats and dancers were brilliant too.  We laughed so much throughout the show and when it ended my daughter just looked at me confused because she hadn’t realised how much time had passed.  Time really does fly when you’re having fun!  We both left the theatre absolutely buzzing, it's most definitely one of the best pantos I've ever seen.

Dick Whittington is running from Thursday 11th December 2025 - Sunday 4th January 2026.  A relaxed performance is on Friday 2 January 2026 at 6pm.

For more information and tickets, please visit Lighthouse Poole.

Image credit: Jayne Jackson Photography

Dorsetmums was invited to the performance for the purpose of a review however all words ae my own.