This October half-term, kids across Portsmouth and the BCP region are in for a treat with a jam-packed line-up of sports, splash sessions, and non-stop adventure at BH Live Active leisure and sports centres.

Operated by registered charity and social enterprise BH Live, in partnership with local authorities, these centres have expanded their junior activity programme to get children of all ages moving, laughing, and staying active – whatever the weather.

From swimming crash courses and gymnastics camps to basketball, athletics, tennis skills, and trampolining, there’s something for everyone. Kids can also join in sports camps at Sir David English Sports Centre in Bournemouth, and sports camps at Portsmouth Tennis & Gymnastics Centre.

Activities are available for babies, toddlers, and juniors right up to 17 years old. Families can check out BH Live Active’s school holiday timetable to see what classes are available at their local centre.

Additional inflatable sessions will run to encourage more children to jump, bounce and play throughout their autumn break. In Bournemouth, these include The Crusher pool inflatable at Littledown. AirJumpX, an indoor bounce attraction at Sir David English Sports Centre, and Raptor Run, an inflatable pool attraction at Pelhams. Soft play for tots aged 5 and under is also available at Terrace Cafés at Littledown, Pelhams and Corfe Mullen in Bournemouth and East Dorset.

Those looking for a spooky fix can enjoy Littledown’s Halloween disco, with several sessions taking place from 1pm-2pm, 2:30pm-3:30pm, and 4pm-5pm on Friday 31 October 2025. Visitors can expect games, dancing competitions, fancy dress competitions, and tons of disco fun. More information can be found on BH Live Active’s events page.

In Portsmouth, young people aged 8+ are challenged to tackle pool attraction AquaDash! at Mountbatten Leisure Centre. Navigating a hump, demolition ball, basher wall, and much more, children will dash across this epic aqua obstacle course before making a splash on the 5ft challenge slide. Extra public swimming sessions, including Wet & Wacky, have also been added to Mountbatten’s swimming timetable following customer demand.

In exciting news, MountAirX, a brand-new, giant inflatable attraction is coming to Mountbatten Leisure Centre just in time for half-term. Featuring bouncing, climbing, and sliding excitement, MountAirX challenges balance, agility, and speed in a safe and thrilling environment.

For an even bigger adventure, MountAirXL doubles the action. Spanning the entire sports hall, 12 adrenaline-packed features include a Beat the Wall challenge and an interactive Trailblazer climbing wall. MountAirXL offers more space, more slides, and more challenges for kids ready to jump, climb, and play.

MountAirXL sessions will kick off Monday 27 October – Friday 31 October. Sessions are available on a pay-as-you-go basis and are bookable up to seven days in advance in-centre, via the BH Live Active app or online. Booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. 

Additionally, Portsmouth’s largest indoor soft play and bounce attraction - Exploria at Pyramids in Southsea - will hold multiple sessions throughout the holidays, allowing children to play interactive games, climb, whizz down themed slides, jump into foam pits, and much more.

Other half-term activities include Boo Bounce sessions at Bitterne Leisure Centre and Chamberlayne Leisure Centre. With selected sessions available for children aged 18 months-4 years and 5-8 years, it’s the perfect way for juniors to let out some energy by jumping and bouncing around. Enjoy spooky seasonal fun with fancy dress and a Halloween colouring competition too! Book your space online at bhliveactive.org.uk/find-an-activity.

On behalf of BH Live, Bobby Cole, Group Swim & Junior Activities Manager, shared;

“We’re really excited to bring such a wide variety of activities to families this half-term. Our goal is to help young people of all ages stay active, have fun, and build confidence through sport and play. Whether it’s diving into our pools, bouncing on our new inflatables, or joining a holiday club, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”

Facilities and timetables vary per centre – please visit the BH Live Active app or bhliveactive.org.uk and exploria.org.uk for more info.

Some activities and classes are included as part of BH Live Active’s junior membership (T&Cs apply) – more information is available at bhliveactive.org.uk/junior-membership.