After-school activities and dinner deals in Gloucestershire
Dodge the drizzle and save some dosh at one of Gloucestershire's after-school activity and dinner deals.
Find places to keep the kids entertained, get everyone fed and avoid the usual teatime negotiations below.
Energy = spent, money = saved. Winner winner, chicken (pizza, burger or ice cream) dinner
After-school activities and food deals in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Cirencester and Stroud
We've split the options into three groups: activities with food included, cheap weekday dinners and after-school treats and cinema ideas. Because a two-hour bounce followed by pizza is a rather different proposition from a £1 children's meal, even if both save you from the washing-up.
Deals can change, so check the venue's latest terms and booking availability before setting off.
Play, bounce, bowl and eat: After-school activity and food deals
Still fill of beans at 4pm? Find somewhere to blow off steam then refuel here.
Little Centurions, Cheltenham and Cirencester
After-school food offer for £12.95
Little Centurions has advertised an after-school offer featuring a 6-inch cheese pizza or children's lunch box, plus a soft drink, for £12.95.
Weekdays from 3pm to 5.30pm.
Ideal for younger children, with two Gloucestershire locations (in Cirencester and Cheltenham) there's hopefully a ball pit near you!
AirHop, Gloucester
Trampoline time and a sharing pizza for £29.95
AirHop's after school deal is for two people, with 60 minutes of air time and a 12-inch margherita pizza to share, costing £29.95.
The offer is listed for Monday to Thursday from 3pm during term time.
Ideal for friends, siblings, or if you fancy a bounce yourself.
Mr Mulligan's Adventure Golf, Cheltenham
Crazy golf and pizza for two for £25
At The Brewery Quarter, Mr Mulligan's invites you to Wicked Weekdays : a round of adventure golf for two people and a sharing pizza for £25.
Monday to Friday, 3pm to 6pm.
Perfect if you want to get involved yourself without slipping a disk, and we can personally vouch for the deliciousness of the pizza.
Jumpin Fun, Cheltenham
Two hours of bouncing and food for £12
The after-school package includes two hours of bouncing, half a margherita pizza, chips and a refillable squash cup for £12.
Currently on Thursdays and Fridays during term time.
If you're running out of steam towards the weekend, it's a banker.
Funky Warehouse, Cheltenham
Two hours of play from £10, with children's meals for £5
Funky Warehouse's after-school session offers two hours of activity for £10 when booked online, or £11.50 for walk-ins. Children's meals are available for £5 during the session.
The advertised offer runs Tuesday to Friday from 4pm during term time.
Book online if you can, as it saves £1.50 per child on the activity price.
Hollywood Bowl, Cheltenham and Gloucester
Bowling and food from £9 for juniors
Hollywood Bowl's advertised bowling-and-food package includes one game of bowling, a burger or hotdog with fries, and a drink.
The promotional prices were £9 for juniors and £12 for adults.
Bowling is a good middle ground when the kids want an activity but nobody needs another two hours of soft play. It also works well for mixed-age siblings.
Check the current booking page for participating venues, prices and days. The availability shown in the original promotion differs from newer published information, so it's worth checking rather than relying on the older weekday schedule.
Clip 'n Climb, Gloucester
Climb 'n Dine from £19.99 per person
For children who'd rather climb than bounce, Clip 'n Climb Gloucester advertises a Climb 'n Dine package combining a climbing session with a hot dog and selected soft drink.
The offer is listed Wednesday to Friday from 4pm, with prices from £19.99 per person. Sides cost extra.
A different option for an after-school treat, especially for children who enjoy a bit of a challenge.
Cheap After-School Dinners in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Gloucestershire
Sometimes the kids don't need entertaining. You just need someone else to cook.
These deals are worth keeping in mind for busy weekdays, especially if you've got more than one hungry child to feed.
After-School Dinner Deals
The Beefy Boys, Regent Street, Cheltenham
Kids eat FREE, Monday to Friday, 3pm to 6.30pm
If the kids fancy burgers for tea, The Beefy Boys has a rather tempting weekday deal.
Buy a standard adult burger and get one free children's main and side. The offer runs Monday to Friday, 3pm to 6.30pm, for eating in only.
Children can choose from options including burgers, chicken tenders and mac and cheese balls. Ice cream isn't included in the free meal, so don't let anyone get too carried away with the pudding plans.
A particularly good shout if you're already in Cheltenham town centre after school.
The Pike and Musket, Tuffley, Gloucester
Children's meals for £1, Monday to Friday
The Pike and Musket advertises children's main meals for £1 when an adult buys a main meal, available Monday to Friday.
Choices include familiar favourites such as pizza and fish fingers.
A straightforward option for a cheap family tea without needing to organise an activity first.
The Wagon and Horses, Hucclecote, Gloucester
Family meal deal for £17
The Wagon and Horses has advertised a weekday family deal of two adult main meals and two children's main meals for £17.
There's also a Monday children's meal for £1 promotion.
For a family of four, the set meal deal is particularly worth checking. Make sure you're looking at the regular weekday offers rather than any separate school-holiday promotions.
Prezzo, The Brewery Quarter, Cheltenham
Free children's meals with Kids Club membership
Prezzo's Kids Club costs £1.99 per month and lets a subscribing adult claim up to three free three-course children's meals per visit when buying a full-priced adult main meal.
The scheme is for children aged 2 to 12 and requires the Club Prezzo app.
It's not quite a walk-in bargain because you need the subscription, but it could be useful if you regularly eat out with the kids, particularly with more than one child.
Fromebridge Mill, Whitminster
Children eat free on Mondays and Tuesdays
A useful option beyond Cheltenham and Gloucester, particularly for families around Whitminster, Stonehouse and Stroud.
Fromebridge Mill is advertising a free children's main meal for children aged 12 and under when an adult buys a main meal, available Monday and Tuesday from noon to 6pm.
The published promotion runs 13 October to 17 December 2026, so this one has a definite end date.
Morrisons Café, Cheltenham and Gloucester
FREE children's meal with an adult main
Morrisons cafés offer a free children's meal, including a drink, when you buy an adult main meal costing £5 or more.
Not exactly a big after-school adventure, but useful when the priority is getting everyone fed without spending a fortune.
Check that your chosen café is serving hot food at the time you're planning to visit.
Asda Café, Cheltenham and Gloucester
Children eat for £1
Asda's café offer allows children aged 16 and under to get a meal for £1, without needing to buy an adult meal.
That makes it particularly useful when you're feeding several children or don't want a full meal yourself.
Check participating cafés and their food-service times before heading over.
Other after-school treats
Not every afternoon needs a full dinner deal. Sometimes an ice cream, a film or a change of scenery is enough to rescue the last few hours of the day.
After-School Treats
Creams Café, The Brewery Quarter, Cheltenham
After-school treats under £5
Creams has advertised an after-school menu Monday to Thursday, 3pm to 5pm, with selected items costing under £5.
Options include waffle wedges, sundaes, pancake bites and cheesy nachos.
Definitely more of a treat stop than a proper tea, unless your household has a particularly relaxed definition of dinner.
Cineworld, Cheltenham and Gloucester Quays
Family film tickets and selected discounted screenings
Cineworld offers family ticket pricing that allows adults to pay children's ticket prices in eligible family groups.
There are also selected Movies for Juniors screenings with lower ticket prices, although these are generally scheduled at weekends and during school holidays rather than as a regular after-school offer.
For a weekday outing, check the actual afternoon film times and family ticket options at your chosen cinema. You could always combine a film with dinner nearby, but that's a separate plan rather than a bundled film-and-food deal.
Vue, Stroud
An after-school film option for Stroud families
Vue in Stroud is another option if you're based further south in Gloucestershire and fancy a film after school.
It's worth checking weekday screening times and family ticket availability. There's no confirmed regular after-school film-and-dinner package to recommend here, so treat this as an outing idea rather than a specific deal.
Which after-school deal is best?
It really depends on you and your squad, but some quick tips...
For smaller ones - Little Centurions is always a blast, and Creams desserts on the doorstep with another delicious offer you could have double bubble.
For the kids who need to run about: Funky Warehouse, Jumpin Fun or AirHop are the obvious places to start.
For an activity you can do together: Mr Mulligan's or Hollywood Bowl could be a better fit, especially for families with older children.
For something different: Clip 'n Climb offers a more active challenge.
For a cheap family tea: The Pike and Musket, Wagon and Horses and the supermarket cafés are worth checking first.
For families further afield: Little Centurions in Cirencester, Fromebridge Mill in Whitminster and Vue in Stroud.
And if it's been one of those school days, there's absolutely nothing wrong with choosing the option that involves the least organisation.
