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Hyson Green with kids: books, art and community play

Bookshelves and reading space inside Hyson Green Library at the Mary Potter Centre
Nottingham City Libraries

Hyson Green makes a useful small-radius family outing around Gregory Boulevard and Terrace Street: books, stories and a garden at the Mary Potter Centre, hands-on making at New Art Exchange, and games, craft and holiday play at Hyson Green Youth Club. Babies and toddlers have library rhyme sessions and Family Hub support close together, while older children can explore art workshops and the youth club’s after-school and partner activities. Start with the activity that suits your child, then check its own booking and term-time arrangements before adding another stop.

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Make the library your gentle first stop

Hyson Green Library at the Mary Potter Centre is a good place to begin with a child who wants books, rhymes or a quieter shared activity. The branch has Hindi, Urdu and Polish books alongside its reading spaces, a garden, and children’s large-print and Braille materials. Its ramped entrance and automatic doors give ground-level access.

For little ones, look at Tuesday Story and Rhyme Time or the term-time Thursday Learn to Love Books session with stories, songs and craft. Nottingham Playhouse’s Little People, Big Adventures turns children’s ideas into shared adventures, but it has its own booking arrangements and half-term breaks. Older children can use Friday term-time homework help.

Give children room to make at New Art Exchange

New Art Exchange sits on Gregory Boulevard opposite The Forest tram stop. Its changing exhibitions offer a contemporary-art stop, and the Saturday Art Club is a particularly clear family choice: free hands-on workshops for ages 4–12 and their families.

The art-club dates are individual advertised sessions, not an every-Saturday promise. Check the current calendar for the next one. The gallery and café normally open Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm. The venue has a lift, induction loops and accessible toilets; ask ahead about disabled parking or any particular access needs.

Choose a club rather than an unplanned drop-in

On Terrace Street, Hyson Green Youth Club gives school-age children a different kind of outing: games, craft, homework help and something to eat at its after-school club, plus sport, cooking, craft and trips in its holiday playschemes. The after-school club is for ages 5–11; holiday playschemes are for ages 6–11, with priority for low-income families.

The club’s own sessions are free with no membership fee. Boxing with mentoring, Tae Kwon-Do and Saturday maths and English are run by independent partners, who set their own fees and joining arrangements. Call the club to get the right contact rather than assuming those classes have the same terms as its own free sessions.

Keep baby and early-years support in the picture

The Family Hub at the Mary Potter Centre has opportunities to meet other families and get practical help with your child’s development. Healthy Little Minds focuses on connection and confidence from pregnancy to age two, while Peep Watch Me Grow uses talking, singing, playing and books with babies aged 0–9 months. Peep requires booking or invitation, with a phone contact to discuss joining.

Families seeking early-years SEND support can look at the term-time stay-and-play drop-in. The NHS also publishes specific speech and language drop-in dates for Nottingham City families with children under four. Check the service’s current date before travelling: it is a separate session, not the library’s weekly timetable.

Plan around the session, not just the building

The library closes Sundays and bank holidays, and New Art Exchange normally closes Sundays, Mondays and bank holidays. Youth-club reception hours are not the same as activity hours. Use the listing for the particular session or class to check its booking, age and supervision details.

For a short visit, choose one anchor: a story session with a little one, an art workshop for a child who likes making, or the age-matched youth-club activity. Add browsing or another nearby stop only if the timing works for your family.

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