A WIDE range of activities, summer schools and family fun days will take place with the Juniors at Museums (JAM) club this summer.

Activities are on offer at three Dudley Council museum sites – Broadfield House Glass Museum, The Red House Glass Cone and Dudley Museum and Art Gallery – for borough youngsters to enjoy during their six week break.

The JAM club events kick off from this weekend at Wordsley's Glass Cone, which will be running a free two day event on Saturday (July 11) and Sunday (July 12) as part of the Black Country Festival Celebrations.

It will feature guided tours, glassmaking demonstrations, children’s canal-art inspired crafts and a children’s duck trail with a Black Country theme.

A special, interactive summer exhibition, entitled ‘An English Country Garden’ featuring a mini den, arbour, gnomes, wishing well, lots of artificial grass and colouring activities, is also open at the cone and will run throughout the holidays.

The cone is also hosting glassmaking demonstrations every day during the holidays from noon to 3.30pm.

Dudley Museum and Art Gallery gets in on the action too with the launch of My Little Collection. An exhibition dedicated to the popular children’s pony figure, which also opens on Saturday.

The exhibition features 2,500 ponies from the smallest, at less than an inch tall, to the largest at 3 foot tall, as well as books, bags and other merchandise.

This is complimented by a “My little ‘oss” craft and trail in the museum on Saturday as part of Dudley town centre’s Black Country celebrations.

While from Saturday July 18, free family trails - where children can hunt for letters and pictures around all three venues - will be available every day during the holidays.

Broadfield House will be hosting its free annual summer event, the Teddy Bear’s picnic, on Thursday July 23 between noon and 4pm.

The popular under 5s event includes games, storytelling and crafts, giving youngsters the chance to bring along a teddy and a picnic for a relaxing fun afternoon.

The museums is also host to the Oodles of Doodles exhibition which runs throughout the holidays, featuring fun, quirky pieces of glass inspired by the doodles of celebrities including Raymond Blanc, Lenny Henry and Emma Thompson.

Dudley Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member responsible for museums said: “This is busiest programme of JAM activities we’ve ever had.

“There’s lots on offer for all ages and I’m sure that local children will enjoy taking part in the craft activities and family fun days on offer.”

Broadfield House Glass Museum is open between noon and 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and bank holidays. Dudley Museum is open between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Saturday, but closed on bank holidays. Red House Glass Cone is open 10am until 4pm daily, including bank holidays. Admission to all sites is free.

To book for any of the activities call 01384 815571 or email julie.edmonds@dudley.gov.uk, or for more information on all the events taking place this summer visit www.dudley.gov.uk/see-and-do