Hello! Plenty on this weekend, so the long list's been whittled down to the few actually worth your time, no scrolling a dozen Facebook pages required.

A much-loved children's show at the Northcott, a whole street in St Leonards given over to hands-on crafts, and a free dog day to round off the Sunday.

These are the ones worth leaving the house for.

This Weekend's Pick

The Gruffalo - Live on stage

Tall Stories' stage version of The Gruffalo is at the Northcott this weekend, and it's about as safe a bet as you'll find for this age group. Mouse heads off through the deep dark wood, the songs are genuinely good, and the whole thing comes in at 55 minutes with no interval, which is about right before anyone starts wriggling.

Shows at 11am and 2pm on both days, aimed at 3 and up, and worth pre-booking as these tend to fill.

When	Sat 27 & Sun 28 June, 11am and 2pm both days
Where	Exeter Northcott Theatre, Stocker Road, EX4 4QB
Cost	£18, £16 under-18s. Pre-book.

More Good Stuff

Magdalen Road Creative Street Festival

Magdalen Road closes to traffic on Saturday and turns into one big hands-on craft session. The idea is that you join in rather than just watch, so there's felting, weaving, printing, pot-throwing and painting to have a go at, alongside stalls, food and live music running through the afternoon.

Big Noise Chorus kick things off at 12:30, with swing dancing and the Heavitree Strummers later on. It's free, it's friendly, and time spent on Magdalen Road is always a pleasure.

When	Saturday 27 June, 12pm to 6pm
Where	Magdalen Road, Exeter EX2 4HY (walkable from the centre)
Cost	Free

Worth the Drive

Music For All at Budleigh Music Festival

If you fancy getting out of the city, the Budleigh Music Festival is running a family music session that's all about joining in. The pick for most ages is Sound of the Streets, a four-piece brass band playing New Orleans style street music, who set up at the Public Hall from 11 then move along to Temple Church for the afternoon.

Bring an instrument if you've got one, or just turn up and join in. There's a separate Duo Tutti session for under-6s over at Temple Church too, exploring music through games and movement.

It's about 25 minutes down the road, and a good-value morning either way.

When	Saturday 27 June, 11am to 3pm
Where	Public Hall, Station Road (EX9 6RJ), moving to Temple Church, Fore Street (EX9 6NG), Budleigh Salterton. About 25 mins from Exeter.
Cost	£5 per child, includes one adult. Extra family members £5 each.

One free thing

Pawsome Day Out - a free family dog day

A lovely feel-good Sunday afternoon over in Exminster, raising money for street dogs and cats in Sri Lanka. There's a fun dog show with classes like Waggiest Tail and Fastest Pupaccino Eater, plus a bouncy castle, face painting, games, food and a fair few stalls.

You don't need to bring a dog to enjoy it, there's plenty to keep everyone happy for an afternoon. Free to get in, with a collection on the day.

When	Sunday 28 June, 12pm to 5pm
Where	St Martin's Football Club, Exminster EX6 8SP (about 10 mins from Exeter)
Cost	Free (charity collection on the day)

That's the lot. If you end up at any of these, a quick reply with a photo is always welcome, it comes straight to the inbox. Have a good weekend, and hope the weather plays along.

Details change. Check each venue's website before setting off, especially for one-off events and anything that needs booking.