The summer holidays are coming and, let’s face it, the British weather simply cannot be relied on, but if the family picnics in glorious sunshine or days out on the river get washed away, Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter has got it covered.

Visitors are being invited to enjoy two special activities over the holidays – Harry Potter Summer Screenings and the studio’s first ever Bludgers and Broomsticks attraction.

Watch your favourite films where they were made in the summer screenings series. Every Monday and Tuesday, you can begin the evening by exploring the studio – with the chance to taste some delicious butterbeer – before grabbing a hot snack, popcorn and a drink and settling down in the on-site cinema to watch your film. See the website for which film is being shown which week.

Meanwhile, Bludgers and Broomsticks is a special six-week feature which reveals how magical sports and wizarding games came to life on screen. Discover how a combination of special and visual effects were used to create the illusion of flight and to make chess pieces move.

Head prop maker Pierre Bohanna’s team will demonstrate the techniques used to hand-craft broomsticks throughout the Harry Potter film series, and the life-sized wizard chess pieces from the first film will be on display in the back lot, as will a board game homage to Quidditch, complete with a miniature replica of the Hogwarts pitch. The rattling ball crate in the scene where Harry is first introduced to Quidditch will also be showcased, and the bludgers will move as they did on set.

You will also get to examine the costumes of Gryffindor and Slytherin players up close and fly a broomstick in front of a green screen like Harry, Hermione or Ron.

  • Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden. Summer Screenings run from Monday, July 7 to Tuesday, August 26, and Bludgers and Broomsticks runs from Friday, July 18 to Monday, September 1. Details: wbstudiotour.co.uk