Children's Easter Activities
Egg-cellent ideas for family fun around the UK this Easter.
With Easter coming up so soon, those with kids or grandchildren will be looking for places to visit and new experiences to enjoy. Delight your youngsters with an Easter-themed trip including fun activities involving eggs, chicks, lambs, bonnets and of course chocolate.
Ducks & Eggs In The Lake District
This year marks the 100th birthday of one of the most popular characters in children's literature - Jemima Puddle-Duck, created by Beatrix Potter. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, published in 1908, tells the story of the duck's efforts to find somewhere to lay her eggs. To mark the centenary, the Lake District, where Beatrix Potter lived for many years, is staging the country's largest Easter Egg Hunt.
From 19th March, children and adults will be able to join in the search for 100 brightly-coloured eggs scattered across Cumbria from Hadrian's Wall in the north to Morecambe Bay in the south and from Alston in the east to Cumbria's west coast - an area of 6,800 sq km (2,600 sq miles). Each of the eggs will lead to prizes such as weekend breaks in the Lakes, special collector's editions of The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck and Beatrix Potter gifts. The eggs, specially designed by a local artist, will themselves be collector's items.
The event will be launched from The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere. A large screen at the attraction will show the general location of each of the eggs and whether or not they have been found. These locations will also be featured on a special competition website.
Lambs In Devon
The BIG Sheep is an all weather attraction devoted to sheep, on the North Devon coast near Bideford. The South West's biggest Easter egg hunt will be taking place there from 20th to 24th March 2008. The Easter Bunny will be hiding chocolate eggs throughout the attraction, from the brewery, restaurant and gift shop to the indoor play area, outdoor laser area and trampolines, as well as among the daffodils and in the plant centre.
Lots of spring lambs arrive at Easter and children can see the new-borns take their first steps as well as helping bottle feed some of the orphans. Other new arrivals may include kid goats, piglets, puppies and kittens. Children can also meet the Easter Bunny to have a photo taken, as well as decorate their own egg and Easter bonnet, and hop on the Easter Egg Express.
Chocolate, Animals & Adventure In Birmingham
You can't get enough chocolate at Easter, and Cadbury World is a short journey away from the city centre. Join Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to make a cute Easter card, a funky Easter egg with an array of lovely materials, a special spring collage and loads more besides, from 21st to 25th March. A visit to a 1930s sweet shop is part of a guided tour around the last remaining courtyard of Back to Back housing in the Midlands, carefully restored to reflect four different time periods. They also have a programme of family activities taking place during the Easter break.
Get outdoors at the Birmingham Botanical Garden and Glasshouses which boast 15 acres of beautiful gardens, including an adventure playground and children's discovery garden. They also run a series of children's workshops during the holidays including an Easter Egg Hunt. The Birmingham Nature Centre is alongside the River Lea and adjoins Cannon Hill Park. It hosts a wide selection of domestic and wild animals from red pandas, meerkats and owls to snakes and lizards. The National Sea Life Centre has a 40-stone green sea turtle, Atlantis Mirror Maze, and a brand new interactive feature set to launch in time for Easter visitors.
You can also venture outside of the city centre, especially if you extend your break by a few days and visit Thomas Land, based on the Thomas the Tank Engine stories, a new £4.5 million development at Drayton Manor Theme Park, due to open before the Easter weekend. And if theme parks are your thing then Alton Towers opens for half term, and on 15th March the park reopens and unveils its new splash water ride - Battle Galleons. West Midlands Safari Park has the animal kingdom covered and is open daily from 3rd February.
More Easter Egg Hunts & Eggcellent Events
Hundreds of Easter events will be taking place across the country, from Kew's chocolate egg hunt on Easter Sunday, with friendly giant rabbits hopping around the Royal Botanic Gardens to entertain children from 21st to 24th March, to Operation Cocoa! at the Old Operating Theatre Museum in London on 21st March, a children's discovery workshop exploring the medicinal properties of chocolate, where they can discover ancient and modern chocolate therapies and make their own Easter goody box.
Hightlights of the National Trust Easter Egg Trail suported by Cadbury include a devious top secret Tudor trail around Trerice house and gardens in Cornwall on 23rd and 24th March with an Easter treat for those who manage to uncover the secret message, Easter Eggcentricities - an afternoon of fun at Springhill, Co. Londonderry on 23rd March with an egg hunt, magician, puppets, egg painting, handwork, balloons and face painting, and at Devil's Dyke in West Sussex there's a quiz and Easter egg rolling competition. Bring your own hand decorated hard boiled egg and try your luck at this Easter custom - the egg that gets furthest down the Dyke valley wins, and they will also judge the "Best Decorated Egg".
Events run by English Heritage include Kenwood's Easter Trail at Kenwood House in London and Easter Fun at Walmer Castle and Gardens in Kent. Between Friday 21st and Monday 24th March, children can enjoy a trip round Kenwood's magnificent parkland this Easter with their specially designed trail, or start their Easter off with Walmer Castle's annual Easter Fun - including a fun trail and quiz as well as a prize for the best Easter Bonnet.
To find events at museums, National Trust and English Heritage sites near you, you can search their websites.
Related Links
Where To Stay: Treat yourself or the family to a cracking good weekend away this Easter.
Web Links
The World of Beatrix Potter: www.hop-skip-jump.com
The Jemima Puddle-Duck Easter Egg Hunt: www.golakes.co.uk/jemima
The BIG Sheep: www.thebigsheep.co.uk
Devon tourist information: www.discoverdevon.com
Birmingham tourist information: www.visitbirmingham.com
CadburyWorld: www.cadburyworld.co.uk
Easter events at UK museums: www.24hourmuseum.org.uk
National Trust Easter Egg Trails: www.eastereggtrail.com
English Heritage Easter events: www.english-heritage.org.uk
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