Janis P.
The Easter holidays upon us, so we have put together a list of our Top 10 Family Days Out in and around London to enjoy over the Easter break. Book events now, plan your trips as soon as possible, start looking around Marks and Spencers for the cutest chocolate eggs and sweets (we like Percy Pigs gummy sweets) and make the Easter break the best your children have ever had. Above all, if you know of a great family day out in or near London and it’s not on the list, go ahead and leave a comment below to share it with other mums and dads.
Also read: London School Holidays with Babies and Toddlers
Spring Fair, Tadworth
You must not pass up this event because there is a diverse range of fun and enjoyable things to do here, both for you and your kids. From midday to 4pm, there will be a Spring Farm, funfair rides as well as a bouncy castle and giant slide, Easter art and crafts activities and independent stalls. The whole family can race against each other in Go Karts or children can take part in the Easter Egg Hunt, for only £2.50 per child! (Get the golden egg and you win an extra prize.)
If you take your kids along to the activities, they will probably come out of sessions covered in paint, glitter and glue because there is face painting, nail painting, glitter tattoos, balloon making, hook a duck and so much more.
To get away from this part of the fair, why not mooch around the stalls? There will be jewellery, children’s books, homeware items, sweets, clothing and craft kits on offer that you will not be able to resist. And if you get hungry, there’s a Spring Cafe offering hot and cold drinks, cake, ice cream, crepes and donuts. Entry is free for under 16s and adults only play £2.50. What’s not to love about the Spring Fair?!
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Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Watford
If the kids love Harry Potter – and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t – take them to a magical tour at Hogwarts, otherwise known as the Warner Bros. studio. Learning how the special effects were created and how the fantastic beasts (Buckbeak the hippogriff, Fawkes the phoenix, the basilisk, Dobby the elf) were animated will completely stun you. Other things visitors will come across include the Great Hall, the Gryffindor common room, Hagrid’s hut and Dumbledore’s office but just as exciting … Diagon Alley! View Flourish and Blotts, Ollivander’s, Gringott’s Wizarding Bank and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes through Harry’s eyes. Look out for the props and costumes too, from Harry’s broomstick to the Sword of Gryffindor. Wander around every set you read about in the book – they are all located in the venue. This is not to be missed! Secrets you always wondered about will be revealed when you book your tickets today from the website: http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/
Easter Egg Hunt, Battersea Zoo Park
Well we couldn’t give you a list of events without throwing in an egg hunt, could we? So here’s a hunt in a very special place: a zoo especially for children and in a place where children have more than just eggs to hunt. Search for the eggs with a purchased quiz sheet and use the clues to find them whilst making your way around the zoo, visiting each and every exotic animal you see. The eggs can be found in the animal houses and everyone wins a prize. The cost of the hunt is £1.50 per child. Standard admission to Battersea Park Zoo is £7.95 per adult, £6.50 for children aged 2-16 or £26.00 for a family ticket. Go nuts!
Chocolate Festival, Southbank Centre
The one thing kids – well, actually, most people – love about Easter are the chocolatey gifts coming their way from loved ones and what better way to really celebrate Easter than to go to a free entry chocolate festival? From 30th March to 1st April, an exciting range of chocolate will be on offer at the Southbank Centre, whether you want to taste it or purchase it as a gift, or even something to nibble on as you make your way through the venue. There will be demonstrations, chocolate making workshops, chocolatiers displaying their talents and book signings too. You can also learn more about the art of making chocolate. Not enough? Then head over to the stalls and try churros with chocolate, chocolate cocktails, hot chocolate, savoury chocolate dishes but best of all, the chocolate fountain! The highlights of this event are the children’s craft activities and the Cheese and Wine Festival you can pop over to if you fancy that too, or even the Real Food Market. It’s Easter, pig out!
Easter at Kew, Kew Gardens
The nicest things about spring are the beautiful, decorative plants and baby animals, so if you and the family love nature, head to Kew Gardens. The kids will get more out of it than you think. Especially for the Easter period, Kew Gardens is offering a Mayan chocolate adventure trail where you get the best of both worlds: you can wander around the gardens learning about the Mayans and their spicy chocolate drink, and kids can collect crayon rubbings of the symbols to unlock the secret password. There will also be hands-on sessions and workshops for kids where they can make and taste the drink the Mayans created, face painting, an Easter egg hunt and other activities. Families can offer an origami flower to the jaguar god at the Waterlily Pond and make a wish at the cacao wishing tree – make it come true! Better still, you can take home a worry doll, mask or headdress you created as a memento of your special day. Kids under 17 go free, otherwise entry price is £11.90-£13.90.
Peter and the Wolf Live, Royal Festival Hall
For two days only (from 8th-9th April) Peter and the Wolf is coming live to London. Experience the classical children’s musical with Mackenzie Crook narrating and Nicholas Collon conducting a magnificent, award-winning orchestra. Through the beautiful music, the story of a boy named Peter and his quest to defeat the Wolf is brought to life in magical quality as different instruments represent the characters. An oboe plays the adorable Duck, a clarinet portrays the fat Cat and a bassoon represents the grumpy Grandfather. This is a film for the whole family, although some scenes may be scary for younger children. Book tickets in advance; this is not something to be missed.
The Magic Cavern, Barons Court
Do you like magic? And do you love the special effects magicians use? If so, this is the place for you! Bring the whole family to The Magic Cavern and experience magic like you haven’t before on any Sunday you like. For approximately 70 minutes, you will be sitting inside an exquisite, magical cave, set with jewels and rays of colourful lights beaming through whilst magicians Richard Leigh and David Major impress you with shows of magic and illusion. The performance is interactive – you can get involved, but you will not be made to feel uncomfortable in any way and if you want to help out with the effects or mention a birthday, let the manager know beforehand. Book tickets on the website: http://www.falseimpressions.co.uk/magiccavern
The Three Billy Pigs, Watermans
I bet you’re thinking I mean The Three Billy Goats Gruff. I don’t. Noisy Oyster is offering you the chance to see the two classic fairy tales in one show, telling the story of three little pigs who leave home and set up their own house on the other side of the river. There’s a problem though: they encounter a misunderstood wolf and a very grumpy troll living under a bridge. For one day, 1st April, this puppet theatre will guarantee lots of laughter and fun, so do bring the family along, especially little kids. I promise you they will love the wonderfully crafted puppets and the live music. Book your tickets for the funniest story now.
In The Mood, Surrey History Centre
In The Mood is a dress up and jive 1950s experience so if you fancy some dance and games, or even going back to the decade you were born, take the whole family to this event because the kids will enjoy it too. Here, you will all get to try on fantastic costumes from the era, learn how to dance the jive and the jitterbug from the London Swing Dance Society and experience the sights, smells and the games. That’s a lot of fun in just a few hours! This event takes place on 31st March from 10.30am to 1pm. Call 01483 518737 for more information or book online. Suitable for children aged 6 and above.
Easter Family Fun Day, Grenfell Park
This free event takes place on 7th April from 10am-4pm so you have all day to celebrate the Easter weekend with your family. At Grenfell Park, there is entertainment for everybody, although it is catered more towards young families (0-12). There will be refreshments, face painting, a bouncy castle, an Easter treasure hunt and much more fun. So come out of your homes at the weekend and enjoy some fresh air and games. For more information, please visit the website: http://www.maidenheadbridgerotary.org.uk/events.html
Happy Easter!
