Spring Adventures

March

Sun 29 Mar The Kids’ Table, Wright Brothers, Battersea Power Station, SW8 4NN 1-4pm. An exciting pop-up children’s corner. Parents can happily enjoy a long and leisurely lunch knowing that their little ones are equally enjoying arts, crafts, games and face painting, led by childcare and entertainment experts. For more details visit www. batterseapowerstation.co.uk

April Thurs 2 – Sun 19 Apr Easter Family Fun, Hever Castle, Nr Edenbridge, TN8 7NG Hunt for the colourful carrots and the Hever bunny in the free Easter trail, or take part in an Easter egg hunt in the grounds to win a chocolatey prize. Then, why not celebrate spring by creating an eggshaped decoration to hang on the Easter tree. For more details visit www.hevercastle.co.uk Zippo’s Circus, Blackheath Common, SE3 0UA Back with a brand new 2020 show titled ‘Nomads’. Acrobats from the Mongolian steppe, astonishing aerialists, clever comics, and daredevil bikers come together to excite and astound. For more information visit www.zippos.co.uk Blackheath Easter Family Funfair, Blackheath Common, SE3 0UA The Easter Funfair has lots of exciting characters visiting this year, alongside the usual rides and stalls. For more information visit www.facebook.com/ events/497015734568028/ Thurs 2 – Mon 20 Apr Brickosaurs, Centrale & Whitgift, Croydon, CR0 1TY The Centre will be transported back to the Jurassic period and become home to 15 incredible dinosaur models made up of thousands of toy bricks. Pick up a trail map and follow the dinosaur footprints, collecting egg stamps to win a prize. For more details visit www.centraleandwhitgift. co.uk

Our listings are prepared a long time in advance. To make sure you have up to date details do contact the event nearer the time to make sure the information hasn’t changed. Fri 3 – Sat 4 Apr London Games Festival, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN A two-day climax for the main festival, including free games experiences, huge games showcases, cosplay, music and more. For more information visit www.games.london Fri 3 – Sun 5 Apr Now Play This, Somerset House, WC2R 1LA London’s leading festival of experimental games returns with a weekend of exciting gameplay for all ages to enjoy. There’ll be a host of interactive arcades, immersive displays, workshops and performances. For more information visit www.somersethouse.org.uk Sat 4 Apr Morning Stars, Royal Observatory Greenwich, Blackheath Avenue, SE10 8XJ 10am. Explore the night sky live in this show specifically for children with an Autistic Spectrum Condition. Find out from a Royal Observatory Astronomer what is visible on the night of your visit and the month ahead. For more information and to book visit www.rmg.co.uk Ship Shape, HMS Belfast, SE1 2JH (Also 11, 18 Apr). 11am-1pm, 1.30- 3.30pm. All hands on deck as you help keep this iconic warship in tiptop condition. Join a team of expert conservators as you help prevent damage, search for hungry insect pests and test packing techniques. Drop-in. Ages 7+. For more details visit www.iwm.org.uk Recycled Bird Feeders, Horniman Museum and Gardens, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ 1.30-2.15pm, 2.45-3.30pm. Celebrate World Recycling Day by turning an old juice carton into a fantastic bird feeder. Ages 3+. Charges apply, booking required. For more information and to book visit www. horniman.ac.uk Morning Stars, Royal Observatory Greenwich, Blackheath Avenue, SE10 8XJ (Also 13 Jun). 10.10am. Children with an Autism Spectrum Condition can enjoy the historic site and workshop access. The planetarium show is specially designed to create a calm and comfortable environment with low-level lighting and guests are free to exit and re-enter. For more details visit www.rmg.co.uk Fermenting Fun, Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses, Herne Hill, SE24 0PA 10.30am-12.30pm. A tasting and making session about fermented vegetables. Share a story, learn about magical microbes, walk

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around the gardens picking edible flowers, herbs and vegetables, then ferment them into something delicious. For more details visit www. brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk Sat 4 – Sun 5 Apr Comedy Club 4 Kids, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX Since 2005, Comedy Club 4 Kids has been getting comedians from the international circuit to do their thing for a family audience – without the rude bits. Sun performance will be British Sign Language interpreted. Ages 6+. For more information visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk Spies and Disguise, IWM London, SE1 6HZ 11am-4pm. Coinciding with the release of the latest Bond film, Spies and Disguise will put families through their paces in a crash course spy school inspired by real life spies from the Second World War to the present day. Drop-in. For more information visit www.iwm.org.uk Sat 4 – Tues 7 Apr Garland of Ragas, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX Celebrate the arrival of spring and 100 years since the birth of Ravi Shankar by making colourful paper flowers incorporating imagery from the Shankar family archives. For more information visit www. southbankcentre.co.uk Sat 4 – Sat 11 Apr Spring Extravaganza, The Historic Dockyard, Chatham, ME4 4TE Back by popular demand, Doc. Yard returns with a new ‘spring’ extravaganza. Explore the science behind forces and mechanics through fun activities and live demonstrations that will keep the whole family entertained. For more information visit thedockyard.co.uk Sat 4 – Sun 19 Apr Mission Explore: Spring Fling, The Historic Dockyard, Chatham, ME4 4TE Step aboard HMS Gannet, wake the crew by ringing HMS Cavalier’s bell, descend into the depths of HM Submarine Ocelot or be shown the ropes by the Master Ropemaker. Easter trail and hands-on craft activities in No.1 Smithery (14–19 Apr). For more information visit https://thedockyard.co.uk

Family Mission: D-Day Edition, HMS Belfast, SE1 2JH 10am-2pm. Pick up a kit bag and learn more about the crew who served on board HMS Belfast during Operation Neptune in 1944. Find hidden messages, predict the weather for sailing, discover ship life and crack Morse code. For more information visit www.iwm.org.uk Sun 5 Apr The Big Trip: Storytelling and Drawing, Tate Modern, SE1 9TG 11am-12noon, 2.30-3.30pm. Drop in to a free family workshop inspired by Alex Willmore’s new picture book The Big Trip, a funny tale about what can happen when you don’t think of others or watch where you’re going. Aimed at ages 3+ but all welcome. For more details visit www.tate.org. uk Sun 5 – Tues 14 Apr Sea Legs, HMS Belfast, SE1 2JH 11am-3pm. This new interactive family activity will explore the science and ingenuity needed to keep HMS Belfast and her crew afloat. To earn your sea legs you must solve a series of nautical puzzles around the ship. For more information visit www.iwm.org.uk Mon 6 Apr Gulliver’s Journey Drama Workshop, Unicorn Theatre, Southwark, SE1 2HZ (Also 18 Apr). 3.45pm. Get onstage straight after the show and explore the absurd world of Gulliver with one of the professional workshop leaders. For more information visit www.unicorntheatre.com Story Seekers, IWM London, SE1 6HZ (Also 8, 10-13, 15, 17, 19 Apr). Learn about the global impact of conflict, from the First World War and Second World War to today. Get hands-on with real artefacts and explore some of the most unusual and interested stories of conflict. Drop-in. For more information visit www.iwm.org.uk Messages from Space, Metropolitan Tabernacle Baptist Church, Elephant & Castle, SE1 6SD (Also 17-18 Apr). 10am-4pm. This free Deaf Children’s Holiday Bible Club is for children aged 8-16 and will include games, crafts, talks and a visit to Greenwich Planetarium. Deaf Sunday School runs every Sun 3-4pm. For more details and to book email tabernacledeaf@gmail.com or call 020 7735 7076. Mon 6 – Tues 7 Apr Baby Animals Egg Hunt, Sutton Ecology Centre, Carshalton, SM6 0SH 11am-2pm. Meet some real baby animals this spring on the Egg Hunt. Follow the nature trail to discover

Fun Days Out with the Family

Spies and Disguise This Easter, put the kids through their paces with a secret agent crash course, inspired by real life spies. This free family event is taking place on 4 and 5 April between 11am and 4pm at the Imperial War Museum in London. Dress up to look the part, with top tips on altering your appearance. Learn secret coding skills to send secure messages. Get handson with historic objects connected to real spies and engage with the double agents around the museum. Finally, pull your socks up for a physical assault course and reconnaissance mission with Commando Joes. Have you got what it takes? Assemble at 11am either day for your

secret mission. For more information, visit www.iwm.org.uk. This event is part of an Imperial War Museum and Puffin Book’s partnership, to celebrate the launch of the new book, Find the Spy. Illustrations copyright © Shelly Laslo 2020

An Easter Eggs-pedition at the Bank of England Museum Join a fantastic eggs-pedition to find some decorated eggs at the Bank of England Museum this Easter break. Find a letter on each egg then unscramble them for a hidden message. There are also some animal masks and finger puppets for some Easter crafts. Choose between rabbit, sheep or chick to colour in. You can also pick up a real 13kg gold bar and try cracking a safe for a small prize. Families can try their hand at taking control of the economy through an interactive game and children can also complete activity sheets for a small prize. These events are free and run from 6 to 17 April but places are limited, so you are advised to get to the Museum in good time to avoid disappointment. Please note that the museum is closed from 10 to 13 April for Easter. For more information, please visit www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum.

Spies & Disguise Spies & Disguise 4 & 5 April 2020 11 am –4 pm

Take part in exciting undercover family events at Imperial War Museum London.

Learn some top secret coding skills

Get hands-on with items fr om our historic c ollection

Illustrations © Shelly Laslo 2020

1 5 t h F e b t o 1 9 t h A p r i l

5 0 % o ff e n t r y w i t h t h i s c o u p o n !

This voucherentitles the ownerto 50% offforup to 5 people the on the dayprices Adult£20.50 Child £15.00. 2. Adultprice 15+ years, Child price 3 - 14 years, under 3s are FREE 3. This voucheris notvalid foruse in conjunction with anyotheroffer, discount, concession, online discountorcall centre booking. 4. This voucherhas no cash value and sale is notpermitted. Anyattemptto sell this voucherwill renderit void. 5. This voucheris valid until 10/05/2020 6. This voucherremains the property ofMerlin Entertainments who reserve the rightto take possession ofthis voucherat anytime. 7. This vouchermustbe presented and surrendered atthe time ofticket purchase 8. No photocopies accepted 9. To use this voucheronline go to visitsealife.com/brighton/promotions/and select‘GetOffer’ , then when prompted enterthe promotional code : PTJAW20 into the promotional code box. 10. This voucher can be used online (as perpoint9 ) oratthe centre on presentation ofthis advert.

Come up Top Trumps this Easter at SEA LIFE Brighton Calling all budding rangers - SEA LIFE Brighton is on the hunt for brave adventurers who are mad on all things marine life and a dab hand at Top Trumps challenges. This Easter, SEA LIFE Brighton will be welcoming back the Jawsome Sharks and Friends quest to help Professor Finn find the missing Top Trumps cards. Find the concealed cards around the centre and claim your special prize. After that, why not pit your wits with the SEA LIFE Hosts to see who will be crowned champion in a game of creature Top Trumps. Jawsome Sharks in association with Top Trumps will be running until 19 April. From 25 April to 31 May, Romeo, Luna Girl and Ninjalino will take over SEA LIFE Brighton, causing marine mayhem. Help the PJ Masks defeat the night-time baddies and restore the aquarium back to its peaceful state. Follow the interactive trail, find five action pods hidden around the centre and receive an amazing reward. Also coming to the centre this May, SEA LIFE Brighton will be welcoming some very special, mythical creatures to the aquarium. Grab your magical mermaid moment only at SEA LIFE Brighton. For more information and to book, visit www.visitsealife.com. Book online and in advance to save up to 30%.

An Easter eggs-pedition 6–17 April Closed 10 and 13 April for Easter 10am–4.30pm

Free entry

Hop into Easter Fun at Hever Castle Family fun at Hever Castle and Gardens throughout the Easter holidays promises to put a spring in your step. Hunt for the colourful carrots and the Hever bunny in their fun free Easter trail, or take part in an Easter egg hunt in the grounds. Each child will receive a chocolate for completing the trail and a mini chocolate egg for each Easter egg they find. Take part in an Easter themed trail in the Castle to learn about creatures that hatch and create an egg-shaped decoration to hang on Hever’s Easter tree. Visitors aged 7 to 14 can explore the Tudor Towers adventure playground with its own moat, drawbridge and three turrets. It features three slides and two poles and lots of interactive elements including musical instruments, a maze and hidden boxes to find. Under 7s can enjoy the natural play area, Acorn Dell, with its two-metre-high living willow structure, a giant sandpit, a mound with tunnels to clamber in and a climbing frame. Challenge yourself in the Yew Maze and see how long it takes you to find the way out and try not to get wet in the Water Maze. Visitors can then round off the day with seasonal home cooked food and mouth-watering cakes in the restaurant. Easter activities will be running at Hever Castle from 2 to 19 April. For more information, visit www.hevercastle.co.uk. Photo credit: Hever Castle & Gardens

www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum Join us this Easter for an egg hunt around the museum. You can also decorate animal masks and finger puppets to take home. There’s a chocolate for every child. 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends and bank holidays. Entrance in Bartholomew Lane, London EC2R 8AH Share your experience boemuseum T: 020 3461 5545

An Easter Egg Hunt by Tube and Steam Train The Epping Ongar Railway has a special Easter Egg Hunt from 10 to 13 April. It stretches over 5 miles from Ongar to Coopersale with 10 eggs hidden in various places. Find them all and collect an Easter Egg prize from the shop. In addition to the hunt there will be other activities for the children

including colouring sheets, a magician, face painting and, of course, the Easter Bunny. In addition, the Epping Ongar Railway is the only steam railway with a direct connection to the tube at Epping. A typical journey time from Stratford is 26 minutes and, as Epping is in Zone 6, for many the off-peak fare is just £1.50. From Epping, a traditional London Bus will pick you up from outside the station. This brilliant combination of egg hunt, fun on board and the magic of travelling by a steam train and heritage bus must make this one of the places to take the family this Easter. You can also go and see Peppa Pig and her little brother George. Take a ride on the steam and diesel trains and see the cheeky little piggies at intervals on 25 May. Tickets cost £16 for adults, £10 for children and a family ticket costs £43. Epping Ongar Railway Family Railcards are valid. For more information, visit www.eorailway.co.uk.

Easter Egg Hunt Easter Bunny Visit Activity Train Face Painters

10,11,12,13 April

DinoAd-2020.pdf 1 06/02/2020 14:36

Dinosaurs at the Railway 10 May & 19 July

Come and meet Dexter, the walking, roaring baby Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur!

Come and see

31 August

©1999 & TM Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler. Licensed by Magic Light Pictures Ltd.

Characters will be appearing at intervals on each date.

eorailway.co.uk 01277 365200 Take the tube to Epping Underground Station where our heritage buses pick you up from right outside. Visit our website for more details.

Spring Adventures Advertorial

Discover HMS Belfast this Easter This Easter climb on board HMS Belfast, London’s warship experience and take part in all the free family activities. Get hands-on and help to keep this iconic warship in tip-top condition in Ship Shape Saturdays or go beyond the history books and meet real life eyewitnesses and veterans of conflict with We Were There. HMS BELFAST

Discover fun ways to explore the ship and learn about the history of HMS Belfast when you take part in one of the family led activities. Your family can become the latest naval recruits in Family Mission: D-Day Edition or you can work to earn your Sea Legs and plot the course for the ship’s upcoming voyage.

HMS Belfast is one of London’s most iconic landmarks and has been moored on the River Thames for nearly half a century. She is the most significant surviving ship of her kind. No other vessel surviving in Britain has witnessed historic events of the same magnitude as HMS Belfast. She played a major role in the Second World War, Korean War and Cold War. Duck through hatches, climb ladders, sit in the Captain’s chair and take the helm on board this Easter. Family activities run from 4 – 19 April and are recommended for ages 7+. Check the IWM website for dates, times and top tips to make the most of your family day out. All activities are free with general admission. Save 10% on all tickets when you book online in advance. www.iwm.org.uk/hmsb-families

Permian Monsters at the Horniman 252 million years ago, in a period called the Permian, life on Earth was dominated by extraordinary creatures. It was a time of fearsome sabre-toothed predators, giant insects and bizarre-looking sharks which ended with a mass extinction that destroyed 90% of all life, paving the way for the Earth’s next great rulers… the dinosaurs. Discover this mysterious time period in Permian Monsters: Life Before the Dinosaurs, a fascinating, family-friendly exhibition travelling to the UK for the first time. Catch it at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill until 1 November. From Dictodons to Dimetrodons, Ennatosaurus to Eotitanosuchus, the exhibition vividly brings the inhabitants of the Permian period back to life through fossil skeletons, full-size models and animatronics. Visitors can also sift through interactive dig pits, get creative in an art area, and see a collection of artwork offering a glimpse back in time through the eyes of award-winning palaeoartist, Julius Csotonyi. The Horniman will be hosting special activities linked to the exhibition during half term. Adult tickets cost £9, child tickets cost £5, and family tickets, including 4 tickets with up to 2 adults, cost £20. See www.horniman.ac.uk for details. Photo credit: Gondwana Studios Spring Adventures

Get Creative at Greenwich Market London’s favourite arts and crafts market is a great place to bring the family to get creative as well as have a good browse and a bite to eat. The Get Creative Festival shines a light on all the great cultural activity that takes place in local communities and encourages young and old alike to try out something new and creative. This huge annual celebration of creativity aims to give everyone the chance to get actively involved in a creative event locally. Don’t miss out on the family fun. There will be crayons, paper and glue at the ready for lots of fun at Greenwich Market. Activities include making a fan with The Fan Museum on 21 March, the Easter Bunny Trail Live from 4 to 10 April from 10am to 4pm, foot tapping fun with the Blackheath Morris Men on 13 April from 3 to 4pm. From 11 to 12 May, get creative and help colour in the giant Greenwich mural. For more information, visit www.greenwichmarket.london or www.getcreativeuk.com.

The Dulwich Festival Returns The Dulwich Festival returns from 8 to 17 May with a celebration of culture for everyone. The Festival theme is Sustainability and for the Children’s Art Competition they’d like to know what that means to you. This year they are launching a Schools’ Sculpture Competition with Plastic-Free East Dulwich. It’s led by local visual artist, Katrina Russell-Adams. Pupils are invited to create a sculpture made from recycled plastic reflecting ocean sustainability.

There’s a Flash Fiction competition for all ages too. Can you write a compelling story in 400 words? For a colourful spectacle of dance, acrobatics and circus cabaret, don’t miss Glam by Etta Ermini Dance Theatre and Van Huynh Company, where audience members are encouraged to join in. The fabulous weekend fairs will be back with donkey rides at the Festival Fair on Goose Green, arts and crafts at the Love West Dulwich event and fairground rides at Dulwich Park. For tickets and more information, please see the website, www.dulwichfestival.co.uk or www.facebook.com/dulwichfestival, follow them on twitter @dulwichfestival or Instagram @dulwichfestival.

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo Easter Holiday Activities How many lucky zoo animals have got colourful Easter eggs this year? Go along to Battersea Park Children’s Zoo and see how the animals get the chance to feature in the Easter themed fun. Children taking part in the Easter Egg Search, 28 March to 13 April, will get clues to help them find the brightly painted eggs displayed in various animal enclosures. Watch out for special events over the Easter Holidays. On Egg-stravaganza Day, 7 April, there’s the opportunity to help the zookeepers make egg shaped enrichment feeds for some of the animals. On Easter Bunny Day, 10 April, there will be the chance to become a rabbit by joining in with Easter bunny craft activities, complete with face painted whiskers. On 16 April, Cocoa Day,