Happy Easter weekend. Today’s post is especially for kids and grownups searching for entertaining ways to play, create and feast together over the Bank Holiday. In our Easter in London lockdown guide, you’ll find a Camp Bestival virtual festival, raving with Big Fish Little Fish, digital fun with Borough Market, Fleabag stage play streamed to your homes, and how to make your own chocolate Easter egg. Have fun and stay home.
*Don’t forget to check out this post on how you can support the London arts community and organisations that entertain our kids year-round!
How to Celebrate Easter in London with Kids on Lockdown
PLAY
Camp Bestival Stay At Home Easter Sleepover
If you can’t get to the festival, then the festival will come to you. Camp Bestival was the very first festival we attended and still our top pick for family friendly festivals. Founders Josie and Rob Da Bank are throwing an Easter weekend lockdown party for families stuck at home, with live acts, DJs, workshops and more. You can get in your fancy dress, set up your pop-up tents and sleeping bags, camp out in your living room and pretend you’re in a field far, far away (well, Dorset). Headliners include DJ Nelly Cook and her dad Fatboy Slim, Dick and Dom, Mr Motivator, Scummy Mummies, Kate Winslet and SamSam Bubbleman. The fun lasts 9am-9pm this Easter Saturday and Sunday so jump right in. Look out for donation links for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and The Trussell Trust. All ages.
Rave with Big Fish Little Fish
Every weekend since we’ve been homebound, our favourite family ravers Big Fish Little Fish have been throwing a Kitchen Rave via their Facebook page. If you enjoy big, uplifting dance tunes and the chance to shake it up with your little ones in your living room, garden, kitchen or wherever, don’t forget to tune. This Sunday’s BFLF Kitchen Rave (Apr 12, 2pm) is part of the Camp Bestival Stay At Home Easter Sleepover.
Borough Market Easter Festival
Fancy a browse around London’s most popular food market? Borough Market is (virtually) open throughout Easter in London, with live streamed activities including storytelling for kids, arts and crafts, cooking tips and a workshop on making hot cross buns. Keep up or catch up on Borough Market’s Instagram channel.
Easter with Meerkats at London Zoo
Take a virtual tour of London Zoo this Easter in London, via their webcams and zookeeper videos. The kids will love a look into the meerkats’ hangout and to see their delight as they receive some Eggciting Easter Treats. You can also take a peek inside the Giraffe House to find out more about those gentle giants.
WATCH
The Wind in the Willows Musical
We were lucky enough to catch this rip-roaring, toot-tooting musical on London’s West End stage and now they’ve made it available worldwide for just £2.99 rental. Watch Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger get up to all sorts in this fun adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s beloved children’s story. All ages.
Fleabag on streaming
Are you still suffering Fleabag withdrawal symptoms? Did you miss out on tickets to her last ever stage performance? Here’s some excellent news. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s astounding one-woman play (that inspired the acclaimed series) is now available to watch on Amazon Prime Video or on Soho Theatre’s website (tickets from £4). All proceeds go to support COVID-19 relief efforts. Watch it with some mates via Zoom or Houseparty with a Quarantini. Grownups only.
The Passion of Trafalgar Square
Every year, more than 20,000 people gather in central London to watch a live reenactment of The Passion of Jesus, the main story behind our Easter weekend celebrations. Obviously coronavirus has kept Trafalgar Square empty this year but on Good Friday the performance was live-streamed and this Easter in London (and beyond) you can watch it all online. All ages.
MAKE
DIY Balloon Chocolate Easter Egg
Maybe you’ve been too busy, stressed or exhausted to get some store-bought Easter eggs in time. But if you happen to have some chocolate lying around (tip: always keep some chocolate lying around), with luck. Did you know you can make your own chocolate Easter egg by melting some choc and moulding it around a (clean) balloon? Click through for instructions!
Little Angel Theatre Easter Crafts
The wonderful puppet theatre has a fantastic section of at-home resources for children ages 3+. Over Easter in London, visit their site to find helpful videos on fun Easter crafts like making papier mache Easter eggs, paper plate hatching chicks, and sock bunnies. Super cute.
Your DIY Family Easter printables pack
Have you ever seen anything as adorable as Your DIY Family’s Easter bunnies? My friend Nomita is a wiz at making cool things that you can try or use at home. If you want a quick activity to delight your little hoppers, why not grab her Easter bunny printables kit? Don’t forget to check out Your DIY Family blog for loads more simple crafting ideas.
And while you’re here, we’ve seen so many creative ways to make your own masks (handy if you need to head outside to the shops or to make a delivery). Here’s another simple no-sew mask DIY.
EAT
F&C X Colmans Easter Essentials Lamb Box
Don’t fancy baked beans on toast for Easter dinner? Throughout Easter weekend in London, you can order a Farm to Fork box from the collaboration between Farmison & Co and Colmans. They’re offering a £40 box (feeds 5 to 6 diners) Easter leg of lamb roast with all the trimmings. It includes chicks in blankets, hot cross bun stuffing and North Yorkshire potatoes. Order it for your family, for a loved one or as a gift for someone in need. There’s a 25% discount for NHS staff too. Delivery is available Apr 10-17, so hurry before stocks run out!
Easter Eggs (and Groceries) on Deliveroo
Admit it, Deliveroo has been a lifesaver on those days when the store cupboard just doesn’t cut it. In exciting news, our very own Big Apple Hot Dogs (that’s the mister) will be available on Deliveroo sooner than you can say gimme a frankfurter. Over Easter in London, you can make use of Deliveroo’s grocery service — local grocery stores from CoOp to Morrisons and even your local Shell petrol station have household items (and chocolate eggs) on sale. Sure, it’s pricier than going there in person but it’s a lot safer. Deliveroo and Uber Eats offer contactless delivery, so remember to wipe down and/or throw away packaging and wash hands thoroughly before you serve any food.
Hej at Home Hampers
Coffee bean purveyors Hej have stepped up with their home delivery service, putting together bags of coffee along with essential food and grocery items on order. You can even add some toilet roll to the mix. Order the day before (deliveries are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and you’ll get doorstep delivery to eligible London postcodes via One Life Cycle, a team of pro cyclists putting pedal power to great use.