Chirp. Easter holiday in London has come round faster than I expected. Despite weather warnings of snow over the Easter weekend (!) I’m determined to get out and meet a few friends with the new rule of 6. The boys can’t wait for football training and matches starting again soon too. My Easter holidays guide for 2021 is more low-key than past years but I’ve found some great places to hunt for Easter eggs. There’s also outdoor games, wildlife drawing (super cute bunnies), some brilliant virtual theatre and a few online activities for when your chicks are still cooped up at home. Have a wonderful break.
Easter Holiday in London: 22 Things to Do with Kids
EASTER EGG HUNTS AROUND LONDON
English Heritage Easter Adventure Quests, multiple locations
As English Heritage sites reopen nationwide, you can take your family on an Easter Adventure Quest at 24 venues. Londoners can head to Eltham Palace, Kenwood House in Hampstead (Apr 2-5) and Chiswick House & Gardens (Apr 3 only) to follow the outdoor trails. Find hidden dragon eggs and scoop a chocolate prize. Various dates/times and prices (Mar 29-Apr 18)
National Trust Easter Egg Trails, multiple locations
This Easter holiday in London, families are welcomed to National Trust venues for Covid-secure Easter egg hunts. In line with government guidance, keep it local and stick to groups of 6. In London, you can visit Morden Hall Park, Ham House and Garden and Osterley Park and House. Pick up an activity pack, complete 10 nature-inspired activities and collect your chocolate rewards. Booking ahead essential, available while supplies last. Various dates/times and prices (Mar 29-Apr 18)
Cartografie Easter Chocolate Treasure Hunt at London City Island, 39 Lookout Lane, Poplar E14 0SZ (Canning Town tube)
Popular chocolate shop Cartografie is hosting an outdoor treasure hunt for families. Hunt for eggs hidden around London City Island — each egg contains a letter to complete a secret word. Once you’ve figured out the secret word, you can whisper it to a member of staff at Cartografie and claim your chocolate bounty (all ticket holders who participate get a prize even if you don’t complete the word puzzle). Household bubbles only. 9am-5pm; £20 (Apr 2-4)
BWA PTA Easter Treasure Hunt, Clapham Common, Windmill Drive, London SW4 9DE (Clapham Junction rail)
Go on a Covid-safe photo treasure hunt with your little chicks. Follow the Clapham Common and woodland trail and hunt for 6-8 landmarks/objects. Snap a picture of your child holding their teddy (over their face if you don’t want to share your child’s photo) or wearing an Easter bonnet. Email your photos by midday on Tue (Apr 6) to get a certificate and one family will win a hamper with champagne, spa voucher, baked goods, chocolate and more! This treasure hunt is a fundraiser for the Belleville Six Academy PTA. 9am-10pm (Fri-Mon); £5 (Apr 2-5)
Easter Egg Hunt and Games, Highbury Fields, Highbury Crescent, London N5 1UP (Highbury & Islington tube/rail/overground)
Take your restless brood out to Highbury Fields for an Easter Sunday social. The Wellness Action Alliance (TWAA) are hosting a Family Easter Egg hunt around the park, along with fun and games provided by Zest of Mind. Join in at the top of Highbury Terrace entrance and the tennis courts. 12pm-2pm; FREE/register to take part (Apr 4)
OUTDOOR FUN AND GAMES
Plonk Mini Golf at Horniman Museum, 100 London Rd, SE23 3PQ (Forest Hill overground)
Schwwwwing! Plonk is back open at the Horniman for Easter holiday. Dress appropriately for this outdoors course which features 9 holes, loops, hills, ramps and beams especially designed for family and little golfers. (If you are looking for a more adult venue, check out The Peckham Levels or London Fields courses). All ages and abilities, best for ages 3+. NB: No groups larger than 6. Open 10am-4pm (daily) — book ahead. From child £4/adult £6 per round. If you can’t make it there, why not create a Plonk At Home DIY Golf Course? (reopens Mar 29)
Dennis and Gnasher’s Big Bonanza at Kew Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE (Kew Gardens tube/Kew Bridge rail, overground)
Celebrate Dennis the Menace’s birthday at Kew Gardens this Easter holiday with plants and pranks. Discover a brand new comic strip created especially for Kew along with an interactive story trail. Meet Dennis, Gnasher and all their Beanotown friends and learn about some of the plant kingdom’s cleverest tricks. And join the ‘banana bunch’ mission to protect bananas from Dr Gloom, save them from extinction and rescue Bananaman from capture. NB: Glasshouses, buildings and dining options are temporarily closed and you must book a time slot or no garden entry. 10am-3pm time slots available; adult from £10/child from £4.50/young person 16-24 from £5 (Mar 31-Apr 18)
Step into Spring at Centre for Wildlife Gardening, 28 Marsden Road, London SE15 4EE (East Dulwich rail/Peckham Rye overground)
Southwark families are invited for an outdoor educational adventure, discovering toads and tadpoles, flowers and fragrance, bees and buds and other wonders of springtime. Listen out for sounds, sniff what’s in the air, fish for tadpoles and create art from things you collect. Suitable for all ages. 10am-3pm; FREE – NB: the event is SOLD OUT online but you can call ahead to confirm last minute availability/ticket returns (Apr 6)
Crazy Golf at Coal Drops Yard off Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4BH (King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Putt your back into it. The pop-up outdoor Club Golf crazy course is back at Coal Drops Yard over the Easter holiday. Designed by artists Baker & Borowski and inspired by King’s Cross famed rave scene, the 9 holes are a cool and Covid-safe way to have fun with the whole fam. Pick up your putters and balls from Coal Drops Yard. All ages welcome, under 12s must be accompanied by an adult. 12pm-8pm (Mon-Sat) & 12pm-6pm (Sun); £5/under 12s FREE – advanced booking recommended, limited walk-ups on day (Apr 6-May 9)
London Zoo: Meet the Alpacas, Regent’s Park NW1 4RY (Regent’s Park/Camden Town tube)
Three cuddly-looking, fluffy alpacas have arrived at London Zoo and there’s an opportunity to name them! Simply head to the online form and cast your vote for what to call the new alpacas. And you can meet them in person along with the rest of the zoo animals when London Zoo reopens officially on Apr 12. The winning names will be announced just before the zoo reopens (we’ve gone for Alpacaccino, Cookie and Toffee Nut). Opening hours from 10am-4pm (timed entries, booking ahead essential); adult flexi ticket £34.54/child flexi ticket £24.20/under 3s FREE (cheaper tickets available on specific dates) (reopens Apr 12)
Flying Fantastic Easter Aerial Camps, Peckham/Bankside and Wimbledon
Want to let your kids hang out upside down for a whole week? Ship ‘em off to Flying Fantastic for an Easter holiday camp learning the arts of aerial silks, hoop, trapeze, with some juggling and hula hooping. Two camps for tweens (Aerial Circus Week Young Flyers) or teens (Aerial Circus Week Teen flyers) are on offer and suitable for all abilities and no previous experience necessary. Enquiries to amy@flyingfantastic.co.uk. Ages 7-11 and Ages 12-16. Wimbledon venue (Apr 15-16 only): 10am-4pm; £160. Peckham and Bankside venues: 10am-4pm; £350 (Apr 12-16)
VIRTUAL FAMILY SHOWS
Party at Half Moon Theatre, online
Afonso wants to go to his best friend’s birthday party, but his invite is slow to arrive. Then he’s a bundle of nerves and excitement — what to wear, will anyone play with him, will they have balloons? This sweet and vibrant show is full of quirky humour and Portuguese music. Watch the trailer, it’s adorable! Best for ages 2-4. Closed captions and BSL. Available on demand (Sat-Thu); £7 (small household), £14 (large household), £25 (supporter household) (until Apr 1)
Bump at Half Moon Theatre, online
Meet Inmaculada, 7 months pregnant and craving cereal. With friends coming for dinner, can she get ready in time, or will she be taken over by the urge to tango? Bump is a celebration of the diverse experiences of pregnancy, blending clowning, physical theatre and tango-infused music. Suitable for all and especially parents-to-be. Available on demand (Sat-Thu); £7 (small household), £14 (large household), £25 (supporter household) (until Apr 1)
Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage: All These Things We Can Make (online)
Take part in a specially commissioned audio work for families, inviting you to build (and de-construct) with objects found around the home. After being cooped up indoors, this programme inspires us to see items in a fresh and exciting way. Created by Charlotte Spencer Projects, All these things we can make provides audio instructions, music and a complimentary Activity Pack to get you and your kids making, talking and experimenting. The audio can be played from any device and is available via Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage. For ages 4+ and families. Get your FREE tickets via the Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage site. (from Apr 1)
The Passion of Jesus in Trafalgar Square, online
Each year, The Passion of Trafalgar Square is played out in front of crowds of 20,000 in central London. Once again, lockdown has shut it down but they’re doing another live stream of the Bible story to an even bigger (virtual) audience. Watch the live stream of their 2019 performance this Good Friday. All ages. 12pm-3pm (Fri); FREE but donations welcome via their Just Giving page. (Apr 2)
Little Angel Theatre Easter Family Programme (online)
Visit the famous puppet theatre online over the Easter holiday for a mix of theatre and crafting. Where the Bugaboo Lives is a ‘choose your own adventure’ style adaptation of the book, for ages 5-11 (until May 2, £13.50 per household); Eggs on Legs conjures an eggcentric world of puppets for ages 3-8 (Apr 12 at 11am & 2pm, £13.50 per household); We Cover the Universe is an interactive, sensory piece of theatre blending poetry, drawing and gentle play for under 5s (Apr 6 & 7 at 11am & 2pm, £13.50 per household); join in Easter holiday crafting with the Little Angel team, sessions via Zoom for ages 6-10 (Apr 6-9 at 10.30am-11.45am, £15 per session). Also available FREE on Little Angel Theatre’s YouTube channel: People Behind the Puppets takes us behind the scenes, celebrating 60 years of puppetry design and an easy puppet craft for kids to follow along at home (weekly from Apr 1); and Watch, Make Share is a series of digital shorts and puppetmaking with The Stone Soup and One Moment in Storytelling (next Apr 11)
Jina and the STEM Sisters, online
Celebrate the historic achievements of female scientists and mathematicians in this lively family show. Budding scientist Jina goes back in time to meet glam inventor Hedy Lamarr, rapper Ada Lovelace and ‘radiating’ Marie Curie among other icons. Music, puppetry and science fact from an all-female creative team. Best for ages 8-12. Streaming on demand via Vimeo, £10 tickets (until Apr 11)
Dr Seuss’s The Lorax, online
The fifth production in the Old Vic: In Camera series of virtual shows, this is a real Easter holiday treat. Catch the colourful adaptation of one of the author’s best loved tales. Dr Seuss is a controversial figure these days but at least this show has a positive message of protecting our planet. Ages 6+. 7pm (Wed-Thu), 3pm & 7pm (Fri-Sat); £10-£40 (Apr 14-17)
Southbank Centre Easter 2021, online
Keep an eye on the Southbank Centre website as they promise two online events to spark imaginations this Easter holiday. We Cover the Universe is a live and interactive show blending poetry, drawing and gentle play for under 5s. Also look out for Dust, described as a ‘joyous and heartfelt play’ exploring identity, love, loss and memory, aimed at ages 4 to 9. Booking available soon. (dates tbc)
ONLINE ACTIVITIES & WORKSHOPS
Wild Life Drawing Online: Easter Bunnies, online
The popular Wild Life Drawing Classes are hosting an Easter Bunnies and Chicks drawing session online this Easter holiday. You’ll meet and learn to draw the sweet bunnies and chicks on Vauxhall City Farm via live video link. The class features an intro from WLD founder and artist Jennie Webber taking you through the basics with a focus on anatomy. You’ll also hear from Chris at Vauxhall City Farm and 50% of tickets are donated to support the farm. 12pm-1.30pm; £10 (Apr 2)
Moriarty’s Game: A Killer in the Hive – Easter Special (online)
Here’s something for older kids and grownups over the Easter holiday: get your friends and family playing an interactive virtual crime thriller from Hidden City. Join forces and play remotely to help Private Investigator Kayla Watson track down a deadly criminal. The fastest team who starts, plays and completes the game between midnight (Fri Apr 2) and 23:59 (Mon Apr 5) will win a giant chocolate Easter egg! Best for ages 14+. Play in teams of 1-5 players (same household or separate households by video call). All day (start whenever you buy your ticket); £11 per person (Apr 2-5)
Virtual Easter Hunt Immersive Game with Special Guests, online
Meet the Easter bunny online for fun and games. This interactive and immersive experience will get families dancing, singing and playing along from the comfort of their front rooms. Through a virtual studio broadcasting suite, the Easter Bunny will Zoom into your homes from a cartoon house. Best for ages 3-10 and families. NB: 2 smart devices needed to play and the event uses YouTube (live broadcast) and Google Forms (answer submissions) – more details in confirmation email after payment. 10am-11.10am; from £10 (Apr 3)
Meet Aslan at Westminster Abbey (online)
Go on a magical adventure to find mythical creatures from both Narnia and Westminster Abbey. You’ll meet Queen Lucy and explore parallels between Aslan’s journey and the Easter story. Stories, games, a virtual Abbey tour and animal mask-making all included. Ages 5+ and families – Zoom meeting link will be sent on day of session. 11am-12pm (Wed Apr 7, Fri Apr 9 & Fri Apr 16), 11am-12pm & 2pm-3pm (Thu Apr 7 & Apr 15), 2pm-3pm (Wed Apr 14); FREE but advanced booking essential (Apr 7-16)
Woodland Trust Easter Crafts for Kids
If you’re wondering what to do with leftover Easter chocolate or you need some other crafty ideas, check out the Woodland Trust blog. Learn how to make an Easter treat with decorative hanging eggs; teach your kids about real birds nests while turning your Easter eggs into Chocolate Easter nests; create a showstopper Easter wreath using egg cartons; get outdoors and collect pretty egg-shaped leaves to decorate in fun Easter patterns; or make an eco-friendly Easter bunny brown paper bag. Find these and more ideas on the Woodland Trust (ongoing)
Black History School, online
Black History School is a new online curriculum teaching kids of all ethnicities through creative play. Sign up for sessions like Food from the Diaspora; Black in My Day (history with humour); Storytime with Griots (music, poetry and Black authors)and Mindful (a playful intro to mindfulness). Founded by Humblebee Creative in partnership with Rich Mix, Black History School is inclusive, educational and transformational. Follow @BlackHistorySchoolUK on Instagram, sign up to individual lessons or a monthly subscription. (ongoing)
Crick Institute
Searching for some STEM activities to get young scientists crackling and fizzing over the Easter holiday? Crick Institute have a handy mix of kitchen science and crazy crafting challenges on their website. Suitable for primary school kids (and grownup assistants). (ongoing)
Tate Kids
Loads of crafty ideas on this site e.g. Make a Mud Painting, Use Your Body to Make Art or Make a Paper Sculpture. Also learn more about artists such as Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, whose first major exhibition was at Tate Britain. (ongoing)
RECOMMENDED READING
SCOOP: A Feast of Words and Pictures for Curious Kids
Seeking a way to get your kids off Fortnite and back into reading? Take a look at The Scoop, a brilliant magazine for primary kids and up. It arrives through the letterbox crammed with stories, articles, comics, games, book reviews (by kids for kids) and more. Each issue is based around a special theme and has a guest editor and a junior editor. They kindly sent us a copy and I love its graphic style, the super cool features (like the article on Nigerian music legend Fela) and the fact this is interesting not just for little ones but grownups too. The Scoop is aimed at ages 7+. You can read a sample issue online and subscribe for monthly copies — a great idea for a birthday gift.
Talking Up: Emotional Intelligence Book Series for Children
With everything going on in world news today, it’s becoming increasingly clear that we need to raise a kinder, more compassionate society. Talking Up is an illustrated children’s book series from Erly Stage Studios that focuses on emotional development, self-management, self-awareness and social awareness. If you want to help equip your kids with greater emotional intelligence, this series sounds like a good starting point.
Disco Loco MEGAzine
It’s your last chance to get your hands on a copy of the East End family ravers’ limited edition magazine. Illustrated by some of Hackney’s finest — Chris Bianchi, Dan Malone, Snooze, Will Sweeney, Steph Von Reiswitz and Camille Walala. The MEGAzine contains puzzles, games, cut out activities and a QR code with link to Disco Loco DJ mixes. Hurry — just 50 free copies left! For ages 5-11. (ends soon)
We also like
How about a DIY Easter Egg Hunt with pancakes for rewards from Crepe Affair (order by Wed Mar 31 for Apr 1); or pick up one of these ultra cute Easter Chick baked goods from Bao; for a home-cooked treat, order a Roast Dinner Winner box from Borough Market; visit Borough Market online for their Easter Festival (Apr 9-13); or make the legendary Bread Ahead Hot Cross Buns via their Easter online workshops (Apr 3 — hurry, tix almost sold out); over in King’s X, the Canopy Market reopens for the last weekend of Easter holiday (Apr 16-18).
London Kids Weekend Scoop (March 19-21, 2021)
