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Family things to do during the Easter school holidays in Kent

From egg trails with the Easter bunny to craft sessions in the great outdoors, there’s lots to keep the kids happy during the school holidays.

If you’re looking for days out in Kent this spring, we’ve got you covered with these Easter activities…

Get crafty during the Easter holidays. Picture: iStock
Get crafty during the Easter holidays. Picture: iStock

The Alexander Centre, Faversham

Children can make their own cards and gifts for the Easter weekend at this creative workshop. There will be a session to make Easter cards for the family, as well as other painting and crafting activities for children to create gifts to take home. The supplies will be provided, but make sure your kids bring an apron or wear clothes that can get messy.

Details: Tuesday, April 4 at the Alexander Centre in Faversham. Two sessions will take place from 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm. Tickets cost £4. Book online here.

Artist Mr Doodle will be part of the Ashford Mural Festival. Picture: Hollaway Studio
Artist Mr Doodle will be part of the Ashford Mural Festival. Picture: Hollaway Studio

Ashford Town Centre

Unframed, Ashford’s first mural festival, will see the town centre covered in street art and colourful paintings this Easter. Artists from across Kent, and beyond, will decorate the town with larger-than-life murals for just over two weeks. Visitors can follow the map to immerse themselves in the art all over Ashford, and there will also be a launch party with DJs, family art workshops, street food and talks from the artists.

Details: Friday, March 31 to Sunday, April 16 at various locations around Ashford. The event is free to attend. Find out more here.

Pick up a free map and follow the Bunny Hop Trail at Bluewater. Picture: Umpf PR
Pick up a free map and follow the Bunny Hop Trail at Bluewater. Picture: Umpf PR

Bluewater, Greenhithe

Easter-inspired installations, including a floral hopscotch, faux vegetable patch and 8-foot-long carrot, will be springing up at the Greenhithe shopping centre. There will be 10 golden eggs to find as you follow the Bunny Hop Trail using the free map provided by the concierge desk. When visitors return their completed map to the desk as the end of the trail, they will be given a special treat.

Details: Thursday, March 30 to Sunday, April 16 at Bluewater in Greenhithe, near Dartford. The trail is free to take part in. Find out more here.

Visit Brogdale's spring orchards this Easter. Picture: Brogdale
Visit Brogdale's spring orchards this Easter. Picture: Brogdale

Brogdale, Faversham

The orchards in Faversham are hosting a number of activities throughout the Easter holidays. The spring blossoms are expected to be in full bloom and, in the midst of the spring flowers, children can join a teddy bear’s picnic with craft activities, songs and games. There is also a Beastie Day, which includes a minibeast hunt, a live bug show and model clay building.

Details: Tuesday, April 11 and Wednesday, April 12 at Brogdale in Faversham. Both events cost £12.50 per child. Book online here.

The new Easter trail at Chartwell is based around Winston Churchill. Picture: National Trust Images / James Dobson
The new Easter trail at Chartwell is based around Winston Churchill. Picture: National Trust Images / James Dobson

Chartwell, Westerham

A new adventure trail, Being Winston, is opening for the school holidays at the family home of former prime minister Winston Churchill. The trail will take visitors on officer training obstacle course, Easter painting, story stones and a game of croquet, all with an Easter egg at the end.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Chartwell in Westerham, near Sevenoaks. The trail costs £3 in addition to standard entry. Book online here.

Come face-to-face with Monsters of the Deep. Picture: Supplied by Vikki Rimmer (62908278)
Come face-to-face with Monsters of the Deep. Picture: Supplied by Vikki Rimmer (62908278)

Chatham Historic Dockyard

From terrifying sea creatures to mythical monsters, this fascinating new exhibition is sure to spark the imagination of both children and adults. You will hear about centuries-old sightings and stories, handle real objects that have been discovered and step aboard the HMS Challenger, where you can become a 19th century scientist. From conspiracy theories to floating laboratories, visitors will be fully immersed in Monsters of the Deep.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, November 19 at the Historic Dockyard Chatham. Tickets cost £25. Book online here.

Join Buster Bunny for an Easter adventure. Picture: Supplied by the Churchill Theatre
Join Buster Bunny for an Easter adventure. Picture: Supplied by the Churchill Theatre

Churchill Theatre, Bromley

Join Buster Bunny and his grandson, Barnaby, on their latest Easter adventure in the Chronicles of Buster Bunny. The show, suitable for children aged 1-7 years and their families, features sing-along songs, an imaginative story and sensory sets that will bring this delightful tale to life.

Details: Monday, April 3 to Saturday, April 8 at the Churchill Theatre Studio in Bromley. Adult tickets cost £14, children cost £11.50. Book online here.

Can you find all of the eggs hidden around Dover Castle? Picture: © English Heritage
Can you find all of the eggs hidden around Dover Castle? Picture: © English Heritage

Dover Castle

Step into the castle grounds and start exploring to find clues, challenges and Easter games, all of which will lead you to a prize. Once you have found the Easter eggs dotted around the castle and joined in with games such as egg rolling and the egg and spoon race, you will receive a certificate and a Love Cocoa gift to take home. You can also learn all about the history of the castle and enjoy views from the White Cliffs of Dover.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Dover Castle. The Easter quest costs £2 in addition to standard entry. Book online here.

The daffodils will be out in full bloom during the school holidays. Picture: Hever Castle and Gardens
The daffodils will be out in full bloom during the school holidays. Picture: Hever Castle and Gardens

Hever Castle, Edenbridge

Get creative this Easter with craft activities and decorating workshops at Hever Castle. The free crafting session includes egg decorating, which you can take home with you after your visit. There will also be an Easter quest where visitors can help the bunny find sweet treats and clues around the grounds and gardens to receive a chocolate treat at the end.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Hever Castle in Edenbridge. Tickets cost £20.80. Book online here.

See Kent's only baby elephants at Howletts. Picture: Aspinall Foundation
See Kent's only baby elephants at Howletts. Picture: Aspinall Foundation

Howletts Wild Animal Park, Canterbury

With wild Easter activities, such as face-to-face animal encounters and interactive family displays, this wildlife park is a great day out for the whole family. The 90 acres of parkland includes remarkable species, including Kent’s only baby elephants, and an Animals of the Ice Age outdoor exhibition.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Howletts Wild Animal Park, Canterbury. Tickets cost £24.50. Book online here.

Watch the lambs being bottle-fed this spring. Picture: Kent Life Heritage Farm Park
Watch the lambs being bottle-fed this spring. Picture: Kent Life Heritage Farm Park

Kent Life, Maidstone

Visit Kent Life this spring to see baby farm animals and take part in Easter crafts. This time of year sees a baby boom at the Maidstone farm, and there will be daily bottle-feeding demonstrations with the lambs and goat kids. In between feedings, there will be farm rides, live shows in the Big Top and Easter gift making sessions in the Paint-a-Pot studio.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Kent Life in Maidstone. Tickets cost £12. Book online here.

Leeds Castle is throwing a 1930s Easter party. Picture: Scott Wright
Leeds Castle is throwing a 1930s Easter party. Picture: Scott Wright

Leeds Castle, near Maidstone

Step back in time with a 1930s Easter celebration. Join heiress Lady Baillie’s Great Danes, Danny and Boots, for an Easter quest where you and the pups will hunt for treats. Explore the spring displays, crack the clues and hunt the golden eggs and you will receive a treat at the end. There will also be a chance to wander through the spring gardens among the flowering daffodils and tulips.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Leeds Castle, near Maidstone. The Easter quest costs £2.50 in addition to standard entry. Book online here.

Spend the day doing something a little different at this large antiques fair. Picture: Love Fairs
Spend the day doing something a little different at this large antiques fair. Picture: Love Fairs

Lingfield Racecourse

The Lingfield Antiques and Vintage Fair boasts 175 indoor and outdoor stalls, with endless hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. From vintage clothing and accessories to homeware, furniture and rare collectibles, there are plenty of treasures worth browsing during your visit. There will also be a live swing singer, refreshments and a great atmosphere - and kids go free!

Details: Sunday, April 2 at Lingfield Racecours, near the Kent/Surrey border. Tickets cost £4 per adult, children go free. Book online here.

Make your own tasty pizzas and Easter biscuits. Picture: Macknade
Make your own tasty pizzas and Easter biscuits. Picture: Macknade

Macknade, Faversham

Get crafty in the kitchen as Macknade opens its food hall for the Easter holidays. On select days, there will be biscuit decorating and pizza making workshops where children can create their own delicious snacks to take home - or eat there and then! The Easter biscuit decorating sessions are free, while the pizza making workshops cost £5 per child and include all the ingredients that visitors will need.

Details: Biscuit decorating takes place on Wednesday, April 5 and Wednesday, April 12 at Macknade in Faversham. The sessions are free, but must be booked online in advance here.

Pizza making takes place on Thursday, April 6 and Thursday, April 13. The sessions cost £5 per child and there's no need to book.

Pentagon Shopping Centre, Chatham

Children can get their face painted, make their own Easter egg baskets and bunny ears, and even meet the Easter bunny at the Rabbit Run event. There will be photo opportunities, spring decor and select shops will have Easter treats on offer for visitors.

Details: Wednesday, April 5 at the Pentagon Shopping Centre in Chatham. This event is free, no need to book.

Follow the Easter trail through the Penshurst Place gardens. Picture: Penshurst Place
Follow the Easter trail through the Penshurst Place gardens. Picture: Penshurst Place

Penshurst Place, near Tonbridge

Each year, the Easter bunny takes a spring break at Penshurst Place and, this year, he has left behind a photo album with his favourite holiday snaps. Visitors can follow the trail through the gardens and figure out where each of the Easter bunny's photos were taken, using clues and challenges dotted along the trail, for a spring-themed outdoor adventure.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Penshurst Place in Penshurst, near Tonbridge. The trail included with a standard entry ticket. Book online here.

Book an up-close animal encounter at Port Lympne
Book an up-close animal encounter at Port Lympne

Port Lympne Safari Park, Hythe

During the school holidays, Kent’s biggest wildlife park is hosting ‘eggstraordinary’ days out. There will be animal experiences, Easter-themed activities and spring views over the Kentish savannah. Visitors can also see some incredible animals, such as giraffes, zebras, rhinos, ostriches and more.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Port Lympne Safari Park in Hythe. Tickets cost £29. Book online here.

Follow the family Easter trail around these Sevenoaks gardens. Picture: Reuthes The Lost Garden
Follow the family Easter trail around these Sevenoaks gardens. Picture: Reuthes The Lost Garden

Reuthe’s The Lost Garden, Sevenoaks

Grab your trail sheet and follow the path around the gardens until you find all of the hidden eggs. The trail sheet is handed out from the onsite cafe at the start of your visit, and children will be given clues to help them along the way. When the sheet has been filled out, you can return to the cafe for your prize.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Easter Monday at Reuthe’s The Lost Garden in Sevenoaks. Child tickets cost £6, adult tickets cost £3. Book online here.

Medway Council have partnered with Zoom Events to create a new food festival. Picture: Medway Council
Medway Council have partnered with Zoom Events to create a new food festival. Picture: Medway Council

Rochester Castle

Kick off the Easter holidays with a feast at the first Medway Food and Drink Festival. The festival will feature a live kitchen theatre with demonstrations and talks from local chefs, a range of street food stalls, live entertainment and a children’s area.

The celebrations continue into the school holidays with the Golden Egg trail. There will be golden egg pictures dotted around the grounds of Rochester Castle and, if you can find them all, you will receive a commemorative badge and stamp.

Details: Medway Food and Drink Festival takes place from Friday, March 31 to Sunday, April 2. Tickets cost £5, book online here. The Golden Egg trail takes place from Tuesday, April 4 to Sunday, April 16. Trail is free, no need to book.

Take in the views of Scotney Castle this Easter. Picture: ©National Trust Images/James Dobson
Take in the views of Scotney Castle this Easter. Picture: ©National Trust Images/James Dobson

Scotney Castle, near Lamberhurst

The nature-themed trail around the castle grounds sees visitors twisting and turning past snakes, butterflies, birds and even dragons. The trail also passes rows of springtime flowers, including azaleas, magnolia stellata and cherry blossom. Once you have completed all of the family activities along the trail, you will be rewarded with your very own Easter egg.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Scotney Castle in Lamberhurst, near Tunbridge Wells. The trail costs £3 in addition to standard entry. Book online here.

Strood Community Hub

This free library event is a great way to keep younger children off their screens during the holidays - at least for one day. The storytime session, Let’s Do the Hop, is an Easter-themed reading event, which also includes arts and crafts, suitable for children aged 4 to 11.

Details: Tuesday, April 4 at the Strood Community Hub. Entry is free, but visitors need to book in advance online here.

Find the chicks and lambs in the Easter trail at Upnor Castle. Picture: Geoff Watkins
Find the chicks and lambs in the Easter trail at Upnor Castle. Picture: Geoff Watkins

Upnor Castle

This springtime trail is themed around chicks and lambs, which are dotted around the castle grounds. If you can find all of the chicks and lambs on the Easter trail, you will receive a badge to mark your achievement.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Upnor Castle. Trail is free in addition to standard entry, which costs £7.40. Book online here.

Explore the beautiful gardens at Walmer Castle. Picture: © English Heritage
Explore the beautiful gardens at Walmer Castle. Picture: © English Heritage

Walmer Castle, near Deal

You can set off on an adventure through the grounds of Walmer Castle this Easter. The quest gives visitors a chance to discover clues and take part in challenges that will all lead them to the hidden Easter eggs and, eventually, a chocolate treat. There will be traditional Easter games, such as egg and spoon races, that children can take part in.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 16 at Walmer Castle. The Easter quest costs £2 in addition to standard entry. Book online here.

Wildwood is hosting a number of Easter activities during April. Picture: The Wildwood Trust
Wildwood is hosting a number of Easter activities during April. Picture: The Wildwood Trust

Wildwood, Herne Bay

Join the Mad Hatter for an unforgettable tea party in the 40-acre woodland at Wildwood. There will be wildcats, instead of Cheshire cats, and dormice instead of teapot mice, and plenty of other animals to meet during your visit. There will also be an interactive Alice in Wonderland trail, croquet with the Red Queen, craft workshops where you can paint the roses, and goodie bags to take home.

Details: Saturday, April 1 to Sunday, April 30 at Wildwood in Herne Bay. The trail costs £3 in addition to standard entry. Book online here.

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