The May half term holiday is almost here, with the school break this year landing in the last week of the month across much of the UK.
While heading abroad to enjoy a beach getaway or European city break is a tempting idea, there are also plenty of fun things to do in the UK this May half-term, especially if you’re in need of activities to keep little ones occupied. Sunny skies and pleasant temperatures so far this May (for the most part) indicate that the end of the month will warm enough to enjoy beaches, parks and green spaces. But if not, families are also spoilt for choice for indoor experiences perfect for kids of all ages.
From festivals and farm days to exhibitions and play villages, keep reading for family-friendly activities to enjoy over the bank holiday and half term.
The Paddington Bear Experience, London
If your family is a fan of Paddington Bear, you’ll be interested to hear about this new interactive experience in County Hall on London’s South Bank. The adventure includes alighting a train carriage on a journey to the Brown family’s house, preparing for the Marmalade Day Festival and even being transported to Peru. Then you’ll arrive at the festival to celebrate, eat marmalade sandwiches, and have photos taken, before stopping off at a gift shop full of Paddington Bear memorabilia. A brand new event, the Paddington Bear Experience begins on 31 May.
Tickets: From £24.50 for children aged 2-15, and from £32.50 for adults, Paddingtonexperience.com
Wildflowers and pollinators trail at Nostell, West Yorkshire
Enjoy the great outdoors in West Yorkshire with a wildflowers and pollinators trail at Nostell in Wakefield. Running from 25 May through to 1 June, it’s free once you’ve paid for entry into the National Trust property itself. Exploring how bees pollinate, participants will be encouraged to listen for sounds in a wildflower meadow and sniff the scents, too. Little ones can discover a woodland play area and get stuck into some arts and crafts as well.
Tickets: From £4 for children and £8 for adults, under fives go free, Nationaltrust.org.uk
Festival of Imagination at the Eden Project, Cornwall
The Eden Project is running its Festival of Imagination once more this May half-term, with music, art, literature, and games on offer. Expect puppetry performances, audience participation, and an art exhibition across the festival, which runs from 25 May to 2 June. Meanwhile, there are also evening movie screenings over the bank holiday weekend.
Tickets: General admission tickets offering unlimited access for a year are from £12 for children aged 5-16 and £38 for adults, Edenproject.com
Lilidorei, Alnwick, Northumberland
Head to the Alnwick Garden in Northumberland for the largest play structure in the world at Lilidorei. This otherworldly attraction is a play village (pronounced to rhyme with story) featuring the structure, as well as elf, troll, fairy and goblin houses to explore. The adventure play site has multiple slides and rope bridges, while other fun details include doorbells triggering wails, shrieks, and belches on the house trail.
Tickets: £11 each for children and adults, with kids under three going free, Alnwickgarden.com
Spring Fair at Vauxhall City Farm, London
Have some fun on the farm with this spring fair, which is free to visit and happening on Thursday 30 May. Activities include sheep shearing, wool spinning, a film club, and you can even meet some animals in a ‘cuddle corner’ session. Plus, there’ll be a competition to name any lambs born on the day of the fair.
Tickets: Free, Vauxhallcityfarm.org
The Manchester Flower Festival
From Friday 24 to Monday 27 May, the Manchester Flower Festival will see this northwest city bloom with vibrant activities. These include a floral trail, bee parade, arts and crafts market, and a family play zone and sensory garden complete with a mud kitchen. From beautiful floral displays to workshops, there will be lots to discover, as well as alfresco food and drink offerings.
Tickets: Free, Visitmanchester.com
Cardiff Secret Spy Mission Trail
Accept your mission and follow a secret spy trail around Cardiff Bay and the Wetlands Reserve with this self-guided adventure. Suitable for kids aged six and upwards, the 1.7-mile trail includes clues via text and you can also be entered into a competition draw once the mission is complete. It takes around two hours, and the beauty of this activity is it can be slotted into your half term schedule at a time that suits you.
Tickets: £9.99, Treasuretrails.co.uk
Edinburgh International Children’s Festival
This nine-day festival begins on 25 May and has a programme filled with family-friendly dance and theatre. Beginning with a free introductory day of performances at the National Museum of Scotland, you can then purchase tickets per family for the rest of the festival. Expect to see circus, storytelling and more, with a variety of activities catering for babies, toddlers, small children and teenagers.
Tickets: £9 per ticket as part of a family ticket, Imaginate.org.uk
Family Flight Night at the Natural History Museum, London
Discover the Natural History Museum’s new exhibition, ‘Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre’, by visiting the attraction after-hours. The event takes place on Friday 31 May from 6:30pm until 9:30pm and includes an array of family-friendly activities such as looking at scientific specimens, examining wild owl pellets, and an excavation session. There are interactive workshops and the opportunity to see real-life animals, too.
Tickets: £25 each for adults and children or £22.50 for members, Nhm.ac.uk
Seahorse Hotel at the National Sea Life Centre Birmingham
Observe seahorses in close proximity with this event, running from 25 May until 30 June at the National Sea Life Centre Birmingham. There’s an interactive trail and colouring activities, and you’ll be able to see seahorses of all sizes. Entry to the whole centre is included with the ticket, so families can explore the rest of it at the same time.
Tickets: From £20 per person, Visitsealife.com
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