May Half Terms Events for Everyone - May 30 - June 5, 2011

Worcester City Council HeART of Play at Brickfields Park

Wednesday June 1. 12noon – 4pm
Come and join the Play Rangers at their last project event! Activities include: face painting, den building, giant art, traditional play, circus skills, Iplay competition, beat the copper and more!

Also - HeART of Play at Cripplegate Park

Sunday June 4. 12noon – 4pm
Come and join the Play Rangers at their last project event! Activities include: face painting, den building, giant art, pottery, story telling, clay modelling, Iplay competition and more! Refreshments in the Sons of Rest. For further information on both events, email fkemili@worcester.gov.uk or telephone 01905 722233.

Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury Castle Worcester

Tuesday, May 31 – Friday, June 3.
10.30am - 4.30pm
Make Do and Mend – Holiday Activities
Find out more about rationing and homelife in the 1940s and make some simple homemade toys. Make sure to collect your ID card and have it available at all times!

Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum

Saturday, May 28. 11am - 4pm
Really Romans Family Day
£1 per person for materials – drop in session, no booking required. Discover the wonderful Roman artefacts on display. Try on a replica Roman Helmet and be protected from the blows of battle! make a Roman Sandal and stamp it with your style, create a Collage Mosaic, try your hand at Coin Rubbing and Roman Script and discover how the Romans buried their dead!!

The Activity Space

Based in the heart of the Museum and Art Gallery, the Children’s Activity Space is a lovely bright and welcoming place for all the family. Use the materials provided to create your own masterpiece and just sit and watch the children have fun! All workshops, unless otherwise stated, will cost £6.50 Adults and £4.50 child or a special family ticket is available at £17.50 (2 adults/2 children). BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL. For more information, telephone 01905 25371

Witley Court (NT)

Sunday, May 29 – Monday, May 30 at 11am – 5pm.
Time Travellers Go...Ugly Bug Safari
Grab a magnifying glass and join our Victorian explorer for a hunt through the gardens to find a mass of fascinating minibeasts. Discover more about bugs and their habitat and make your own creepy crawly to take home. (All children are welcome to join in the Time Travellers Go… events. An additional £1 will be charged on standard admission for every child, member and non member, to help us fund this entertainment activity. ) Price: £3.80 - £6.30. For further information call 01299 896636.

Packwood House, West Midlands

Saturday, May 28 – Sunday, June 5. 11am – 4.30pm
May half term fun - Explore the gardens with Digory dog and discover the secrets of the house with a fun, family trail. Follow the spiral path to view the yew garden and check the time with the sundials. Normal admission charges apply, plus £1 per trail. Booking is not required for this event. For more information, please call 01564 782024.

Croome,Worcestershire

Saturday, May 28 – Sunday, June 5. 10am – 4pm
The Forgotten Island family trail
Get out and about in the park at Croome and discover the Forgotten Island through a cunning trail of adventure where the kids can go wild. Investigate the creepy depths of the icehouse, find the devilish Pan, hunt for the hidden tunneland much more to find the proof that the Forgotten Island exists. Then head to the RAF-themed play area. Normal admission charges apply, plus£1.50 per trail (includes prize). Booking is not required for event. For more information, please call01905 371782.

Webbs, Wychbold

Tuesday, May 31 – Friday, June 3. 11am – 4pm.
Half Term Fun – Fair Rides
£1.50 per ride. This activity is weather dependent. Riverside Ramble – Children can follow the trail around the picturesque Riverside Gardens and all correct entries go into a draw to win a prize! ALSO on Tuesday, May 31 and Thursday, June 2 – Decorate a Cup Cake – get stuck in and decorate some yummy cup cakes! One to eat and one to take home. £3.50 per child. Two sessions per day 10am – 12 noon and 2.30pm – 4.30pm. Located in the restaurant – Children’s play area. NOTE: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times for all activities.

Hanbury Hall, Droitwich Spa

Tuesday, May 31 – Thursday, June 2. 11am – 4.30pm
Family Activity Days - Food Glorious Food
Enjoy a trail around the garden and ’make and take’ activities. For further information callEmily Knight 01527 821214.

Pershore Carnival, Pershore

Monday, May 30. 10am – 5pm.
The Carnival Procession begins at 1 o'clock from Pershore Football Club and the whole day is packed with plenty of Fun for all the family. This year the theme is Summer Holiday so Grab your Hawaiian shirts, Holiday Gear, hats and shades and get into the Carnival spirit. You can see dancers.... a wide range of marching bands, folk bands and Arena events. Come and watch a Punch and Judy show or even Ride a Donkey and really get into the holiday spirit. We have a bigger and better dog show with Obedience classes making a welcome return. Making its début is the Kennel Club Good Citizens Bronze award. There are also plenty of Stalls offering tasty treats and a range of products as well as a green Fair. The day starts on Broad Street with a Farmers Market and choirs singing to set the holiday mood in the Baptist Church from 10am. 01386 553536.

Bewdley Museum

Monday, May 30. 11am – 4pm
Crafts Alive – Garden Ideas
A day of craft demonstrations and hands-on taster sessions with a garden theme. Bee keeping, bird boxes, willow craft, basket work and much more!

Cadbury World, Bourneville

Saturday, May 28 – Sunday, June 5
Let the Games Begin.
Various entertainment to bring London 2012 to life. Strike from Britain's Got Talent are back on May 28,29,30 then June 3,4 and 5 with their unique display of martial arts.

Team Extreme are also back May 31 and June 1 and 2 with their inline skating, BMX and skateboaring ramp show. To book tickets please call 0844 880 7667.

The Orchard Café, Worcestershire Countryside Centre

Half Term Events - Saturday, May 28 – Monday, June 6.
Reptile Treasure Hunt - £1.25 with a prize at the end. Event on all day.
Sunday May 29 – Monday, May 30 and Friday June 3 - 11am – 3pm. Craft Jeweller
Come along and make your very own dingly dangly jewellery, great for boys and girls. £1 per go. Bouncy Castle - Great news bouncing fans! Nature themed.
There will be a bouncy castle here at the cafe every Saturday & Sunday. Weather permitting! 11.30am – 4.30pm. £1.50 per go.

Animal Mania – Tuesday June 2. 12noon – 3pm.

Come and meet the animals from cute and cuddly types to truly exotic. Let Carla and John tell you all about them.
For further information call 01905 766 492

Eastnor Castle

Sunday, May 29 – Monday, May 30 – Animal Encounters – Castle

Meet and feed the animals from Newbridge Farm Park, pony rides, happy train rides, duck herding, gun dog displays. Come and take a giant rabbit for a walk and much, much more.

Sunday, June 5 – Emergency SOS Day – Castle

Family fun and rescue displays from our local emergency services. From fire engines and army tanks to rescue boats and police cars.
Open 11am - 4.30pm. Castle & Grounds Admission: Adult £8.75, Seniors £7.75, Child (3-15yrs) £5.75, Family (2+3) £23.25.

Eastnor Pottery, Ledbury

Wednesday, June 1 – Thursday, June 2 - Children’s ½ Term Holiday Workshops – Potters Wheel.

An ideal opportunity for aspiring young potters to work with professional, ceramic artists.
Experience ‘hands on’ real clay with an exciting variety of making techniques. Small friendly groups. Fantastic results every time. Each clay masterpiece will need to be thoroughly dry before it can be fired. Collection times will be issued on the day of the workshop. The 1 ½ hr sessions are specially designed to suit two age groups: 4 - 8yrs and 9 - 12yrs (Although we are flexible enough to accommodate younger or older siblings). Telephone: 01531 633886

Hatton Country World and Farm Village

Saturday, May 28 – Sunday, June – Wonderful Witsun

Our amazing Dog Agility Show and Sheep Shearing with a full day’s programme of spring time entertainment including Goat Racing around the Sheep Racing track! There are lots of other events going on throughout the day.
Prices vary throughout the year please contact the venue before travelling on 01926 843411

West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley

Saturday, May 28 - Sunday June 5
"Pirate Week" and "Love your Zoo Week"
The entire week from has been deemed “Pirate Week”. What’s more there’s the appearance of a very special “Jack Sparrow” lookalike taking part in the daily pirate themed Sea Lion Shows. And, good news for his countless number of fans, there’s also the opportunity to have a photo taken with him, when he comes off stage – very impressive he looks, too! For further information, telephone 01299 402114

Stratford Butterfly Farm, Stratford Upon Avon
Monday, May 30, June 1 and 3
Stratford Fringe Festival

Family fun with glitter tattoos, face painting and live music, also come and see its 'Amazing Ants' display on during half term.

Heritage Motor Centre
Friday, May 28 to Sunday, June 5
Sci-Fi at the Movies Exhibition.

See weaponry and costumes of some of your favourite Sci-Fi superheroes and villains. Daily quiz sheets and colouring activities will be available, whilst on June 2 there will be Sci-Fi themed family craft activities from 11am - 3pm. Make a Dr. Who door hanger, Spiderman mask or a Harry Potter wand - just a few of the activities available. Normal museum admission prices apply and children can take home what they make.

Compton Verney, Warwickshire
Monday, May 30 – Friday, June 3
Half-term Family Activities

Paint seascapes onto materials at the 'Make do and paint' workshop. Squeeze a seascape onto a matchbox or paint a boat on a box lid. Meet puppets Connie and Verne and take part in the sea-themed storytelling for under 5s with 'Stories and rhymes'. Both activities are included in the price of admission. For further details contact 01926 645500.

Drayton Manor Theme Park, Tamworth

New family ride will be unveiled this half-term. Opening on 28 May in Thomas Land, Blue Mountain Engines will feature four carriages, each based on new characters from Skarloey Railway; Sir Handle, Skarloey, Rheneas and Peter Sam. There's no better time to see cute baby animals than during Love Your Zoo Week (30 May - 5 June), and Drayton Manor Zoo has had a baby boom. The new additions to the 15-acre zoo include a capybara, twin ring-tailed lemurs and twin cotton topped tamarins.

Twycross Zoo, Atherstone, Warwickshire
Satuday, May 28 – Friday, June 3
BIAZA Love Your Zoo Week

This year BIAZA will be holding a weeklong event to promote the organization and its zoo and aquarium members. Throughout the week BIAZA collections will be holding a variety of fun events to encourage the public to visit their local BIAZA zoos, aquariums and wildlife centres and learn about the good work they do. Twycross Zoo will be joining in with the event. Events for the week:
- Love your zoo craft activities in the Zoo Centre. Open from 11am to 4pm.
- Public presentations, keeper talks etc. by the fun rangers' team.

Monday, May 30 - Spring Bank Holiday

There's something for everyone over this Spring Bank holiday. Days are filled with new and exciting things to see and do for the whole family. Catch one of our new interactive talks or join in the non-stop fun with Tipsy and the Fun Rangers in Story Time, Parachute games & much, much more. We guarantee you'll love what's going on so make sure you don't miss out... See the day's activity on entry. For more information telephone 0844 474 1777

Other Places to visit during the Half Term Holidays:-

· Dudley Zoological Gardens, Dudley, West Midlands. Telephone: 0844 474 2272
We are not only home to a large collection of endangered species, but also an 11th century castle, the world's largest single collection of Tecton buildings, and an important geological site.

· Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, Burford, Oxford. Telephone 01993 823006
We are set in 160 acres of parkland and gardens around a listed Victorian Manor House and has been open to the public since 1970. The Park is home to a fascinating and varied collection of mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates from all over the world and aspires to show animals to people - so that they can come to understand and respect all forms of wildlife

· Go-Ape, Wyre Forest, Bewdley. Telephone 0845 643 9215
Go Ape is described as a ‘tree-top adventure’. They kit people out with harnesses, pulleys and karabiners, give them a 30 minute safety briefing and training and let them loose into the forest canopy, free to swing through the trees.

· Spetchley Park Gardens. Telephone 01453 810 303
An historic house set in 30 acres of beautiful gardens with rare plants and specialist nurseries. This makes an ideal day out.

· National Sea Life Centre, Birmingham – Telephone 0871 222 6932
An aquarium with over 60 displays of freshwater and marine life in Brindleyplace Birmingham. Expect close encounters with amazing creatures, from humble shrimps and enchanting sea horses to mighty sharks and rays. A fantastic day out for all the family. A chance to learn, discover, explore and help our world's amazing oceans.

· The Domestic Fowl Trust, Honeybourne – Telephone 01386 833083
A great family day out and one of the best UK farm parks for rare breeds. There are 20 acres in which to view fowl, duck, geese, turkeys bantams and rare breed farm animals. There are also indoor and outdoor play areas for the children and tearooms in which to relax.

· Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove.Telephone 01527 831363.

· Forge Mill Needle Museum and Bordesley Abbey, Needle Mill Lane, Riverside, Redditch. Telephone 01527 62509.

· Prinknash Bird and Dee Park, Cranham, Glos – Telephone 01452 812727
Spend a few hours in the company of tame reindeer, fallow deer, peacocks and waterfowl. Many of which can be hand fed.

· Birdland Park and Gardens, Bourton on the Water – Telephone 01451 820480
A natural setting of woodland, gardens and river. Bridland is home to some of the most exotic and rare birds from around the world, including the only group of King Penguins in England.

· Droitwich Spa Lido, Droitwich, Worcs
Come along and have a splash and some fun in this remodelled heated swimming pool with a ‘beach’ area at one end and an integrated fountain. There are dedicated wet-play area beside the main pool, reception building, café area, changing rooms with lockers and near by parking facilities. Tel: 01905 799342 – Call for prices and further information