Hoppy Easter! Days Out & Family Fun Round and About • Round & About Magazine

Karen Neville

Chocolate eggs, hot cross buns & bunnies are all familiar sights at Easter but there’s much more to enjoy in the spring break

There’s some egg-cellent fun to enjoy over the Easter holidays much of it chocolate-related so why not try out some of these cracking activities!

HOP TO: Hampshire Oxfordshire Surrey Wiltshire

Berkshire

Enjoy an Easter adventure with the National Trust from April 5th to 27th. £3.50 per trail which includes an Easter trail sheet, bunny ears and dairy or vegan and Free From chocolate egg. No booking needed. Check out the miniature mansion at Basildon Park and run from pillar to post. Choose colours from the colour wheel and puzzle the mansion floor plan back in order. Make your way along the trail and find activities for the whole family as you explore the beautiful parkland and gardens. It’s showtime at Greys Court! Lady Brunner loved the theatre and the gardens she designed are full of dramatic touches. Step into her world and put on a show with music, games and activities on a performance theme.

Experience the heartwarming adventure of Priscilla Queen of the Desert in this dazzling musical from April 16th-21st at South Hill Park. Join Tick, Bernadette, and Adam on a journey through the Australian outback, filled with outrageous costumes and iconic disco hits like I Will Survive and It’s Raining Men. A spectacular ride of joy and glitter awaits at the party of the year, where everyone’s invited. Book tickets.

Celebrate Easter with the annual Egg Hunt at Dinton Activity Centre, April 7th-21st. Join a fun-filled adventure as you search for hidden eggs along a 2km trail. As you explore the beautiful surroundings of Dinton Pastures Country Park, keep an eye out for clues that will lead you to the ultimate prize – a delicious chocolate treat! Book here.

The Binfield Easter Egg Hunt is back for the ninth year from Monday 14th to Sunday, 20th April. Buy a map for £3 from Binfield Village Stores or Foxes Den Café during the week and enjoy a fun walk around the village. With coffee shops, playgrounds and a fantastic pub on the route, go along & have a great day.

Dive into a Ball Pool Fun Zone for all the family to enjoy at The Lexicon this Easter. Running from 4th to 21st April, the fun zone features 175,000 colourful balls split into two sections – one for children under fives and another for children aged five and older. Adding to the excitement is a Giant Deckchair alongside games like Giant Jenga, Connect 4, and arcade favourites from High Score Arcade. Book to join in the fun.

Enjoy a new musical adventure live on stage on April 11th with The Dinosaur that Pooped a Rock Show at Theatre Royal Windsor. When Danny and Dino’s favourite rock band are playing their last ever concert, they go on a quest to get the last two tickets. But with a villainous band manager lurking, nothing goes to plan. Will the band perform? Will Danny rock out? Or will Dino’s rumbling tummy save the day? Adapted from the number one best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter with new songs by Tom and Dougie. Tickets here.

This Easter, mystery and magic fill the air at Stonor Park and Tumblestone Hollow. Follow the Easter Trail, solving woodland riddles, April 5th-21st. Can you crack the riddles, find the hidden eggs, and complete the adventure? There’s also the chance to win a giant chocolate egg courtesy of local award-winning chocolatier Tutu Delicious! Book tickets.

Over the Easter school holiday, join a trip along the Thames for the Riverboat Easter Egg Trail. Setting off from Caversham Pier, there are six 45-minute trips, April 7th-11th & 14th-18th. Look for hidden eggs, each displaying a letter. Spot them all to spell a special word and earn a certificate to commemorate your adventure. Times and bookings here.

Take the exciting Easter trail around the Royal Mews at Windsor Castle, follow the clues and win a chocolate reward! There will also be sparkling Easter Egg crafts to enjoy for the whole family on April 7th, 10th, 11th & 12th. Details here.

Keep the little ones hopping with excitement this Easter with Squire’s Garden Centre, Create & Grow activities, at Wokingham and the new Hare Hatch centre, April 7th-17th. Plant a colourful spring basket – £6.50, (booking essential), or go on a spring flower hunt – £2.50, follow the clues and uncover the magic word for a choccie treat! No booking required.

Explore William Morris’s ‘heaven on earth’ Kelmscott Manor house the adjoining farm buildings. View the iconic collection of artwork and objects owned and designed by the Father of the Arts & Crafts Movement and discover why the Cotswold home became an inspiration for him and his family. Take a stroll around the enchanting gardens and enjoy homemade food from the licensed tearoom. Kelmscott, Lechlade GL7 3HJ opens from April 3rd to October 25th. Discover more about the inspirational Cotswold retreat.

Join Greenham and Crookham Commons this Easter holiday to stretch your legs and explore their nature reserve at one of its most picturesque times of year. The trail on April 8th will take you on a circular route where you will learn about life on Greenham Common. The trail will take 1-1.5 hours to complete depending on dwelling time at each panel. Then head back to the control tower to make a bird themed craft to take home. Click here and search for Greenham Commons

Join the Highclere Castle Easter Trail through the gardens and woodland. At the end of the Trail, each child will win a chocolate Easter Egg on Saturday, 19th April. Children are invited to take part in the Easter Bonnet parade; please do bring your creations along with you. Hopefully children will be able to enjoy the bouncy slide (this is weather dependent and may be subject to an additional charge) and meeting some of the farm animals. For full details & to book.

There are eggs everywhere at the Nature Discovery Centre, Thatcham. Rabbit has heard all about Easter from his friends but he’s a little confused about Easter eggs; where do they come from and what do they look like? Collect your trail sheet from the visitor centre and head around the nature reserve to discover who laid the eggs. Then, head back to the centre to complete their craft and claim your small chocolate prize on April 16th. Book here.

Get creative in an Easter-themed children’s print workshop at The Base, Newbury. You will learn how to make a range of your own prints (cards and decorations) to take home with you. Please come dressed for mess (an old shirt or apron would be perfect). The workshop includes all materials, plus an Easter treat and drink from Honesty cafe. Saturday, 12th April. Book here

Kimyo is a free-to-use, advert-free website that helps children (and adults!) explore and engage with local educational attractions. Users can search by topics of interest and can collect badges by answering questions about the things they have seen. Kimyo also contains a section for educators, with lesson plans that can be used with the items and locations on the website. Find out more

Hampshire

Join a National Trust Easter trail at many of their places for just £3.50. Before you set off, you’ll receive a trail sheet to guide you on your adventure and Easter bunny ears to wear along the way. Choose from either a chocolate egg or a vegan and Free From chocolate egg as your reward. Families can enjoy Bunny Hoopla, giant chess, croquet, dominoes and more Regency-themed fun in The Vyne’s gardens in Basingstoke before collecting their trail prize at the end, March 29th – April 21st and at Hinton Ampner and Mottisfont from April 5th – 21st.

The Shed in Bordon has lots of fabulous free events for families this Easter. Daisy’s Craft Room will be popping up again this Easter for an afternoon of crafty fun on April 9th. Items priced individually from only £2. Punch and Judy, those mischievous puppets, always manage to stir up some chaos and laughs when they come back for Easter on 10th. If you love magic you are in for a real treat, with rabbit and Easter egg tricks throughout the two shows on 11th. Free but booking essential. Join Junk Jodie on 16th to bring recycled materials to life. Click here for more details and to book.

Easter is a great time to visit Gilbert White’s House & Gardens, with spring flowers popping up all over it’s 25 acres of grounds. You can take the family on an Easter Egg hunt with a difference with their Birds in Folklore Egg Hunt, which includes stories and folklore about some of our best loved British birds! Hunt for ten eggs hidden in the garden and match the birds pictured on the eggs with the stories about them. Match all 10 and claim a chocolate egg! The Easter holidays also see the launch of Wild Wednesdays. An hour of hands-on activities for children and their parents to experience local wildlife. Focusing on the joy that experiencing nature brings, with a little bit of learning along the way. More here.

There’s so much more to ‘eggs-plore’ this Easter at Winchester Science Centre with egg hunts, storytime and live shows. Children can hunt for a nest containing models of eggs laid by animals that hatch and then celebrate funding them all with a tasty treat. The science Inspirers will host an Easter storytime bringing to life an original tale exploring what happens when an animal hatches and takes its first steps into the world. Discover all this and more from April 4th -22nd.

Wander into Wonderland this Easter for a free weekend of whimsical games, tea parties, egg hunts, hands-on crafts and more in Princes Gardens, Aldershot (April 12th) and by Farnborough Library (April 13th). Meet Alice, The Queen of Hearts, Hatter and the White Rabbit for an interactive event full of twists and turns. Join Rhubarb Theatre for a wonderland experience as you shrink into the gardens of the Queen of Hearts to find yourself amongst her large lawn games.  More details here.

Hop into Sir Harold Hillier Gardens’ gorgeous spring surroundings where the whole family can enjoy the self-guided Easter trail filled with fun games and activities amongst the blossoming flowers from March 29th – April 27th.

Pick up a Marwell Passport and join the adventure trail at Marwell Zoo, April 5th – 21st, going ‘around the zoo in 80 species’. Discover animals from across the continents and collect stamps along the way. On Easter Sunday (20th) meet the Easter Bunny and find the hidden eggs around the zoo to win prizes as part of the Big Easter Egg Hunt.

Pick up a bag and sheet – or bring your Easter basket – and hunt high and low to gather 15 chocolates from different spots in the grounds at Whitchurch Silk Mill on April 16th.

Hop aboard the Watercress Line, April 17th – 21st, and join the East Bunny Train where you’ll enjoy a sing along and jokes with the Easter Bunny’s helpers, a free activity sheet and choccy egg as well as crafts, an Easter egg spotter trail, colouring and themed selfie spots.

Oxfordshire

Enjoy an Easter adventure with the National Trust from April 5th-27th. £3.50 per trail which includes an Easter trail sheet, bunny ears and dairy or vegan and Free From chocolate egg. No booking needed. It’s showtime at Greys Court! Lady Brunner loved the theatre and the gardens she designed are full of dramatic touches. Step into her world and put on a show with music, games and activities on a performance theme.

Hop along to Waterperry Gardens this Easter holiday, March 29th-April 21st, dressed as a bunny (optional) to find the missing carrots the bunny has dropped and take in the beautiful spring gardens. Hop around the gardens and every time you find a carrot mark it on the map provided to show its location. Find the letters on each carrot to reveal a word. Collect your prize from the Garden Shop. Children must be accompanied by an adult (garden entrance fee applies). Gardens open 10am to 5.30pm daily. No need to pre-book, all eager bunnies welcome. More here.

Explore William Morris’s ‘heaven on earth’ Kelmscott Manor house the adjoining farm buildings. View the iconic collection of artwork and objects owned and designed by the Father of the Arts & Crafts Movement and discover why the Cotswold home became an inspiration for him and his family. Take a stroll around the enchanting gardens and enjoy homemade food from the licensed tearoom. Kelmscott, Lechlade GL7 3HJ opens from April 3rd to October 25th. Discover more about the inspirational Cotswold retreat.

Visit Cogges over the spring holidays, April 5th-21st, spot the knitted bunnies around the Manor House, and see the rooms decorated for Easter. Get hands-on with children’s crafty activities (small cost applies), plus an egg hunt in the stable, Easter trail and baking on the range and say hello to the animals. Create your own adventure with 17 acres of open space, adventure play fort, zip wire and trail around the old moat. Find out more.

Enjoy a free heritage bus ride at Oxford Bus Museum at Long Hanborough on Sunday 6th April, 12.15pm & 2.15pm and on Easter Sunday and Monday join the Easter chick hunt too. Click for more.

Join the expert dragon masters and adopt a dragon at Oxford Castle and Museum, April 7th-18th. Decorate a dragon egg, make a fun dragon mask, build a cosy nest for your egg – and take home your very own dragon. Each dragon is house trained and guaranteed not to get any bigger or eat the family pet. Ages 3-7. Book here.

Flutter by and find a rainbow of butterflies – and a chocolate treat – on the Easter trail at Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre on April 9th, 10th, 12th & 15th. Book online here and search for Sutton Courtenay.

Join Little Acorns for a springtime adventure at Earth Trust! Take part in Spring Senses, April 7th & 8th and Eastertime, April 14th & 15th. Explore the natural world on Family Nature Day, 16th and step back in time on an Ancient Adventure, 17th. Don’t miss the Spring Festival at the Earth Trust, May 3rd-5th. Details of all these & more

This Easter, mystery and magic fill the air at Stonor Park and Tumblestone Hollow. Follow the Easter Trail, solving woodland riddles, April 5th-21st. Crack the riddles, find the hidden eggs, and complete the adventure. There’s also the chance to win a giant chocolate egg courtesy of local award-winning chocolatier Tutu Delicious! Book here.

A Golden Egg is hidden within the parks and gardens at Blenheim Palace (5th-17th), and if you find it, big prizes are to be won! It could be in or near the Walled Garden. An egg-citing Easter weekend will fill the Walled Garden with fun from 18th-21st. Hop along for a range of egg-citing activities! For full details about the golden egg hunt & tickets click here.

Oxford Swim School are holding an Easter Intensive Course from Monday 7th to Friday 11th April. The five-day intensive swimming course (lessons are 30 minutes a day) uses the private 25 metre pool at Oxford High School in Summertown. It is for children aged 4-13 years old. Whether it is helping non-swimmers gain confidence and learning the basics of swimming, or assisting more advanced swimmers with stroke refinement. For more call 01865 864537 or click here.

Listen to stories and hunt for history while you explore the galleries at the Ashmolean Museum on a volunteer-led family gallery tour exploring ancient Egypt, Greece and Modern Art galleries. Play games and quizzes, enjoy sounds and stories, try out your design and drawing skills – each activity is different. More here.

Surrey

Spring into action with an Easter adventure at a National Trust place near you. Roll-up for nature-inspired games and activities at Hatchlands Park and Hindhead Commons, get crafty at Dapdune Wharf and take part in the ever-popular egg rolling at Box Hill on the Easter weekend. Each trail costs £3.50 which includes a pair of bunny ears, and a chocolate egg or a vegan ‘Free-From’* chocolate egg. (Usual property admission applies).

Hunt down the colourful eggs and collect the clues to solve the mystery and claim your chocolate at RHS Wisley – just make sure you grab a code-breaker pack on arrival for £2.50.

Looking for family friendly fun this Easter? Join three friends on a joyful jungle adventure at the Yvonne Arnaud, in Tall Stories’ magical, adaptation of the much-loved Elmer books by David McKee. The enchanting and colourful world of Elmer is brought to life through songs, storytelling and puppetry from April 9th -13th. There’s also a host of exciting Easter workshops at the Theatre, including their free Easter Family Fun Day, Drama Camp, Video Game Design and more. Book your space before they sell out.

Browse and purchase exceptional handmade pieces from some of the UK’s finest professional designer makers and artists at Craft in Focus at RHS Garden Wisley. The Spring Contemporary Fair, May 1st-5th, showcases a carefully curated selection of fine art, furniture, interior accessories, textiles, fashion, jewellery, ceramics, glassware, sculpture, and garden art. Beyond shopping, visitors can enjoy live demonstrations by some of the talented exhibitors, offering an insight into their creative processes. The event also features food stands and live music, enhancing the vibrant atmosphere. For more & to book.

Hop into spring at Painshill in Cobham this Easter! Join the Giant Easter Bunnies Trail, where you’ll explore the beautiful, historic gardens while hunting for giant bunny characters hidden throughout the landscape. Fun for all ages and perfect for a memorable day out surrounded by nature. Tickets are cheaper if booked online here.

Learn how to write ghost stories at Sensing Spirits on April 4th at West Horsley Place, the setting for BBC comedy Ghosts and on 8th there’s the chance to explore ‘Button House’ with fun activities for families. Enjoy a day of guided walks and talks across the beautiful estate. Explore hidden bluebell woodlands, hear from West Surrey Badger Club, and take a spring birdwatching tour on 13th. Get creative as you explore the Manor House with a different workshop in every room on 15th and join in tots tales on 23rd with sensory play sessions. Join Lord Hopton’s Regiment and the English Civil War Society as they put on an all-day living history display to transport visitors back to the 17th Century in an open day on April 27th. More details.

The Shed in Bordon has lots of fabulous free events for families this Easter. Daisy’s Craft Room will be popping up again this Easter for an afternoon of crafty fun on April 9th. Items priced individually from only £2. Punch and Judy, those mischievous puppets, always manage to stir up some chaos and laughs when they come back for Easter on 10th. If you love magic you are in for a real treat, with rabbit and Easter egg tricks throughout the two shows on11th. Free but booking essential. Join Junk Jodie on 16th to bring recycled materials to life. For more details and to book.

Celebrate spring with cute fluffy themed activities at the Museum of Farnham, meet some lambs and get hands on with all sorts of woolly activities – handling, carding, spinning and weaving. Take part in the egg-cellent scavenger hunt and get messy with Easter themed crafts on April 19th.

There’s an Easter classic gathering at Brooklands on April 19th with hundreds of classic vehicles, supercars, live music, food stalls and a BBQ to enjoy alongside the planes, buses, cars, simulators and all other Brooklands Museum exhibits.

Be like the Easter bunny and hop aboard the Denbies Easter Bunny Train Ride around the vineyard in search of the golden eggs ticking them off on your Easter Train Passport. Find all three golden eggs to win a prize, April 7th-18th.

Look for the Easter themed clues in the displays at Guildford Museum. Will the Easter bunny be hiding there and what about the eggs? Join the fun trail April 5th-19th.

Discover the magic of Cicely Mary Barker and her magical world of the Flower Fairies with Family Days at Watts Gallery. Try your hand at ceramics with Clay Club and make sure to play across the whole site, April 5th-21st.

Wander into Wonderland this Easter for a free weekend of whimsical games, tea parties, egg hunts, hands-on crafts and more in Princes Gardens, Aldershot (April 12th) and by Farnborough Library (April 13th). Meet Alice, The Queen of Hearts, Hatter and the White Rabbit for an interactive event full of twists and turns. Join Rhubarb Theatre for a wonderland experience as you shrink into the gardens of the Queen of Hearts to find yourself amongst her large lawn games. More details at rushmoor.gov.uk/easter

Live action, puppetry and animation all feature in A Big Egg at Camberley Theatre on April 12th. Siblings Jack and Molly want to dive into their chocolate eggs but their mum insists they eat something healthy for breakfast first. Can they find an egg big enough and what creature might have laid it? Tickets here.

Join Egham Orbit on 19th April from 11am for their Easter Fun Fest! A day of Easter egg hunts, sports activities and games, food markets from local businesses and much more! They’ll also have special offers, prizes to be won and a visit from Rocky the Rabbit! Click here.

Wiltshire

Enjoy an Easter adventure with the National Trust from April 5th to 27th. Prices are £3.50 per trail which includes an Easter trail sheet, bunny ears and dairy or vegan and Free From* chocolate egg. *Suitable for people with milk, egg, gluten, peanut and tree nut allergies. No booking needed. Join an Easter adventure at Avebury between March 29th and April 21st. Make your way along the trail while taking part in 10 fun, creative, and playful activities for the whole family. Explore the garden and take part in lots of Easter games and challenges to claim your chocolate egg. Check out the miniature mansion at Basildon Park and run from pillar to post. Choose colours from the colour wheel and puzzle the mansion floor plan back in order. Make your way along the trail and find activities for the whole family as you explore the beautiful parkland and gardens.

Collect your trail sheet from the Easter Gazebo in the Courtyard at Lacock to help you discover 10 playful, creative and nature inspired activities dotted around the grounds. Find your bunny ears and get hopping around the beautiful gardens of Lacock in spring bloom from April 5th-21st.

Join the Crofton Beam Engines Great Easter Steam Up on April 20th & 21st. See the world’s oldest fully operational pumping station in steam, the 1812 Boulton & Watt and 1846 Harvey Beam Engines will be doing their original job back pumping the Kennet & Avon Canal. Take part in the Easter Egg Trail, Duck Race and make your own or bring an Easter Bonnet. Prizes for completing the trail, the fastest and slowest duck in the race and best bonnet for both children and adults. Details & booking here.

Hoppy Easter! Days Out & Family Fun