If you’re anything like us you’ll be starting to think about February half term and what you might do with the little ones. The weeks are now flying by and it will be upon us in no time!
Due to the exciting growth of Move Revolution we now have more offices covering Surrey, Sussex and Kent, so this time we’ve written about activities in counties so you can more easily choose where and what you want to do.
These are mainly outdoor actitvities, so get those wellies and the wet weather gear on, pack a picnic and a flask and get out there for lots of fun!
Surrey
The British Wildlife Centre near Lingfield is a great place to go on a chilly morning, where the children can explore the different areas and see lots of native animals. With a mission of ‘conservation through education’, the centre is the home of Pip the Squirrel and you can go on keeper tours to learn lots of facts about many native species.
Gatton Park just north of Reigate, is a beautiful spot and is part run between the National Trust and Gatton Trust. The parkland which was designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown covers 260 acres. During half term you can visit and look at the beautiful snowdrops, and the children will have a great time on the Wild Things Play Trail.
We love Hampton Court palace and whilst their new attraction the Magic Garden is closed until 1st April, there are still plenty of things to see and do. The maze is probably what springs to mind and the 2 metre tall hedged puzzle is known as the most famous maze in the world! For older children, if you download the app The Time Explorers before you go, you can go on an interactive adventure around the grounds which should like some boxes with your “tweens”. Aside from this there are kitchens to explore, family trails and costumed tours where you can meet characters from the court of King Henry VIII, so plenty to keep you all entertained without losing your head…. See what we did there?!
Leith Hill is an old favourite of ours and as our children get slightly older, it’s somewhere we have started to return to as they can cope with the gradient! There are numerous trails to suit most legs and also a play area hidden in the woods. We love going up to the top of the tower as the view is amazing on a clear day, plus there is a small kiosk at the bottom for those all important refreshments.
Sussex
Wilderness Woods is an amazing gem of a place for those who really love the great outdoors. Based at Hadlow Down, it has a wonderful Forest School on site, plus camping (perhaps when it’s warmer!) and great fun to be had on trails. They have plenty of activities in place over half term, and they welcome adults to get stuck in too so make sure you’ve got some waterproofs!
The Observatory Science Centre at Herstmonceux is perfect for budding scientists and offers tonnes of hands on exhibits. During half term there will be daily telescope tours and spectacular science shows too, included in the ticket price.
Arundel Wetlands Centre have a new experience arriving in time for half term. Called the Celebrity Dusty Duck trail, these 6 foot models have been created in conjunction woth Aardman Studios and it looks like great fun. In addition to this, the centre is hosting the Southeast Puddle Jumping Championships over half term and prizes will be awarded – sounds like child heaven if ever we’ve heard of it! There will be spots to practice in before they complete their entry and efforts are judged on style, creativity, enthusiasm and size of splash. I think this one gets our vote!
Kent
Hever Castle is always a winner with our lot and over half term they have a snowdrop walk and in conjunction with RSPB, a Living with Birds event, where visitors can learn how to help birds nest, survive and thrive in their gardens at home.
A great way to visit Bodiam Castle is via the Kent and East Sussex Railway from Tenterden and on the weekends of 11/12 and 19/20 February, Thomas the Tank Engine will be in residence at Tenterden which is always the pinnacle of excitement for those young train lovers! At Bodiam over half term there is the chance to take part in weaving and dyeing with natural materials as they would have done in the 14th century which sounds amazing for slightly older children.
Hop Farm at Paddock Wood has lots of rides and inflatables to have fun on along with in-door soft play, 4D Cinema , Driving School, Animal Farm and Giant Jumping Pillows. A perfect place for when the weather isn’t quite so good!
So there we have it, that’s our round up of highlights for each county, but we wanted to finish with GoApe who now have centres across all 3 counties and having had a recent birthday experience at the Tilgate Park one, we would highly recommend checking them out! The Junior courses are for children of 1 metre tall or more, and ours had an absolute ball! Their other locations in our region are Alice Holt, Bedgebury and Leeds Castle.
Whatever you do over half term we hope you have a fantastic time – we look forward to hearing from you and seeing photos of your mucky tribe!
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