THERE’S lots going on in Leicester during the Easter break, with a programme of events at city council venues that are mostly low-cost or free of charge.
Museums and libraries will be offering lots of Easter-themed crafts, including the chance to make an Easter basket, create a bunny mask, plant a daffodil bulb or decorate an Easter egg.
Amongst the family-friendly activities coming up is an Eggcellent Easter Funday at Newarke Houses Museum on Monday 25 March (£3 for craft activities), a free Easter Arts & Crafts Workshop at the The Brite Centre on Tuesday 26 March (booking required), some hoppy holiday fun with the Funny Bunny at the Guildhall on Wednesday 27 March (£3 for activities), and – in a break from the bunnies – there’s a Fairy Tale Garden Day at Belgrave Hall on Thursday 28 March (£4 charge).
Abbey Pumping Station has got two special events coming up – which means two opportunities to enjoy the locomotives on the pumping station’s narrow gauge railway over the Easter holidays.
On Tuesday 2 April, the pumping station will host one of its regular Railway Days, while on Saturday 6 April, visitors will be able to enjoy a display of model railways at a special Gala Day event. Rides on the train, on both days, cost 50p (cash only please).
The city’s libraries have organised a wide range of free, drop-in events too, including an Easter basket-making workshop at the Central Library on Monday 25 March, Easter-themed activities at the Pork Pie library on Wednesday 27 March, the chance to make pop-up shops from cardboard at Westcotes library on Thursday 28 March, and a spring wreath-making workshop at St Barnabas library on Wednesday 3 April.
St Matthews library has teamed up with St Matthews Big Local to run some Easter fun sessions on Wednesday 27 March and Wednesday 3 April, while Beaumont Leys library is running a Woodland Creatures treasure hunt during opening hours until Saturday 6 April.
Babies and young children can take part in Stay & Play or Learning Together sessions at Leicester’s children and young people’s centres, while all youngsters will enjoy the Haymarket Shopping Centre's Big Bunny Bounce event on Thursday 28 March. Visitors will be able to meet Henrietta the Herdwick, her pram of lambs, and a pair of Easter bunnies. There’ll also be free Easter-themed arts and crafts.
Rounding off the school holidays, on Saturday 6 April, is a family-friendly event at Leicester Museum to mark the upcoming Sikh festival of Vaisakhi.
Assistant city mayor Cllr Vi Dempster said: “We’ve come up with a programme of activities that will help keep young children busy over the school holidays, without breaking the bank.
“Our libraries and museums are always family-friendly destinations, but our staff have worked hard to put on some extra activities over the next fortnight that I hope children and their families will enjoy.”
The full programme of events is available here
More ideas for days out during the school holidays can be found at visitleicester.info