The C&TH Easter Holidays Activities Guide

Another term done – and there’s two weeks off to celebrate. If you spend much of your time packing your mini me’s diary with social occasions, this two week gap (from 5–21 April) might seem dauntingly empty. Here are 12 things to do in the 2025 Easter holidays to keep little ones entertained.

12 Things To Do In The Easter School Holidays 2025

Easter Egg Hunt

Nothing says ‘Easter holidays’ like an Easter egg hunt. And with the sun set to shine over the UK across these school holidays, it’s the perfect time to get out into nature and start exploring. Here are eight Easter egg hunts to know in 2025, from a city-wide hunt across London to cryptic clues in a pretty garden.

Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition

Little minds will be blown by the 8-metre high projections, holograms, interactive rooms and 360-degree virtual reality all spread across 26,909 sq ft at the cutting-edge Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition. Begin with a run-down of the history, before being immersed in Howard Carter’s golden age of Egyptomania, before ending at a gift shop brimming with thematic stationary they can stuff their pencil cases with when the schools reopen.

Details: Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition is running at Immerse LDN (Excel Waterfront, ExCel, London E16 1XL) until 29 June. Tickets start from £15.50 for children, £20 for adults. Book at  tutankhamunexperience.com/london. Find more immersive exhibitions and immersive experiences to enjoy here.

(© Paolina Varbichkova/Yorkshire Sculpture Park)

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Introduce your kids to artwork in an accessible way during these Easter school holidays: at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, more than 80 world-renowned sculptures are scattered across woodland, parkland and gardens, accompanied by lakes, highland cattle, sheep and secret follies. It’s a real blend of nature and creativity, with discovery around every bend. There’s also the Little Wild Wood, a natural play space; the Art & Nature Hunt spanning 1.75km and featuring rabbit and hare sculptures; and the Imagination Station in the Underground Gallery, dedicated to drawing, making and chatting.

Details: Yorkshire Sculpture Park (West Bretton Wakefield WF4 4LG) is open daily from 10am to 6pm, with last entry at 5pm. Car parking is free. Adult tickets start from £9.50, and under 18s go free. Book at ysp.org.uk

(© Richard Kirby)

Easter Bonnet Parade

Creative Londoners big and small are invited to Spitalfields during the Easter holidays to enjoy the Easter Bonnet Parade. Whether you craft and don your own masterpiece or simply head down to see everyone else’s seasonal creations, it’s a vibrant, one-of-a-kind springtime celebration. The afternoon begins at 1pm with the monthly Colour Walk, where London’s bold dressers gather to show off their rainbow wardrobes. Then at 2.30pm, the Easter Bonnet Parade will fill the market with whimsy. At 3pm, the most outstanding bonnets will be awarded a fabulous prize for their efforts.

Details: Thursday 17 April 2025 at Old Spitalfields Market (16 Horner Square, London E1 6EW). Find out more at oldspitalfieldsmarket.com

Tennis For Free

If the kids are driving you mad and they need to work off some energy during the Easter holidays, get them started with some tennis lessons. Before you sign up for weekly coaching at your local club, give them a taster through sporting charity Tennis for Free, which offers free weekly two-hour coaching sessions across England and Scotland for ages three and up.

Details: Available across the country. Find your closest tennis court at tennisforfree.com

Set of nine photographic prints on aluminium, by Chant Avedissian, 1990. (© Victoria and Albert Museum, London)

Young V&A

Built to inspire play, imagination and design ideas, the Young V&A is London’s very best spot for curious minds from birth to age 14. A light and airy space in Bethnal Green, expect plenty of intriguing, traditional gallery displays along with interactive spaces and playscapes. Right now, the flagship exhibition is all about Egypt, from ancient history to the present day – perfect for budding archaeologists.

Details: Entry to the Young V&A (Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 9PA) is free for all without booking, but the Making Egypt exhibition is ticketed. Tickets are £10 and can be booked at vam.ac.uk

Indoor Playground

Being young is all about embracing the joy of play, and if your little ones haven’t aged out of unabashedly having fun yet, then an indoor playground is the place to be. From slides and ball pits in a church to a climbable treehouse complex, here are 16 top spots to try.

© John Cairns

The Story Museum

The Story Museum in Oxford makes a lovely trip for the family, with plenty of activities for a range of ages. This Easter, kids aged 8 to 12 can sign up to the popular three-day workshop, with a time travel theme for 2025. Young children aged 0-5, meanwhile, will love the Small Worlds play space.

Details: The story museum is open everyday 9.30 am–5.30 pm at 42 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP. storymuseum.org.uk

(© Tristram Kenton)

Shakespeare & Somersaults

Designed to support youngsters’ study of Shakespeare, Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank’s production of Macbeth will run throughout the Easter holidays at Shakespeare’s Globe. Running for 90 minutes, expect a fast-paced production especially adapted for young people featuring added stunts and gripping stage combat.

Details: Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Macbeth runs until 20 April at Shakespeare’s Globe (21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT). Tickets start at £5pp and can be booked at shakespearesglobe.com

Family-Friendly Bike Ride

With the weather forecast finally brightening up, get outdoors for the Easter holidays and explore some of the best routes of the National Cycle Network. Check out our round-up of the best family-friendly bike rides in the UK.

Afternoon Tea

It’s typically seen as a prim and proper grown-up activity, but there’s no doubt that little ones love a tea party. Luckily, numerous hotels, restaurants and stately homes up and down the country offer kid-friendly afternoon teas, many featuring special twists on the British tradition. From dinosaurs to Willy Wonka, here are our favourites in London.

Port Lympne

A must-visit for animal-lovers, this Kent-based conservation charity is not your average UK wildlife experience. Whether you visit for the day or embark on a minibreak, you’ll come face to face with big cats, gorillas, giraffes and many more. If you really want to push the boat out (and blow their minds in the process), book in for a stay at Tiger Lodge, where tigers play right outside your (very sturdy) windows.

Details: Find Port Lympne at Aldington Road, Lympne, Hythe CT21 4LR. Book ahead at aspinallfoundation.org