Easter events for children

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/28/easter-events-for-children

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Surviving the Easter weekend can be a case of knowing at which point the Creme Egg sugar rush is likely to turn into a chocolate-induced coma. Those looking to avoid the neighbours’ annual Easter egg hunt should find plenty to do away from the house all around the UK, whether they’re looking for child-friendly events or an excuse to dump the kids with the in-laws.

London

The stealthily educational London Wetland Centre (SW13, Sat to 12 Apr) does away with the Easter bunny and replaces it with giant ducks instead, inviting children to take part in an Easter duck hunt across its huge site near Barnes, with prizes aplenty, as well as egg-and-spoon races and egg rolling. Rabbits are back on the bill at Discover Children’s Story Centre in Stratford (E15, Fri to 6 Apr), where the 20th anniversary of picture book Guess How Much I Love You is marked by Easter trails and basket-making. Adults and kids alike can burn off the cocoa calories at the upbeat London international ska festival (Various venues, Thu to 5 Apr), which features art shows, films and live sets from Derrick Harriott, Rhoda Dakar and Steel Pulse in venues ranging from Camden to the South Bank.

South and Wales

Easter trails and egg decorating should fill Cardiff Castle with sticky fingers and screaming children (Sat to 12 Apr), so do take yours for a good outdoor lung expansion, or simply avoid the place entirely if you are the anxious type. More castle-based entertainment takes place at Powderham Castle in Exeter (Sun to 10 Apr), where a Willy Wonka type will explain the science behind sweets and chocolate in its Chocolate & Candy fortnight. Cornwall, however, makes do with a manor house for its Easter highlight, which is the Trereife Easter food and craft fair (Trereife House, Fri to 6 Apr) in Penzance. Rabbits are probably being cooked here rather than assisting in egg hunts, and there is a high Alex James risk.

North and Midlands

Blackpool re-imagines the panto as an Easter theatrical on the North Pier, with Peter Pan (North Pier Theatre, Fri to 11 Apr) starring Emmerdale’s Kurtis Stacey (no, us neither) as Peter, while York Dungeon replaces fluffy Easter bunnies with the macabre. Its Death By Chocolate (Sat to 12 Apr) introduces the young ones to a historic arsenic murderer who reportedly utilised sweets to deliver her poison. Don’t have nightmares. Meanwhile, Brindleyplace in Birmingham hosts a non-deadly Easter street food market (Thu to 6 Apr) that also encompasses circus skills workshops for kids.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Belfast’s W5 science and discovery centre offers you the chance to bribe your offspring away from the Xbox with the promise of playing bigger and better games as part of its Easter carnival games (Sat to 12 Apr). There’s some science learning snuck in there, too. More covert education is on offer at the Battle Of Bannockburn visitor centre near Stirling (Fri to 6 Apr), where the search for chocolate eggs comes with a side order of history. Scots can also mix patriotism with history and yet more chocolate at the annual Tartan Day Scotland festival in Arbroath (Fri to 12 Apr).