The Easter holidays are upon us and there's egg hunts, trails and seasonal activities available all over Hampshire.
Here's our pick of eight of the best things to do for some family fun while school's out.
At Mottisfont...
(Image: National Trust Images) Expect a delightful mix of traditional and whimsical funfair games, perfect for the whole family, from this weekend until Easter Monday.
Test your skills with classic favourites like coconut shy and target practice, or dive into ‘Hook a Duck’. Our version of ‘Wacky Races’ with its blend of sack racing and egg-and-spoon, and the ‘Clowning Around’ challenge will have everyone laughing.
There’s loads of space for running and playing at Mottisfont where huge lawns and majestic plane trees frame this welcoming 18th Century house. The lawns are littered with daffodils, the little orchard is filled with scented white cherry blossom, and jewel-coloured tulips pop from the borders.
At Beaulieu...
(Image: Beaulieu) Sit in the driver’s seat of the cars from your past and relive your fondest motoring memories as Beaulieu unveils its newest attraction, We Had One Of Those.
Opening this weekend, this nostalgic new attraction will take visitors on a trip down memory lane, celebrating the cars, gadgets, and everyday objects that shaped life from the 1960s through to the 2000s and beyond.
Located just outside the National Motor Museum, We Had One of Those is a hands-on tribute to the vehicles and memories that shaped generations. From the family cars that filled Britain’s roads to the pop-culture that defined each era, this new attraction is set to be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.
Get up close to an impressive collection of much-loved motoring icons from the past, including the ever-reliable Morris Minor and the Austin Allegro, the car everyone loved to hate. Explore classics like the original VW Beetle, the Vauxhall Cavalier and the Ford Mondeo, as well as favourites from the noughties including the MG ZS, which will be sure to turn heads. Beyond the cars themselves, a carefully curated selection of memorabilia from each decade invites memories and conversations to flow across generations.
At Mayflower Studios...
(Image: Jess Shurte) Based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, meet the very worst Baddies in the world at Mayflower Studios from April 16 to 19.
Don’t you dare to come too close to a witch, a troll and a ghost!
The Baddies love being bad. They roar, spook and cast spells to try and scare the little girl… but will they succeed? Or is the girl braver than they think…
With songs by Joe Stilgoe (Zog and Zog and The Flying Doctors), The Baddies is a wickedly hilarious adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s smash-hit story, and laugh-out-loud fun for all the family.
Around Southampton...
(Image: Supplied) Visitors to Southampton can enjoy a free family Easter trail for the first time this weekend.
The trail, which is organised by Go! Southampton, will take place each day until Easter Monday.
Participants will need to collect a trail map and follow the clues to find the Easter Bunny's missing gardening tools.
The missing tools will be displayed in shop, bar, and venue windows around the Cultural Quarter and Commercial Road.
Each stop will have a poster featuring one of the missing items.
An Easter prize awaits those who solve the mystery at the final stop, SeaCity Museum, and a chance to win a £100 Mayflower Theatre gift voucher.
At Whiteley Shopping Centre...
(Image: Whiteley Shopping Centre)
This Easter, Whiteley Shopping Centre has a whole range of free egg-citing activities to keep families entertained during the school holidays.
This Sunday, the Tea Loving Hatter and his Curious Companion will be making a special stop at the centre from 11am until 4pm, greeting shoppers as they enjoy a fun sing-along of their favourite tunes.
Visitors at the centre this weekend will also be able to make the most of Whiteley’s popular Artisan Market, which is once again set to showcase the best of local craftmanship.
Then on Saturday April 19, the Easter Bunny and Sleepy Princess will be hosting a magical meet and greet with visitors, once again entertaining them with a sing-along of seasonal songs.
At Ninja Warrior Southampton...
(Image: Ninja Warrior UK)
This Easter Holidays, let the kids loose at Ninja Warrior UK Southampton for ninja-tastic eggs-ercise to burn off all their excess energy.
The park tests your Ninja skills while climbing, balancing and swinging across obstacles or bouncing across their inflatable – plus find out if you have what it takes to beat the Warped Wall!
Over the school break, prospective Ninjas can snag two 1-hour sessions plus a sharing pizza, Monday-Friday after 4pm, for just £25.
What’s more, families can enter a social media colouring competition, from Friday April 11, to be in with the chance of winning a birthday party at Ninja Warrior UK Southampton for ten people.
At Winchester Science Centre...
(Image: Harvey Mills) ‘Eggs-plore’, play, discover and hunt this Easter at Winchester Science Centre!
Until Easter Monday, the eggs-cellent Eggs-travaganza Easter Hunt returns with tasty treats waiting for everyone who takes part. Plus, Easter sees the return of the hugely popular dancing fire demo in live science show, The Sound Show, and there’ll be all the usual Science Centre fun including two floors of interactive exhibits, exciting Planetarium shows and huge ‘don’t try this at home’ demos.
Don't expect to be on the lookout for brightly coloured eggs on the hunt! Families are invited to head off on an oviparity egg hunt, to look for models of eggs laid by animals that hatch. What birds will be found? Will there be a creepy crawly or two? And what surprises will be discovered along the way? Once children have found all the nests they can celebrate with a delicious Easter treat.
At Vue, Eastleigh...
(Image: Vue) There’s plenty to enjoy at Vue Eastleigh this Easter break, from the family blockbusters to returning favourites specifically chosen with younger audiences in mind.
Arriving just in time for the school holidays, A Minecraft Movie welcomes fans to a world where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Boasting a stellar cast of actors – including Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Jennifer Coolidge – the live-action film follows four misfits that find themselves transported to a mysterious cubic wonderland. To coincide with the release, fans of the gaming phenomenon can purchase limited-edition Minecraft-themed food and drinks merchandise, including a geometric pickaxe popcorn carrier and character topped re-usable cup.
Another live-action blockbuster screening through the Easter break is Disney’s reimagining of the 1937 classic Snow White. In this magical remake – featuring all-new original songs – moviegoers can journey back to the timeless story with beloved characters Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy.
As part of Vue’s Mighty Mornings, families will be able to enjoy special screenings of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Moana 2.
Also returning to the big screen are family treasures Wallace & Gromit: Curse of The Were-Rabbit, 20 years after its original release, and a 30th anniversary special of everyone’s favourite sheep-pig, Babe.
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