No matter how early it comes around (and it’s early this year!), Easter seems to be the moment when Scotland bursts beautifully into spring. Round up the kids, and get ready for some brilliant family-friendly events to celebrate the season!
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Guess who is coming to Callender House?
ZooLab will be bringing some animal magic to the Helix
Celebrate Easter at Callender House: The Easter Bunny is coming to Callender House this year, bringing eggs for children to decorate. There will be special prizes for the best creations, before egg and spoon races, egg rolling, and an egg hunt in the walled garden too. Tickets cost £5 and there are full details here: http://www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org/whats-on/events/
ZooLab at the Kelpies: Adding a little animal magic to the holidays, The Helix has invited ZooLab to join them on 25 and 26 March. This is a free event, and visitors will get the chance to see, meet and handle a variety of animals such as a giant African land snail, corn snake, tree frog, tarantula, scorpion and much more. For more details, see: http://www.thehelix.co.uk/
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts: It’s that time of year again when the National Trust for Scotland team up with Cadbury to create the ultimate Easter holiday day out. Alloa Tower, Culross Palace and House of the Binns are the nearest participating venues to Stirling, and provide three stunning backdrops to these fun, family hunts. Clues along the way will keep little ones on the scent, and there’s a Cadbury chocolate prize for each completed trail. If you can’t make it to any of the organised egg hunts, you can download your own ‘Cadbury Hunt Pack’ from the website too. Plug in your postcode to find your nearest egg hunt or build your own: http://easter.cadbury.co.uk/
Easter Egg Steam Trains: What could be better than a ride on a steam train? Only a ride on a steam train with chocolate. Boness and Kinneil’s annual Easter trains run from 25 to 28 March and are becoming ever more popular. Climb aboard, enjoy the short trip, and the conductor will soon arrive bearing a chocolate egg for every child. Children wearing Easter bonnets also have the chance to win a prize, and there are egg hunts in the museum too. For tickets and schedule, see: http://www.bkrailway.co.uk/your-visit/events/
The Art of Design: In addition to their Festival of Foolery on the Easter weekend, Stirling Castle will be running art and craft activities suitable for all the family on selected dates throughout the school break. Children will be able to create their own masterpieces, inspired by the Renaissance carvings and paintings to be found throughout the Castle. For more details, see: http://www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/whatson/events/the-art-of-design/?month=0316
Crannog Centre Easter Extravaganza: If you want to body-swerve chocolate entirely, you might consider heading to the Crannog Centre on beautiful Loch Tay, Perthshire. There, you can celebrate Easter Iron-Age style, with their Pancake Eggstravaganza on Easter Sunday (10.30am to 4.30pm). Cook pancakes over an open fire, bake bread in clay ovens, and churn your own butter to spread on them. Gather round the fire to hear more about ancient crafts and ways of life from skilled Iron Age guides, or just gaze into the flames. Booking is only required for large groups. For more information, see: http://www.crannog.co.uk/
Take an Easter Special steam train at Boness and Kinneil Railway
Escape the chocolate and head for the idyllic Crannog Centre
Photo credits:
- Rabbit and Easter Eggs in Green Grass: Image courtesy of jannoon028 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
- Boness and Kinneil Railway: Image by Thomas Nugent [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
- The Kelpies at the Helix: By Beninjam200 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
- Crannog Centre, Loch Tay: Carol Walker [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons