'Egg-citing' Easter holiday family fun in Coventry and Warwickshire with Shakespeare's England

Wednesday 13th of April 2022 10:13 AM

From breakfast with the Easter bunny to a new Zog Playland at Warwick Castle, tourist attractions in the region are getting ready to host a variety of egg-citing events this Easter.

For the Easter holidays, Shakespeare’s England members are offering a host of themed activities, events and offers for families throughout Coventry and Warwickshire.

The Easter bunny will pay a visit to the Giant Rabbit Burrow at Fairytale Farm, a short hop across the Warwickshire border in Chipping Norton, where over the Bank holiday weekend children can enjoy a freshly cooked breakfast with the Easter Bunny between 8.30am and 9.30am, an Easter tale and a chocolate egg, before taking part in various activities running through the holidays – from Easter Egg Bingo to Easter-themed crafts, and the chance to pet adorable real-life rabbits and guinea pigs.

It is expected to be very popular and with only 48 places per day, families are advised to book early. Admission to this event is £13.99 for children and £11.99 for adults/seniors, including a full day’s admission to Fairytale Farm.

‘Mini Madness’ at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon include a Mini-themed traditional egg hunt, costumed family tours and a special Mini Egg Rover Challenge on April 20 from 11am until 3pm. Children will be challenged to programme and guide their Sphero RVR Robot across a challenging assault course while trying to keep their chocolate mini eggs safe. STEM Ambassadors from MOD Kineton will be on hand to help children with this engineering challenge.

Many historic heritage attractions are reopening fully for the first time since before the pandemic, including two of Shakespeare’s family homes – Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and New Place, along with Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall. Earlier this month, Warwick Castle launched the world’s first Zog Playland and saw the return of the Zog and the Quest for the Golden Star interactive trail.

Inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s book, Zog and the Flying Doctors, the brand new Playland features colourful dragons, dragon wing zip wires, crawl tunnels, rope swings, Princess Pearl’s Tower, and dragon slides.

There are also plenty of discounted family offers and events at Warwickshire hotels. Award-winning historic country house hotel, Mallory Court Hotel and Spa in Leamington Spa, has an Easter Escape offering four nights for the price of three on a Bed & Breakfast basis (https://www.mallory.co.uk/news-and-offers/easter-escape-offer/).

And ideal for visiting friends or family is the boutique hotel’s Simple Stay offer in one of the standard rooms in the Knight’s Suite, which includes an overnight stay, Nespresso machine and continental breakfast (https://www.mallory.co.uk/news-and-offers/simple-stay/). 

Helen Peters, CEO of Shakespeare’s England, said: “It is so wonderful to see so many of our amazing attractions, hotels and heritage sites open again this Easter holiday. There is such a wide variety of activities and workshops on offer to suit all ages, from sitting in the schoolroom where Shakespeare wrote his very first sonnet to Easter egg trails with a twist and, for grown-ups, Shakespeare Distillery’s first River Avon Gin Tasting Cruise of the year!”

Here is the full list of activities taking place:

  • Compton Verney - From Easter Trails inside the galleries and around the park to a Wild Wednesday interactive nature-inspired workshop and four-day Animation Camp, there is something for all ages during the holiday. https://www.comptonverney.org.uk/events/category/families/
  • Warwick Castle – Slide into a brand-new Zog Parkland with zip wire, slides and sand pit, embark on a Golden Star quest and meet the loveable dragon. Plus, the biggest bird of prey show is back and lots more family entertainment. https://www.warwick-castle.com/
  • British Motor Museum, until April 24 - Join in some ‘Mini Madness’ this Easter holiday, including the ‘Road Map’ family trail, a family tour with the museum’s own Mini factory costumed characters and air-drying clay workshops to design your own Mini.

Visit over the Easter Weekend, April 15-18, and enjoy a traditional Easter Egg hunt with a bit of a Mini twist. Collect eggs around the Museum to claim your reward. www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/easter

  • Shakespeare’s Birthplace - This Easter the childhood home of William Shakespeare will be open seven days a week. An introductory exhibition, Famous Beyond Words, shines a spotlight on William’s early life on Henley Street and costumed guides will show visitors around the house. https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/visit/shakespeares-birthplace/
  • Anne Hathaway’s Cottage - At this most iconic English thatched cottage, marvel at some of the original features and furniture of the 500-year-old Hathaway family home where Shakespeare courted his bride-to-be. https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/visit/anne-hathaways-cottage/
  • Shakespeare’s New Place - Walk in Shakespeare’s footsteps and be inspired at the site that was his grand family home from 1597 – 1616. Explore beautifully restored gardens and sculptures inspired by Shakespeare’s family life and his works. The House Next Door exhibition brings to life the story of the building and personal life of its most famous occupant. https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/visit/shakespeares-new-place/
  • Fairytale Farm, until April 24 - Interactive Easter Mother Goose display, Easter egg bingo, art and crafts and brand-new for 2022 is Breakfast with the Easter Bunny - hop on down for a full family breakfast between 8.30am and 9.30 from April 15 to 18.

Also, on Easter Weekend (April 15-18), families can meet the Easter Bunny in Bunny Hollow within the Giant Rabbit Burrow to hear an Easter tale, and every child will receive a full-size Easter egg, plus children and adults can pet their adorable rabbits and guinea pigs. https://www.fairytalefarm.co.uk/

  • Kenilworth Castle - Easter Adventure Quest, 2-24 April – Families can explore this historic site for clues and challenges, discover traditional Easter games like egg rolling and the egg and spoon race and track down the Easter eggs. Win a chocolate treat and an adventurer’s certificate on completion. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/kenilworth-easter-adventure-quest-2-24-apr-2022/
  • Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall – Sit in the 600-year-old building where young William would have been taught and experience a lesson by a Tudor schoolmaster. Families can also try their hand at quill writing, Tudor dress-up and traditional games. Now open daily, there will be a special Easter challenge from Fri April 15 to Sun April 18. Pick up the Schoolroom’s newly launched Family Trail around town picking key highlights from Shakespeare’s childhood. shakespearesschoolroom.org
  • The MAD Museum – Visit the UK’s only permanent venue for mechanical art in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. Pre-booking required for the Easter holidays until April 24. https://themadmuseum.co.uk/
  • Lunt Roman Fort, Baginton, near Coventry - This Easter, children can learn about the ancient artform of mosaic making. They will be able to create an artwork, which will become part of a giant 4-metre-long frieze within the museum’s permanent collection.

The Big Lunt Mosaic takes place from April 11-14 and April 19-22, between 10am-12.00pm and 1pm-3pm. Designed for age 5 -12, but all are welcome. Book online here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-big-lunt-mosaic-tickets-227741018517

  • The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry is hosting three family-friendly arts workshops during the Easter holidays:

You are the Art – Living Sculptures, until April 23 - Taking inspiration from Daniel Lismore’s Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Already Taken exhibition children and young people can join a drop-in holiday workshop, transform themselves into colourful living sculptures and walk along the runway in extravagant junk modelled outfits. Designed for age 3+, but all welcome. For further information visit https://www.theherbert.org/whats_on/1632/you_are_the_art_living_sculptures

Art Masterclass: Living Sculptures, Thursday April 14, 10.30am – 3.30pm. Make a collaborative costume art piece with globally renowned artist Daniel Lismore and have your work displayed at the Herbert. Designed for ages 8 – 16, it costs £10 per child, including accompanying adults. Book online in advance here: https://coventry2021.co.uk/what-s-on/art-masterclass-living-sculptures/

Art Masterclass: Cross Stitch & Textile Art - Thursday April 21, 10.30am-3.30pm. Bring your ideas to life through cross stitching while combining design, fabric, stitch and embellishment. Book online in advance for £10 per child, includes accompanying adults, here:  https://coventry2021.co.uk/what-s-on/art-masterclass-cross-stitch-textil...

  • Coventry Transport Museum - has a range of fun interactive family activities this Easter which include free admission to the museum for the day:

Make & Play Engineers - Go, Go, Go-Cars, April 14, 16 & 19, 10.30am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-3.30pm. Make a child-sized racer with go-kart parts and see how you can make your racer move without an engine. Designed for ages 3 – 12, but all welcome. Book online in advance, £9.21 per family (max. 5 people), here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/make-play-engineers-go-go-go-cars-tickets-225866180827

This Makes That With These - April 21 & 23 April, 10.30am - 12.30pm & 2pm-4pm. Get hands-on with real tools and take gadgets and appliances apart to make your own mini racers. Book online in advance for £4.90 per child, under 3s are free, here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/this-makes-that-with-these-tickets-225874285067 

To find out more visit transport-museum.com

  • FarGo Village - Record Store Day on April 23 with a free showcase of DJs and live music, and Vintage Vera Kilo Sale on April 24. https://www.fargovillage.co.uk/whats-on
  • Belgrade Theatre, Coventry - Two productions will be taking to the stage over the Easter holidays. They include a new retelling of George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm by an award-winning team featuring puppetry for ages 11+ It will be on the main stage until Sat April 16. In B2 Fighting Irish is a new Belgrade Theatre production suited to older teens based on a true story about a Coventry boxer of Irish descent, now running until Sat April 16. https://www.belgrade.co.uk/
  • Rapunzel, Benn Hall, Rugby, Friday April 15 - A one day only family-friendly Easter pantomime with performances at 12pm and 4pm. Tickets start at £12.  www.bennhall.com
  • Stratford Town Walk – Running throughout the easter holidays, this guided two-hour family-friendly walk starts at 11am, Sun – Fri; and Sat, 11am and 2pm. It takes in all the towns major sites and architectural gems with fascinating stories of Shakespeare's life through fire, flood and plague. Adult £10, Child (8-15yrs) £5 including discounts at some attractions, cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops. Advance booking is necessary on 07855760377.
  • Stratford Ghost Walk - An entertaining evening of good, old-fashioned storytelling, delivered by a costumed guide. Discover the darker side of Stratford's history, ‘haunted’ streets and ancient buildings seeping with tales of ghosts, witches, murder and misery. Starts at 7.30pm every Saturday. Duration is around 1.5 hours. £10 per adult, £5 per child (8-15yrs). Advance booking is necessary on 07855760377.
  • Magic Alley, Stratford-upon-Avon - This interactive Easter magical trail explores a world of dragons, knights, a fairy queen and unicorns and involves hunting for eggs in the Enchanted Forest. Moving through the attraction learn how the story unfolds by solving puzzles and riddles. A performer will also be adding some extra magic during the holidays. Recommended for adults and children aged 6+ but over 3s welcome. https://www.magicalleystratford.com/events/
  • Stratford Butterfly Farm - During the Easter holidays until April 24, this popular family attraction is re-launching its Meet the Mini-Beast handling sessions and will be holding Beetle and Snake demonstrations in the Discovery Zone. Families can also meet beekeeper Matthew Ingram Tuesday April 19 from Holt Hall Apiary, a small independent bee farm in Staffordshire with over 140 hives. Visitors will be able to interact with and learn all about these wonderful pollinators. https://www.butterflyfarm.co.uk/attraction/
nic.erskine@cwg..., 13.04.2022 | Posted in