May half term is on the way! From 29th May to 2nd June, your little ones will be off school and eager to get out and about. We’ve got stacks of family friendly days out and special events to keep them entertained, so take a look and start planning a marvelous May half term holiday.
I-Spy Riverhill
Oh this isn’t just any game of I-Spy, this is I-Spy for the most intrepid of explorers at Riverhill Himalayan Gardens! Gather up the team, collect your worksheet from the ticket office, and start hunting down a whole list of things to be found within the beautiful grounds. Psst… your little ones will even be able to do some hidden learning, with the chance to discover more about the plants and history at Riverhill…in a fun way, of course!
Macknade
It’s time to don the chef whites and let your little ones get hands on in the kitchen. Join Macknade for a series of pizza making workshops during May half term! The workshops are taking place on the 29th & 30th May in the Food Village at Macknade’s Faversham Food Hall. Drop in, grab your kids a ticket for £5 each and have them join the team to prepare their very own mini pizza and watch it cook in the wood-fired pizza oven.
Get crafty at Hever
Hever Castle is getting arty this half term with the chance to be inspired and become an artist for the day! Your mini Van Goghs will be able to depict the castle or gardens in any style as part of the art challenge, or even see actors wandering the grounds portraying some pretty famous creative faces! Take part in artistic tasks or become a walking piece of art with face painting.
Little chefs at Kent Cookery School
Bring along your little fishy fans to Kent Cookery School this holiday, with brand new classes with sushi expert Jethro! You and your mini sushi master will have an afternoon of fun learning the different sushi types, techniques and all you need to recreate sushi at home. From California Rolls to Maki and Sashimi, these classes are the perfect way to teach your young ones a love of cooking.
Dover Castle
On 27th-28th May Dover Castle will be putting on a show with the WWII Weekend, which returns for an action-packed celebration full of the atmosphere of the 40s. From 30th May the little ones are taking over with Kids Rule, a right royal knees up in the grounds of Dover Castle to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III with fresh-air family fun and hands-on activities.
Richborough Roman Fort
Richborough Roman Fort has reopened and we couldn’t be more excited to the see the brand new reconstruction of the Claudian Gateway, with its epic views across the Roman ruins. On a visit here, the kids will take on a time travelling trail, with a pop-up map to take little adventurers on an expedition back in time to when Romans ruled.
Shopping with style
Late night shopping is back at Ashford Designer Outlet! Open from 10am - 11pm, and with a further 20% off at Ashford Designer Outlet on 1st June, this has got to be the place to take those fashion-forward teens and tweens. With 20% off outlet prices, the likes of AllSaints, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi's and Carhartt are all waiting to be snapped up. What's more, with Nando's, Five Guys and many more restaurants right here, shopping and dinner sounds like the perfect teen treat.
Forest School at Chiddingstone Castle
Creative Woods Forest School are getting kids back into nature with two days of holiday camps over the half term. Children aged six to eleven will have the chance to be immersed in nature with exploring, den building, mini beast hunting and forest art. With plenty of exploring to do, it’s the perfect place for little imaginations to run wild in the great big outdoors.
Holiday camp days run from 9am to 12pm with drop off and pick up at Chiddingstone Castle. Costs per child - 1 day £25, 2 days £45 for further information email cwfschool@gmail.com
Peppa Pig at Spa Valley Railway
Everyone’s favourite pig is returning to Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells! Peppa Pig will be making an appearance at Groombridge Station, where children can experience the magic of steam train travel, meet Peppa, and even spy PAW Patrol’s Chase and Marshall on 3rd and 4th June.
Octonauts Deep Sea Adventure
The Octonauts are dropping anchor at The Historic Dockyard Chatham this half-term and throughout the summer after reports of some mysterious creatures! Together with your help, the Octo-Crew are on a mission to identify these critters, following clues through the Dockyard to discover a strange monster in the deep. Little crew members will receive a log book to help them along the trail, with a certificate and even an honorary status as an Octo-Agent after they have completed their mission!
National Trust
Chartwell will be celebrating 70 years since Winston Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, with the chance for budding literary greats to decorate their own medal, inspired by Chartwell’s collection. While Emmetts Garden will be getting snap-happy with the chance to play with perspective in the garden, learn from pro photographer Roger Blaxham, and enter a photography competition with shots from ‘An Ant’s View”. Scotney Castle will be entering the “Danger Zone”, family friendly, of course, with the chance to learn about endangered UK species, and even enjoy Zoolab animal encounter workshops. Ightham Mote will be tracking down the Lost Words animals on a FREE eye-spy trail. Discover five animals hidden around the South Lake as you wander the grounds this half term. Phew! What a week.
A packed week in The Isle of Thanet
From the Hornby Visitor Centre and the return of the Open Top Bus, to crafting at Quex Park and subterranean mysteries at Margate Caves and Shell Grotto, the towns of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate are packed with fun this week. Get tickets to the Crab Museum, bounce jump and climb at Elev8, see the Battle of Britain fighters up close at the Spitfire and Hurricane Museum, or strap in for all you can treat with music, skating and festival fun at Dreamland – Phew!
The Beach at Leeds Castle
A beach at Leeds Castle? Oh yes. Bring along the bucket and spade, bag yourself a deck chair, and tuck into ice creams overlooking the Great Water. Perfectly positioned opposite the Maze & Grotto, little ones will be in the prime location to enjoy some of the castle’s other family favourites, including two playgrounds, the obstacle course, and the birds of prey. We’ve even heard there may be a few more sandy surprises to enjoy too, with special beach events still to be announced.
Tunbridge Wells
With a top ten list of the best of the best free days out in Tunbridge Wells, May half term really doesn’t need to be a big spend up this year. With a whole hub of history, art, culture and events at The Amelia Scott all at your fingertips for FREE, not to mention parks like The Commons and beautiful rolling Dunorlan Park offering places to blow off steam and stretch the legs, these ideas are a great way to save the pennies, and treat the family to an ice cream.
The big sleep
If you’re planning that special family getaway, our friends at Keepers Cottages have the perfect spots to make some memories this May. For big reunions, you can’t go wrong with Liberty Cottage in Broadstairs, Poplar Farm House in Sandwich, Flamingo House in Whitstable or Oyster House in Deal. While Cliffeside Cottage in Kingsdown is a great spot for a smaller family gathering, with a gorgeous garden for the first alfresco dinners. As each of these pretty cottages is just a pebble’s throw from the beach, and as many even welcome your four legged family members, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the start of summer.
Marvelous Maidstone
Kent Life in Maidstone will be gearing up for some outdoorsy fun, with critter cuddles, nature crafts and orienteering all on the programme this half term. While The Hazlitt Theatre will be putting on a show with the Total Pop Party girls celebrating modern-day pop, bringing little ones hits from Little Mix, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. It's time boogie on down and party in Maidstone.
