Easter holidays are on their way, so there’s no better time to get egg-cited about days out with the family.
I’ll update this list as we get nearer to Easter and more events start showing up, however for those that like to get planning, here are 20 ideas to get in your diary in and around Leicester and the East Midlands!
1. National Trust Calke Abbey – Easter fun
With nature-themed activities on every day of the school holidays, as well as a Cadbury’s Easter Egg hunt on the 10th-13th, there’s all kind of Easter fun to be had at this stunning National Trust property.
All their activities encourage families to enjoy and explore the beautiful surroundings and have fun in nature – plus entrance is free for National Trust members!
Find out more here or check out our review of National Trust Calke Abbey here.
2. National Trust Stoneywell – Easter Nature Detective Hunt
The beautiful National Trust Stoneywell are running an Easter nature detective hunt encouraging children to become nature explorers and discover all the beautiful gardens and woodlands around the property.
With plenty of flowers and wildlife to discover, as well as the chance to make a nature-inspired craft, there’s never been a better time to head to Stoneywell!
We love holiday activities at Stoneywell, as well as their very friendly staff, the peaceful grounds, and the lovely tearoom too! Entrance is free for National Trust members – just make sure you book up in advance to secure your slot.
Find out more here or check out our review of Stoneywell here
3. Twin Lakes theme park – Eggstreme Easter
Twin Lakes is pretty famous for its Easter fun, so there’s never been a better time to visit this fantastic family theme park.
You can visit the Easter Bunny in his very special grotto from the 4th to 14th April for just £6.95 per child, take part in the Easter egg hunt around the park, enjoy the special Easter show and activities throughout the 10 days – all while making the most of their rides, circus and zoo too!
If the Halloween event was anything to go by, we can’t wait to check this out!
Find out more here or check out our Twin Lakes review here
4. Gulliver’s Theme Parks
Gullivers Theme Parks promise a whole basket of fun across their resorts at Milton Keynes, Matlock Bath and Warrington at Easter, including appearances of the Easter Bunny, shows on the main stage, and Easter bonnet parade, live shows and more.
Their theme parks are designed for families with kids aged 2-13, and you can even turn your stay into a break or holiday at their affordable themed accommodation, such as Adventurer’s Village at Milton Keynes or Explorer’s Retreat at Matlock Bath.
Find out more here or check out our review of Gulliver’s Land Milton Keynes here or Gulliver’s Kingdom Matlock Bath here.
5. West Lodge Farm Park – Easter Eggstravaganza
Head down to West Lodge Farm Park from 10th-13th April for their Easter Eggtravaganza!
We’ve always loved all the events on at West Lodge, whatever the season, but this sounds fantastic! You can follow the Easter trail around the farm, meet the Easter Bunny in his Easter Garden, decorate eggs to take home, join in egg and spoon races, feed the lambs and more!
What’s more you also have all the other incredible activities going on at the farm throughout Easter, including their huge indoor and outdoor play areas too!
Find out more here or check out our review of West Lodge here.
6. Bluebell Dairy – Easter in Wonderland
Easter in Wonderland is coming to Bluebell Dairy, from 4th – 13th April.
What sounds like one of their most popular events of the year, this themed Easter event sounds fantastic fun!
With The White Rabbit Easter Egg Hunt, The Queen of Hearts Royal Theatre, Royal Croquet, The Caucus Race while meeting their cute animals and feeding the lambs, this definitely sounds like one not to be missed!
We’ll be visiting in March, so look out for our review coming soon, but til then, find out more about the event here.
7. White Post Farm Spring Festival
The White Post Farm Spring Festival sounds like a great way to enjoy everything spring has to offer, including meeting the lambs, holding the chicks and watching the sheep races, as well as joining the team on a special Easter Quest.
The farm bunny, Compost, has lost the eggs and left clues around the farm to help find them. By completing the tasks you can get a special reward!
We can’t wait to visit in April to see Fearne and Rory, but to find out more, check out their events page here.
8. Manor Farm Park and Woodlands – Easter Eggstravagnza
Manor Farm Park and Woodlands is hosting an Easter Eggstravaganza this year with plenty of Easter activities for families to enjoy.
With the chance to meet the spring chicks, enjoy Easter crafts and head on an Easter egg hunt through the woodlands, there really is plenty of fun to have through the holidays.
We had great fun at Manor Farm Park, and with so much to explore both indoors and out, there is something to do even on a rainy day! What’s more, there are Early Bird tickets for those who book before March 4th.
Find out more here or check out our review here.
9. Lego Brickman Experience, Leicester Highcross
One for all ages – the Lego Brickman Experience, has come to Leicester Highcross as the first stop of their UK tour!
From 13th March til the 20th April, you can check out this incredible exhibition, made from over five million LEGO bricks – a really special and unique experience to come to Leicester.
The exhibition includes some of the world’s largest and most detailed LEGO models including a huge LEGO Star Wars X-Wing, Airbus A380, a quarter scale LEGO Ferrari and the world’s largest LEGO flower. Visitors also have the chance to get a photograph with all the James Bonds made in LEGO bricks and enjoy the master builder zones too!
Tickets are now on sale – so click here to find out more or read our full review here
10. Trentham Monkey Forest Eggcellent Easter Trail & Face painting
There is so much happening at Trentham Monkey Forest this Easter, including an Eggcellent Easter Trail over the two weeks, where you can find the bunnies, find the clues and discover the missing words to be entered into a prize draw to win a cuddly Barbary macaque!
On Easter weekend you can also find face painting and even meet Peter Rabbit on Easter Sunday!
Trentham Monkey Forest is such a unique adventure for all the family, surrounded by beautiful woodlands to explore alongside the encounters with the monkeys, amazing play areas, a lovely cafe area and more!
Find out more here or check out our review here.
11. National Space Centre – Apollo 13 – Failure is not an Option Escape Room
For something very different this year, head to the new escape room on various dates from the 3rd to 17th April at the National Space Centre.
Although these are for adults only, they have also added some family-friendly escape room sessions on April 11th at just £5 per person, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission.
Families will work together to safely return the Apollo 13 astronauts to Earth.
Find out more here or check out our review here
12. Mini Meadows Farm – Easter Egg-stravaganza!
All across the Easter bank holiday weekend, from the 10th-13th April, you can find all kinds of fun at Mini Meadows Farm.
There will be Easter games for all the family, bunny hunt, holding the chicks, lamb-feeding, face painting and even an indoor rabbit warren play area!
What’s more, you also have all their usual farm activities, animals, fields to discover, play areas, indoor sand pit and more!
Find out more here or check out our review here.
13. Thurlaston Garden Centre – Peter Rabbit afternoon tea
We love the themed afternoon teas and events at the beautiful Thurlaston Garden Centre, so we are very excited to be heading to their Peter Rabbit themed afternoon tea this Easter.
They’ve two dates – Thursday 9th and Thursday 16th April from 4pm-5.30pm, for a full afternoon tea including Peter Rabbit cakes, carrot snacks and more, a meeting with Peter Rabbit and a treat too. The event costs £19.95 for a child and adult, plus an extra £7.95 per sibling.
Their events are always so well organised, with beautiful food and such lovely staff too – plus their recent refurb makes it even more fun to visit. If you can’t visit them for this event, they’ve also plenty of other meet-and-greets for families coming up including Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig!
Find out more here or check out our review of the Thurlaston Garden Centre here.
14. National Forest Adventure Farm – Easter Fun!
We’ve always been huge fans of the events at the National Forest Adventure Farm, and this Easter looks set to be one to remember, with a whole host of events from the 4th to 17th April.
You can take a ride on the Easter Eggpress tractor, meet the Easter bunny, enjoy the woodland trail, meet the animal entertainers, plant a bean to take home, join in the treasure hunt and more!
There’s also the fun of feeding the lambs on the farm, as well as all the usual indoor and outdoor activities that they do so well all year round!
Find out more here or check out our review of the National Forest Adventure Farm here.
15. New Walk Museum, Leicester
We always love our visits to Leicester’s New Walk Museum – it is free, educational and fun for all ages.
Over Easter, they have Easter biscuit making in the cafe on Friday 10th April at 9.30am, as well as clay sculpture making from the 17th – 19th April (11.30am-4pm) in the Victorian Gallery, where you can create masterpieces to be part of a story and express emotions in a whole new way.
Find out more here or check out our review of New Walk Museum here
16. The Guildhall, Leicester
Visit the Guildhall in Leicester city centre on Thursday 8th April from 11am-3pm to check out their Easter Eggstravaganza, with plenty of Easter crafts to try, face painting, and fancy dress welcomed too!
On Thursday 16th April, they also have a Glitter, Clay & Arty Play day all day!
Find out more here.
17. Conkers – Easter adventures
Easter is looking pretty amazing at Conkers, with a whole lineup to discover of activities indoors and out.
With story sessions in the Story Teller’s Hut, craft activities with the rangers, e-scooters, paint-a-pot, high ropes and more, there’s always something to discover at Conkers!
Each day they also have brand new shows on, as well as all the normal fun and activities to explore the forest for all ages at Conkers – we love it there and have always had a fun adventure, from their barefoot walk and the , so we know Easter will be fantastic!
Find out more here or check out our review of Conkers here!
18. Hatton Adventure World – Spring Spectacular
Hatton Adventure World is definitely an exciting place to explore, indoors and out!
Their Spring Spectacular involves plenty of Easter activities, spring animals, an Easter egg hunt, children’s shows, tractor rides and all the indoor and outdoor play areas.
Lily was a huge fan of the reptiles areas, crafts and the lineup of activities on every day, so this will be a fantastic day out for all ages in Easter.
Find out more here or check out our review here.
19. Tamworth Castle – dragon egg hunt
Tamworth Castle is hosting a special Easter egg hunt where Ruby the Dragon has disguised her eggs and her brother has hidden them around the castle, and you can head off to find them!
Using the quiz sheet, this is a great way to explore the beautiful castle, learn about its history along the way – and get a little prize at the end if you find all the clues!
You don’t get to meet the dragons this time, but it does sound a super event to head down to this Easter!
Find out more here.
20. Warwick Castle – Zog & The Quest for the Golden Star
From the 4th – 19th April, Warwick Castle has a brand new trail where children can learn all they need to know to become a dragon!
They can explore the trail around the castle, bringing the Julia Donaldson book to life, meet Sir Gadabout and Zog, and learn to fly, roar and fight with a real life knight within the medieval castle!
Find out more here!
The 3am Diary 