It feels as if we've only just "recovered" from the two weeks of Easter break and here we are again - looking to fill a week of half-term fun. I feel as if the May half term is often forgotten about. It's overshadowed by the longer and (usually) hotter big summer holidays and not as seasonally twee as the two weeks during Easter tend to be. But the end of May usually means good and sunny weather and is the perfect time for family BBQs and a celebration of the summer months to come.
I've put together a round up of everything family-friendly happening in and around Tonbridge, just in case you are still scrambling for ideas.
The Queen's Joust
When: 25th - 27th of May
Location: Leeds Castle, Maidstone
Cost: Included in admission cost - pay once, visit all year round: £31.50 for adults, £22.50 for children over 3, under 3s go free!
Come one, come all to Leeds Castle this late May bank holiday for a royal occasion! Enjoy a trip into jousting history and marvel at displays of combat, horseback riding, medieval living and feasting, medieval dance and music, blacksmithing, coin-minting, tailor workshops, and even more. If your kids still need to get that half term-energy out, I heartily recommend the two huge adventure playgrounds, the sandy beach and the incredible maze. There's plenty to do at Leeds Castle and with tickets allowing entry throughout the year, keep an eye on more exciting events to come!
Family fun days at Bewl Water
When: 25th of May - 2nd of June
Location: Bewl Water, Lamberhurst
Cost: Free - only pay for parking
You can always count on Bewl Water to have family fun sorted. With the aqua park opening earlier this month, head to the lake to cool down by booking onto the aqua course (at an additional cost) - or take part in any of the fun activities that have been set up. Expect Ranger Bear appearances, arts and crafts activities, bouncy castles, face painting, garden games, and more! They have two playgrounds, one of which features a huge wooden ship in a sandy oasis.
Extinct Express
When: 25th - 27th of May
Location: Kent & East Sussex Railway, Tenterden
Cost: adult tickets are £24.95 and children from 6 months to 11 years are £14.95. Infants under 6 months go free.
Take your little dino-fan on a jurassic journey into the past! The fantastic Kent & East Sussex steam railway is allowing young visitors and their adults a chance to travel through history and meet some of their favourite reptiles up close! Collect a free dinosaur storybook, biscuit, activity sheet and crayon and complete tasks during the journey. Prepare to be astonished by your fellow passengers and spot everything from the famous T. Rex to velociraptors.
Half-term Trail
When: 25th of May - 2nd of June
Location: Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells
Cost: Cost: £3 in addition to normal NT admission
Scotney Castle is a gorgeous medieval castle on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells. In addition to all the usual features of a National Trust property (grand rooms, manicured vast gardens, etc.) children can find a natural play area complete with a mud kitchen, ball run, toddler houses, drum kit and more. To keep little ones entertained this half-term, the team have also put together a very special trail. Children can spin dials around the estate and put together their very own story. They can even win a reward at the end for successfully completing their masterpiece!
Half-term fun at Drusillas Zoo
When: 25th of May - 2nd of June
Location: Drusillas Zoo and Park near Polegate, East Sussex
Cost: Day tickets cost £30 for adults and children over the age of 2, under 2s go free
Be a half-term hero with a visit to Drusillas zoo. There are three distinctive areas for children and adults to explore: You've got a zoo with animal experiences, walk-through enclosures and animal feeding sessions. You've got an endless amount of places to play with two huge adventure playgrounds, a splash park for when the weather gets warm, and a fantastic jungle-themed soft play area. As if that wasn't enough, children can also delight in the many free rides to try out. There is a children's carousel, a train ride, flying cheetahs, jeeps, and more. This is the ideal day out on a sunny day.
Art Week at Hever Castle
When: 25th of May - 2nd of June
Location: Hever Castle
Cost: Included in the cost of admission
Become a Young Picasso at Hever Castle and try your hand at painting. This free art challenge allows visitors of any age to try their hand at depicting the castle and gardens in any style they want. There are also character actors for young visitors to meet renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci. There's the opportunity to take part in various art challenges, play on the brilliant adventure playgrounds, cool off in the water maze and then finish off a brilliant day by having your face painted in a creative, artistic style!
Woolly Week
When: 27th of May - 31st of May
Location: Rare Breeds Centre, Ashford
Cost: Included in the cost of admission
Just because we've left April and Easter behind doesn't mean that we need to forget about our favourite woolly friends! At the Rare Breeds Centre, this week is all about sheep, lambs and other four-legged farmyard friends. Take part in special sheepy activities and events all around the centre, play on the different playgrounds, try out one of the exciting woodland walks or discover the butterfly tunnel. Expect talks on sheep shearing, free crafting activities, and even a sheep fashion show! You won't baaa-lieve your eyes!
Medieval Magic
When: 26th and 27th of May
Location: Lullingstone Castle, Eynsford
Cost: From £15 for adults, under 16s go FREE
Located between Sevenoaks and Swanley, Lullingstone Castle is a historic manor house and botanical garden. They host an annual medieval living history weekend that allows young and old to step into the middle ages. Expect to find campfires, suits of armour, medieval weaponry, mock battles, live firing of cannons and even more!
Clip N Climb
When: Throughout all of half-term
Location: Clip N Climb, Tonbridge
Cost: From £12
How about getting some of that half-term energy out via a climbing wall? Always a favourite activity for children, this one even has a session just for pre-schoolers. With extended opening hours and multiple sessions for Little Rockers (children from 2-4), this is certainly an attractive mid-week (and now even a weekend!) option during the half-term. You can also bring children older than 4, who are free to climb with assistance from staff members, making this an attractive option for larger families.
Nature Explorers Week at Godstone
When: 25th May - 2nd of June
Location: Godstone Farm, Godstone (Surrey)
Cost: At Godstone Farm anyone over the age of 2 pays £14.95. Babies under 1 go free.
Take a trip to the farm at Godstone's exciting nature explorers week. Along with everything you would usually expect to find at this family farm, during half-term children can take part in crafts, go on a barefoot trail, paint with nature. The huge outdoor adventure playground is the perfect place for a family picnic, but there are also multiple canteens to choose from. Along with a ride-on vehicle track, younger visitors will delight in the dinosaur walk.
Dino Golf
When: Throughout May
Location: Mr. Mulligan's Dino Golf, Tonbridge
Cost: Adults pay £9.75, under 16s pay £7.24. A family of 4 can also go for £27.50
In case we're lucky enough to get a few bright, fair weather days, then a trip to the local adventure golf course would be a great way to get the whole family moving. Perfect for larger groups and families of differing ages. I've even taken my 14-month old before, although he declined to play any golf. It's often very busy, so it would be best to book sessions in advance.
Bricks 4 Kidz Camp
When: 28th - 31st of May
Location: Kings Hill, Tunbridge Wells, Bearsted and Sevenoaks
Cost: £40
Need something to keep little ones occupied throughout the half-term this month? Bicks 4 Kidz is a creative camp perfect to keep children between the ages of 5 and 12 entertained during your working hours. This term the virtual and brick worlds collide by bringing popular video game characters to life via Lego. Think Pokemon, Pac Man, Super Mario and Sonic. Tear your kids away from screens and let them create their own brick figures in a supervised environment.
Visit a Play Cafe
When: Throughout May
Location: Happy Bunny Kidz Cafe at the Hop Farm
As we all know too well, the weather can't always be counted upon. In order to make the most of rainy days, why not head to the amazing play cafe we have nearby. Happy Bunny Kidz Cafe at the Hop Farm near Paddock Wood is an incredible find, particularly as it is free to attend. This is a larger play cafe, filled to the brim with colourful ride-on vehicles, role play toys, dress-up clothing, and more.
Acer Forest School Drop-in Sessions
When: 25th of May - 2nd of June
Location: Acer Forest School, Sevenoaks
Cost: Adults pay £2.50, children pay £10
Acer Forest School offer family stay and play sessions throughout the half-term as well. These two hour sessions, starting at 09:30 am, allow little forest explorers to be hands-on with messy play, try out different themed activities (these change weekly) and have a go at engaging with the natural world in this woodland camp. At forest school, children can learn practical skills, experience self-discovery, and try their hand at bush crafts. An ideal choice for more outdoor play and less time spent indoors.
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