Easter Holiday Ideas

Whether your children have two or four weeks holiday at Easter, you need to plan a few activities to keep everyone from going stir-crazy. Many organised Easter events should be pre-booked to ensure a place but we have suggestions for spontaneous days out as well as fun ideas to do at home or in the local park. Don't forget that it's quick and easy to search our calendar of events for a particular day or theme.

Easter Egg Hunts

Imperial War Museum; follow the specially devised trail and discover the eggs hidden around the Museum 8th-17th April - all day.
London Zoo; follow the giant egg hunt throughout the school holidays from the 7th - 22nd April. Use the clues to hunt down and search out the giant egg shapes hidden around the Zoo whilst visiting all your favourite animals.
London Wetland Centre; an exciting selection of activities, including �egg watch' (watching duck eggs develop and hatch into little ducklings), Easter arts and crafts, Easter egg trail, the great egg race and pond dipping.
Easy Peasy Skate, Battersea Park SW11; put on your skates and whiz around the park perimeter looking for different coloured eggs. Once collected head back to the start and hand them in to get a tasty prize!

Free Family Days Out

Yes, it is possible to enjoy London without emptying your wallet!

The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, River Thames - Sunday 2nd April; the world famous universities square off in this historic rowing race. It's a spectacular display of strength and teamwork, and thousands of fans line the banks of the river to roar their encouragement. It takes place on the River Thames between Mortlake and Putney and the race starts at 4.35pm. Take a picnic and grab a good spot early in the day.

London Harness Horse Parade, Battersea Park, SW11 - Monday 17th April 8.30am-2pm; you might not expect to see horse-drawn carriages in the city, but this annual Easter Monday event is a huge parade of working horses around Battersea Park. From giant Shire horses to sturdy Shetland ponies, all pulling old carts, carriages and engines, this is a spectacular vision of how London must have looked in the days when the butcher, milkman and taxi driver all depended on harnessed horses to get around. Call 01737 350 052 for more information. APOLOGIES, BUT THIS YEARS SHOW IS TO BE HELD AT THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND SHOWGROUND WHICH IS NEAR GATWICK. PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

Church Services

Easter is a time of celebration for many cultures and is marked in a great number of ways - for Christians it is the most important time of the year. There are so many beautiful and quirky churches in London and many keep traditions which date back centuries.

St Bartholomew the Great, EC1 is a short walk from St Paul's Cathedral and lays claim to being the oldest church in London. Dating from 1123, it is a very beautiful and atmospheric. Every Good Friday since time immemorial the widows of the parish have been presented with free Hot Cross Bun after the service. Call 020 7606 5171 for more information.

St Clement Danes on the Strand holds its famous Oranges and Lemons service over the Easter weekend. This children's service is assisted by the pupils of St Clement Danes Primary School who read the lesson, recite the famous 'Oranges and Lemons' nursery rhyme, and sometimes play the tune on handbells. After the service each child is given an orange and a lemon from a table outside the church. Call 020 7242 8282 for more information.

Westminster Cathedral;celebrate a Catholic Easter at this extraordinary Byzantine landmark. The acoustics are superb and the Cathedral Choir is possibly the best boys choir in the city. Expect lots of ceremony, incense and music. Call 020 7798 9055 for more information.

Southwark Cathedral; has a welcoming atmosphere and the informal, musical services over Easter weekend should draw hundreds of worshippers. Call 020 7367 6700 for more information

Easter Fun

If your child has a birthday in the next month, why not delay the party until the Easter holidays? The weather may be good enough to plan for an egg hunt in the garden or local park, all the children can make an Easter hat - it doesn't have to be fluffy and covered in bunnies, soldiers, pirates, warriors and Spiderman all wear hats too! Tea can be a feast of Easter nests, hot cross buns and egg sandwiches. Some children will be away on holiday over Easter, but this reduces numbers - regard it as a bonus! You can still have fun with all these activities even if you don't plan a party - there are lots of fun Easter recipes from around the world as well as egg painting, making Easter baskets and Easter games for all generations.

Have fun!