February Half-Term events for the whole family across Essex. Click on each one for more
details, or look at the Things to Do section for full half-term listings by area.
 

   Barking Learning Centre

• Family bingo: Join our half-term session to enjoy a friendly game of bingo. For children aged 5 to 12 years accompanied by an adult. Free drop in event. For more information:
• Valentine’s Day crafts: Join us for an afternoon of Valentine’s Day crafts. For children aged 5 to 12 years accompanied by an adult. Free drop in event.

  Clever Crafters Holiday Club

• February Half-Term Club: Valentines, Chinese New Year, baking and a whole lot more

FitForSport

• Half-Term Activity Camp: During the school holidays we understand the importance of children being outside and active. This February half term, our experienced and fully qualified team will be delivering a wide range of activities to keep your children happy and healthy all week long.

Hedingham Castle

• Snowdrop Sunday: The Castle’s winter gardens are possibly the most romantic in the East of England, with at least 13 varieties of snowdrops covering the steep slopes of the motte and bailey and setting off the trees and lakes in front of the Georgian Mansion House. The Cafe in the Keep will be open for the sale of mulled wine and other refreshments.
• Jousting with the Knights of Middle England! The astounding Knights of Middle England! Bold and bright costumes accompanied by stunts such as saddle falls, drags and rearing horses make this a show to remember! The evil Black Knight and his trusty fool cause havoc against the Earl of Warwick and his team of chivalrous Knights! Surrounding it all will be a bustling arena full of craft stalls, a range of food and a host of entertainment! 
• Jousting with the Knights of Royal England! The ever exciting and popular Knights of Royal England return to Hedingham to recreate the classic Tourney in front of the Keep, an awesome spectacle of chivalry, hand to hand combat, mounted challenges and dark deeds! Surrounding it all will be a bustling arena with craft stalls, a range of food and a host of entertainment! 
• Classic and Vintage Car Show: A great day out in the company of some interesting, beautiful and strange vehicles – and their owners! If you have a classic car of your own, bring it along for free admission, but please note that pre-registration is essential.
• Jousting with Destrier! The magnificent Destrier return! In custom-made suits of authentic solid steel armour, they charge at speeds of over 40mph in a Tournament as close to the real thing as you will ever experience! Watch them arm! Thrill as they do battle! All around them the bustle and excitement of a medieval fair, with Archery you can test your skill at, our Jester and more.
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Pantaloons are back, with their magical production of Shakespeare’s classic play. More details to follow..
  
  

Little Stars Theatre Workshops

• Mamma Mia Workshop: Always dreamed of being a West End Star? Join us at Little Stars Theatre Workshops February 2017 to learn a Show Stopping West End Routine by a professional from the stage show!

Sports Xtra

• Angry Birds The Movie Xperience
• Dance Xperience
• Sport Xperience

 
Wow - Musical Theatre Workshops

• Book of Mormon Workshop: WOW! invites those with a passion for musical theatre aged 11-21 to take part in a 3 hour workshop with West-End Book of Mormon cast member Reece Kerridge including learning the original Book of Mormon choreography and script!

 
Beautiful Things

• Crochet stitch school – popcorn/bobble stitch
• Dressmaking for children – little girls dress
• Learn to sew with your child
  
• Sewing with jersey (coco)
  

Mega Camps

• February Half Term Camp: We hand pick and train our staff, we create new games, we take elements of sports and do the fun parts of them , we let you choose what activities you would like to do!

Thriftwood International Scout Activity Centre

• Chill Out Activity Club

Tylers Common

• Learn to fish sessions: 7-15 year olds, No experience necessary. All equipment hire & bait included. Qualified, Licenced, DBS checked coaching

 
  Allstar Community Academy

• Football Camp

Chelmsford Museum

• Essex rocks! ‘Essex Rocks!’ brought to you by Essex Rock and Mineral Society will explore the prehistory of Essex via the geology of the county. The geological deposits in Essex go back millions of years, to a period when there were ancient oceans, volcanoes, deserts and glaciers. The evidence of this prehistoric world lies underneath our feet. At ‘Essex Rocks’ you will learn about the Jurassic island that is 350m beneath Chelmsford and the dinosaurs that once lived on it, and why the River Thames once flowed past Chelmsford.
  

Chelmsford Sport & Athletics Centre

• Athletics Festival
• Get In! City Camp!
• Masterclass Athletics
• Parkour & Free-Running
• Top Tekkers academy

Creepy Crawlies

• Valentines Play Party: Cold Norton Preschool are joining forces with Creepy Crawlies for a fun Valentine's Play Party!

Danbury Country Park

• Nature Club: A monthly nature club for children aged 7 to 11 years who are interested in outdoor fun with a nature theme. 
• Wild Wednesday: Permission to Play: Free outdoor fun and activities for the whole family.

Dovedale Sports Centre

• Get In! City Camp!

Essex Outdoors

• Activity Day: Essex Outdoors action-packed activity day experiences run at our 4 centres during the school holidays and are the ideal way for young people aged 8-16 to try exciting new experiences in the outdoors! Working in groups of around 10 young people, your child will have the opportunity to take part in up to four fun and challenging activities each day, ranging from archery, canoeing and climbing to mountain biking, high ropes and zip wire.

Essex Police Museum

• Criminal Photo Shoot: Come and dress up as a Victorian criminal and have your photo taken in the stocks! Fun for everyone!
• Make a Walkie Talkie: Come and have fun making your own police walkie talkies! Fun for all the family!

The Ideas Hub

• The Imagination Station puppet show - 'The mouse on the moon'

Jester's Out of School and Holiday Club

• Movies & Musicals: Dress, watch and sing out loud to your favourite musicals. Munch your way through the latest blockbusters with a trip to the cinema.

Little Stars Theatre Workshops

• Aladdin West End Workshop: Always dreamed of being a West End Star? Join us at Little Stars Theatre Workshops February 2017 to learn a Show Stopping West End Routine by a professional from the stage show!
• Good Dinosaur workshop: Children will go Dinosaur crazy during our fun themed two days, which will end with a spectacular show of 'The Good Dinosaur' for parents to watch!!
  

Marsh Farm

• Lambing & Laughter: Spring is always a busy time at Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park and this year will be no exception as we prepare to welcome our newest arrivals. Lambing season runs throughout February and March with new lambs being born almost every day.
  

Mega Camps

• February Half Term Camp: We hand pick and train our staff, we create new games, we take elements of sports and do the fun parts of them , we let you choose what activities you would like to do!

P.A.S.S. Soccer

• Soccer School: P.A.S.S. hold a number of successful weekly training courses at convenient centres around Essex. These courses run during school term and children should bring along boots as well trainers or astro trainers for the all weather pitches at some venues.

Premier Sport Holiday Courses

• Football
• Gymnastics
• Multi Sport and Nerf Gun Party

Riverside Ice and Leisure

• Get In! City Camp!
• Swimming Lessons

South Woodham Ferrers Leisure Centre

• Get In! City Camp!
• Swimming Lessons

  The Beth Chatto Gardens

• Amazing Garden Art Day run by the Beth Chatto Education Trust: Create some cool outdoor art, decorate your own pots, design a recycled planter and sow some seed for spring!
• Birds & Bugs: Garden Activity Day for children. Come and join us for a feathery, creepy crawly day! Hunt for creatures, try a trail and make a fabulous masterpiece to take home.
  

Colchester Leisure World

• Base Camp: A full day of action packed supervised activities for children in school years 7-11. Ideal for working parents. Activities include fun in the Leisure Pool, trip to X-Tream gaming, multi sports, trampolining and a trip to the cinema. 
• Bubble Football: Jump inside our giant inflatable zorb balls for high energy, fun in a bubble!
• Clay model making: Fun and mess with hands on activities using creativity and imagination.
• Fun & Games: Ready… Set… Go! Have a great time with a selection of fun group games.
• Kids camp: A full day of action packed supervised activities for children in school years 1-6, which includes swimming as a core part of the day’s activities. Ideal for working parents. 
• Pottery Painting: Fun and mess with hands on activities using creativity and imagination.
  
• Trampolining: Get jumping and learn some basic trampoline moves.
  

Essex Outdoors

• Activity Day: Essex Outdoors action-packed activity day experiences run at our 4 centres during the school holidays and are the ideal way for young people aged 8-16 to try exciting new experiences in the outdoors! Working in groups of around 10 young people, your child will have the opportunity to take part in up to four fun and challenging activities each day, ranging from archery, canoeing and climbing to mountain biking, high ropes and zip wire.

Explore Learning

• FREE Maths Workshop: Colchester's Explore Learning are holding a workshop dedicated to helping children aged 9-11 understand how to answer worded maths problems. Worded Problems can be quite daunting for many children. The Explore Learning tutor team will be working with children to help them break down some seemingly tricky questions, in a fun and engaging way, with plenty of rewards too!

High Woods Country Park

• Family Forest Fun: Free play in nature at Highwoods Country Park

TWAS Theatre

• Rapunzel.Workshop

      Final Checks

• Final Checks Makeup & Hair Studio: Let your kids be creative during this February half term. Our 2 hour Face-painting workshop will involve demos by our celebrity makeup artist Danielle, showing them different techniques and skills to create fairies, flowers, skulls and tigers for boys and girls.

FitForSport

• Half-Term Activity Camp: During the school holidays we understand the importance of children being outside and active. This February half term, our experienced and fully qualified team will be delivering a wide range of activities to keep your children happy and healthy all week long.

Havering Museum

• Fun with Sweets: A fun workshop for those with a sweet tooth. As well as exploring the history of sweets, there will be the opportunity to make some!
  
• Spring Spectacular: Get in the mood for Spring and drop into the Museum where there will be seasonal craft activities and potting up seeds throughout the day!
• Extravaganza: Come and have a great time doing Easter crafts, playing games and getting involved in our competitions. Drop in anytime during the day.
• Pirate Pete Easter Egg Hunt: Join our Pirate Pete Easter Egg Hunt, look for clues to discover where the treasure is hidden and receive an Easter Egg. Prizes available for best dressed young pirate and craft activities.

The Liberty

• International Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week: Make a Valentine’s Day card for your loved one, decorate a ‘wish heart’ with a good deed to be added to our ‘Kindness Tree’ and pose for a selfie stating your good deed and share it on social media.

Mega Camps

• February Half Term Camp: We hand pick and train our staff, we create new games, we take elements of sports and do the fun parts of them , we let you choose what activities you would like to do!

MyPlace

• Balloon Workshop and Magic Show! The Ultimate Boredom Busting event, kids over the age of 5 get to learn a brand new skill making their own balloon models! Take home your creations including hat, dog,sword and more plus enjoy some magic too!

The Old Chapel

• Pottery Cafe

Queens Theatre

• Aladdin Story play
• Animal Encounters
• Egg-cellent Adventures
• Eggs, Eggs, Eggs
• Jack and the Beanstalk Story Play
• Room on the Broom
• Suprising Stories
• The Trevor Cline Amazing Magic and Balloons
• Twice Upon A Time
• The Billy Bo Bubble Show
• The Three Little Pigs Story Play
• Alien Adventures
• Daring Dragons
• Elephant-Tastic
• The Gruffalo
• Musical in a Week
• Puppet Pirates
• Sailing the Seven Sea
• Ghostly Ghouls

Stubbers Adventure Centre

• February Half Term SMASH Camps: A fun packed week of action including Commando Training Days, which are for budding members of the Special Forces, as participants will undertake assault courses and learn about survival training, camouflage and concealment techniques.
• Easter Holiday SMASH Camps: During the School Easter Holidays, SMASH runs a Multi activity programme similar to Summer SMASH. This includes Junior programme (school years 2 to 3) and Adventurer programme (school years 4 to 11). During these holidays we don’t run any of our specialist programmes but allow Seniors aged between 13 to 16 to join the Adventurers. 
• May Half Term SMASH Camps: A fun packed week of action running from Monday to Friday where the Adventurers take part in many adventurous activities such as: - 4x4 driving - Climbing - Banana boating and much more! Multi Activity Days 
• Commando Camp Week: A week for budding soldiers… ‘Not for the faint hearted’ Commando week is packed full of excitement including assault courses, camouflage and concealment techniques, laser tag combat and other special forces skills such as abseiling and raft 
• SMASH A.I.R (All Inclusive Residential): Have you heard about our all inclusive residential camp?Why not upgrade to SMASH A.I.R and get 5 nights accommodation
• Summer Holiday SMASH Camps: Summer Activity Camps for School Years 2-11 Throughout the School Summer Holiday we're running our popular Multi-Activity Days and Weeks for Juniors, Adventurers and Seniors. 
• Water Sports Week: Interested in gaining an award in a Water Sport? Well look no further, with this package you work towards 3 awards in one week! Now included in the water sports week is BSUPA Born to Ride.
• Trail Of Terror Night Walk: For school years 4 to 11 – £10 per head (First 2 parents go free, one adult per paying child free after) Come join us for the Trail of Terror around Stubbers grounds and witness the dead come to life! This interactive night walk is not for the faint hearted and we recommend it for 9 years and above. Why let the kids have all the fun – this year parent join in for free! 
• SMASH Christmas Shopping Days: For School Years 2 to 11. Looking to squeeze in some last minute Christmas shopping? Why don’t you leave your little elves with SMASH for a fun packed day of adventure. You can even sit, relax and unwind with a glass of mulled wine whilst you wait for the kids to finish off their Christmas activities with us. Perfect!

Thames Chase

• Spring Half Term Children’s Activities

  Essex Outdoors

• Activity Day: Essex Outdoors action-packed activity day experiences run at our 4 centres during the school holidays and are the ideal way for young people aged 8-16 to try exciting new experiences in the outdoors! Working in groups of around 10 young people, your child will have the opportunity to take part in up to four fun and challenging activities each day, ranging from archery, canoeing and climbing to mountain biking, high ropes and zip wire.

FitForSport

• Half-Term Activity Camp: During the school holidays we understand the importance of children being outside and active. This February half term, our experienced and fully qualified team will be delivering a wide range of activities to keep your children happy and healthy all week long.

P.A.S.S. Soccer

• Soccer School: P.A.S.S. hold a number of successful weekly training courses at convenient centres around Essex. These courses run during school term and children should bring along boots as well trainers or astro trainers for the all weather pitches at some venues.

Premier Sport Holiday Courses

• Football
• Gymnastics

Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome

• STO-Kers - Epic Kids Event: A great chance for 8-14 year old's to explore and enjoy a variety of activities linked by the theme of ‘flight’!

  Junior Game Creators

• Half-Term Workshops: These sessions are not just about code. By learning how to create games we aim to boosts the skills like literacy, numeracy, creativity, leadership, problem solving, teamwork, communication, perseverance, the ability to work together towards a goal. We encourage them to go off piste and learn by doing.

Valentines Mansion & Gardens

• Lovely Arts & Crafts - Special activity for Valentines Day. Make a bunch of flowers, heart shaped bag and envelopes, just in time for Valentines Day
• Made with Love Craft Fair & Artists' Open Studios: Our massively popular Made with Love Fair is back. A celebration of unique handmade crafts, from homeware and jewellery, to artisan food and drink and gorgeous gifts for loved ones, just in time for Valentines Day. You'll also have the chance to visit the top floor of the Mansion and meet our talented studio artists and see them working on their amazing creations.
• Marvellous Magic: Be prepared to be amazed by Mrs Back to Front and her marvellous magic tricks. Tickets include both the magic show and a workshop to learn magical and fun secrets that will amaze your friends.
• Young Artists: A very special exhibition showcasing the incredible artwork by a very talented group of young artists aged between 6 and 16 years.
  

  Elite Sport Coaching

• Nerf Games

    Active Friends Holiday Club

• February Half-Term Holiday Club: Active Friends is a multi-sport and arts and crafts based activity holiday club with a difference. Our ambition is for children to have FUN and enjoy being ACTIVE whilst inspiring them to lead a healthy lifestyle. We aim to achieve this through active games, team activities, child lead activities and arts and crafts.

Belfairs Park and Woodland Nature Reserve

• Forest Friday: A fun morning of crafts, activities and games both indoors and out! A fun morning of crafts, games and forest fun both indoors and out during the holidays here at Belfairs. Suitable for 7years and under. Children must be accompanied by parents
  
• Fun Thursday: A fun afternoon of crafts and games for children up to 7 
• Squirel Squad: Valentine Hearts
• Treemendous Tuesday
• A Valentines Drop-in Craft Day
• Winter Tree I-D Walk: WINTER TREE I-D WALK Know your ash from your hornbeam, your oak from your wild service? Join our Woodland Ranger to identify winter trees in the beautiful ancient woodlands of Belfairs
  

Blenheim Children's Centre

• Messy Play for Children with Disabilities
• Stay and Play - Frozen
• Stay and Play - Giraffe's Can't Dance
  
• Stay and Play - The Smartest Giant in Town
• Stay and Play - Someone Bigger

Bricks 4 Kids Essex

• Bat League - Heroes & Villains Camp

Bubble Splat

• Half-Term at Bubble Splat: Come in and paint from our large range of ceramics, make some beautifully fragranced soaps or some glittering bathbombs all wrapped in chosen bag with ribbon!Parents can join in the fun too!

Cambridge Road

• Be Kind to your teeth and body
• Stay and Play - Giraffes Can't Dance
• Stay and Play - The Smartest Giant in Town

Centre Place

• Let's Make Friendship Bracelets
• Messy Play
• Stay and Play - Giraffes Can't Dance
• Stay and Play - The Selfish Crocodile

Chalkwell Beach

• Wild Beach

Cycle Southend

• Bikeability Fix: These sessions will teach you how to perform basic bike maintenance so that you can ensure that your bike is always in good working order including fixing a puncture. Taught in small groups with all equipment supplied – just turn up!
• Learn to Ride Sessions: Suitable for all ages. Book a 1:1 45 minute session with one of our accredited instructors. Haven’t got a bike? Borrow one of ours!
• Level 1 Bikeability: Can you already ride a bike but want to learn more skills? This course teaches all the basics needed to be safe on a bike as well as how to check that a bike is in good working order. There will be a chance to practice all of these skills in fun challenges and games. If you haven’t got a bike you can hire one of ours. Suitable for 7 – 10 year olds.

Eastwood Children's Centre

• Messy Play for children with Disabilities 
• Stay and Play: Wear red for Valentine's Day

Friars Children's Centre

• Card Making
• Pass on a Smile

Hamstel Children's Centre

• Baby Time - Circle Time Kindness
• Card Making
• Happy Healthy Hearts
• Milky Mondays

Leigh Community Centre

• The Art Ministry Arts and Crafts Session: The Art Ministry will be running another one of their arts & crafts sessions. All proceeds raised go to The Art Ministry. 
• Jolly Kids Castles Inflatable Day: Jolly Kids Castles will be bringing a Peppa Pig Soft Play Area and a 27ft Inflatable Obstacle Course to the Community Centre. Plus Peppa will be putting in an appearance.

Mega Camps

• February Half Term Camp: We hand pick and train our staff, we create new games, we take elements of sports and do the fun parts of them , we let you choose what activities you would like to do!

Palace Theatre

• Story Quest February half term project: Participants must commit to all three days. This three day story adventure at the Palace Theatre in February half term will bring books to life and encourage the participants to think about using them creative and imaginative ways, to inspire new work. 
• We're Going on a Bear Hunt: Direct from a smash-hit WEST END season and international tour. Michael Rosen’s award-winning book We’re Going On A Bear Hunt is brought vividly and noisily to the stage in director Sally Cookson’s fun-filled adaptation set to Benji Bower’s versatile lively score.

The Park Inn Hotel

• Parent and Child Hair Workshop - Shine by Amelia: Are you a parent who gets stuck with how to style their child's hair, or a fashion conscious teen who needs hair inspiration, have a wedding this summer to go to, or going somewhere special and you and your child need a quick hair fix? Book yourself a place on local hair stylist Amelia's Parent and Child hair workshop!

Prince Avenue

• Baby Sensory
• Let's Make Shortbread
• Stay and Play - The Selfish Crocodile

Shoeburyness High School Community Projects

• Adventure Time in the Great Outdoors
• Arts and Crafts Valentnes Themed 
• Fencing
• Holiday Fashion School: Sketch - Design - Create
• I Love to Bounce and Party
• I Love Fashion/Textiles
• I Love Gymnastics
• I Love Sport
• I Love Sweets
• Love to Dance
• Mini Arts and Crafts
• Mini Cookery
• Mini Pirates
• Mini Princess
• Mini Sports
• Mini Tumbles Gymnastics
• Tag Rugby

The Soccer Hub

• Half Term Football Camp

Southchurch Hall

• Mousechurch Hall: Take a mouse eye’s view of this ancient building and its historic settings. Discover the mice in different rooms and listen to mouse-themed stories in the kitchen.

Southend Planetarium

• Space Plus! Learn about space in the planetarium then have the opportunity to handle actual meteorites and discover the size of the Solar System in our space workshop!
• Stories in the Sky: Discover the fascinating stories behind the constellations in the sky at night. Why is Cancer the crab among the stars? Why are Orion and Scorpius so far from each other? 
  

St Mary's CofE Primary School

• Musical Monday: Bring your instruiments and enjoy a day of fun musical activities

Summercourt Children's Centre

• Biscuit decorating and card making
• Let's Share a Smile

Temple Sutton Children's Centre

• Baby Discovery Week
• Baking a Cake
• Messy Play

Theatretrain

• Stage Combat Workshop: Professional Actor, Kiel O’ Shea introduces the techniques in unarmed combat for stage and screen!
  PLUS! Romeo & Juliette themed Drama Class

Victoria Shopping Centre

• Love is in the Air: Come and join us and our cheeky cupids from 11am - 4pm on Saturday 11th February for free choccie and heart giveaways, glitter tattoos for your little cherubs and our romantic Love Letters competition where you can delight the love in your life with a beautiful message which we'll post for you free of charge!

      Creative Blast Academy

• Disney Princes & Princesses: Anna or Elsa, Prince Charming or Eric, Belle or Ariel, Flynn or Christoff, - who is your favourite Disney Prince or Princess? Join us for a magical day creating your own story, learn to sing your favourite Disney songs and learn a dance routine to show off at the Ball! Got your own costume, then bring it along! 
• Sparky Bear Workshop: Join Sparky Bear and Sparkle on their Pirates and Princesses workshop and help them hunt for treasure. Stories, singing, games and crafts
  

Mega Camps

• February Half Term Camp: We hand pick and train our staff, we create new games, we take elements of sports and do the fun parts of them , we let you choose what activities you would like to do!

Partyman World of Play

• Balloon Modelling
• Entertainment
• Face Painting

Thameside Theatre

• Disney Princes and Princesses Workshop: Creative Blast present their first workshop of 2017. Anna or Elsa, Flynn or Christoff? Who is your favourite Disney prince or princess? Join us for a magical day creating your own story. Learn to sing your favourite Disney songs and a dance routine perfect for a ball. If you have your own costume at home, then bring it along!
• Treasure Island featuring CBeebies Spotbots Stars: Children’s TV stars Callum Donnelly, Richard Franks and Robin Hatcher are the stars of the popular hit CBeebies TV show ‘SPOTBOTS’ - they also joined Justin Fletcher recently in ‘Justin’s House’ for lots of the usual craziness and shenanigans!

Audley End House and Gardens

• Spy School: An English Heritage Event - Calling all super sleuths, secret agents and intrepid investigators! Sharpen your detective skills withs hands-on training in cracking codes and solving clues this half term.

BakeWell

• Bouquet Cupcake Class: Get ready for Valentines and Mother's Day and Say it with cake! Bake cupcakes, flavour and pipe with two-tone buttercream flowers to create your very own delicious bouquet.

Discover Bushcraft

• Discover Bushcraft Holiday Club: Discover Bushcraft Holiday Club's aim is to provide fun, educational and inspiring outdoor based activity days for children aged 8 - 12 years. We use a mixture of bushcraft skills (firelighting, shelter building for example), nature immersion (exploring) and we do lots of campfire cooking

Fab Science

•  Crazy Colours: Find out all about light in kaleidoscopes and rainbows, investigate with mirrors and lenses and try out some colourful chemistry!

FitForSport

• Half-Term Activity Camp: During the school holidays we understand the importance of children being outside and active. This February half term, our experienced and fully qualified team will be delivering a wide range of activities to keep your children happy and healthy all week long.

The Gardens of Easton Lodge

• Main Season Open day: Come and visit us for our main season open day.
• World War II open day: Come and visit us for World War two open day at the gardens where once again "Perfect Vintage" will be performing.

Sports Xtra

• Angry Birds The Movie Xperience