Family-Friendly Easter Events For An Eggcellent Day Out

Easter is just around the corner, and it’s a joyful time of year when the weather finally feels warmer and the daffodils are in full bloom. For families, it’s an opportunity to spend some quality bonding time as the children enjoy a break from school and have a chance to get out and about. Here are a few ideas for some fun activities and fresh air this Easter season!

Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria

Muncaster Castle is hosting an egg hunt, and the children will be delighted to learn that they can throw them off the castle roof as well. First, they’ll need to attend the Protect the Egg workshop to learn how to design a special protective shield to keep their egg in one piece. Owners of eggs that survive intact will be treated to a special reward!

Muncaster Castle is a stunning location, and particularly enchanting in spring when the gardens are coming to life with colour and interest. There’s a blend of traditional lawns and woodland trails to explore offering beautiful views. There are paths that are suitable for prams and pushchairs, and the ticket office staff will be happy to provide you with directions.

There’s also a hawk and owl centre that is open daily from Easter onwards, featuring flying displays and a chance to observe these magnificent creatures close-up in the Owl Garden.

York’s Chocolate Story

York is a city with many attractions and is well worth a visit at any time of the year. Did you know that among its many claims to fame is a starring role in the history of chocolate? The story starts all the way back in 1725, when a Quaker woman named Mary Tuke established a cocoa and chocolate making business.

The business was sold to the Rowntree family, and by the late 19th century it was flourishing as a confectionery and chocolate making business. The much-loved Fruit Pastilles and Fruit Gums were launched, and the owner Joseph Rowntree established a charitable trust to help improve the lives of factory workers in the city. The trust still exists today. 

Rowntree’s is also famous for producing Kit Kats, Aero bars, Yorkie bars, Lion bars, After Eights, Smarties, and the Black Magic assortment box. After a sustained period of growth and expansion, the company was sold to Nestlé in 1988.

The story also features Terry’s of York, which began as a confectioner’s shop in the city in 1767, originally known as Bayldon & Berry. The chemist Joseph Terry joined the business in 1823, and eventually went on to be the sole owner. 

Terry used his training as a chemist to develop new product lines, and was able to take advantage of the emerging railway network to distribute them to the Midlands and the North and South of England. Terry’s sons eventually took over the business and developed a grand Art Deco style factory on Bishopthorpe Road in York, which opened in 1926. 

Terry’s Chocolate Works manufactured new products including Terry’s Chocolate Orange and Terry’s All Gold. The business was sold to Forte in the 1960s, and has changed ownership several times over the years. York’s Chocolate Story includes a tour that relates the story in detail and an interactive chocolate making process.

Countrytastic Festival, Malvern, 28 March

If you are in the Midlands this Easter, then the Countrytastic Festival at the Malvern Three Counties Showground is a fabulous opportunity for a family day out. It’s designed to be 100 per cent child-friendly and to help introduce them to the wonders of the British countryside. Tickets must be purchased in advance via the website.

There’ll be a chance for kids to meet farmyard animals and discover more about farming. There’s also a host of arts and crafts activities that are mostly free of charge, including face-painting, a pottery workshop, an art studio, willow weaving, baking and cookery classes, and chocolate making workshops. 

Children are encouraged to dress as there favourite superhero for the day, to celebrate the theme of farming heroes. There will be the opportunity to learn about the sustainable farming community and live-action displays featuring tractor rides, pony rides, and animals including Exmoor ponies, alpacas, pygmy goats, Lancashire Heeler dogs, and much more.