Half term is just around the corner, so get ready to hit the ground running! Here's are some of our ideas to fill your days with fun, adventure and unforgettable memories!
Colchester Fringe Festival Madness!
Colchester Fringe Festival coincides with Half Term this year, giving children and teenagers the opportunity to catch cutting edge performing arts events throughout some of the city’s theatre venues! Enjoy an interactive multi-sensory storytelling show for 0-2 years, featuring puppetry, singing and key-word signing, with Hello Beach! Manic Macbeth promises murder, superstition and madness in this child-friendly rendition of The Scottish Play. Or why not delve into a world of Nordic gods with Valhalla Awaits – Viking Stories For Kids!
Spooky Days Out
Shriek Week at Colchester Zoo offers a whopping variety of activities to keep the kids occupied all included in the admission price! With a Witches' Potion Trail, Runaway Pirate Road Train, Circus School for circus skills – there’s something to suit everyone in the group!
Delve into the fairytale land of Wyvernwood where dragons roam and the Wicked Witch has cast her most spectacular spell yet! Help Merlin in his quest to save Wyvernwood from the clutches of the Wicked Witch and restore happiness to the kingdom!
Enjoy the countryside of Colchester at one of Essex Wildlife Trust’s kid-friendly craft and outdoors activity events such as Abberton Spooky Species Hunt and Fingringhoe Spooktacular!
Free Fun!
Looking for free activities to keep you all occupied when the purse strings are tight? We’ve got you covered. Venture to the scenic Mersea Island and enjoy the great outdoors at Cudmore Grove Nature Reserve where you can take part in a FREE Spooky Magic Trail for children!
The Roman Trivia Trail sees children step back in time in the footsteps of our Roman ancestors. Follow the map to each stop before reporting back with a Roman fact or a hand drawn picture to claim your FREE prize back at the Visitor Information Centre. Download the trail for free or alternatively pick up a paper copy from our Visitor Information Centre based at the entrance to Hollytrees Museum!
Natural History Museum provides FREE entrance to be enjoyed by all. Explore the exhibits to learn more about Colchester’s natural history or why not join in the Spooky Stories at the Natural History Museum on 28th and 30th October (please note the Natural History Museum is open for pre-booked tickets only on 27th October for their Curious Creatures Petting Zoo!)
A Journey Through Time
Steam ahead into the half term with a day out at the East Anglian Railway Museum! With the museum’s Steam or Diesel Day you can enjoy unlimited rides on a steam or diesel hauled locomotive and have the rest of the day to check out this preserved heritage station and its accompanying museum. For the Thomas the Tank Engine fans, you can enjoy Thomas and Friends on selected days – including Rusty, Dusty, Sir Topham Hat and of course Thomas himself!
Children will be able to enjoy FREE entry to Colchester Roman Circus (accompanying adults are £5pp) on certain days for their October Half Term Fun days! Learn about the Roman way of life, see recently discovered archaeological finds and enjoy the amazing miniature models of Colchester and the Roman Circus while learning about Colchester’s incredible historic past.
Take a step back in time at Colchester Castle, Europe's largest Norman keep! Throughout the half term, Colchester Castle continues its breath taking lunar exhibition with Luke Jerram's Museum of the Moon. Displaying a giant, illuminated model of the Moon using high-resolution NASA photography, this magnificent spectacle showcases the moon in perfect detail, offering visitors something that is, quite simply, out of this world!
Meanwhile, Juliasaurus, the remarkable 150-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton, is on display at Hollytrees Museum as part of the Discover Museum Wonders exhibition. Both museums offer free entry to Museum Pass holders. Peruse the fascinating finds and displays, or join an event such as the Bookmark Embroidery Workshop, the Creepy Castle Family Tour or the Howl-o-Ween Trail, to name but a few!
