Half Term – two words that have the ability to strike fear into every parent or parents trying to keep their troops happy and entertained.
In only a week in length, it’s not long enough for true boredom to set in. But as any parent will tell you a week can feel like an eternity, if the weather turns bad or the week just creeps up and you’ve got nothing planned.
Fear not Greenwich here’s our round-up of our top 10 activities and events for all ages for this Half Term plus five bonus alternative days out!
Knight School at the Tower of London
A medieval knight should always be prepared. Come to the Tower of London this February half term and join our Knight School.Train as pages then squires, until at last, you are worthy to become Knights of the Tower!…more here
Ginuary at Rivington Greenwich
Kicking off 2018 with a burst of colour, fragrance and greenery, Rivington Greenwich plays host to a botanical Gin Garden, in collaboration with Beefeater London Dry Gin. The garden is covered by a beautiful fruit tree canopy and filled with hanging vines and warm lighting, with heaters and rugs to keep guests warm…..more here.
Colour: The Rainbow Revealed
Colour: The Rainbow Revealed is an award-winning exhibition exploring the endless ways in which colour shapes our world. Be dazzled by how colours are made and perceived, discover how animals use colour to attract and hide and look into how different colours mean many different things for people across the planet….more here
Flippin’ Good Fun Pancake Races at Greenwich Market
here are medals to be won and pancakes will be served all day on both days. Everyone who enters gets a free pancake to eat! Fancy dress optional and donations to The Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice…more here
Early Man Quest at Eltham Palace and Gardens
Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the Earth, Early Man, in cinemas 26 January, tells the story of how plucky caveman Dug, along with sidekick Hognob, unites his tribe against the mighty Bronze Age in a battle to beat them at their own game….more here
SMASHfest: Flood at the Albany
Themed around a ferocious flood, you can fight deadly mosquitoes, play medical detectives in our murder mystery and discover how to survive in space if we had to leave earth – All for FREE….more here
Discoveries and inventions at Eltham Palace
Are you a budding Darwin or an up-and-coming Brunel? Get your thinking caps on and your brains buzzing at Eltham Palace. Can you design something to add to the record books?…more here
Boppin’ Bunnies at Severndroog Castle
Boppin’ Bunnies 35-minute classes are an all-inclusive, interactive experience so parents, carers, children and younger siblings can all enjoy music making together. Join us in the beautiful Severndroog Castle nestled in the, it is said, enchanted Castle Wood!…more here
Holiday to Space at the Royal Observatory
Experience Holiday to Space at the Royal Observatory as we travel across the Solar System and help Ted plan for a holiday on another planet…more here
Make It Go – Cutty Sark
Join us this half term for a racing-themed arts and design experience where you can try out your design ideas and race your vehicles beneath the hull of the world’s most magnificent sailing ship, Cutty Sark….more here
Alternative Days Out
Brixton Windmill – Windmills were once a familiar feature of London’s landscape and the most powerful machines of the pre-industrial world. Brixton Windmill is a tangible reminder to all Londoners of the close links that the capital had with agriculture and food production. Brixton Windmill is now closed for the winter – it will reopen for public tours in April. However, you can still access the gardens and park that surrounds it.
Windmill Gardens
West end of Blenheim Gardens
Off Brixton Hill
London
SW2 5EU
Chislehurst Caves – 22 miles of intersecting tunnels Today the caves are a tourist attraction and although they are called caves, they are entirely man-made and were dug and used as chalk and flint mines. The earliest mention of the mines is around 1250 and they are believed to have been last worked in the 1830s. During the early 1900s, the caves became a popular tourist attraction. In World War I, they were used as an ammunition depot associated with the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. They were used for mushroom cultivation in the 1930s and as a place of safety during World War II.
Chislehurst Caves
Old Hill,
Caveside Close,
Chislehurst
BR7 5QX
Nunhead Cemetery – In my opinion is the most beautiful cemetery in all of London – but then I am biased. It is our family cemetery, I can count at least 10 relatives that rest here. One of seven cemeteries that circled old Victorian London. It boasts lime tree avenues and gothic architecture aplenty. In the early 1980s, it was designated as a local nature reserve and considered a site of wildlife importance, full of tawny owls and woodpeckers, Along with some splendid views of London.
Nunhead Cemetery
Linden Grove,
London
SE15 3LP
London’s only lighthouse – Deep within the Docklands, where the River Lee meets the Thames, lies London’s only lighthouse. Built-in 1864-66 and located in an area know as Trinity Buoy Wharf. Now a centre for the arts and cultural activities. Today you’ll find a Container City, an office/studio complex made of recycled shipping containers, And then you have everyone’s favourite… Fat Boys Diner, a 1940’s all American Diner.
Trinity Buoy Wharf
64 Orchard Place
London
E14 0JY
Creekside Discovery Centre – Closer to home, Creekside is a discovery centre for people of all ages and abilities, to enjoy the physical and natural environment, and help maintain and protect the local, urban wildlife. Creekside Discovery Centre provides fun, informative, environmental education for 3-103-year-olds! This half term you can join a wildlife craft extravaganza. Bring along your family, friends and neighbours and get stuck into some crafting fun!
Creekside Discovery Centre
14 Creekside
Deptford
SE8 4SA
Details are subject to change so please make sure you check with the venue before setting out. Thanks!