Where to let the kids run wild...

Over the school holidays, you can enjoy everything from outdoor adventures to egg hunts, Lego workshops to dinosaur trails – here’s our top picks…

ASHFORD TOWN CENTRE

The Ashford Festival of Railway Modelling returns to the town centre this year with a packed programme of activities. Enthusiasts can admire more than 45 model railway layouts, a photography exhibition looking at 140 years of the Maidstone East to Ashford West railway line and a one-off model railway showcase at the Elwick Club. There are also open days at Ashford Museum and a beer festival with live music at Coachworks. Details: Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 at various locations in Ashford town centre. Wristbands cost £10 and can be booked online.

BETTESHANGER COUNTRY PARK

Take on an outdoor assault course and challenge your mates in a race to the finish line this Easter. Betteshanger’s fun family-friendly course, Boonies, is offering a one-hour instructor-led session, 30 minutes of free play and 30 minutes on the slip-and-slide for a discounted price on select dates throughout the school holidays.

Details: Select dates until Friday, April 12 at Betteshanger Country Park in Deal. Sessions cost £15 and can be booked online.

BRENCHLEY GARDENS

There’s lots of free fun to be had in Maidstone during the Easter break. It all starts with the Magical Beasts sculpture trail where families can follow an art trail throughout the town to uncover baby Iguanodon dinosaurs and a giant T-rex. Keep an eye out for the handlers who will also be wandering around with their dinosaur friends.

A few days later, the town’s Medieval Fayre returns with craft activities, history talks and birds of prey displays. The free fair will give kids a chance to try their hand at traditional skills such as woodworking and calligraphy and get involved in knight and princess training.

Details: Magical Beasts trail opens on Wednesday, April 3 and the Medieval Fayre takes place on Saturday, March 6. Both events take place at Brenchley Gardens in Maidstone and are free to enter.

DOVER CASTLE

Join expert builders and learn how to create incredible Lego sculptures at Dover Castle’s Big Brick Build. During the sessions, you will build your section of the recreation of the castle’s Great Tower, which will all come together at the end to create one giant sculpture. During the school holidays, there will also be an Easter Adventure Quest where you can figure out clues, find eggs and receive a

chocolate treat.

Details: Big Brick Build takes place from Saturday, April 6 to Sunday, April 14 and the castle’s Easter Adventure Quest takes place until Sunday, April 14. Both can be booked online.

HEVER CASTLE

A dino-themed trail is opening at Hever Castle with sand digging, dinosaur explorers, animal face painting and crafts. Visitors can also enjoy all of the castle’s usual offerings, including the outdoor playground, water maze, historic castle and gardens with daffodils and tulips.

Details: Until Sunday, April 14 at Hever Castle. Activities are included in an entry

ticket, which can be booked online.

HISTORIC DOCKYARD CHATHAM

Medway’s maritime attraction, the Historic Dockyard, is opening a brand new exhibition this spring. The RNLI 200 exhibition explores the fascinating history of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution with personal stories, art by Tracey Emin, videos and projections, real-life artefacts and a lifeboat collection that spans 200 years.

Details: Until Sunday, September 1 at the Historic Dockyard Chatham. The exhibition is included in an entry ticket, which can be booked online.

HOWLETTS WILD ANIMAL PARK

Discover more than 390 animals across 90 acres of parkland at Howletts. During the Easter break, the wildlife park is giving families a chance to visit for a fraction of the usual admission price with £10 kids’ tickets. All you need to do is book online in advance and visitors aged 3-15 years will benefit from a great discount. Details: Until Sunday, April 14 at Howletts Wild Animal Park in Bekesbourne, near Canterbury. Tickets start from £10 and can be booked online.

KENT LIFE

Now is the perfect time to visit the farm at Kent Life and meet the newborn animals. There will be lamb bottle feeding demonstrations each day, along with lots of family activities including the make-your-own Teddy Parlour and indoor and outdoor play areas so the kids can burn off energy no matter the weather. Details: Until Sunday, April 14 at Kent Life, near Maidstone. Tickets cost £10 and can be booked online.

LEEDS CASTLE

The glamorous Lady Baillie has let her Great Danes, Boots and Danny, loose in the castle grounds and they seem to have lost their treasure. Over the Easter holidays, it’s up to you to help the hounds recover their goods on an interactive treasure hunt, meeting live characters and figuring out challenges along the way. Details: Until Sunday, April 14 at Leeds Castle near Maidstone. Trail costs £2.50 in addition to an entry ticket and can be booked online.

MACKNADE

Celebrate the return of Macknade’s outdoor Food Village with pizza-making workshops. The street food market launched for the season on Good Friday and the good vibes will continue through the school holidays with kid’s pizza-making sessions. Little chefs will be able to choose their toppings and help stretch the dough before it’s freshly cooked in the pizza oven. Details: Pizza-making workshops take place on Friday, April 5 and Friday, April 12 at Macknade in Faversham. No

need to book.

PENSHURST PLACE

Set off on an Easter adventure through the gardens of Penshurst Place where you will meet Henry the Hedgehog. Find out how Henry prepared for hibernation this winter and his plans for this year while weaving your way through the colourful spring plants and trees.

Details: Until Sunday, April 13 at Penshurst Place, near Tonbridge. Activities are included in an entry ticket, which can be booked online.

PORT LYMPNE HOTEL AND RESERVE

There’s been a baby boom at Port Lympne recently, so make sure you don’t miss out. Spring is a great time to see the wildlife park’s new additions, including the baby wallaby, Javan gibbon, De Brazza monkey and gorilla. Also, to welcome two of the park’s latest arrivals – critically endangered Sumatran orangutans Hadjah and Malouthere are two new animal encounters to enjoy: Meet the Great Apes and the Orangutan Encounter.

Details: Open daily from 9.30am to 6pm at Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve just outside Hythe. Tickets start from £32 and can be booked online.

RNLI 200 is the new exhibition at the Historic Dockyard. Right, some of the new arrivals at Port Lympne

Get the kids out of the house during the school holidays with activities at Hever Castle