SPACE TO CREATE
DECORATE
CREATIVITY CRAZY is another big draw for young artists. As well as pottery painting, this studio in Finchley, north London offers Decopatch (adorning items with tissue-paper cutouts) ; fabric painting; mosaics and more. creativitycrazy.co.uk
FAME IN A FRAME
WITH MORE than 1,000 portraits of famous people, from Henry VIII and Elizabeth I to pop stars and artists, the National Portrait Gallery in central London has something to engross all ages. Pick up free resources from the family activity base and explore the gallery together. Free holiday art workshops include sketching (age 14 to 21), with a guest artist. npg.org.uk
INQUISITIVE ESCAPIST
KIDZ ESCAPE, in north Finchley, has two escape rooms, suitable from age eight to adult — The School of Wizardry (pass a magical exam) and The Magic Lamp (rescue a genie). It also offers art activities, crazy golf, dance, disco and karaoke (selected dates). kidzescape.co.uk
BUSKING SCIENTISTS
At Eureka! in Halifax, “Steampunk Science” buskers give mind-blowing science demos. Plus, a last chance to see the digiPlaySpace interactive tech playground,which is moving at the end of the spring break. eureka.org.uk
SPECIAL DELIVERY
LONDON’S POSTAL Museum and Mail Rail in the City of London has attractions for the whole family but young ones will especially like the indoor play area and miniature train — and
Sorted! — an “immersive mini town” with streets, buildings, trolleys, pulleys, slides and chutes. postalmuseum.org
TREASURE TRAILS
FIRE TECH is running courses for young people in coding, robotics and “the digital arts”, at South Hampstead High School, north west London and Imperial College, central London. Topics include Python coding, robotics, digital music production, creative digital design, junior electronics, virtual and augmented reality. Classes are small and tutors come from top universities such as Imperial College and Cambridge. firetechcamp.com
IMAGINATIVE HIGH NOTES
GUY CHAMBERS’ folk opera, The Selfish
Giant, adapted from Oscar Wilde’s story, will be premièred from April 4 to 7 at Royal & Derngate, Northampton, transferring to the Vaudeville, central London from April 10 to 14. Age eight plus. royalandderngate.co.uk
SPACE MISSION
ARTSDEPOT, NORTH London is abuzz with things to do. The programme includes Ready Steady Lift Off!, an immersive theatre show for three- to-eightyear olds and their families. Navigate, sing, colour and play your way through astronaut training, from working as a team in a space station to piloting your own rocket. After colouring and creating together and decorating your rocket, you will travel around space, meet strange creatures and overcome cosmic catastrophes. Finally, fly your rocket home. Presented by A Line Art, April 9 to 13. artsdepot.co.uk
BOOK CASES
AT DISCOVER Children’s Story Centre, in Stratford, east London, springholiday events include screenings of The Highway Rat, plus readings and book signings. At Seven Stories, the national centre for children’s books in Newcastle, on April 4, take a “creative journey” with playwright/poet Joseph Coelho and illustrator Fiona Lumbers, as they bring to life their new picture book, Luna Loves Library Day, with props, live drawing and poems. On April 8, join in with an immersive