Happy holidays!

Happy Holidays!

How did it come round so fast? It seems only yesterday we were packing away the Christmas decorations and sending the kids back to school – and now it’s half-term!

Luckily, there’s plenty on our patch to keep the whole family entertained, so here are a few suggestions to help your brood stay happy over the half-term hols.

Get active

There’s so much to do at Fareham Leisure Centre – why not take on the Top Rock climbing wall?

Perfect for the whole family, this clip and climb facility offers 20 routes, each with its own challenges.

The centre also has a new soft play area, perfect for children aged up to 12 and entry is free for babies aged under one.

Find out more on their website:

Get crafty

At Ashcroft Arts Centre, six to 11-year-olds can join the Create and Play Club for a fun upcycled crafts morning on February 24, and an energetic dance morning on February 25!

Tickets are £18 – find out more on their website:

Connect with your heritage

Westbury Manor Museum’s half-term activities include creative mug painting sessions on February 20, 21 and 24, and the chance for fans of medieval knights to polish up their armour and learn about the knights at the Westgate in an exhibition running from February 21-27.

Check out their website for more information:

Take five to relax

The chance for a child-friendly café catch-up with coffee and a cake is a rare treat, but it’s always there for the taking at Sweet Pea’s Play Café on Fareham’s West Street.

With fun and safe play sessions for children from birth up to 8-years-old, there are miniature playrooms to interest every child, from a doctor’s surgery to a construction site. There’s also a sensory room and baby space, and children can paint and craft in the café’s potting shed.

Find out more:

Let their imagination run wild

In Lock’s Heath, the Big Little Village is a children’s role play village with lots of exciting areas to explore.

Young visitors can get their weekly shop from the supermarket, pop in for a quick cut and blow-dry at the hairdressers, care for their furry friends at the vets, or have a treat in the café – they can even help maintain the village emergency vehicles at Blues & Two’s Autos.

February half-term sessions from 21st-25th are bookable on their website:

Get some fresh, local air

In Portchester, the children can let off steam in the inner walls before settling down for a mug of luxury hot chocolate at the quirky Seahorse Coffee Bar, or take away a delicious weekend treat from 84 By The Shore.

See what’s on at Portchester Castle:

Check out Seahorse Coffee Bar:

Or find out more about 84 by the Shore

Have a day out with the family

Visit Titchfield Abbey for a great game of hide and seek in the ruins, have lunch at Daisy B’s Kitchen in the heart of the village, and then walk to Stewarts Abbey Garden Centre for a fishy adventure feeding the koi carp.

Check out our blog ‘historic hide-and-seek and finding nemo‘ for a great walking route!

Go for a walk and a wonder

In Warsash, pop to High Tides for a hearty breakfast and then take a self-guided walk around Warsash Common. The walk includes the tree trail and poetry path, designed to give people of all ages the chance to enjoy this unique site while learning about 12 of our native trees and enjoying poems by local pupils and residents. This walk is approximately 1.5km and all the paths are flat, so it’s great for buggies and bikes.

You can check our full collections of walking routes across our patch here!

Visit some furry friends

Village Pets in Stubbington is home to rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters, all bred in a home environment by local breeders who love and care for their animals. This means they are always extremely friendly and well-handled and absolutely love to be cuddled!

Check out their website for more information!