Half-term family fun events in South East England

The South East of England is a great place to enjoy some family fun this May half-term. The region is packed with a number of informative, interesting, not to mention enjoyable, events and activities designed to provide maximum entertainment for the whole family.

During the half-term week (26th May – 1st June 2008) children can become James Bond in Berkshire; get up close and personal with sharks in Southsea; pick up some professional football skills in Milton Keynes; enjoy a wildlife cruise along the River Thames; build sandcastles at a Seaside Festival in Bognor Regis; or visit a record-breaking LEGO tower in Windsor.

Licence to thrill at the Lookout Discovery Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire - All week. To coincide with the centenary of James Bond author, Ian Fleming, The Lookout Discovery Centre will be offering children and adults alike the opportunity to enter the world of spies and become the next James Bond. The centre’s brand new family show – ‘Shh! The Sneaky Secret Spy Science Show’ - will show children how to take fingerprints, hear through solid walls and even how to find a bomb.

The show is being held four times daily over the half-term week and costs £1.70 per person, in addition to the normal exhibition admission charges – adult tickets cost £5.70 and children tickets cost £3.80. Bracknell-forest.gov.uk/lookout

It’s Shark Week at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Southsea this half-term, where visitors can learn all about the secret world of these man-eating mammals. There will be regular talks and feeding demonstrations taking place throughout the week for families to enjoy. Visitors can also enjoy an undersea tour through the aquarium’s underwater walkthrough tunnel, where they will come face-to-face with Jaws. Adult tickets cost £8.75, children tickets cost £6.75 and family tickets (two adults and two children) cost £25. Visitportsmouth.co.uk

Baby boom at Woburn Safari Park, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire - All week Spring is in the air with lots of rare baby animals to be seen on a safari drive through Woburn Safari Park. From the comfort of a car, families can spot a number of new additions roaming the 350 acres of land, including three baby bisons; a rare Bongo antelope calf; a Red Bellied Lemur; and three lion cubs.

Other animals strolling the grounds include tigers, bears, wolves, giraffe, rhino, elephants and zebra. This half-term there will also be a special funfair suitable for small children. Adult tickets cost £17.50 and children tickets cost £13.50. Discoverwoburn.co.uk

Record-breaking fun at LEGOLAND Windsor, Berkshire - All week
Set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland, this family theme park has recently made history by constructing the world’s tallest tower of LEGO bricks. Visitors can now marvel at the new record-breaking structure, which is made up of almost half a million LEGO bricks to celebrate 50 years of the popular children’s toy.

The 100ft high structure was built by thousands of children and their families and is designed to resemble a Viking longboat mast to mark the opening of the brand new seven million pound Land of the Vikings. The Land of the Vikings features seven new attractions for families to explore, including the park’s biggest and wettest ride to date – the Viking’s River Splash. A one-day adult ticket costs £35 and a child ticket costs £26. LEGOLAND.co.uk

South West Trains railway discounts to the South East Region - All week
Families visiting the South East region this half-term can save money on rail fares with South West Trains Family Railcard. As long as an adult has at least one child travelling with them, they will qualify for Family Railcard discounts. A Family Railcard costs £24 – just £2 a month – equating to saving a third off adult fares and 60% off kid’s fares for the year. Up to four adults and four children can travel on one card and they don’t even have to be related.

A Family Railcard can be used for long and short trips and can be used almost any time during the week, weekends and public holidays. It can be purchased online or at a South West Trains staffed station ticket office. Family-railcard.co.uk

Become the next Beckham at Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire - Tuesday 27the May – Friday 30th May 2008. Milton Keynes Dons Football Club Education and Sports Trust is offering a number of football and multisports courses to encourage children to get active and pick up some new skills during the half-term break. All courses provide coaching from fully FA Qualified experienced coaches for boys and girls aged 4-14 years old at Milton Keynes Football Stadium.

There will be full day courses designed to develop players’ technical aspects of football; mini kickers half day courses tailored to provide a fun introduction to football; and mulitsports full day courses which give participants the chance to play football, as well as take part in various sports including kwik cricket, tag rugby, uni hoc, and rounders. Full week courses start from £20 per person and full days (10am-3pm) start from £7.50 per person. Mkdonstrust.co.uk

Wildlife-watching tour of the Thames, Henley and Hambledon - Thursday 29th May 2008. Families looking for some nature fun this half-term can cruise the River Thames on a special ‘wildlife watching’ tour. The wildlife of the River Thames is well known for providing the inspiration for Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’ and both children and the grown-ups will no doubt enjoy trying to spot the hidden natural treasures between Henley and Hambledon.

The Chilterns Conservation Board and Hobbs of Henley are running the cruise on Thursday 29th May 2008. Adult tickets cost £7 and children tickets cost £5. Prices include an expert guide to help identify wildlife. Hobbs-of-henley.com

Sandcastle competitions at Bognor Regis Seaside Festival, Sussex -Saturday 31st May – Sunday 1st June 2008. The best of seaside traditions come alive at the Sands of Time Seaside Festival on the Bognor Regis seafront this half-term. Families can take part in sandcastle competitions; get artistic at the craft fair; marvel at classic and vintage cars; and enjoy donkey rides along the seashore.

There will also be entertainers, exhibitions, children’s workshops and open-top bus tours to keep the whole family thoroughly entertained. Sussexbythesea.com

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang celebrations at Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire - Sunday 1st June 2008. This half-term there will be a special one-day event at Bletchley Park to celebrate the 100th centenary of the birth of famous writer Ian Fleming, who worked at wartime Bletchley Park. The author is not only famous for his James Bond novels, but also as the creator of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The original car, which was used in the 1968 film starring Dick Van Dyke, will be on show at the event to celebrate its own 40th birthday. Attractions at the event will include a Victorian fun fair and craft stalls, Punch and Judy and guided tours every half an hour of Bletchley Park, which was the UK’s codebreaking centre during World War II.

Milton Keynes’ Sno!Zone will also offer a snow play area for kids, free prizes, face painting, free tobogganing and much more. Entry costs £10 per adult; £8 for over-65s; £6 for 12-16 year olds; and under-12s go free. Bletchleypark.org.uk.

For further details on Tourism South East, its Family Fun campaign and additional accommodation options, can be found at Visitsoutheastengland.com/familyfun.