As promised in the last blog, here are a fewmore suggestions for what's happening in and around Maidstone during half-term week from Monday 21st-Friday 25th February 2011.
Maidstone Museum, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone ME14 1LH is hosting a week of half term drop-in art and craft sessions. Each day will see a different theme to engage your child’s artistic talents and imagination as they travel through the ages at Maidstone’s fantastic museum. There will be two sessions each day – from 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm. The price is just £2 per child and no booking is necessary. For more information contact 01622 602838 or email museuminfo@maidstone.gov.uk
Monday 21st – World War II Medals and Nurses Badges - Visit the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regimental Gallery and find out about WWII Medals and Nurses Badges to get ideas for making your own.
Tuesday 22nd – Dinosaur Hats – Be inspired as you travel back in time through the Earth Heritage Gallery and then make your very own dinosaur hat.
Wednesday 23rd – Egyptian Wigs and Eye Make-Up – Dress to impress a Pharaoh by making an Egyptian wig and having eye make-up to match!
Thursday 24th – Cracking Dinosaur Eggs – Create your very own dinosaur egg and then watch it crack as the baby dinosaur hatches!
Friday 25th – Roman Clay Oil Lamps – Get inspiration from the museum’s Roman artefacts and then make a Roman oil lamp of your very own before using some of the patterns you will have seen to decorate it.
Yalding Gardens, Benover Road, Yalding, Nr Maidstone ME18 6EX are also having a week of creative Half Term activities, except on Wednesday 23rd. With two drop-in sessions a day – 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm – and at a cost of just £2 per child, you can be sure your child is getting the most out of the activity on offer in a safe and friendly rural environment. Grown-ups may want to join in themselves, but relaxing in the Bushel Box cafe over a coffee and cake might seem like a happy alternative!
Monday 21st - Make a Plant Pot Bird Home to tie-in with National Nest Box Week by creating a cosy home-tweet-home for birds to nest in! Location Bushel Box Cafe Contact 01622 814650
Tuesday 22nd - Make a gardeners pen by wrapping biros and transforming them into flowers and plants, including a flower pot lid. This would make a great present for Mother’s Day, but you’ll be so pleased with it you’ll want to keep it!
Thursday 24th – Make a Sweet Pea Planter out of recycled newspaper. Once you’ve make your planter you’ll be ready to plant your sweet peas in time for the spring. Location Bushel Box Cafe Contact 01622 814650
Friday 25th – Make a Wormery – Make and prepare your own wormery then take it home and put some worms in it. Find out how these fascinating creatures wriggle and compost through the soil. Location Bushel Box Cafe Contact 01622 814650
For more details go to http://www.yaldinggardens.org or call 01622 814650
If your child’s creative talents lie in a different direction then the Hazlitt Theatre’s acting project could be just the thing! Based in Maidstone the Hazlitt Youth Theatre Team will be leading a workshop for budding actors aged between six and ten. Based on Roald Dahl’s popular children’s book “Danny Champion of the World” the workshop will run for half-term week (Monday 21st-Saturday 26th February) culminating in a performance on the Saturday at 5pm. Each day will start at 10.30am and end at 3.30pm, except on the Saturday when the day will run from 10.30am to the end of the performance.
Danny’s story is sure to enthrall your little ones. Living with his father in an old gypsy caravan in the middle of the countryside, Danny is convinced that his Dad is the best Dad in the world, but when he discovers that his father has a deep, dark secret Danny is shocked and resolves to turn his father into the “champion of the world”.
The cost of the workshop is £75 per child to include two free tickets to the performance. Additional tickets are available at £5 each. If you would like to find out more about the workshop or sign up for it call 01622 758611 or log on to the web site at http://www.hazlittartscentre.co.uk where you can also find details of other events happening during half-term week at the Hazlitt Arts Centre.
Hopefully there’s something here for everyone, whether travelling through time at Maidstone Museum, getting back to nature at Yalding Gardens or enjoying the drama of the Hazlitt Theatre!
Have a great half term. Until next time
India J