Increased daylight hours and rays of sunshine can only mean the start of the Easter festivities, accompanied by hoards of children eager for entertainment. Here's a selection of places to find family fun this holiday - click on the links or see our full listings at the bottom of the page to find out more…
Spring and nature are on the minds of organisers at the National Coal Mining centre, where free family art and craft activities on the welcome themes take place every weekday, with performances by a 1940s miner's wife and the chance to make and decorate animal masks in the learning centre (April 6-17).
You can go one step further and dig for coal itself at Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry, where Heroes of Energy bring on steam engines, rocket launching and wind turbine building as part of the 350th anniversary of industry pioneers the Royal Society Fellows.
Fire a 25-pounder Second World War gun at The Royal Artillery Museum in London's Woolwich or take on military drills, crafts, films, wartime characters and games in a Camo Zone containing a Firing Range, Bungee Run challenge and Tank Command battle area.
Easter fun with the National Trust in Wales
The more traditional pastimes of egg painting and rolling start at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum in Chichester on Easter Sunday and Monday, starring a grand parade and bonnet making competition on the Monday and demonstrations from Tudor, Stuart and Victorian times.
Things get serenely cute at Birdworld near Farnham, where newly-born lambs, goats, bunnies and chicks await, along with an egg hunt led by Percy the Penguin next week.
Easter is a fine excuse to gorge on chocolate, particularly at Powis Castle and Gardens in Welshpool, courtesy of trails with confection prizes and facepainting (April 2-5).
1940s soldiers at Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire
Turn into the Easter bunny courtesy of more face painters at the Museum of East Anglian Life on Sunday, alongside an art workshop, seed planting in a mini allotment, stick and hoops, splat the rat, welly throwing, walks and talks, composters and more in the top field.
For egg hunts, trails and activities in the North-West, try the Quarry Bank Mill and Styal Estate in Cheshire or Wallington in Northumberland (both April 2-5), a pair of National Trust properties who have a similar vision of pastoral pandemonium for the weekend.
Air-raid warnings and low-flying aircraft will transport visitors back to the 1940s in tin hats and gas masks at Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire (Sunday and Monday), with reduced admission for bygone attire, wartime meals, historic vehicles and song.
Seed planting, games, composting and more at the Museum of East Anglian Life
Beautiful work by illustrator Brian Wildsmith at literary centre Seven Stories in Newcastle is complemented by craft activities and story times for children throughout the holiday.
At the other end of the country, Exeter's Spacex hosts a series of Extraordinary Explorer workshops, taking supervised groups out into the city to collect sounds, take photos and sketch their environment.
Whichever end of the country you’re at, check out our full Easter listings to plan your own fun.
