Easter holiday things to do in Thanet, East Kent and London

The Easter holidays are upon us and suddenly there are two weeks to fill with entertainment for the kids. Two weeks and a day, thanks to Good Friday. Luckily, with the warmer weather arriving and things opening up for the summer season, this is one of the best school breaks to get out and do stuff.

Thanet is brimming over with things to do on its own, but if you want a change of scene we’ve found plenty to occupy the family across East Kent and up in London. We’ve also tried to make sure that as many budgets, interests and energy levels are catered for too. 

We'll be updating this list regularly, so be sure to check back as Easter draws closer.

Dreamland, Margate (daily)
The big news on Margate seafront is the reopening of Dreamland on Friday, April 3. The park will all be open daily throughout the Easter holidays, with rides, roller room and arcades all up and running. Perhaps not one for the kids (although it is 14+), Happy Mondays will play the park's Hall by the Sea venue on April 9 too.
Marine Terrace, Margate, CT9 1XJ. 10.30am - 6pm from April 3. All ages. Free entry, various prices for attractions. 

Margate Easter Trail (April 3-12)
Hunt the Easter eggs in shop windows around Margate and claim a treat once you've found them all. Collect a sheet from one of the participating shops: Harbour & Tide, Kings Emporium, Little Fish Cafe, Store Collective, Nature's Nook, Social Enterprise Kent, McDonald's, Pilgrims, and Mill Place. Hand in completed sheets to Kings Emporium to collect your prize.
Various locations. April 3-12. All ages. More info.

The Great Garden Egg Trail at Windmill Community Gardens, Margate (various dates)
Follow the nature trail around Windmill Community Gardens helping the birds to find their missing eggs and rebuild their nests. Children will complete fun challenges, learn about local wildlife and complete a simple craft task before collecting a prize at the end.
Dane Valley Road, CT9 2SH. Various times, April 3, 4, 15 & 18. All ages. Tickets £8.

Art Rebels at Turner Contemporary, Margate (weekends)
Inspired by Bridget Riley's observational studies and drawings, which you can see in the main gallery, children are invited to try out their own experimental drawing technique in these free drop-in sessions.
Rendezvous, Margate, CT9 1HG. 2-4pm, March 28-29, April 4-5, 7-8 & 14-15. Ages 1-12. Free. Full details.

Hoogie Boogie at Margate Arts Club (April 5)
Remember when bank holidays were all about going out-out on a Sunday. When that can still be the case. Maybe not quite in the same way, but daytime club night (day?) Hoogie Boogie wants to get the whole family on the dance floor. Not a kids' disco, it's all about sharing the joy of music and moving with your small people in a way that everyone can enjoy together.
276 Northdown Road, Margate, CT9 2PT. April 5, 2-5pm. All ages. Adults £5, kids free.

Broadstairs Easter Food Festival (April 3-5)
Broadstairs Food Festival brings its Easter edition to the clifftops over the Easter weekend. As well as lots of food to eat, there will be several workshops for kids, including printmaking, food growing and Easter crown making. 
Various venues. Various times, April 3-5. All ages. Free. 

Kinder Collective, Broadstairs (various dates)
Ethical children's clothing and toy store Kinder Collective moves to a new, larger space this Easter. The gran opening is on Good Friday and there are story time events on April 8, 13 and 17, as well as crafting every Tuesday.
16 York Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1PB. Various dates and times. Ages 3-8. Check website for details.

Happy Reading Bookshop, Broadstairs (until April 16)
As ever, the Happy Reading Bookshop is laying on a wide range of events throughout the holidays, including award-winning children's authors Lanisha Butterfield and Gabby Dawnay.
Upstairs at Staple, 30a Reading Street, Broadstairs, CT10 3AZ. Various times and dates. Various ages. Various prices. 

Ramsgate International Film Festival & TV Festival Children's Programme (March 29)
Slightly ahead of the Easter holiday but still work a mention, we reckon, the Ramsgate International Film Festival & TV Festival returns at the end of March. On Sunday, March 29 it will be putting on a free children's programme. Eight short films from around the world will be screener, nurturing those future film buffs.
Silvers, 29-31 Harbour Street, Ramsgate, CT11 8HA. From 2.30pm, March 29. Full programme.

Micro Museum, Ramsgate (various dates)
Have a young gamer in your life? Keen to show them how it was all so much better in your day? Ramsgate's brilliant Micro Museum will be open on a number of days over the Easter holidays, with more than 40 old computers and consoles to play on. There's also a tonne of vintage tech memorabilia to peruse.
11 Church Hill, Ramsgate, CT11 8RA. April 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 1-4pm. All ages. Entry £7 per person.

Open Cockpit Weekend at RAF Manston History Museum, Ramsgate (April 11-12)
For one weekend only, you can take a seat in the various aircraft at RAF Manston History Museum. So long as you promise not to fly anywhere. 
821 Manston Road, Ramsgate, CT12 5DF. 10am - 4pm, April 11-12. All ages. Free with admission. 

Tails from Acorn Wood at Granville Theatre, Ramsgate (April 15)
See Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Tales from Acorn Wood stories come to life on stage at the Granville Theatre. Help Fox find his lost socks, play hide and seek with Pig and Hen, and discover the special surprise Postman Bear is planning for his friends.
Victoria Parade, Ramsgate, CT11 8DG. 1.30pm - 2.30pm, April 15. Ages 1-6. Tickets from £16.50.

Bouncing Bunnies Easter Trail at Quex Adventure Farm Park, Birchington (daily)
Hop around Quex Adventure Farm Park's Easter trail meeting characters and playing games, then grab a chocolate egg from the Easter Bunny. Kids will also get the chance to travel round the park on the back of a tractor and plant a carrot. Access to the rest of the park is included in the ticket price.
Quex Park, Birchington, CT7 0BH. 10am - 4pm, March 28-April 6. All ages. Tickets from £16.50.

Spring Eggsplorers at Powell-Cotton Museum, Birchington (daily)
Follow the clues left around the museum to track down the mysterious animal who has left a lost egg behind. Examine footprints, feathers and food, and record secret codes to discover. Once you've cracked the case, head outside for an egg trail around the gardens.
Quex House and Gardens, Quex Park, Park Lane, Birchington, CT7 0BH. 11am - 4pm, March 28-29, April 3-6, 8-12 & 15-19. All ages. Tickets from £7.

Easter Hunt at Felderland Farm, Worth (April 3-4)
It’s too early to pick your own fruit at Felderland Farm yet, but you will be able to hunt for Easter eggs and treasure, as well as taking part in various other activities. 
Deal Road, Worth, CT14 0BJ. 10am - 4pm, March 28-29 and April 3-4. All ages. Free entry, £6 per hunt.

Easter Trail at Betteshanger Country Park, Deal (until April 6)
Hunt for Easter eggs in the woods and meet the Easter Bunny on this fun adventure trail. 
Sandwich Road, Deal, CT14 0BF. 10am - 4pm, March 28-April 6. All ages. £10 children, £4 adults. 

Hanami Festival at Brogdale Collections, Faversham (April 11-12)
Go and enjoy a picnic under the cherry blossom at its peak, take part in the various activities on offer, and then have a wander around the living archive of fruit trees. 
Brogdale Farm, Faversham, ME13 8XZ. 10am - 4pm, April 11-12. All ages. Tickets £15 (under 16s free).

Brainiac Live at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (April 13)
An hour of live science demonstrations, which will include setting stuff on fire. It sells itself, really. 
The Friars, Canterbury, CT1 2AS. 1.30pm and 4pm, April 21. Ages 5+. Tickets from £18. 

Codekids, Canterbury (various dates)
Codekids is putting on several coding camps for techy children over the Easter holiday. There are introductory courses for younger kids covering Minecraft, Lego robotics and animation, plus classes for slightly older children to get deeper into specific topics such as the Python language and building AI models.
Junior King's School, Milner Court, Sturry, Canterbury, CT2 0AY. Various dates and times. Various ages. Places from £65.50.

Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends at Young V&A, London (daily)
As Aardman celebrates its 50th anniversary, go behind the scenes of the animation studio and find out all about how your favourite characters are brought to life.
Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PA. 10am to 5pm, until November 15. All ages. Tickets £12.50.

My Neighbour Totoro at Gillian Lynne Theatre, London (daily)
The stage show of this Studio Ghibli classic is a definite worth considering as an Easter treat. Kids can go for half price at selected performances (although not during the week of April 6).
166 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5PW. Various times. Ages 6+. Various prices.