We were supposed to be heading to the Netherlands this Half Term but obviously, this will not be happening anymore. Steve still has a week off work and I am keen for us to make the most of it despite us being in the middle of a Global Pandemic.
I have scoured the internet for the best virtual and stay at home activities to enjoy over May Half Term. I hope whatever you are up to, you stay safe and are able to enjoy some fun.
For more ideas, please join our UK Days Out Facebook group here. You can also advertise events in this group every Friday and share your own recommendations at any time.
Cooking at Home
- Cakes, Classes and Cuttters sell professional themed cupcake making kits with everything you need including decorations, eggs, flour, food colouring.....perfect if you don't bake often. Find out more here.
- Make Pretzels - this takes a full half day/day with lots of steps but is so worth it. Find out how we got on and the recipe we used here.
- Make Gnocchi - we loved doing this. Follow our recipe here
- Make Your Own Pizza - we used a kit from Box Pizza. It was brilliant! Find out more here.
- Make Slow Cooker Fudge - follow our recipe here
Quizzes & Games
- Virtual Pub Quiz - Play along virtually with friends and family - find out more here
- FREE Virtual Hogwarts Escape Room - play here
- FREE Mr X Online Treasure Hunt - play here
- Pint Sized Pub Quiz - find out more here
- The Great Storybook Quiz - find out more here
- Raby Castle Art Competition - find out more here
- Raby Castle Short Story Competition - find out more here
Parties & Festivals
- Judge Jules live steams a DJ set from his house every Saturday night at 9pm - find out more here
- Carnival Marra with Northumberland Scouts (22 -25 May - non-scouts can join in) - find out more here
- Play at Home Fest (23 & 24 May) - find out more here
- Whitley Bay Lockdown Carnival (23 May) - find out more here
- Captain Fantastic Christmas Lockdown Party (25 May) - find out more here
- Virtual Seaham Shoreside Festival (31 May) - find out more here
- Virtual Hay Festival (18-31 May) - find out more here
- Onceupona Children's Theatre Online Festival (25 - 30 May) - find out more here
- Darlo@home Festival (17- 31 May) - find out more here
- Story Space Online (part of Hexham Book Festival - ongoing ) - find out more here
Online Classes & Workshops
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| Draw with Rob |
- Minecraft Coding with Code Kids (26 & 27 May) - find out more here
- Draw with Rob (easy online draw-a-longs) - find out more here
- Online Creative Writing Workshops with YelloBird - find out more here
- Online Hadrians Wall Lecture with Newcastle University - find out more here
- Story Creation with Story Team Durham - find out more here
- Popstars with Yemi - find out more here
- Join a FREE online painting workshop with Tiddly painters. There are a couple of live streams per week - find out more here
- Join a Fun Little Foodies Online Class - find out more here
- Adventure Babies Online Storytelling - find out more here
- FREE wake up and warm up class each morning with Circus Central - find out more here
- Pay as you feel online music classes every Thursday with Lullaboogaloo - find out more here
- Junk Music at Nunsmoor Centre - video tutorials to create musical instruments from junk (new video every Sunday) - find out more here.
- Family-friendly singing and music games with Sharon Durant - find out more here
- Rob Kitchen Online Music Lessons - find out more here
Treats Delivered
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| Credit - The Keel Row |
- Box Cafe deliver sweet boxes, slushes, cakes and other treats within 10miles of Cramlington (delivery is free subject to minimum spend). Find out more here
- Beckleberrys delivery ice cream, cakes and treats within 10 miles of Blaydon Delivery is free when you spend £10+. Find out more here
- Grainger Market deliver Afternoon Tea, Fruit Boxes, Cakes, Pizza, Cheeses and other goods. Order before 2pm for next day delivery. Find out more here.
- Keel Row Make Your Own Pizza. The Keel Row has launched a Kids Make Your Own Pizza Kit. They include everything you need to make your own pizza at home along with a drink and sweets. £6.95 including local delivery (or you can collect). Find out more here
Scobberlotch as shared a blog post featuring 20 local businesses delivering treats across the North East. Read the article here.
Activities at Home
- Kids Gardening Kits from Planty Mandy - find out more here
- Rainy Day Box for ages 3-8 - find out more here
- Toucan Box for ages 3-8 - find out more here
- Baker Ross Craft Box - find out more here
- KiWi Science Boxes for ages 0-14+ - find out more here
- Bookabees Books Delivered - find out more here
- Mystery in Time Box for ages 7-11 - find out more here
- Mud & Bloom Gardening Box for ages 3-8 - find out more here
- Curisosity STEM box for ages 4-11 - find out more here
- Create a lockdown time capsule - there are lots of boxes on Etsy here and click here for some inspiration for what to put inside.
- Enjoy an at-home cinema trip. Ashlie Sugar Rushed has lots of ideas for how you can make it special here.
- Plan a home spa day - buy sheet masks (less mess), make a fruit platter, pop some spa music on, light some candles, set up a nail bar....
Fresh Air Ideas
Please follow current Government guidelines re: Social Distancing & check car park & facility opening times direct before heading out, opening restrictions can change regularly (also - please be aware that public toilets may be closed). If somewhere is busy when you arrive, please consider leaving and returning at a later date/time.
My personal choice is that we will be staying at home over half term (read this post to find out why).
We may visit a couple of local places for a short period of time if we feel ready but I will make that decision with Steve and the kids nearer the time.
At the moment, I feel I will only feel comfortable visiting somewhere where there is plenty of space to socially distance (so a wide open field rather than a busy plaza/street with queues for fish and chips or ice cream), the car park must be open so I am not having to park on a verge / in a way that annoys the locals and it needs to be close to home due to the lack of loos. I will also visit first thing in the morning or in the evening when places should be a little quieter.
If I turn up somewhere and it is busy / temporarily closed/ there is no parking , I will either come home or find somewhere else to visit. This feels like common sense to me.
The Government has said it is ok to go out now though so who am I to say it's not. I appreciate I am taking a cautious approach which isn't for everyone. I think that everyone is within their rights to make the best choice for them with no judgment from others. Anyway, here is some fresh air inspiration:
Crazy Golf
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| Credit : Morpeth Family Crazy Golf |
A reader mentioned that Morpeth Family Crazy Golf is open. They tried it and mentioned it felt super safe. They have lots of measures in place (such as staggered start times, groups staying three holes apart and sanitising clubs before/after use) and accept pre-bookings only. Find out more here.
Let me know if you have any May Half Term plans.
We're really hoping to make it to the Proper Food and Drink Festival over the Bank Holiday. I have them all in my diary so we manage to make it to one, somehow we missed them all last year!
ReplyDeleteAhh! I am ready for half term too. I hope the SATs went well. I'm glad they are over with.
ReplyDeleteFab ideas x
Great ideas!
ReplyDelete