What to do with the family during February half term 2021 in Cambridge
How will you keep the children occupied amid half term in lockdown? We have rounded up the best socially distanced or online activities to try out as a family.
Twilight at Home
Twilight at the Museums is usually the highlight of the February half-term holidays, with University of Cambridge museums and others allowing kids to discover their displays by torchlight after usual closing hours.
The museums didn’t want families to miss out, so they have put together an At Home With Twilight At The Museums event.
There are a range of Twilight-inspired activities that can be enjoyed at home. In addition to 12 downloadable activity sheets, there are plenty of additional crafts, games and things for families to try, all available on the Twilight webpage
Families will be able to learn about the science of shadows through shadow puppets; try out a bit of star gazing; or even experiment with colour and recreate the northern lights. There are even ideas to help plan an ancient Roman evening at home.
https://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/twilight
Set out on a family scavenger hunt
The Wildlife Trust of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire has created a self-guided a winter self-guided scavenger hunt to help families explore a nearby green space.
You’ll be sent a list of things to find with some spotter sheets to guide you, and you'll be able to access extra information through videos along the way. You can carry out your scavenger hunt in a park, on a country walk, or around a nature reserve near home. You just need a bit of wilder green space.
This activity is aimed at families with children aged 7-11, but older and younger children will enjoy it.
Email rebecca.neal@wildlifebcn.org to be sent a link to the PDF.
Wildlife Trust BCN members: £2.50; non-members: £3
https://www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2021-02-02-winter-self-guided-family-scavenger-hunt
Draw a picture of Mum!
The Cambridge Independent is putting together a My Mum supplement for Mother’s Day. Upload your children’s drawings of mum to our dedicated site at www.mymumpics.co.uk and we will feature them in the edition of the paper out from March 10.
Virtual craft and games workshops
Cambridge City Council’s Children and Young People’s Service has put together a programme of free online term time and half-term holiday activities to help families in Cambridge ease the boredom of being stuck at home.
Parents and carers can book their children on to a range of sessions which include games, crafts and drawing workshops and new Facebook live lunchtime play sessions which the team hopes will get everyone on their feet every Monday and Wednesday.
They are offering bookable online workshops from the University of Cambridge museums. The Fitzwilliam Museum will show children what life was like for ancient Romans by sharing some of the objects from the museum to discover more about ancient celebrations.
Children will also get the chance to make their own Roman wreath to earn an arts award. There will be a big family animal quiz with the Zoology Museum along with other sessions from Kettle’s Yard and the Whipple Museum.
Details are available at www.facebook.com/chypps or www.cambridge.gov.uk/chypps
Free virtual holiday club
Barracudas Activity Day Camps have created a free Virtual Camp for everyone to enjoy this half term. From twice daily live activity sessions led by their professional and enthusiastic camp staff to downloadable activity guides.
They are also offering a special rate of £10 a day for children of key workers to attend their in person club at Long Road Sixth Form College.
Find the full details and join in at https://www.barracudas.co.uk/locations-prices/virtual-half-term-camp/
Cambridge Museum hosts half-term activities for all the family
The Museum of Cambridge will be hosting a range of online family-friendly activities over the half term period.
From Thursday 18 - Sunday 21 February the museum is hosting free online storytelling sessions with folklorist and professional storyteller Chip Colquhoun. Chip will be joined by illustrator Dave Hingley, who will be drawing along to the rhythm of Chip's stories, creating a live illustrated story for you to enjoy with eyes, ears, and imagination!
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/half-term-storytelling-with-epic-tales-tickets-141118516281
Cambridge Junction family show: Dust
This Live recorded play is being screened online by The Cambridge Junction. It tells the story of Little Titch and her scruffy rucksack who arrives at the giant, pink house and finds it is not what she expected - a blanket of thick grey dust covers everything in sight and it is wild and overgrown. Her new home is cold and unwelcoming until she meets Nelly, a flamboyant and loveable hoarder. Together the pair discover they have more in common than they first thought and that friendship can heal hidden wounds.
Written by acclaimed award-winning children’s author Laura Dockrill (Darcy Burdock book series and Big Bones) Dust uses puppetry and poetic language to explore a heartfelt story about love, loss, identity and memory. With haunting music by Hugo White, of The Maccabees.
The screening is available all day on Thursday, February 18. Tickets: £2.50 per screen.
Take a Treasure Trail walk around the city
If you haven’t tried one of the Treasure Trail walks yet, there are plenty to choose from and add a bit of fun to your daily exercise around the city.
These themed self-guided walking trail booklets (£9.99 each) take explorers on a circular outdoor route of approximately two miles. En route, you have the added challenge of working together to hunt down clues and solve a puzzling detective mystery, treasure hunt, or spy mission.
Each puzzle incorporates clues on local landmarks, signs, statues, monuments, images, engravings, and other eye-catching features.
There are five to choose from in Cambridge:
Cambridge Central (Treasure Hunt) – 2 hours, 1.7 miles
Hunt high and low for a super villain along shop lined streets before emerging into the old city to explore around Cambridge’s famous university colleges.
Cambridge Parker's Piece (Detective Mystery) – 2 hours, 1.8 miles
Set to the south east of the city, this circular Trail covers areas often missed by visitors, including Parker’s Piece and the Scott Polar Research Institute.
Cambridge Fitzwilliam (Detective Mystery) – 2 hours, 1.7 miles
In addition to passing many of the university colleges, this Trail also includes a stretch alongside the River Cam, set to the south west of the city centre.
Cambridge Midsummer (Spy Mission) – 2 hours, 2 miles
Explore open spaces to the east of the city centre, including parts of Midsummer Common and the ‘boat house’ section of the River Cam.
Cambridge Jesus Green (Treasure Hunt) – 2.5 hours, 2.1 miles
This adventure takes you through Cambridge, crossing the river and into the open space of Jesus Green.
Treasure Trails are available to buy online at treasuretrails.co.uk; they can be downloaded as a printable PDF or posted as a printed booklet.
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