Half term hits: what to do with the kids this February half term

If you’ve been home schooling since Christmas, you’re probably ready for a break. Thankfully, the February half-term holidays are almost here. Exhausted all your tried-and-tested methods for keeping the kids entertained? Don’t worry – we’ve got all the inspiration, kit and expert tips you need to make this their best half term yet.

Keeping kids active is key, and getting out and trying something new as a family is a great way to do this. ‘It’s important to reinforce healthy habits and promote positive lifestyle behaviours outside of school,’ explains sports psychologist John Beeby. ‘The half-term break can be a great opportunity to explore new activities, which challenge motor coordination and help to develop social skills.’ 

Your local park is the perfect place for some family fun – so why not grab a kite or frisbee and get your week off to a flying start? Or explore the great outdoors on a family walk – it’s a great way to reconnect with nature and each other, especially if you’ve been cooped up indoors for the last few months.

Online clubs, camps and courses will help the kids stay active and learn new skills over the holidays – while you enjoy a bit of time to yourself. ‘Children tend to see these as fun activities, but they actually teach them an array of important traits and skills, including self-control, persistence, patience and self discipline, as well as social skills,’ John says. 

Pineapple Performing Arts School and SOEL Dance Academy are running an Online Half Term Dance Intensive from Monday 15th to Friday 19th February, with an action-packed program of daily ballet, contemporary, street dance and musical theatre classes and workshops. Classes start at 10.15am and run until 1.30pm for 5-7s and 3pm for 8-11s and 11-18s. A weekly pass costs £35 for over-8s, or £20 for under-8s. You can also book extra singing and drama classes for £5 an hour.

The London Academy of Gymnastics and Dance is also running its first ever Online Camp, with daily gymnastics, fitness, dance, juggling, games and obstacle courses to keep primary school-aged kids active, engaged and entertained. Classes run from 9am to 9.40am for Reception pupils (£6 per session or £25 for the week) and 9.45am to 12.15pm for Years 1-2 and 3-6 (£18 per morning or £80 for the week).

Creative activities give kids new ways to explore, experiment and express themselves – and they’re great for family bonding too. 

The National Gallery is offering free family tours and workshops via Zoom this half term. Gallery Educator Ed Dickenson leads Decoding Pictures, an interactive online tour suitable for families with kids aged 8 and up, while storyteller Fiona Alderton will help you craft an arty gift as part of Story Studio, suitable for ages 4+.

‘Getting involved in the arts can boost confidence and self-esteem,’ explains the gallery’s family and children’s programmer Zoe Bates. ‘And creating and experiencing art together strengthens carer-child relationships by building happy memories and providing a focus for positive communication.’ 

Younger kids can take part in our free arts and crafts workshop with Lionheart and Alice Mazzilli, suitable for ages 3-6, while children aged 6+ can try their hand at making their own felt masks in our free 30 minute mask-making workshop with Make Arcade and Makery Kate.

Got a tech whizz kid on your hands? Budding digital designers can get a head start with an online Creative Tech Holiday Camp. Software Academy's 5-day industry-standard Illustrator course runs from 10am to 3pm each day and is suitable for kids aged 9-16.

If your little one is fascinated by all things space, pay a virtual visit to the Planetarium & Astronomy Centre at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, where kids aged four to seven can take part in a 45-minute Holiday to Space workshop while older children launch off on an Out of this World trip to Mars. Run by Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers, these interactive workshops combine virtual planetarium shows with live Q&A sessions and make-and-do activities.

Explorer Dome and the National Maritime Museum Cornwall are also offering a series of out-of-this-world activities this half term. Make and Take crafting sessions will be broadcast live on their Facebook page at 11am each day – think pompom aliens and outer-space slime. There’ll also be a special live show on Friday 19th February, which explores the solar system, how stars and planets are formed and what it takes for a planet to be able to support life. It includes a special Q&A with Explorer Dome’s resident space elf.