A whole lot of holiday fun for the whole family at WWT
Why don’t you visit your local WWT Wetland Centre during February half term to enjoy a whole host of activities and events that the family can enjoy, while giving children exciting opportunities to learn about the natural world around them?
With a medley of half term activities, there’s something for the whole family to enjoy. From meeting crocodiles, snakes, turtles and lizards at Reptiles Undercover!, London Wetland Centre, to developing your artistic skills with Ronald Swanwick at Slimbridge (Gloucestershire). Washington (Tyne & Wear) will be hosting a range of activities where you can build a bug hotel or bird box, Arundel (East Sussex) invites the adventurous to join them on a geo-cache trail using GPS co-ordinates on your smart phone, or alternatively you could just enjoy the swan spectacular as peak numbers of whooper swans will be residing at Martin Mere (Lancashire).
WWT has nine wetland centres across the UK, all of which have their own unique attractions, such as exciting interactive exhibits; discovery trails; fun, educational children’s play areas and events and activities for all the family. WWT centres also have natural places where the kids can discover nature for themselves, as they immerse themselves with wildlife.
Every centre introduces adults and children alike to the wonders of wetland birds and their habitats, with stunning scenery and nose-to-beak encounters with some of the world’s most dramatic and rare birds. Each centre has excellent restaurants and gift shops and all have family friendly and disabled facilities including buggy access, manual wheelchairs and electric buggies for hire.fab
Visit during the February half term holiday and become a member of WWT and every WWT centre is your garden, all year! Become a member and not only do you get your entrance fee refunded, but you can also gain free entry to all nine WWT Wetland Centres. Members receive an exclusive quarterly magazine, Waterlife, which keeps you up to date on what’s going on at all nine centres and WWT’s exciting conservation projects saving species from extinction and caring for important wetlands around the world.fab
Activities at WWT centres during the February half term holiday 2011 include:
WWT Arundel T 01903 881530 West Sussex
18 – 25 February: Exploration & Discovery Week – To celebrate the Scott Antarctic Expedition Centenary, we will be doing a geo-cache trail for older kids/adults find the hidden cache along the trail using GPS co-ordinates on your smart phone. There will be activities for kids around exploration past and present.
WWT Caerlaverock T 01387 770200 Dumfriesshire, Scotland
15 February: Family Birding Day - A morning of birdwatching for all the family to join in, parents and children. A warden will be on hand to point out the birds and give hints and tips to get the best out of your birdwatching. 10am to 12.30pm Normal admission charges apply, WWT members free. Booking essential as numbers are limited.
WWT Castle Espie T 028 9187 4146 County Down, Northern Ireland
20 - 24February: Quackanory – a themed event centred around wildlife stories. Families can enjoy hand feeding the birds, visiting the duckery, have fun in the woodland play area: Stoat Town, challenge the climbing wall and take part in the sustainability trail.
WWT London T 020 8409 4400 Barnes
11-12 February: Reptiles Undercover! - Slither over to London Wetland Centre this half term and enter the fascinating world of reptiles. All weekend there will be crocodiles, snakes, turtles, lizards and many more for you to meet up close.
11-19 February: Half term activities - Throughout the week, we will also be hosting a whole range of reptile related family activities to keep children amused. Follow our discovery trail through different types of wetlands or make your own reptile to take home. There will be sssssssnake stories and crocodile crafts and, of course, everyone's favourite pastime - pond dipping.
WWT Martin Mere T 01704 895181 Lancashire
11 – 19 February: Swan spectacular: Watch peak numbers of Whooper swans as up to 2000 swans feed at 3pm from Swan Link Hide and 3.30pm from Raines Observatory (includes a wardens talk). In addition, the Roundhouse Village: Mere Tun, will be open to take visitors back in time to see how you would have lived on the banks of the mere. There will also be a selection of family craft activities and a schedule of walks and talks that include an otter talk and feed at 11.30am and 2.30pm, a conservation talk at 12.30pm and a guided tour of the waterfowl gardens at 1pm.
WWT National Wetland Centre, Wales T 01554 741087 Carmarthenshire
11 – 19 February:
11am Migration walk – a walk to Heron’s wing hide with binoculars and a telescope for a last look at the birds that have spent the winter with us.
1pm Endangered species walk – find out about the endangered birds in our collection, the threats to them, and what WWT is doing to help.
2pm Minibeast hunt – turn over logs and see what creatures we can find coming out of their winter hibernation!
3 – 5pm Craft workshop – making minibeast homes, bird feeders and more!
2 February: World Wetlands Day - WWT’s big annual celebration. A day looking at the importance of wetlands to all our lives. Tours, talks and activities for all.
WWT Slimbridge T 01453 891900 Gloucestershire
15 February: Ron Swanwick Sketching Tours - Suitable for beginners and the more advanced. Monthly art meetings ending with tea in the restaurant.
11 February –19 February: Half Term – British wildlife. (Also the love trail – vote for your favourite)
15 February: Childrens’ introduction to bird watching - Trying to look out for and identify a wide variety of birds can be quite a challenge. Join our warden who will help you find the best starting point and share some expert tips on how to learn and develop your bird watching skills and knowledge. Ideal for real beginners or those interested in starting this hobby. MINIMUM AGE: 7 years old. 9.30am £12
Must be pre-booked on 01453 891223 or email eleanor.wise@wwt.org.uk
WWT Washington T 0191 416 5454 Tyne & Wear
18 - 25 February: Half-term holidays - Join us for family fun throughout the school holidays! Build a bug hotel or bird box, design your own wind chime and make your very own mini garden (1-3pm every day, small costs apply) or discover the life that lurks in dead trees on a mini-beast hunt through Hollowood (11am-noon and 1-2pm, every day, free with admission).
WWT Welney T 01353 860711 Norfolk
11 February –19 February: Half term family activities - Winter wonderland trail on the reserve and activity stations in our pond room to celebrate Welney’s winter spectacle and the importance of wetlands just like ours. Witness one of the most spectacular sights in the UK as wintering wild swans and wildfowl are fed daily at 12noon and 3.30pm. Or wait until dusk when thousands return to the washes at night to roost and watch the 6.30pm floodlit feed.
