This February half term is the perfect opportunity for you and the kids to wrap up warm, head outdoors and get stuck into some of the weird and wonderful activities taking places across Wales.

From travelling back in time to save a precious collection of dinosaur eggs at the Royal Mint Experience, exploring the night’s sky above Penrhyn Castle and taking part in the Welsh Puddle Jumping Championship in Llanelli. There’s plenty of fun to be had right on your doorstep! Take a look at some of the activities you can get involved in this February half term…

1. Penrhyn Castle Dark Skies Festival, Gwynedd

Calling all stargazers! Penrhyn Castle have teamed up with Snowdonia National Park to host a spectacular 4-day event (from 21st-23rd February) in celebration of the Park’s newly awarded International Dark Skies Reserve status.

Visitors can explore the wonders of the night’s sky and learn about our relationship with the constellations and planets during a 4-day programme of family friendly activities. These include an evening settled around the campfire to hear stories of the night’s sky, an insight into the amazing zodiac stained glass windows in the grand hall and a stargazing walk through the Castle grounds.

As part of a special collaboration with Techniquest Glyndwr, the night’s sky will also be brought indoors in the form of a 5 metre, 360-degree StarDome planetarium. These interactive guided sessions are suitable for all ages and give visitors the chance to learn all about Snowdonia National Park’s dark skies region.

You can find out more about these activities and book your places here.

2.  February Half Term for Families at Bodnant Garden, Conwy

Take a stroll through the enchanting grounds of Bodnant Garden and soak up the magic of this winter landscape in all its beauty.

From 15th February until 1st March, visitors can make their way along the garden’s trail from the Far End to Furnace Wood and Meadow. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for fairy houses hidden amongst the trees on the way! If you visit between the 19th and 23rd February, you can stop off at the Old Mill and make your very own Snowdrop Fairy.

Bodnant’s gardeners and volunteers will also be planting snowdrops along the trail between 17th and 20th February. Visitors are more than welcome to join in; simply drop by and add your snowdrop to the collection for posterity (all plants and equipment are provided). These activities are free to enjoy but normal garden admission charges apply.

To see the full range of half-term activities at Bodnant Garden, please visit the National Trust website.

3. Half Term Activities at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire

The theme at the National Botanic Garden of Wales this half term? Birds!

There are a wide range of activities on offer for all the family to enjoy, helping you get closer to nature and the thriving species of wildlife that live in and around the Garden. These include:

• Making bird feeders
• Birdsong identification
• Tips on how best to feed the birds in your garden
• Birdwatching walks and talks
• Birdy arts and crafts
• ‘Plant a Sunflower Seed for the Birds’ session (you can even take home what you’ve planted and watch it grow!)
• Flying displays at the British Birds of Prey centre

And much more!

Admission to the Garden is £10.45 for adults and £5 for children, a family ticket (for 2 adults and up to 4 children) is £30. Please visit the National Botanic Garden of Wales website to find out more.

4. February Half Term at Blaenavon World Heritage Centre

Travel back in time at the Blaenavon World Heritage Site and experience first-hand what it would have been like to live through the 19th and 20th centuries. This half term, there are a whole host of arts and crafts activities for the kids to enjoy:

• Tuesday 18th February - Make a unique gift that Mum or Dad are sure to love in the mug decorating workshop. This costs £2 per make.
• Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th February - Celebrate Earth Hour 2020 with some arts and crafts activities for free!
• Thursday 20th February – Make your way over the library and get involved in the storytelling and arts and crafts activities from 2:30pm.

You can also enjoy some delicious refreshments in the Heritage Tea Rooms!

To find out more, please visit the Blaenavon World Heritage Centre website.

5. Welsh Puddle Jumping Championship at the WWT, Llanelli

Grab your wellies, get outdoors and have a splashing good time at the Welsh Puddle Jumping Championships at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust in Llanelli this half term week!

From the 15th-23rd February, kids (and grown-ups!) can release the stresses of every day life and have some good old fashioned, all-weather wetland fun. Kids can challenge grown-ups to see who can make the biggest splash, as well as taking on other participants in a bid to win the 2020 Welsh Puddle Jumping title. There will be daily winners too, so you better get practicing!

There will also be lots of other fun activities to keep the kids busy throughout the week including den building, family bird watching, crafts activities and muddy walks.

To see the full list of events and to book your place, please visit the WWT website.

6. Time Travelling Heroes at the Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant

The Royal Mint Experience is well known for its special events held throughout the year alongside its highly popular exhibitions and tours. The theme for your kids to get stuck into this February half term… dinosaurs! 

Throughout half term week, step back in time with your very own tour guide, Dinosaur Dean, and visit the prehistoric world of Dinosauria. In order to save the precious dinosaur eggs, all time travellers will have to fend off the dinosaurs with specially designed (safe for indoor use!) javelins, read a map to locate the dinosaur eggs, rescue the eggs from the very grumpy dinosaur and make their way back to the future in Dinosaur Dean’s time machine. Don’t worry parents, they’ll be back in time for dinner!

This activity is suitable for children over the age of 5 and lasts approximately 45 minutes. Tickets cost £5 per child or are free when paying for a tour!

Kids can also learn how to draw their own dinosaur, bringing these spectacular creatures back to life on paper. Artist Robert Nicholls will be leading two workshops on the 17th and 21st February for children aged 7 and over. Tickets cost £8 child or £4 when booked with a tour.

7. February Half Term at Aberdulais Tin Works and Waterfall, Neath Port Talbot

There’s something for everyone to enjoy at Aberdulais Tin Works and Waterfall as you head back in time and discover what it would have been like to live through the Victorian era.

Kids can dress up as Victorian Tinplate workers and sit down in the Old School House Tea room, just like children their age would have done over 100 years ago! There’s also plenty of wildlife to keep an eye out for and Victorian style arts and crafts activities to get stuck into.

Blow the cobwebs away, breathe in the fresh air and explore what the great outdoors has to offer. After a reinvigorating walk to the stunning waterfall, you can try your hand at making a plaited Welsh love spoon or clay heart pendant.

You can find out more about the Aberdulais Tin Works and Waterfall here.

8. Animal Encounters at Cardiff Castle

Get ready to go wild at Cardiff Castle this February half term as you get up close and personal with some exotic creatures from around the world.

Running for 4 sessions per day on the 18th and 19th February, kids will be educated and entertained in equal measure as they learn all about the habitats and behaviours of these amazing animals during a very hands-on encounter. If they’re feeling brave enough, the kids can even have a go at touching or holding these creatures that can walk, crawl, slither and even fly!

Tickets cost £5 per child and can be purchased on the Cardiff Castle website.