Half term fun for all

By the Beresfords Marketing Team - 20th February 2013

A selection of events that are happening throughout the county to keep everyone happy this half term and beyond:

Colchester Zoo is one of the finest zoos in Europe with over 250 species of animals set in 60 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes. Includes the unique chance to help feed the elephants and giraffes yourself!

Tropical Wings World of Wildlife prides itself on its reputation for providing all weather fun for the whole family, it is set within acres of attractive gardens and features one of the finest tropical butterfly houses in the UK. Throughout the day the Zoo offers a programme of animal encounters, animal feeds and fun activities this along with great competitions to enter ensures there’s something for everyone.

Hopefield Animal Sanctuary provides a safe haven to animals that need it, free from fear and harm. They include horses, donkeys, goats, pigs, chinchillas and Max the bull, who loves nothing more than being tickled between his horns!

Barleylands Farm Park is a farm park, craft village and bird of prey centre. They have two indoor play areas and two outdoor adventure playgrounds, one with a giant bouncy pillow and zip wire.

Boydells Dairy Farm provides a fun-packed and educational visit for children and adults alike. Try your hand at milking a cow or sheep, feeding hens, riding a donkey cart or outstaring a llama!

Colchester Castle Museum offers lots of hands-on exhibits of appeal to children and adults alike. Displays include castle prisons, medieval and Norman Colchester with lots going on throughout the year.

Hollytrees Museum is set in a beautiful Georgian building taking in domestic life and childhood in Colchester over the past 300 years. Meet many different characters from the past and experience Colchester's fascinating history.

A fascinating chance to get closer to nature at the Natural History Museum in Colchester. Find out about wildlife habitats, biodiversity and climate change in a family friendly environment full of hands on activities.

The Cater Museum features a series of accurately set up Victorian rooms which is great to help kids studying the period visualise it better. They also host displays on local history and have a World War II exhibition room and Victorian garden.

Chelmsford Museum is set in a park with an adventure play area; the museum offers a nice variety of exhibits, from a fine collection of fossils, a living beehive and British wildlife galleries, to the history of the Essex Regiment and the Essex Yeomanry.

Colchester Leisure World is fun for the whole family with features including two thrilling flumes, river rapids, crazy river, waves, geysers, still more slides and family spa pools!

Braintree Swimming Centre includes a great family fun orientated pool, with slide and interactive equipment.

Childsplay Adventureland features three ball ponds with slides, a large spooky area fitted with special effects, aerial glide, spiders webs, giant rapids and a cascading ball foundation for kids to explore.

Crazy Kids Adventure Play is a massive, air conditioned, modern warehouse fitted out for high adventure and excitement on the multi-level activity areas in a controlled environment. This is children's playtime entertainment at its very best and safest.

Go Bananas Indoor Soft Play Centre offers the ultimate in climbing frames with over 5000 sq ft on three levels. Children will be entertained for hours as they bounce on the Aztec Ruins; scream in the spook rooms with strobes, smoke machines and skeleton squeeze rollers.

Kidspace Romford is a magical, award-winning indoor adventure park. There's something for everyone, including adults! Kidspace is different and proud of it. They have taken the very best elements of activities from the top leisure park operators in Europe and developed a new breed of centre.

Junglee Fun Hornchurch is designed for the under 7s and run by a former Ofsted inspector. This colourful fully equipped purpose built soft play area is a great place for children to interact and burn off their excess energy.

Jungle Adventure is a huge jungle themed indoor adventure play centre offering terrific features like aerial glides, ball pools, cannons, trampolines, assault course and more. In the toddler sensory zone everything apparently comes to life, including a talking tree!

Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre with the latest in sound and lighting effects combining to create a lively disco atmosphere in Riverside's ice rink to get some great family skating done.

Stubbers Adventure Centre offers individual activities to whole days and courses, with a fantastic range including motor sports, jet ski, laser tag and bushcraft.

Great Notley Discovery Centre and Park offers a  whole day's worth of fun, including a sensory trail, endless play equipment suitable for multiple age groups, cycle hire centre, fishing, visitor centre and bistro, sports and educational facilities, plus an extensive events programme.