70+ family-friendly events in and around Cardiff for the Easter holidays 2025

Two weeks of no school is about to begin for most Cardiff kids – and if you’re looking for ideas to entertain them over the holidays and the long Easter weekend, then look no further. Here’s more than 100 ideas for events and activities at attractions in and around Cardiff.

There’s so much going on, with everything from classic Easter egg hunts and Easter-themed crafts, to a giant inflatable obstacle course at the ICC Wales, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang musical at Wales Millennium Centre, and a replica dinosaurs at St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre.

I’ve rounded up everything I can find below, but let me know anything I’ve missed in the comments on my social media channels.

All activities are subject to change and cancellation; please check with organisers to avoid disappointment.

As always, any love you can show this post on social media helps me beat the algorithms and ensures other families can discover ideas to keep them entertained.

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Easter holidays 2025: Things to do with kids in and around Cardiff South Wales

Easter egg hunts and Easter-themed events

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The Golden Easter Egg Trail
Mountain View Ranch, Cardiff

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
£11 per person aged 2+
Hunt for the golden eggs on your travels around the Ranch and collect the stamps on your map. Plus all the usual Ranch activities, including the famous Gruffalo trail. Explore and discover all these and much, much more; two jumping pillows, guinea pigs, pygmy goats, ponies, straw bale obstacle course, soft archery, double zip wire, fairy forest, roly poly hill, tree houses, The Vomit Comet, The Big Big Swing, Hobbit Hill, and of course The Gruffalo. Advance online booking highly recommended.
Easter Weekend (Good Friday 18-Easter Monday 21 April) sees extra activities including bubble shows throughout the day, meet and greets with the Daffodil Fairy, appearances from The Mad Hatter, and a chance to meet two fluffy alpacas.

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Easter Trail
National Museum Cardiff / St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff

Saturday 12-Easter Monday 21 April, 10am-4pm
£4 per trail; suitable for age 4+
The annual Easter trails from St Fagans and National Museum Cardiff and asks young explorers to solve riddles and uncover clues as they hunt for the brightly coloured eggs around the museum sites. Find your way around familiar historic exhibits and then claim you chocolate prize.

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FREE Easter Egg Hunt
Ikea Cardiff

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
Discover the secret location of the colourful Easter eggs hidden around the store. Find all the eggs to crack the secret code and win a free ice cream from our Swedish Bistro.

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Easter Craft Activities
Celtic Manor Resort, Newport

Saturday 5-Sunday 27 April
Easter Crafts, £12 per person
Easter Wreath Making £12 per person
Easter Bonnet Making, £12 per person
Feathered Friend Build a Bird Feeder, £12 per person
See website for exact dates and times for each activity

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Easter Trail
Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs, Cardiff

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
£2 per trail
Pick up a trail map at reception, follow the Easter trail around the reservoirs and claim your prize.

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Easter Trail
Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon

Good Friday 18-Easter Monday 21 April, 10am-3.30pm
£3 per trail
Set off on your way to search for our bunny friends hiding around the Museum!
Complete the egg-tastic challenges to claim your prize! Purchase your trails today to avoid disappointment.

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Petrus Rabbit Trail
Caerleon Roman Baths

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £5.60, children 5-17 £3.90, under 5s free, family (2+3) £17.90

Visit the Roman Baths and help find Petrus Rabbits and his friends.

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FREE Easter Trail
Morgan Quarter, Cardiff

Wednesday 16-Saturday 19 April
A free Easter Egg Trail will take families on a tour of Cardiff’s historic Morgan Arcade and Royal Arcade this Easter holiday. Pick up a map at Pen & Paper, and hunt for the 10 Easter eggs printed in windows around the arcades. When finished, head to Maple & Bean where children can collect a chocolate prize.
PLUS The Morgan Quarter Easter Eggstravaganza, Saturday 19 April, from 11am
The Easter Bunny will be making a special appearance handing out delicious chocolates and offering a free lucky dip of prizes from various Morgan Quarter favourites.

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Mad Hatters Quest
The Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant

Good Friday 18, Saturday 19, Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23, Thursday 24 April, 10am, 11am, 1pm and 2pm
Adults £5, children £15, family of four £35
Follow the white rabbit to the Royal Mint Experience for a topsy-turvy, utterly bonkers day of fun, frolics, and a dash of delightful madness. Meet The Mad Hatter and My Delightfully Mad Friends. Solve riddles, puzzles, and challenges in this wonderland of whimsy for the whole family. Plus get 50% off when you book a tour of the Royal Mint Experience at the same time.

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Easter Egg Hunt
South Wales Aviation Museum, St Athan

Sunday 20 April
£1 in addition to usual entry (adults £10, adult plus one child 3-14 £10, additional child £2.50
A treasure hunt around the museum with a delicious finale.
The museum is open Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-4pm and is Wales’ largest independent and undercover aircraft museum, with interactive exhibits and hands-on activities.
Experience the thrill of flying in our flight simulators, sit in the pilot seat of some exhibits, or take a guided tour.

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Easter Trail
Castell Coch, Tongwynlais, Cardiff

Monday 14-Monday 21 April, 11am-3pm

Adults £10, children 5-17 £7, family £32
An Easter egg trail around the fairy tale castle, with a chocolate prize at the end. Advisable to book tickets online in advance due to limited capacity at the site.

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Easter Codebreaker
Chepstow Castle

Monday 14-Easter Sunday 20 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £10, children 5-17 £7, under5s free, family £32 or free for Cadw members
The Lord of Chepstow Castle has locked away his Easter eggs. Search the castle for clues to open the padlock. If you can open the lock, you can eat the choc.

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Bunny Trails and Easter Tales
Blaenavon Ironworks

Friday 18-Friday 25 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adult £7.70, children 5-17 £5.30, family £24.60 or free for Cadw members
An Easter Egg trail with a prize at the end, plus listen to tales about Welsh Easter traditions with a storyteller on Friday 18, Saturday 19, and Easte Monday 21 April.

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Easter Quest
Tretower Court and Castle, Crickhowell

Saturday 19-Monday 21 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £10, children 5-17 £7, family (2+3) £32 or free for Cadw members

The bunnies at Tretower have set up a trail. Complete their Easter quest and win a tasty treat.

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Easter Egg Trail
Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend

Monday 14-Friday 25 April, 11am-3pm
£4.50 per trail, age guide 3+
Hunt for the giant Easter eggs that have been hidden around the park. Collect your quiz sheet from the Visitor Centre, head out to find them all, draw the patterns you find on your sheet to win a chocolate-y prize.

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The Big Easter Event 2025
Amelia Farm Trust, Barry

Monday 14-Friday 18 April, 10am-4.30pm
Children £9.50, adults £6.90
As well as the usual animals to meet, woodlands to explore and playground adventures, take on the Easter trail and win a chocolate prize; face painting, colouring corner, meet the Easter bunny, lawn games and tractor rides (weather dependent).

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Easter Event
The Meadows Wildlife Park

Saturday 12 April-Easter Monday 21 April

Adults and children over 3 £11.50, under 3s free
An Easter trail in addition to the usual farm activities. Plus Saturday 12 April, 10am, sees a Dog Fayre with pet stalls and doggy snacks and food available. Also, see the website for details of hands-on animal encounters with creatures including armadillos and capybara.

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Easter activities
Cantref Adventure Farm, Brecon

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April

Adults and children over 93cm £17.94, child under 93cm £8.97, baby free (online advance prices; costs more on the door)
All the usual farm animals, indoor and outdoor play, plus an Easter egg hunt with the Easter, Bunny, bottle feeding lambs, hands-on pet handling sessions, Mr Ev’s show, tractr and trailer rides, sweet surprises with the candy cannon, and more.

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Easter activities
Cefn Mably Farm Park, Cardiff

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
£10.50 per person, under 18 months free, family of 4 £40
An Easter quiz running through the holidays plus egg hunt running from Good Friday to Easter Monday (£1 extra per trail sheet). Advanced booking highly recommended for school holidays as it gets busy.

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Easter Egg-stravaganza
Rhondda Heritage Park

Thursday 24 and Friday 25 April, 10am, 12.30am and 3pm
£12.50 per child, £3.50 per accompanying adult plus booking fee
Easter fun includes a teddy bears’ picnic, an egg hunt, wander through the bunny burrow and see what you can find, Easter craft, petting farm, and more. Book in advance.

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Easter Celebrations
Fonmon Castle, Rhoose

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April, 10am-4pm
Adults £12, children £10, under 3s free
An Easter celebration for the whole family, with an Easter egg stamp trail, a story trail, meet the Easter bunny, plus face painting, archery and axe throwing (additional charges apply). Fonmon Castle is also home to a dinosaur trail, medieval village, fairy village and more.

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Easter Trail
Tredegar House, Newport

Monday 7 April-Tuesday 22 April, 10.30am-4pm
£3.50 per trail plus usual admission (adults £14.30, children £7.20, family 2+3 £35.80, family 1+3 £21.50 or free for National Trust members)
(house is closed 7-13 April, see online for details and reduced entry fee)
Join in the traditional garden fete activities, suitable for all ages, to claim your chocolate prize.
Plus Easter Sunday 20 April, 11.45am-12.30pm Easter Bonnet parade Wear your most creative and colourful Easter bonnet, and join us on a parade through the beautiful formal gardens.

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Easter Adventures
Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas, Vale of Glamorgan

Monday 7-Tuesday 22 April, 10am-5pm

£3.50 per trail plus usual admission ((adults £14.30, children £7.20, family 2+3 £35.80, family 1+3 £21.50 or free for National Trust members)

Ten hands-on Easter-inspired 10 activities for all the in the family to enjoy, with a mix of favourites from last year such as the egg run, feed the bunny and animal dress-up stations plus some new special additions too. The vast majority of the trail is handmade by staff and volunteers, using natural or recycled materials. Chocolate egg on completion of the trail.

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General family events

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Tuff Nutterz

ICC Wales, Newport

Thursday 10-Monday 21 April
From £15
A 300m supersize inflatable maze packed with 30 fun and challenging obstacles to complete, including huge slides, climbing walls, hanging rails, balance balls – and the 6m Tuff Slide as an add-on for those looking for an adrenaline rush. Under 5s must be accompanied by an adult.

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FREE Dino Discovery Trail
St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre, Cardiff

Monday 14-Sunday 27 April
A free, family-friendly dinosaur model trail is coming, with eight dinosaur models from a two-metre-tall Diplodocus to a Velociraptor and a mighty T-rex – measuring five metres in length from nose to tail. Collect a free trail map and dinosaur hat from St David’s Guest Services desk and return the completed map for a sticker and sweet treat.

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Flower and Eggs / We Are Aliens / Star Tours
Techniquest, Cardiff Bay

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
£2.50 per person per show, plus usual admittance
More than 100 hands-on science exhibits for all ages, plus live science and Planetarium shows over the holidays.

We Are Aliens – 25-minute Planetarium show, ages 5+
Are we alone in the universe? Could there be life on other planets? Embark on an epic space adventure as we search for signs of extraterrestrial life!
Narrated by Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, this thrilling film delves into the question of whether humanity could one day join a galactic community.

Flower and Eggs – 30-minute live science show, ages 5+
Disover more about a whole range of fascinating creatures and their eggs: from the most obvious birds that lay your favourite breakfast-time treat, to some really rather special creatures you may not be as familiar with. Full of fascinating facts and dynamic demos, cracking open a golden opportunity to explore.

Star Tours – 25-minute Planetarium show, ages 7+
Find out more about some familiar constellations, the planets, how stars are born and how they die as Techniqest’s digital planetarium takes you through space for a close-up look at some of nature’s most beautiful sights such as distant galaxies and exploded stars.

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Easter Events
Bedwellty House, Tredegar

See website for full details, prices and times
Animal Encounters – Monday 14 April
Chocolate Detectives – Tuesday 15 April
Easter Treats and Craft Workshop – Thursday 17 April
The Easter Wizards – Tuesday 22 April
Spring Craft Workshop – Wednesday 23 April

Easter Fun
Parc Play, Cardiff

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
Adults £2, under 1s £3.95 or free with an older sibling, ages 1-3 £7.95, ages 4-12 £9.95
Easter activities plus all the usual indoor and outdoor play. Book in advance for a two-hour session.

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Forest Feastival
Candleston Woods, Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend

Friday 18-Monday 21 and Friday 25-Sunday 27 April, plus Friday 2-Monday 5 and Friday 9-Sunday 11 May;
Adults £9.50, children under 16 go free; suitable for families other than Friday adult-only sessions
An immersive street food festival featuring the best local food trucks and chefs from Wales and beyond, cooking up a global feast. Enjoy the Glamorgan heritage coastline and walk the Big Dipper, Wales’ biggest sand dune, while working up an appetite. Expect circus acts, music, marshmallow fire pits and more.

Family Fun Day
Margam Country Park, Port Talbot

Easter Monday 21 April, 10am-5pm
Adults £18.77, children £16.10, family (2+2) £56.20
Bluey and Bingo, Sonic the Hedgehog and Paddington will be among the special guests at Margam Park’s Easter Monday family fun day. The day also features a selection of live shows, dancing, singing, photo opportunities and more, with an interactive singalong with your favourite princesses, circus and play workshops, and lots more.

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Family activities
Celtic Manor Resort, Newport

A wide range of adventurous activities for families. Must be booked online in advance. Age and height restrictions apply.
Forest Nets – £20.00 per person (age 3+)
Low Ropes – £20 per person (minimum height 1.2m)
High ropes – £30 per person (minimum height 1.4m)
Laser Combat – £20 per person (age 6+)
All Bounced Out – £20 per person (6-15 years)
Archery – £20.00 per person (6+years)
Axe throwing – £20 per person (10+years)

Treetop Adventure Golf
St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre, Cardiff

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
Adults £10.90, Children (5 and under) £5, Family of 4 £33
Treetop Adventure Golf is home to two 18-hole mini golf courses where the whole family can test out their putting skills. Plus, there’s an Easter hunt with hidden eggs to be found, free face painting from Thursday 17-Wednesday 23 April from 12pm-3pm, limited edition sweet treats, and freshly-made pizza.

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FREE Mermaid Quay Explorers: Pet Edition
Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
A self-guided trail will take little explorers on a journey around Mermaid Quay where they will discover fascinating facts about pets as they follow clues and complete their trail map. Once completed, maps can be posted into the special post box located in The Atrium (outside the public toilets) for a chance to win a prize.

Saturday 12 April, 12pm-4pm

The Rescue Hotel, a volunteer-run charity supporting Cardiff Dogs Home, will be on, giving visitors the chance to learn more about the important work the charity does and support them by purchasing branded merchandise – with 100% of the proceeds going towards the care of dogs in need.
ACT Training will be demonstrating K9 first aid, giving families the chance to pick up essential pet safety tips.

Wednesday 16 and Wednesday 23 April, 12pm to 4pm

Free face painting, letting little ones transform into their favourite animals or Easter characters.

FREE Easter Story Time
Waterstones, Cardiff

Wednesday 23 April, 11.30am-12pm
Head to the children’s section of Waterstones for storytime featuring Easter picture books, old and new.

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Spring into the lanes
Hollywood Bowl, The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
All the usual ten-pin action with an Easter twist. Search for he hidden golden eggs to win a chocolate egg, plus take part in the free treasure hunt, uncover all the hidden letters and win a chocolate treat.

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Family swimming
Lido Ponty

From Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April
Adults £3.50, children free (access to water activities £3 per person)
Lido Ponty is open for the Easter holiday with timed slot available every day. The Lido features three pools – a main pool, an activity pool and a splash pool. For £2.50 per person, visitors can also enjoy everything a selection of fun inflatables and water activities. For smaller visitors, the splash pool is complete with an umbrella water fountain. Limited availability; book in advance. Sells out fast!

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FREE Buzz in the Bay
The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay

Tuesday 22 April, 12pm-4pm

This Earth Day, The Red Dragon Centre are making a buzz with a fun-packed day of free nature. Learn more about bug hotels, and the importance of caring for our local wildlife and pollinators with fun fact sheets, crafts, and quizzes. Take part in a sunflower workshop, where budding young gardeners can get crafty and take seeds home to nurture and watch grow into a valuable food source for birds, bees and insects.

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Miniature Railway
Heath Park Model Railway, Heath Park, Cardiff

Easter Sunday 20 and Monday 21 April, 1pm-5pm
Entry £2.80 per person, rides £2.80 (under 3s free)
Cardiff Model Engineering Society opens its doors to the public with miniature train rides – steam, diesel and electric – plus tram rides.

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Wildlife Wednesday – Mighty Moths
Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend

Wednesday 16 April, 10am-12pm
£4 per child
Explore the mysterious world of moths with the park’s ranger team. See what’s been attracted to the moth trap overnight and enjoy close up encounters with a multitude of species.

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Craft activities

FREE Build Your Own Rocking Dragon
Senedd, Cardiff Bay

Saturday 5-Saturday 26 April
Create a rocking seesaw for Fflam, the Senedd dragon, to enjoy? Choose a design, colour Fflam in, and then cut, fold, and stick your shapes together to make your unique rocker. All materials are provided and there’s no need to pre-book. While there, you can also visit the play area which has lots of toys to play with and a large map of Wales to explore, pick up a Senedd Activity Explorer activity perfect for exploring with 5-12 year olds, and book into a guided tour to learn more about the work of the Welsh Parliament.

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Mary Poppins Crafternoon Tea
The Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant

Wednesday 16 April
Adults £23, children £15
Afternoon tea bursting with goodies to eat and a collection of themed pottery pieces waiting for your artistic touch to bring them to life, whether you’re an experienced potter or a curious beginner. Pottery pieces will be individually priced on the day (from £15 per item) with support from Lollipops & Ladybirds to guide inspire your creativity. Pottery works will be fired in the kiln by Lollipops and Ladybirds before being returned to The Royal Mint Experience for collection.

South Wales Makers Market
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff

Monday 14-Thursday 24 April, 10am-5pm
Entry to the museum and market is free, but you’ll need to pay for parking
South Wales Makers’ Market showcases some exceptional local Welsh crafting talent. Stalls are varied and can change each day, featuring crafts such as pottery, handmade body products, jewellery and textiles. Plus visit more than 50 historical buildings from across Wales and discover what life as like for people in Wales across the centuries.

FREE Café Cymru family workshop
Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon

Monday 14-Tuesday14 and Tuesday 22-Wednesday 23 April, 11am-3pm
Enjoy sensory crafts and play inspired by Welsh-Italian cafés. Create your own clay teacup and paint your own sensory coffee watercolour inspired by the sights and smells of Welsh Italian cafés of the past. Drop in sessions, no need to book.

FREE Crafty Wednesday
Museum of Cardiff, Old Library, The Hayes

Wednesday 16 April, 11am-3pm
Drop in during the Easter holidays for creative, crafty fun for all the family, plus lots of hands-on exhibits exploring Cardiff’s past.

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Events at museums, castles and other historical-themed activities

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FREE Monumental Welsh Women Exhibition
The Senedd, Cardiff Bay

Until Wednesday 7 May
Until recently, there wasn’t a single statue of a real women anywhere in Wales. The Monumental Welsh Women campaign changed that by fundraising for and commissioning statues of five pioneering Weslsh women. Visitors can learn more about the incredible contributions to Welsh history of Betty Campbell, Elaine Morgan, Cranogwen, Lady Rhondda and Elizabeth Andrews, with new portraits by Ceredigion-based artist Meinir Mathias

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Streic! 84-85 Strike!
National Museum Cardiff

Until Sunday 27 April

Pay what you can (from £3; suggested amount £10)
Marking the 40th anniversary of the miner’s strikes of 1984-1985, this exhibition shows how a summer of hope and high-spirited defiance lead to a winter of violence, hardship and loss of livelihoods – and ultimately life – across some of Wales’ hardiest communities. From photos and placards of protest to personal stories of comradeship in their clash against a rapidly changing world, this important exhibition opens he door on the Miners’ Strike and its profound impact on our nation.

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Roman Army Bootcamp
National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon

Monday 14-Wednesday 16, Good Friday 18-Easter Monday 21, Tuesday 23 and Thursday 25 April, various sessions from 10,30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 2.30pm
£3 per child; booking essential
Join the musuem’s Second Augustan Legion. Meet a Centurion, take a look at some armour, weapons and military equipment from the Roman army and find out what life was like for a Roman soldier on the edge of the empire.
You’ll be able to try on Roman armour and learn to march with the Centurion using Latin commands.

Petrus Rabbit Trail
Caerleon Roman Baths

Saturday 12-Sunday 27 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £5.60, children 5-17 £3.90, under 5s free, family (2+3) £17.90 or free for Cadw members

Visit the Roman Baths and help find Petrus Rabbits and his friends.

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Medieval Wargaaming,: Skirmishes, Battles and Sieges
Chepstow Castle

Saturday 12-Sunday 13 April, 10.30am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £10, children 5-17 £7, under5s free, family £32 or free for Cadw members
William Marshal was lord of Chepstow Castle, a great Marcher baron, and also a famous tournament fighter. His tournaments were no one-on-one jousts, but team games, where the aim was to capture your opponent and lead them back to your camp. Have a go at this tabletop game, with the aim of leading your own baron and his household to glory on the tournament field.

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William Marshal’s Visit to Tintern Abbey
Tintern Abbey

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April, 10.30am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £9, children 5-17 £6.30, family £28.20
The Household is encamped at Tintern, with its array of medieval crafts and characters.
From soldiers and knights to monks and cooks, the Household will demonstrate the typical itinerant household under William Marshal, patron and benefactor of Tintern Abbey.
An interactive introduction to medieval life, for all ages.

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Easter Trail
Castell Coch, Tongwynlais, Cardiff

Monday 14-Monday 21 April, 11am-3pm
An Easter egg trail around the fairy tale castle, with a chocolate prize at the end. Advisable to book tickets online in advance due to limited capacity at the castle.

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Easter Codebreaker
Chepstow Castle

Monday 14-Easter Sunday 20 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £10, children 5-17 £7, under5s free, family £32 or free for Cadw members
The Lord of Chepstow Castle has locked away his Easter eggs. Search the castle for clues to open the padlock. If you can open the lock, you can eat the choc.

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Bunny Trails and Easter Tales
Blaenavon Ironworks

Friday 18-Friday 25 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adult £7.70, children 5-17 £5.30, family £24.60
An Easter Egg trail with a prize at the end, plus listen to tales about Welsh Easter traditions with a storyteller on Friday 18, Saturday 19, and Easte Monday 21 April.

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The Pilgrimage
Tintern Abbey

Friday 18-Monday 21 April, 10.30am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £9, children 5-17 £6.30, family £28.20
The year is 1416, and the Freemen of Gwent have returned from France where they fought victoriously under King Henry V’s banner at Agincourt the previous year. However, they feel the need to atone for their sins to save themselves from dire retribution, and what better place to achieve this than at Tintern Abbey, on their home doorstep. Meet these fierce men-at-arms and their families in the warmth of their camp near their homes in Wales, and learn about their way of life and worship.

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Medieval Falconry
Chepstow Castle

Saturday 19-Sunday 20 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £10, children 5-17 £7, under5s free, family £32 or free for Cadw members
Meet a variety of birds of prey and find out about their role in medieval falconry. There will also be opportunities for supervised handling and photos, with an extra charge.

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15th Century Life
Tretower Court and Castle

Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 April, 11am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £10, children 5-17 £7, family (2+3) £32

A living history group will take you back to the time of Tretower’s heyday. With the 15th Century Household in residence, find out all sorts of interesting facts about life in the Middle Ages, from what they ate to how often they practiced their archery.

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Easter Quest
Tretower Court and Castle

Saturday 19-Monday 21 April, 10am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adults £10, children 5-17 £7, family (2+3) £32

The bunnies at Tretower have set up a trail. Complete their Eater quest and win a tasty treat.

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Historia Normannis: Life in the Marches
Raglan Castle

Saturday 19-Monday 21 April, 11am-4pm
Usual admission applies, adult £10, children 5-17 £7, under 5s free, family (2+3) £32

Late 12th century living history as Historia Normannis return to Raglan to show a slice of life from the late 1100s in the Welsh Marches. Fashion shows, medieval living, arms and armour – the melting pot of the borderlands, where Welsh, English and Norman all mixed. Children’s entertainer, Juggling Jim, will also be making an appearance.

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Make and Take Day
Chepstow Castle

Wednesday 23 April
Usual admission applies, adults £10, children 5-17 £7, under5s free, family £32 or free for Cadw members

Get crafty at Chepstow Castle. Children can make something to play with in the castle and then take home. No extra charge for this activity.

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Chainmail Workshops
Chepstow Castle

Saturday 26 April, 10.30am-3.15pm

£6 per person, plus usual admission adults £10, children 5-17 £7, under5s free, family £32 or free for Cadw members
Learn how to make a patch of chainmail in the medieval grounds of Chepstow Castle, enabling you to create a small patch of maille to take home. All materials and tools will be provided. Minimum age 10+.

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Theatre and performance

Roald Dahl Dychmygwch/Imagine That
The Riverfront, Newport

Saturday 12 April, 11am (Welsh) and 2.30pm (English)
Tickets £7
Alf loves to read. In his multicolour coat, covered with pockets for his books, he will share his love of reading, and will reveal the adventures that happen to him when he starts to read. His absolute favourite author is Roald Dahl. Book by book, Alf will present some of Dahl’s stories and read his favourite parts. He will then let his imagination take over and will demonstrate how reading these stories makes him want to do other crazy things – and this is when the fun starts.

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Youth Theatre Festival
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff

Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 April
From £10
A vibrant network of youth theatre companies from across South Wales will each perform an NT Connections play for the Sherman’s annual Youth Theatre Festival. They will be joined by Sherman Youth Theatre, who reprise their performance of The Pilot by Jennifer Lunn, developed with the theatre’s Introduction to Playwriting Participants. Attend one performance, or buy a pass and see as many as you’d like.

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Kinetic Musical Theatre
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff

Monday 14-Thursday 17 April, 12pm
£14 adults, £12.50 concessions

Seussical for Kids, 12pm
Beauty and the Beast, 3.30pm
Addams Family Young, 7.30pm

Young performers from Cardiff’s Kinetic Musical Theatre present three family-friendly musicals, specially adapted versions for young people.

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The Detective Dog
Blackwood Miners Institute

Monday 14 April, 11am and 2pm
£10 per person

Memo Arts Centre, Barry

Friday 25 April, 11.30am and 2.30pm
Adults £10, children £8, £32 family of four
Age guidance 3+, running time 50 minutes

Tiny & Tall Productions brings Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie’s well-loved story, The Detective Dog to the stage for Deaf and hearing family audiences. Whether it’s finding a lost shoe or discovering who did a poo on the new gravel path, Nell’s ever-sniffing nose is always hard at work. So when the books at the school have disappeared one morning, Detective Dog Nell is ready to sniff out the culprit
With British Sign Language, creative captions and spoken English, this engaging production celebrates books and the magic of reading in an inclusive and accessible performance. Expect captivating puppetry; surprising smells and toe-tapping music.

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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Tuesday 15-Saturday 19 April
From £20; age guidance 5+ (no admittance to under 2s)
A brand-new production of the much-loved family favouite flies into Cardiff for the Easter holidays, based on Ian Fleming’s timeless story for children which was the inspiration for the classic 1968 family film. Strictly Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba stars as absent-minded inventor Caractacus Potts who restores a broken-down old racing car with the help of his children Jemima and Jeremy. Liam Fox (Emmerdale stars as Grandpa Potts and EastEnders’ Charlie Brooks is the menacing Childcatcher. The show features unforgettable songs by the Sherman Brothers including Toot Sweets, Hushabye Mountain, Truly Scrumptious and of course the Academy Award-nominated title song, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

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Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds

Utilita Arena, Cardiff

Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 April, 8pm

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds is back with a new UK and Ireland arena tour, celebrating 130 years since the publication of HG Wells’ dark Victorian tale. Conducted by Jeff Wayne, it features Liam Neeson in 3D holography as The Journalist, who recounts his story of survival from the Martian invasion of 1898. This is a cutting-edge production, with a host of new ingredients and special effects to challenge and excite the senses.

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There’s a Monster in Your Show
The Riverfront, Newport

Saturday 19 April, 2pm and 4pm; Sunday 20 April 11am and 2pm
Tckets £15.50, family of four £60
Running time 55 minutes
Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures for big imaginations are leaping from page to stage, as the beloved ‘Who’s in Your Book?’ series makes its debut as a brand-new musical show. Expect plenty of fun for littlest ones as their favourite characters, including Monster, Dragon, Alien and Unicorn, come to life in a show that is packed with playful moments to enjoy together.

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Wicked Sing-Along
New Theatre, Cardiff

Sunday 20 April, 3pm and 7.30pm
From £26.50
A screening of the Grammy and Oscar winning film – where you can sing along! Equipped with your exclusive Sing-Along gift bag, you’ll be joining in with his from the film including Popular and Defying Gravity, in a packed-out theatre for a truly magical experience. Wicked is the untold story of the Witches of Oz, spotlighting Oz’s most infamous characters, Elphaba and her unlikely friend, Glinda, exploring how they became the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch. The film stars Grammy award winners Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, and Tony-nominee Ethan Slater.

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Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Tuesday 22-Saturday 26 April
From £18; age guidance 8+ (no admittance to under 2s)
Matthew Bourne’s ground-breaking reinvention of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece caused a sensation when it premiered almost 30 years ago. It has now become the most successful dance theatre production of all time, creating new audiences and inspiring generations of young dancers. In celebration of that ongoing impact, Swan Lake will take flight once more in a major new revival for the next generation of dancers, and for audiences who will experience it for the very first time. Thrilling, bold, witty and emotive, this genre-defining event is still best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered convention, turning tradition on its head.

The Little Mermaid
Blackwood Miners’ Institute

Wednesday 23 April 1.30pm and 4.30pm; Thursday 24 April, 10.30am and 1.30pm
£12 per person
Age guidance 4+; running time 105 minutes
Multi award-nominated Immersion Theatre invite you on a vibrant underwater adventure like no other in their most spectacular and fantastical family musical yet, The Little Mermaid. Colourful sets and characters, lively choreography, original music and lots of audience participation,
Packed with dazzling sets, colourful characters, astounding choreography, original music, this brand-new adaptation sees the adventurous Little Mermaid embark on an unforgettable adventure as the wonders of the sea burst onto the stage in a magical experience suitable for all ages.

Cinema

The focus here is on independent cinemas, film-related events, and cheaper family screenings rather than the current big releases at the multiplexes.

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Cinema at the Memo
Memo Arts Centre, Barry

£6 adults, £5 concessions
Disney’s Snow White (PG)
Friday 11-Wednesday 23 April
Disney’s live-action musical reimagining of the classic 1937 film.

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Movies for Juniors

Cineworld, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff

The 10am weekend and school holiday Movies for Juniors showings are £3.99 per person. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.

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Mighty Mornings

Vue Cinema, Millennium Plaza, Cardiff

The 10am weekend and school holiday Mighty Mornings showings are just £2.49 per person when booked online or £3.49 on the door. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.

Riverfront Arts Centre, Newport

Dogman (U) and Flow (U)
Family films at £3.50 per person