The 1940s at War and Peace

Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5 at the Lincolnsfield Children’s Centre, Bushey Hall Drive, Bushey

This family weekend of entertainment features Allied Axis living history displays, period rides and vehicles, battle re-enactments, live music hall and jive dancing. There’s also the 1940s House to explore and the Blitz Experience, Dig For Victory Garden and Café. Anyone visiting in 1940s dress will be admitted for £2.

Tickets: 01923 233841, www.fortiesexperience.co.uk (£3.50-£18 family ticket)

Easter workshops at Watford Museum

Watford Borough Council’s Easter workshops are inspired by Indian cinema and the Golden Days of Bollywood display in Watford Museum’s foyer until 18 April. The art workshops take place over three days - on Thursday, April 9, children can make a decorative bag using paints, stencils, stamps, buttons and trimmings, based on beautiful Indian prints. On Thursday, April 16, try your hand at creating images on fabric using dyes, pastels, beads and sequins, to build layers of colour, texture and pattern inspired by Bollywood film posters. Then on Friday, April 17, the session covers making a simple cinematographic viewer to create the illusion of movement. All materials are provided and workshops are suitable for girls and boys between 8 and 12 years old. The workshops run between 10.30am and 12.30pm, and cost £6 per session or £4 with an Everyone Active card.

Tickets: 01923 232297 or email: info@watfordmuseum.org.uk (£6)

Hertfordshire Fire Museum Open Days

Saturday, April 18, 1pm to 4pm at Watford Fire Station, Whippendell Road Watford

View historic fire-fighting equipment and uniforms, documents and photographs of fire appliances, incident scenes and local fire history at this free open day.

Details: firemuseum@watfordmuseum.org.uk

Daytime Drop in Dance Sessions

From Monday, April 20 at the Collective Dance Studio, Rectory Lane, Rickmansworth

Classes for 16 years and above include Pilates, commercial jazz, ballet, contemporary dance and more.

Details: 020 8428 0037 or www.collectivedance.co.uk

Adventure Play Activities

Watford Borough Council’s Easter playschemes run from Monday, April 6 to Thursday, April 9 and then from Tuesday, April 14 to Friday, April 17 for children aged 5-11, each session costs just £3.50 and includes a variety of play activities from arts and crafts, sports, parachute games, stories to group games. Taking place at Watford Field School and Cassiobury School, the morning sessions run from 10am until 12.30pm and afternoon sessions from 1.30pm until 4pm. The booking session for Watford Field and Cassiobury playschemes will be held at Harwoods Adventure Playground, Vicarage Road on Sunday, April 5 between 11am and 1pm. If you are unable to attend the booking session, please visit the venue of your choice on the first day of each week of the playscheme to register for the remaining places. Watford's adventure playgrounds provide a free, friendly and challenging environment for all children and young people from 5 to 15 years of age to play and socialise together. Harebreaks APG has a large outside play area with a depth slide, scramble nets, basket swing, wobble bridges, a football pitch, balancing beams, a wildlife area and sensory garden and Harwoods APG has a large outdoor play area with table tennis, skate ramps, pool, dancing and dressing up facilities.

Details: 01923 278333, www.watford.gov.uk

Easter at The Radlett Centre

The Railway Children

Wednesday, April 8, 11am and 2pm at The Radlett Centre, Aldenham Avenue, Radlett

When their father is taken away, ta London family has to adjust to living in the country. There the children fall in love with the railway and make friends with all those who work on it. During the light hearted first act rehearsal some children are rehearsed into small parts in the show while the rest of the audience is taught the chorus songs. After the interval the show runs seamlessly with everyone taking part.

Musical Theatre Workshop

Tuesday, April 14 to Saturday, April 18, 9.30am to 4.30pm (Thursday 9.30am to 6pm)

Learn how to dance and act at these very popular theatre sessions for ages eight to 16 years in two groups. No previous experience is necessary but the team work to a very high standard so dedication is required.

Coppelia

Saturday, April 25, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

A lively and traditional ballet, Coppelia features colourful costumes, lively characters and the beautiful music from Delibes. A toy-maker, has made a beautiful mechanical doll, and named her Coppelia. He places her in his shop window, where local villagers are amazed by her lifelike qualities and begin to believe she is real.

Details: 01923 859291, www.radlettcentre.co.uk

Historic Tour of Berkhamsted

Sunday, April 5, 2pm to 4.30pm at Berkhamsted Castle, Station approach, Berkhamsted

Discover the fascinating history of the Norman castle and town of Berkhamsted with volunteers from the Berkhamsted Local History and Museum Society, organised by: Chilterns Conservation Board. The castle visitor room will also be open from Friday, April 10 to Monday, April 13.

Details: Jenny Sherwood on 01442 865158

Bumblebees Exhibition

Until July 2009, open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 2pm to 5pm at The Natural History Museum at Tring, The Walter Rothschild Building, Akeman Street, Tring

The buzz words this Easter is keep bees safe as The Natural History Museum’s reveals its new display dedicated to the protection of the humble bumblebee. Discover why there’s so much more to one of Britain’s best loved insects in a new exhibition where you can play games and discover where bumblebees live, why the cuckoo bumblebee has no worker bees and why without bees we wouldn’t have some of our favourite fruits and vegetables. See a specimen of one of the largest bees in the world and find out which bee is invading Tring, too. Activities will be running throughout the exhibition for families and adults, including making beeswax candles and a talk about bumblebee natural history.

Details: 020 7942 6171, www.nhm.ac.uk/tring

Medieval Jousting

Sunday, April 12 and Monday, April 13 at Knebworth House, Knebworth

Take a trip back in time at one of England’s most beloved stately homes this Easter, as the Knights of Royal England present a spectacular display of action-packed mediaeval pageantry with stunts, fanfares, falls, fights and galloping horses. After getting your fill of duelling knights, families can wander through the maze, visit the organically run walled kitchen garden and Gertrude Jekyll herb garden, let off steam in the adventure playground and go prehistoric on the Dinosaur Trail. And don’t forget to take a look round the romantic exterior of Knebworth House itself, which has been home to the Lytton Family since 1490.

Details: 01438 812661, www.knebworthhouse.com

Easter Eggstravaganza

Saturday, April 4 to Sunday, April 19 at Willows Farm Village, Coursers Road, London Colney, St Albans

COO to your hearts content over the baby farmyard animals running about this 500 acres farm site, while your little ones can enjoy rides on Tristan the Runaway Tractor, visit the Guinea Pig Village, tackle the slides in the indoor play barn Wolly Jumpers and cheer on their favourite in the Sheep Racing and Daft Duck Trials. Special Easter events include an egg and bunny hunt plus the band new animated chicken show, Feathers & Beak, in Wolly’s Showtime Theatre.

Details: 0870 129 9718, www.willowsfarmvillage.com

Easter Bunny Hunt

Tuesday, April 14, 10am to at 3pm Highfield Park, Hill End Lane, St Albans Come and discover Highfield Park and see if you can find all the Easter bunnies that are hiding there. Bunny spotting forms will be available from the West Lodge and all correct sheets will be entered into a prize draw for an Easter prize, kindly donated by the local Spar supermarket. Highfield Park also has a tree trail to identify more than 40 different trees, plus orchards, ponds, gardens and woodlands to explore.

Details: 01727 847242, www.highfieldparktrust.co.uk

Easter at The Maltings Arts Theatre

Maltings Arts Theatre, The Maltings Shopping Centre, St Albans

LIGHTS, camera, action, the Maltings Arts Theatre is running a fun-filled film-making course this Easter for ages 9-18. Film experts Rowan Peters and Matt Butler will take your budding Spielbergs through the whole process, from storyboard to production, with two two-day courses for ages 9-12 (£30) and one intensive four-day course for 13-18-year-olds (£50) the week beginning Monday, April 6. All groups will have their films screened for family and friends at the Arts Theatre on Tuesday, April 14, 7pm. Early booking is advised as places are strictly limited. Also on offer at the Maltings this Easter is a varied selection of children’s theatre, with Rapunzel And The Tower Of Doom (Saturday, April 4), The Very Ugly Duckling (Saturday, April 18) and The Selfish Giant (Saturday, April 25) all on the bill.

Details: 01727 844 222 www.stalbans.gov.uk

What are you up to this Easter?

Acting masterclasses, sports activities, arts and crafts sessions, music making...are all on offer at Three Rivers District Council's popular Easter playschemes, which cater for 5-11 year olds from across the district. Older children and teenagers can try out DJ-mixing or junk fashion and budding young actors may be particularly interested to know that Watford's Daydreamer Theatre Company will be visiting the district to lead several X press ur self drama workshops. Workshops will be lead by professional performers and will cater for all experience levels. Booking is required for all Easter activities.

Details: 01923 776611, www.threerivers.gov.uk

Easter fun at Frogmore Paper Mill!

Frogmore Paper Mill in Apsley is offering lots of Easter fun to children (and adults) during the Easter break. On Sunday, April 5 there is a free one day course for parents/carers with their children, with opportunities to make lots of craft ideas including Easter cards, decorations, gifts and baskets. There are limited places on this course, so booking is essential. On Wednesday, April 8 and Thursday, April 9, children will be able to make a variety of Easter arts and crafts, as well as colouring and puzzles. Two sessions of two hours will be held each day, with a charge of £2 per person to cover materials (please note children must be accompanied by an adult). All you have to do is just come along to Frogmore Paper Mill and join in - the session times are 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm on both days. On Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17, there's a two-day free Family Fun craft course from 10am to 3pm on both days. Places are limited and booking is essential for these two days.

To book call either Maureen or Barbara on 0870 950 9272, www.thepapertrail.org.uk