30+ Things to do in Gloucestershire with kids, Easter 2019

Wondering how you are going to entertain your kids over the Easter holidays without spending a fortune?! Below you will find 30+ things to do in Gloucestershire this Easter handpicked by me, a local mum. The events are divided into – budget friendly Easter events, local attractions offering Easter activities and attractions within a short drive of Gloucestershire. Good rainy day options are clearly highlighted, (although let’s keep our fingers crossed for gorgeous spring weather eh!)

I will continue to add events to this list throughout the Easter holidays so please share with your local friends, bookmark this page and keep checking back for more ideas.

**Please click-through the links to the attraction websites for specific details and to check dates/details have not changed before you travel**

Table of Contents

Budget friendly things to do in Gloucestershire with kids this Easter

Hidden Cheltenham Easter Trail, a free walking trail around Cheltenham town centre

Event Facebook page.
This FREE trail starts on Monday April 8 and will run every day from 9am-5pm until Easter Monday (22nd April). Pick up a map and instructions from The Wilson Cheltenham solve the 12 riddles and collect the secret letters to reveal a hidden Easter word to claim your prize! For more Cheltenham days out ideas check out our – Ultimate guide; Things to do in Cheltenham with kids.

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Regent Arcade, Cheltenham

Event Facebook page.
Join the Mad Hatters Tea Party – it’s FREE and everyone’s invited! The Hatter has plenty of drink me shrinking fun, and eat me growing treats to serve. And the Queen Of Hearts will be there to celebrate too, with her favourite game of flamingo croquet. But be careful you don’t win or it will be off with your head, to be put on a platter as a Tea Party centre piece! Taking place in the Regent Arcade, Cheltenham from 11am – 4pm on the 20th April. Please note, this is a free event, but you do need to register: https://x33q5.app.goo.gl/Y4e7

Easter Family Fun with the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk
Join Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust for their Easter themed family fun days. Greystones, Bourton-on-the-Water 9th and 16th April (event is free to attend, but there may be a small charge for some activities). Crickley Hill, near Birdlip, 17th April. (Crickley Hill is free to enter, Nature Passports need to be purchased to take part in activities. £4 each including easter prize). Robinswood Hill Country Park, Gloucester 10th April. (Robinswood Hill is free to enter, Nature Passports need to be purchased to take part in activities. £4 each including easter prize).

Painswick Easter Egg Hunt, St Marys Church Yard, Painswick

https://www.facebook.com/PainswickEasterEggHunt/
An annual community event organised by Painswick Playgroup. 30 beautifully designed eggs will be hidden all around the village on Easter Saturday 20th April, for families with their little ones to find. There will also be bouncy castles, food stalls, face painting, live music and teddy bear parachuting from the church spire (don’t forget to take along a teddy!) Check out the Facebook group above for more information.

Easter at Primrose Vale, Shurdington

https://primrosevale.com/easter-2019/
Lots of fun taking place again this Easter at Primrose Vale 10am – 4pm daily from Friday 5th April – 22nd April. Suitable for children of all ages, but most enjoyed by those between 2 and 13, there’s Easter Challenge and a preschoolers trail. £6 per child, accompanying adults go free. Small Easter treat included for all children.

Easter Trail, Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester City Centre

http://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk
From Saturday 6th – Monday 22nd April it’s ‘Eggsplore Easter’ at Gloucester Cathedral. Do your kids know what happened on the very first Easter Day? Give them the chance to explore this amazing building to find out the answer. £1 per copy from the gift shop. If bought with the Discovery Trail (£4.50), ‘Eggsplore Easter’ free. When you have completed the trail visit the shop and claim a tiny egg.

Easter Trail and inflatables, Over Farm, Gloucester

http://www.overfarmpresents.co.uk/easter/
From Saturday 6th April – 22nd April (9am – 5pm, 4pm Sundays), take a short walk around Over Farm in search of the Easter bunny’s giant eggs. Trail sheets cost £5 per child includes trail, animal feed and a prize. The inflatable theme park is also returning, all day wristbands are £8. 2 – 14 year olds only.

Big Batsford Bunny Hunt, Batsford Arboretum & Garden Centre, Moreton-in-Marsh

http://www.batsarb.co.uk/news-events
Saturday 6th April to Monday 22nd April visitors will be challenged to find the bunnies by exploring the Arboretum grounds and simply marking their locations on a map to win a prize. The Bunny Hunt costs £2.50 per child (plus Arboretum entrance fee).

The Great Easter Egg Trail at Sandford Park, Cheltenham for Maggie’s cancer charity

Facebook page – Great Easter Egg Trail
Take part in the Great Easter Egg Trail on Saturday 20 April 2019 1pm – 4pm and help raise money for the very worthy local charity, Maggies. Quiz sheets will be available for £2.50 from Sandford Park Café. Expect the Easter bunny to make an appearance! All participants can also enjoy 50% off the price of entry at Sandford Parks Lido on Saturday 20 April 2019 only, by presenting their quiz sheets.

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts at National Trust Properties, various locations in Gloucestershire

There are over 260 Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts (1-28 April) taking place at National Trust properties in the UK including at our local properties – Chedworth Roman Villa, Snowshill Manor and Garden and Croome. The Easter Egg Hunts all cost £2.50 per trail (plus normal admission fees apply).

Easter Eggspress, GWSR from Cheltenham Racecourse, Broadway or Toddington Station

http://www.gwsr.com – Good rainy day option!
On Easter Monday (22nd April) catch one of the GWSR ‘Easter Eggspress’ specials from either Cheltenham Racecourse, Broadway or Toddington Station and enjoy a family day of Easter fun at Winchcombe station. Meet the Easter Bunny and take part in Easter activities including egg and spoon races, Easter egg rolling, an Easter bonnet competition (take your bonnet with you!), Easter craft activities and an egg hunt.

Breakfast or tea with the Easter Bunny, various Gloucestershire Wyevale Garden Centre’s including Lechlade and Cheltenham

http://www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk – Good rainy day option!
Taking place from the 5th – 28th April at several local centre’s including Cheltenham and Lechlade. £10.95 per child and adults from £5. This popular annual event includes meet and greet with the Easter Bunny, Easter chocolate decorating and an Easter trail. All children will be given a toy to take away as a souvenir. We thoroughly enjoyed the event a couple of years ago, click here to read our review – Breakfast with the Easter Bunny

Easter fun, Cattle Country, Berkeley

http://www.cattlecountry.co.uk/ – Good rainy day option!
Lots taking place at this all-weather adventure park from the 6th – 22nd April including an Easter Hunt Trail, pig racing, lamb and calf bottle feeding. Click here for our review and tips for visiting Cattle County. Included in cost of normal admission. Book online to save 10%.

Easter at Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe

http://www.sudeleycastle.co.uk
Taking place 6th – 28th April. Find Easter chicks hiding in the Castle rooms and hunt for giant Easter eggs. Included in cost of normal admission. Book online to save 10%.

Easter Weekend at Berkeley Castle, Berkeley

http://www.berkeley-castle.com
For something a little different visit Berkeley Castle over the Easter weekend 19th April – 22nd April. Kids will love the Easter egg hunt, joining in the Chinese dragon parade and getting up close with baby dragons! Click here to read our review and tips for visiting Berkeley Castle. Included in cost of normal admission.

Celebrity Dusty Duck Trail, WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Slimbridge

www.wwt.org.uk
Take part in the Celebrity Dusty Duck Trail. Find all 14 giant Dusty Ducks, which have been designed by different celebrities; including Steve Backshall, Joanna Lumley, Chris Packham, Kate Humble and Justin Fletcher aka Mr Tumble. 30 March to 6 May. 9:30am to 5:30pm. Included in admission ticket, free to WWT members. Save 10% by booking online.

Easter fun at Dean Heritage Centre, Forest of Dean

www.deanheritagecentre.com
From the 8th – 19th April kids are invited to “Discover the forest in spring. With an outdoor Easter egg trail, indoor Easter themed gallery trail, Easter and spring themed craft including Easter crowns and weekday family friendly workshops”. Click here to read our review of ferret walking and other activities at Dean Heritage Centre.

Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Power

www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk – Rainy day option! Some activities take place inside
It’s not too late to experience live lambing this spring, taking place daily until Sunday 28th April. The farm also has Easter activities (puppet show, crafts, egg hunt) taking place 6th – 28th April.

*** For daily ideas of how to entertain your kids in Gloucestershire join this fab Facebook group – Entertaining kids on a budget in Gloucester and check out their pinned post located at the top of the page ***

Things to do a short driving distance from Gloucestershire.

Here are a few attractions offering activities over the Easter school holidays within a fairly short drive of Gloucestershire…

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

www.warwick-castle.com/ – Good rainy day option!
Enjoy a fun-packed day at Warwick Castle this Easter. All regular activities taking place (Princess Towers stories etc) plus the UK’s biggest bird’s of prey show with 70 high flying birds taking part.

Drayton Manor Theme Park, Nr Tamworth, Staffordshire

http://draytonmanor.co.uk/events
From 13th April – 28th April families can enjoy the Easter school holidays at Drayton Manor. Easter trails, live shows, rides and Thomas Land are just of the activities open over the Easter holidays. Click here to read our review of Thomas Land and the Drayton Manor Hotel.

West Midlands Safari Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire

http://www.wmsp.co.uk
From 13th – 28th April Safari Park are offering lots of extra Easter activities for the family, all included in the standard admission price.

All Things Wild, Evesham

https://www.allthingswild.co.uk – Good rainy day option!
Hawks of Steel takes place 15th – 19th April with daily flying displays and chance to handle the birds. From the 19th – 22nd April the all weather attraction is also running an Easter egg hunt.