Easter Egg Hunt at Beth Chatto Gardens
What: The great annual Easter Egg Hunt is back. Take your kids along and explore the gardens to discover the signs of spring and the hidden eggs. Once you’ve completed the hunt you can collect your prize. This is a self-guided trail that runs every day throughout the Easter holidays.
Bond Street, Chelmsford CM1 1GD
There are lots of activities on offer. First you can customise your own Easter basket and then it's off to find the hidden eggs and solve the clues in the children's garden maze. At the centre of the maze is a giant egg and you'll also find craft activities and honeycombs. You can also take part in a family treasure hunt filled with Easter clues. If you can solve all the clues on the treasure map, you can get a chocolatey treat from the lucky dip. There's face painting too, and storytelling in Foyles.
When: March 29 - March 31, 11am - 4pm
42-47 High Street, Chelmsford CM2 6FD
What: Thursday, March 29 - Wednesday, April 4 - Children and parents can go inside a giant, 5m-high inflatable Easter egg for story-telling sessions of popular books like The Gruffalo and The Hungry Caterpillar.
Saturday, March 31 and Easter Monday, April 2 - Free face painting
Tuesday, April 3 and Wednesday, April 4 - Author Sibel Beadle will be reading her new book and hosting a drawing competition
Saturday, April 7 - Monday, April 9 - Petting zoo to meet and stroke lambs, chicks and rabbits. 11am - 4pm.
When: March 29 - April 9 (see above for details of which events are on each day)
The Bunny Takeover at High Chelmer Shopping Centre
15A Exchange Way, Chelmsford CM1 1XB
What: A day of Easter arts and crafts and you can meet the giant bunnies who'll be handing out chocolate treats and spreading Easter cheer. You can even take a selfie with the Easter Bunny herself.
When: Friday, March 30
Step into Spring at Barleylands Farm Park
Barleylands Road, Billericay, Essex, CM11 2UD
What: A day out is planned at Barleylands for the Easter break. There's a whole programme of events that the whole family will enjoy. There’s a self-guided egg hunt and the Easter Bunny will be there too to meet all the children. Don't forget to decorate your yummy Easter biscuit and go on a bumpy tractor ride too. You can also feed the lambs and meet all the other adorable baby animals. There are reptile talks and birds of prey displays to enjoy too.
When: Friday, March 30 – Sunday, April 15, 2018. 10am – 5pm
Adults £12, children £11, under 2s free, family £42.
Easter Special at Audley End Railway
Audley End Road, Audley End, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4JB
What: An enchanted day out for you and your children. First of all you take the train into the woods to visit the Easter Bunny and his friends. There’s lots of things for your little ones to look out for en route along the tracks and in the picnic area including animals, nests and eggs. Once you’ve spotted them all, you’ll be presented with an exclusive Easter gift. Then you can hop into the craft area to make something cool to take home. All of these activities are included in the ticket price.
When: Friday, March 30 – Sunday, April 1, 2018. 10am – 5pm
Easter Egg Hunt at Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre
Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre, Hawkswood Road, Downham, Billericay, Essex CM11 1WT
What: The Easter Bunny has been to the reservoir and left a pile of chocolatey treats for you to find. There are also some Easter themed crafts and you can see what you can find at a pond dipping session. While you're there, you have to take a moment to soak in the panoramic views across the 870 acre reservoir. The visitor centre itself is set in woodlands with lots of nature to explore on a family ramble.
When: Friday, March 30 and Sunday, April 1, 2018. 10am – 4pm
£8 per child
Easter Egg Hunt at Epping Ongar Railway
Station Approach, Chipping Ongar, Ongar CM5 9BN
What: How can you resist what is probably the longest Easter Egg hunt in Essex? Bertie the Bunny will be on hand to lead the trail which runs along the whole length of the railway track, from Ongar to Coopersdale. If you placed eggs from one end to another without a gap, it would take 131,579 to fill the space. Children get a clue sheet and they have to find as many numbered eggs as they can while on the train journey. At the end, they’ll get an Easter treat. You can also have your photo taken with Bertie who'll be out and about at the stations throughout your visit and he might even pop on board while you're travelling too. Children can also take part in facepainting, magic, balloon modelling and dance the day away at the Bunny Hop Children's Disco.
When: Friday, March 30 – Monday, April 2
