Now, where did the winter go? The sun has been out this week, the birds have been singing and the blossom is beginning to bloom. I feel like the bleakest months have gone by in a blur this year, and somehow I’ve almost arrived at Easter just by blinking. Or maybe I was hibernating?! Either way Spring is about to arrive (officially), and with it the school Easter holidays. 

Are all you parents prepared? Not us – mentally April still feels a while away and we haven’t booked a thing (or bought an Easter egg – eek!). But not to worry, as Centrale & Whitgift has us covered for kids’ activities in the Easter hols, with their free family nature adventure ‘Spring into Croydon’. 

Nature in the shopping centre? Yes, you heard right. From Friday 3 April (Good Friday) until  Friday 10 April*, ‘Spring into Croydon’ will be bringing us a programme of workshops, storytelling and a seed trail to combine environmental education, creativity and real take-home planting to support local pollinators and urban wildlife right here in our borough.

And it all happens in a magical mini-beast world in Whitgift (under a gigantic green leaf). In case you’re wondering, why a big leaf, well families are invited to ‘shrink’  to insect size and see the world from a pollinator’s perspective.

The activities, led by three larger than life bug characters (Gordon Rams-Bee, Ladle Bug and Paul Holly-Worm), connect cooking, planting and sustainability, to show kids how growing herbs and edible flowers can both support wildlife and add fresh flavour to family meals. 

There are two sessions each day, and kids will be able to plant herbs, create bug hotels, make plantable seed paper cards and more. The great thing about the sessions (apart from celebrating our town’s wildlife and supporting biodiversity  is that the sessions are drop in, and free to attend! So no planning needs for us parents. Oh and we’ll be in just the right place to buy some Easter eggs too.

Check out the Centrale & Whitgift website for full details of the workshops and session times, and keep an eye on their Instagram for updates. We’ll see you under the giant green leaf.

*The leaf will be taking a rest on Easter Sunday.

Images courtesy of Centrale & Whitgift

Posted by Julia