With half-term on Monday and children away from school, parents and carers across the city are desperately putting together last-minute family plans. But they need look no further than the city’s popular museums, where daily activities will be enough to keep the craftiest kids entertained.
1. Crafty Carts
Streetlife Museum
Monday 18 February, 1pm-3pm
Free (drop in)
What kind of cart will you craft – colourful or plain, two wheels or four? Carts have been used to transport goods and people all over the world for generations, taking all shapes and sizes. See the Streetlife Museum’s own brightly coloured Sicilian carretta, which was used to transport fruit.
The Sicilian carretta at the Streetlife Museum.
2. Mini Masterpieces: Seascape Marbling
Ferens Art Gallery
Tuesday 19 February, 10am-11.30am
£1.50 per child (on the door)
The studio at the Ferens will be transformed into an underwater world with marbled masterpieces. Children can have a go at marbling with food colouring, vegetable oil and shaving foam and help create a backdrop of beautiful waves. Be warned, it could get messy! Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. For under-fives and families.
3. Tales of the Vikings
Hull & East Riding Museum
Tuesday 19 February, 1pm-3pm
Free (drop in)
Storytelling was an important part of Viking life. The sagas told by the Vikings were tales about the gods or great deeds people had done. Skalds – Viking storytellers – memorised these stories or poems and performed them to groups. Some skalds would travel to different lands to tell their stories and bring news. Join in with some visiting Viking skalds and hear their tales from the Norse lands.
4. Explore World Music
Wilberforce House Museum
Wednesday 20 February, 11am-1pm
Free (booking essential)
Have a go at playing musical instruments from across the globe with percussionist Donna Smith. Create beautiful sounds with instruments from West Africa, China, the Middle East and South America. Most suitable for children aged five and over. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Book your place through Eventbrite or call 01482 614290.
Wilberforce House, the birthplace of William Wilberforce, in High Street, Hull.
5. Viking Voyagers
Hull & East Riding Museum
Thursday 21 February, 1pm-3pm
Free (drop in)
Vikings are well-known for being fearless warriors and raiders. They were excellent sailors and voyagers who travelled the seas, exploring new lands. They sailed in large wooden longships often decorated to strike fear into their enemies. Create your own Viking longship from craft materials at this session.
6. Dutch Fish Market
Ferens Art Gallery
Friday 22 February, 10am-12noon
Free (drop-in)
Be inspired by ‘The Fish Market’ painting at the gallery and design your own fish collage. Explore the artwork through the gallery’s Fish Market sensory basket. Children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all time. Arrive early to avoid disappointment as some activities could be busy.
The Ferens Art Gallery.
7. Become a Nature Explorer
Hands on History Museum
Saturday 23 February, 1pm-2.30pm
Free (drop in)
The Hands on History Museum’s collection contains a large number of old lantern slides showing pictures of trees, birds, eggs, animals, insects, fossils and more. In the past, natural historians took these photographs to document the natural world around them. See old photographs for inspiration before drawing your favourite animal or nature scene, then create a decorated frame to display your image.
8. Voyage to the Arctic
Hull Maritime Museum
Sunday 24 February, 1pm-3pm
Free (drop in)
Brave stormy Arctic seas to go on a voyage to the Arctic. Take a close look at some amazing artefacts in order to find out about the dangers that polar explorers and Hull whalers faced, before having a go at creating your very own whale bone scrimshaw to take home with you.
