Easter days out: Climbing the walls? There are other ways to keep busy, too

The Easter school holidays are almost here, which means you have at least 14 days of boredom-beaters to organise. Fortunately, there's plenty to occupy fractious youngsters across the country.

In Brighton, you can gorge at the Cakes and Bakes Festival (01273 327428; churchillsquare.com) on 31 March and 1 April. It forms part of the Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival (30 March to 9 April; brighton foodfestival.com) and will include a live bake-off between professional chefs (Sat; 11am to 3pm; free), and a mini cupcake decorating workshop (Sun; 11am to 4pm; free).

Between 6 and 9 April, workshops at the Glasgow Science Centre (0141 420 5000; www.gsc.org.uk; ?9.95 adults, ?7.95 children) include "Animal Athletes", where thorny problems such as "which can jump higher: a human or a frog", will be pondered. The free sessions will run throughout each day.

At the National Railway Museum (08448 153139; nrm.org.uk; 9.30am to 6pm; free) in York, between 31 March and 15 April, families can grab a potato stamp and help create a giant lithograph.

w You might even get away with some time to shop if you visit Salford's Lowry Outlet Mall (0161 848 1850; lowryoutletmall.com). It's laying on a host of free events from 31 March to 15 April, including a Hula Hoop Workshop (14 Apr; 11am, noon, 1pm, 2.20pm and 3.15pm).

Children climbing the walls at home? Then take them to a supervised session at Rock UK's Summit Centre (0844 8000 222; adventures.rockuk.org; 10-13 April; 12pm-6pm; ?10 per day) in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. Booking essential.

In Norfolk, RSPB Strumpshaw Fen Nature Reserve (01603 715191; rspb.org.uk), near Norwich, is hosting an "Easter Eggs-splorers" day of themed fun on 5 April (1pm to 4pm; adults ?3, children ?2).

Knights will be locked in combat at Kenilworth Castle & Elizabethan Garden (01926 852078; www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenilworth) on 8 and 9 April (11am to 5pm; ?26.70 for four).

Make the most of a ticket to ride on the London Eye (0871 781 3000; londoneye.com; ?57.60 for four or ?46.08 online) by visiting between 6 and 9 April (11am to 4pm), when arts and crafts activities are included.

Add kite-making to your children's talents on 3 April at RHS Garden Rosemoor (0845 265 8072; rhs.org.uk/rosemoor; ?20.25 for four) in North Devon. Children aged eight to 12 are the focus of this workshop (11am to 4pm; free), though younger kids can get stuck in too, if accompanied by an adult.

For more ideas see the websites enjoyengland.com, visitwales.com and visitscotland.com.