February half term 2018: Activities in Newport, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Caerphilly

NEWPORT

Free story and craft sessions for children aged four to 10 years will take place at all of Newport’s libraries:

Monday, February 19, Bettws Library, 11am - 12pm

Tuesday, February 20, Rogerstone Library, 2.30pm - 3.30pm

Wednesday, February 21, Caerleon Library, 11am - 12pm, and Ringland Library, 2.30pm - 3.30pm

Thursday, February 22, Central Library, 11am - 12pm

Friday, February 23, Malpas Library, 11am - 12pm

Enjoy a Circus Fun Day on Saturday, February 17, 11am - 3pm, at Newport Museum and Art Gallery

Songwriting sessions 11am -12pm and 1pm - 2pm

Drop-in crafts and circus skills, 11.30am -1pm and 1.30pm - 3pm

This family event is part of Circus 250, the national celebration of 250 years of circus in the UK.

Come and view Newport’s famous circus painting, The Grand Parade by Dame Laura Knight and discover our circus characters behind the fairy doors in the museum.

Make a circus clown mask on Wednesday, February 21, 11am - 2pm, Newport Museum and Art Gallery

There are 15 places per session, allocated on a first come, first serve basis on the day.

No booking required, drop in only.

Suitable for school age children 4 - 12 years who must be accompanied by an adult throughout. For more information, call 01633 656656.

Enjoy half-term holiday fun at Newport Live on Monday, February 19 to Saturday, February 24.

The day long sport and art camp and week long swimming classes will return in the February half-term holidays and will be offered Monday to Friday, along with a number of workshops, classes and theatre shows.

Newport Live offers plenty of activities for all the family:

Active Living Centre will be offering week long swimming lessons, rugby tots, mini water polo, a family pool party and diving lessons.

Newport Centre will be offering tiny tots, snorkelling sessions and a pickleball junior camp.

Regional pool and Tennis centre will be offering diving lessons, tiny tots, waterpolo and snorkelling.

Wales National Velodrome will offer fun cycling classes indoors and outdoors.

The Riverfront has a Minecraft club, sewing classes and family film screenings, all of which can be booked online.

For a full list of activities, visit newportlive.co.uk or call 01633 656757.

Tredegar House

Make your own bird box Head over to Home Farm and take part in a bird box making session. You will be able to build your own bird box to take home and put in the garden. The boxes encourage birds to nest and children can keep an eye out for a possible baby bird in the coming months.

Dates: 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 February

Times 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm. Entry for this event costs £4.

All entry for events below are covered in the normal entry price.

Bird trail - Find out how the birds in your back garden make their homes, see how many species you can identify and find out how birds like to fill their tummies.

Dates: February 10-25

Times: 10.30am-4pm

Family trail - Follow in the footsteps of Sybil Phillips, a scullery maid of the 1920s, and collect stickers as you complete the challenges she has left for you around the house.

Dates: February 10-25

Times: 11am-4pm

Paper crafts - Finish up your visit in the Servant’s Hall and take part in some craft sessions.

Dates: February 14-18 and 21-25

Times: 12am-3pm

TORFAEN

• February Fun at Greenmeadow Farm will be held between February 17 to February 25.

Keep those kids busy and happy as your visit will include tractor rides throughout the day, cuddles with the smaller animals, fun with goats, learning about milking, greet and groom with the equines, learning about the lifecycle of chicks and handling one (must book this on arrival), and animal teatime.

Normal admission prices apply: £6.50 adult, £5.40 child (age 2+), £23.50 family(2+3).

• Creative crafts at Blaenavon Heritage Centre, February 20, 11am to 4pm.

Design and make colourful spring themed ceramic plates or tiles. £1 each per craft activity. Call 01495 742333.

Stories, crafts and workshops at Blaenavon Library, February 20-22.

Design and make a colourful spring themed tile or plate. £1 each per craft activity.

Wednesday 21st: Join Head4Arts to make marine inspired crafts for World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour.

Thursday 22nd: Story and recycled craft session in the library at 2.30pm (pre-booking required) free entry.

BLAENAU GWENT

• Banish those back to school blues with Aneurin Leisure’s range of fun and exciting activities for children of all ages.

Free art workshops and craft activities at Blaenau Gwent libraries.

Throughout the half term week the council’s six libraries across Blaenau Gwent will be offering a range of free art workshops and craft activities with a special Harry Potter theme for children of all ages.

Abertillery Library will also be hosting a new Lego Club on Wednesday, February 21, from 2pm – 4pm, which is suitable for children aged 6+.

For more information on these activities ask at your local library or visit our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BlaenauGwentLibraries/

• The Jungle Book, February 20, 1.30pm and 4.30pm, The Met, Abertillery.
  

Come and join Mowgli and his friends Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther on a madcap adventure in a brand new musical adaptation of The Jungle Book at The Met.

Funny, exciting and wildly entertaining, this larger than life musical promises to be the perfect treat for families of all ages.

Tickets are £6.50 each – call the Box Office on 01495 355945 or book online at https://aneurinleisure.ticketsolve.com/shows

• Adventure activities at Parc Bryn Bach, Monday February 19 to Friday February 24

Discover adventure at Parc Bryn Bach this half term with an exciting range of adventure activities.

Each day there will be a thrilling choice of activities to choose from including canoeing, bush craft, climbing, archery, caving and gorge walking.

The activity days are suitable for ages 8 - 12 years and cost just £15 per person. For more information call 01495 355920 or visit www.parcbrynbach.co.uk

• Activities for little ones at Bedwellty House & Park

If you’re looking for something to keep your little one’s entertained this February, Bedwellty House & Park have a wonderful range of activities for children aged 3+ that will capture their imagination:

A special Monster Mash themed fun day, February 20

The Gingerbread Man Story & Trail with Louby Lou, February 21

Mini Movers parent and toddler session, February 21

For older children aged 8+ there’s also the hugely popular Nerf Wars on February 22 and Tasty Treats Chocolate Workshops on February 23.

For more information call 01495 353397 or visit www.bedwelltyhouseandpark.co.uk

• Six nations Rugby Fun Days at Tredegar and Abertillery Sports Centres

If your children are excited for this year’s Six Nations, be sure to get them booked onto the Fun Days on February 22.

There will also be football camps at Abertillery and Tredegar Sports Centres on February 20, and a Cardiff City Football Camp at Ebbw Vale Sports Centre on February 21 and 22.

For younger children, Abertillery Sports Centre will also be hosting a fun filled Parent & Toddler Fun Day on February 19.

• Playschemes

Al three Sports Centres will provide a mix of activities including netball, basketball, racquet sports and much more.

For more information visit www.bglife.co.uk or call Abertillery on 01495 357779, Ebbw Vale on 01495 357777 and Tredegar on 01495 353395.

MONMOUTHSHIRE

• Caldicot Community Hub

The hub has planned two events for youngsters. On Monday February 19, popular story teller Louby Lou will relate the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears from 1.15pm to 2pm for ages two to five.

This event costs £3.75 per child and booking is essential. To book a place contact Caldicot Community Hub or book online from the ticket store - https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/louby-lous-interactive-storytelling.

The following day features a free story and craft session for four to eight year olds. “Wintry Tales” runs from 10.30am to 11.30am. Booking is not required but this event and the Louby Lou session require children to be accompanied by an adult.

Usk Community Hub

The hub in Maryport Street is offering bookmark-making using beads for five year olds and over. The cost is one pound per session and the hub is open at the following times:

• Monday 9am to 5pm

• Wednesday 9am to 5pm

• Thursday 9am to 7pm

• Saturday 9am to 12.45pm.

Chepstow Museum

Chepstow Museum offers its popular Drop-in-and-Make craft afternoons from 2pm to 4pm on Thursday, February 15 and Thursday, 22nd February at the Drill Hall in Lower Church Street.

This opportunity to get creative with friends and families is suitable for children over three years old who must be accompanied by an adult. Donations of two pounds are welcomed towards the cost of materials and refreshments.

• Monmouthshire Games, Monday February 19 to Friday February 23

Once again, MonLeisure provides the Monmouthshire Games for youngsters aged five to 12 yearsbased on learning new skills, developing confidence, meeting new people and, most importantly, having fun through sport.

These run at the council’s four centres in Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow and Monmouth. The cost per day is £16 (9am to 3pm) and £19.50 (8am to 5pm) with discounts for early payment. To book, visit MonLeisure.co.uk or call:

• Abergavenny: 01873 735360

• Caldicot: 01291 426850

• Chepstow: 01291 635745

• Monmouth: 01600 775135 - due to building work no aqua-based sports will feature at Monmouth.

Intensive swimming lessons, February 19 to February 23

Abergavenny, Caldicot and Chepstow leisure centres offer intensive swimming lessons from Monday February to Friday 23rd February.

These provide children with a thirty minute session on five consecutive days and the daily contact with an ASA qualified teacher allows them to vastly improve their swimming and advance over a short period.

Designed for youngsters of all abilities, the sessions are ideal for current swimmers on MonLeisure’s programme looking to improve or newcomers who want to progress quickly.

The cost is £23.50 for the whole week with a discount available for holders of a Monleisure aqua membership. To book, call the appropriate leisure centre.

Safe ‘n’ Sound, Friday February 23, Bailey Park, Abergavenny

The Monmouthshire Youth Service has organised a free major family engagement event - Safe ‘n’ Sound - in Abergavenny’s Bailey Park from 10am to 4pm.

The emphasis is on fun with a bouncy castle, face-painting, a climbing wall and many other activities with representatives from Gwent Police, the South Wales Fire & Rescue Service, Monmouthshire Housing Association, Charter Housing and Monmouthshire’s sports development team in attendance.

This event based on community safety will gather feedback on what people need and think about the area and promote existing services for young people.

Monmouth’s Attik Youth Centre offers a free tie-dyeing session for young people from 12noon to 4pm on Tuesday 20th February. There’s no need to book and all they have to do is bring a plain item of clothing they would like to dye!

Other events in the county suitable for children and families include:

• Brother Thomas, the cellarer at Tintern Abbey provides a treat for history buffs, young and old - Saturday February 17

• Winter Fun Day at Magor Marsh with toasted marshmallows around the campfire, storytelling, a trail around the reserve and lots of crafts. – Saturday February 17

• Time-travelling magicians Morgan and West present a show at Monmouth’s Blake Theatre brimming with baffling magic and a totally genuine ability to travel through time - Friday February 23

CAERPHILLY

Feathery February Fun, February 19, 11am to 11.45am and 12noon to 12.45pm, Cwmcarn Forest

Join the council for some feathery fun in this hands on workshop to create your very own bird feeder out of a plastic pop bottle. Visitors will paint and decorate the bottle and fill with bird seed ready for you to take home for your hungry garden birds

£2.50 per child (suitable for ages 4+)

Booking essential. Call 01495 272001 or email cwmcarn-vc@caerphilly.gov.uk

Seussical Jr, February 17, 3pm and 6pm, Blackwood Miners Institute

Come join Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, the Sour Kanagroo and the Grinch in this fantastic family musical. With toe tapping tunes, wonderful costumes and excellent routines, that will enchant children and adults alike.

Tickets cost £8.00 (£10.00). Ages 3+. Prices include a booking fee of 50p per ticket. Call the Box Office 01495 227206.

Half Term Time Travelling, February 20, Llancaiach Fawr, Nelson

Go back in time to 1645 and find out about life in the Manor house in the 17th Century! Children go free (max 1 child per adult)

For more information and to book please call 01443 412248

Tales from the Trees, February 23, 11am and 2pm*, Blackwood Miners’ Institute

Let Squashbox Theatre be your guide to the tremendous world of trees, from branch to leaf and twig to root, from berry to blossom and bark to fruit!

‘Tales from the Trees’ is a terrific tangle of puppetry, storytelling, live music and comedy, with a theme that embraces natural history, folklore and ecology.

*Relaxed performance – Specifically designed for children and young people with autism, learning disabilities and sensory and communication disorders AND their families.

£5.00 (£4.00). Prices include a booking fee of 50p per ticket