Things to make & do

Butterfly World, St Albans springs into life for its third season on 8 April with a host of brand new attractions and special Easter activities and events for visitors of all ages to see, explore, touch, learn and have fun. Setting the season off to a flying start entry is just £5 for everyone throughout the whole of April.

What makes a museum especially family friendly? Is it trails for toddlers? Art sessions for teenagers? Highchairs in the cafe? All good – but not good enough. Each museum on the shortlist for the 2011 Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award has also shown a commitment to the local community.

If you are looking for somewhere to go during half term one of the 20 museums on the Guardian Family Friendly Award long list for Kids in Museums could be just what you need.

As people like Martin Lewis, the money saving expert, campaign for children to be educated in financial matters, the websites Saving Squad and Fun Squad offer resources designed to make learning about saving money fun for children.

This new family-friendly exhibition at Imperial War Museum London takes a fresh and engaging look at five of the best-loved books written for children about conflict – War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden, The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier, The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall and Little Soldier by Bernard Ashley.

It’s not very often children get encouraged to pick their noses and sit in front of a computer but with Red Nose Day fast approaching on Friday 18 March, there are three little monster Red Noses just a click away waiting to tell the whole nation to do something funny for money – all you have to do is log on!

Watch the woodland floor transform as swathes of pure white snowdrops spring to life. From enchanting bulb meadows to the UK’s largest winter garden, experience nature’s new beginnings and lift your spirits with a refreshing snowdrop stroll. Here are the National Trust’s top ten gardens promising spectacular displays of snowdrops.

The 2010 Lectures will be given by Dr Mark Miodownik, a materials scientist from King’s College London. The series, called Size Matters, will explore the living and non-living matter that makes up the universe. With the help of an audience of children and their families, he will try to answer the question - does size matter?

Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland many of the National Trust’s houses and gardens will be helping Santa with amazing locations for his grottos; from atmospheric woods and ancient forests to castle towers and historic courtyards, these enchanting grottos will fill the whole family with Christmas cheer.

Continuing the list of Santa's Grottos at National Trust properties.

Need a little incentive to get your child to do whatever he or she is meant to? Harriet Elliot, Alex Bell and Shelley Burns test out out the Horrid Henry Reward Charts on their offspring.

Snazaroo, creator of face and body paint, has provided a step-by-step guide to transforming your child's face into a vampire for Hallowe'en fun

Follow Snazaroo's stetp-by-step face painting guide to transform your child into a Hallowe'en cat.

For five days only – 2 to 6 August, 2010 – visitors to the capital are able to discover the wonders of the West End from within a gigantic hedged maze in London's Trafalgar Square.

Kids Week – when under 16s go free to the best shows in London – has been extended to 28 August to 3 September.

Kids Week – 13 to 27 August – offers children aged five to 16 the opportunity to experience London Theatre for free when accompanied by a full paying adult. You can also purchase up to two extra children's tickets at half price.

If you and the children aren't tired of football, get them to help make these great football cupcakes with the help of Dr. Oetker ingredients. Alternatively use the cupcake mixture and design your own decoration.

The humble rashish – so often overlooked as an ingredient – is even healthier than strawberries and broccoli accornding to recent research. Here are the facts and a recipe for a Citrus Chinese Leaf Salad that your children will love to make.