How to spend February half term: top 10 things to do for families in North East England

1. Get involved with family Viking activities at the Great North Museum: Hancock
2. Celebrate Lunar New Year in Newcastle at Discovery Museum
3. Try mindfulness, yoga and art at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery
4. Try Lego Coding at the Shipley Art Gallery
5. Travel back in time on a heritage train ride at Stephenson Steam Railway
6. Enjoy story sessions for families at Woodhorn Museum
7. Step outdoors and play at Segedunum Roman Fort
8. Get creative with craft sessions at the Laing Art Gallery
9. Get involved in the Big School Birdwatch at Stephenson Steam Railway
10. Explore the new museum Trail around the Great North Museum: Hancock

Browse all half term holiday events for families at North East Museums

Viking Experience Day

Ever wondered what life was really like in the Viking Age? Step back in time this half term during the Viking Experience Day at the Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle. Perfect for families, this interactive event lets children and adults explore Viking life through hands-on activities:

• Try untangling fiendish riddles and mysterious runes
• Make your own rune stone to take away with you
• Hear tales of magic and heroism drawn from the sagas of the Vikings.

Bring along the whole family for a fun and educational day out at one of Newcastle's most popular museums. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | Friday 20 and Friday 27 February | free, drop in

Chinese Lunar New Year

This February half term, drop into Discovery Museum in the centre of Newcastle to welcome the Year of the Horse, with a fun-filled day of family activities, crafts and tasty treats. Help decorate the museum, get creative with fun crafts, and discover the traditions and stories behind this vibrant annual festival.

Chinese New Year is an important celebration for Chinese and British Chinese communities, including here in Newcastle, where the city’s annual Chinese New Year parade is a much-loved community event. 

Discovery Museum | Tuesday 17 February | 11am - 2pm | Free, drop in | Discover more

Be Mindful with Monet

Visitors are invited to enjoy free Wellness Weekends at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, designed to encourage mindfulness and relaxation through art, to celebrate the arrival of Monet’s The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil (1872), as part of the National Gallery Masterpiece Tour.

These special free Wellness Weekends coincide with the arrival of Monet’s The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil (1872), giving families and art lovers a chance to experience a true masterpiece in a calm, reflective setting.

Every Saturday during the exhibition, visitors can enjoy Qi Gong and Yoga sessions, slow looking activities and free craft workshops, making it the perfect way to unwind, get creative and spend quality time together over February half term.

South Shields Museum & Art Gallery | Every Saturday in February | 9.30am - 3pm | Free, drop in and bookable | Find out more and book

Lego Coding Workshop

Children can explore Lego and programmable components in this hands-on coding workshop in Gateshead's most-loved Shipley Art Gallery. Using an iPad and Scratch block coding, children can make their models move, light up, play music, or make sounds. The session introduces coding, digital literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking in a playful, practical way.

Shipley Art Gallery | Wednesday 25 February | 12.30 - 2pm | Tickets £10 | Book your space

Heritage Train Rides

Step back in time at Stephenson Steam Railway and take a nostalgic journey along the historic coal train route that once carried coal from the North East collieries to the River Tyne. This four-mile return trip offers a unique glimpse into the region’s industrial past, perfect for history enthusiasts and families. Will you be on board this half term? 

Stephenson Steam Railway |Sunday 15, Thursday 19, Sunday 22 February | 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3pm | Free museum entry, train tickets from £7 | Book for Heritage Train Rides

Early Years Storytime

Early Years Storytime Group is a welcoming space for families and carers with pre-school children to meet up regularly at Woodhorn Museum. Held every Friday during term time, the sessions include reading a story together and a hands-on activity, helping little ones develop early literacy skills, creativity and social interaction.

After the session, families are invited to continue the fun with extra books and toys on the Upper Ground Floor of the Cutter Building, or relax and enjoy a snack at the Winding House Café.

Woodhorn Museum | Friday 6, 13, 27 February | Included with Annual Pass | Find out more

Step Outdoors and Play Sessions

Join the team for free, fun and inclusive activities designed for children under 5 and their parents or carers at Segedunum Roman Fort. Little ones can enjoy outdoor play opportunities or relax in one of the fort's cosy indoor spaces, while adults can meet other local families and enjoy free tea, coffee and refreshments. These sessions are perfect for young children and must be attended with an adult. Come along and enjoy a safe, welcoming and engaging environment for families to play, explore and connect.

Segedunum Roman Fort | Thursday 19 February | Free, booking required | Book your space

Little Artists Craft Time

Explore the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle City Centre with your little ones and support their early childhood development in a fun, relaxed, and family-friendly environment. Each week, children and their carers can enjoy a different themed session, starting with a movement and motion warm-up, followed by gallery exploration with interactive activities, a hands-on art activity using a variety of materials, and a short story time. These sessions are perfect for pre-school children and families, the sessions encourage creativity, learning and early literacy skills while providing a welcoming space for young children to play, discover and explore art together. Who doesn't love crafting together? 

Laing Art Gallery | Monday 2, Friday 6, Monday 9, Friday 13 February | 10.30—11.30am | Tickets £6 | Book your space

The Big Schools Bird Watch

Join the learning team at Stephenson Steam Railway this February half term to celebrate the Big Schools Birdwatch with a fun and interactive day for the whole family. Children can create their own bird as part of a free craft activity and then follow a bird trail through the museum and woodland walk to explore nature and learn about local wildlife. Using the Merlin Bird ID app, families can spot, listen to and identify birds in the surrounding area, making it a perfect combination of outdoor adventure, education and family fun.

Stephenson Steam Railway | Thursday 19 February | 11am - 3pm | Free, drop in | Find out more

New Museum Trail: Big Beasts, Little Beast

Discover a new family trail at the Great North Museum: Hancock this February half term. Big Beasts, Little Beasts is an interactive museum trail that invites children and families to explore the museum and its collections through an engaging trail to find items within the collection, it's perfect for little explorers.

Great North Museum: Hancock | Open during museum opening hours | Free, drop in | Find out more

Our February half term events are part of our Ways to Play programme of free and low-cost family-friendly activities. 

Make your Ways to Play adventure a great value day out by travelling to our venues by the Metro and/or Ferry. Up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free on the Metro and the Shields Ferry with a fare-paying adult. Metro is the convenient, fast and frequent way to get to your favourite attractions and now it's even more affordable. 

To find out more about kids go free on the Metro, visit the Nexus website.

Ways to Play is sponsored by Tyne and Wear Metro.