Easter is one of our favourite times of year in Dorset.
The days are getting longer, the countryside starts to wake up again, and there are loads of family events popping up across the county, from Easter egg hunts in castles and gardens to farm parks full of baby animals.
If you’re looking for ideas to keep the kids busy during the Easter school holidays, here 30 of the best things happening around Dorset this year.
Many of these are places we visit regularly as a family, so they make brilliant days out whether you live locally or are visiting the area.
Kingston Lacy Easter Adventure Trail (Wimborne)
This is one of the biggest Easter events in Dorset and always a great one for families.
Children follow a trail around the gardens completing activities along the way. Expect things like rope mazes, carrot-throwing games, rabbit racecourses and puzzles before collecting a chocolate prize at the end.
It’s a really lovely setting too, with lots of space for kids to run around afterwards.
📅 21 March – 12 April 2026
📍 Kingston Lacy, Wimborne
💰 Around £3.50 per trail (plus normal admission)
Corfe Castle Easter Egg Hunt (Corfe Castle)
If you want a more dramatic setting for an Easter egg hunt, Corfe Castle is hard to beat.
Children follow clues around the historic ruins while completing nature-inspired activities. The trail leads families through different parts of the castle grounds before collecting a chocolate reward at the end.
After the trail you can explore the castle further or wander down into the village for ice cream or lunch.
📅 28 March – 12 April 2026
📍 Corfe Castle
💰 Around £3.50 per trail (plus admission)
Brownsea Island Easter Trail (Poole Harbour)
A trip to Brownsea Island always feels like a little adventure, especially for children.
During Easter the National Trust runs a family trail through the woodland where kids complete activities and learn about the wildlife that lives on the island. There’s also a chocolate treat waiting at the end.
Keep an eye out for the famous red squirrels while you explore.
📅 28 March – 12 April 2026
📍 Brownsea Island
💰 Trail around £3.50 (plus ferry and island admission)
Studland Bay Easter Nature Trail (Studland)
Studland is one of the most beautiful beaches in Dorset and a great place for an Easter family walk.
During the holidays there is usually a nature-themed trail through the dunes and woodland where children solve clues and learn about the local wildlife.
It’s easy to combine this with a beach walk or picnic overlooking Old Harry Rocks.
📅 Easter holidays
📍 Studland Bay
💰 Small trail fee
Upton Country Park Easter Trail (Poole)
Upton Country Park often runs family trails during school holidays and Easter is always a popular one.
Children follow clues around the park while searching for hidden eggs and solving puzzles along the way. There are usually extra craft activities and family games happening during the holidays too.
It’s a lovely park to explore afterwards with gardens, woodland walks and a café.
📅 Late March – mid April
📍 Upton Country Park, Poole
💰 Small participation fee
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens Easter Trail (Abbotsbury)
The Subtropical Gardens are beautiful in spring and Easter is a great time to visit.
Children can follow a family trail around the winding paths while exploring the exotic plants and hidden corners of the gardens.
It’s a relaxed way to spend a couple of hours and works well combined with a visit to the nearby Swannery.
📅 Easter holidays
📍 Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens
🎟 Garden admission required
Symondsbury Estate Easter Trail (Near Bridport)
Symondsbury Estate often hosts family-friendly trails during school holidays.
Children follow clues around the estate while families explore the shops, café and surrounding countryside.
If you’ve got older kids it’s also worth walking up Colmer’s Hill afterwards for one of the best views in West Dorset.
📅 Easter holidays
📍 Symondsbury Estate
💰 Usually free or small trail fee
Farmer Palmer’s Easter Event (Near Poole)
Farmer Palmer’s is one of the best places in Dorset for younger children and they always go big for Easter.
Expect Easter egg hunts, tractor rides and themed activities around the farm park. One highlight is the “Bandit Bunny” tractor ride where children help catch mischievous bunnies before the egg hunt begins.
There are also indoor play areas and animal encounters if the weather turns.
📅 30 March – 10 April 2026
📍 Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park
🎟 Booking recommended
Kingston Maurward Animal Park Easter Activities (Dorchester)
Kingston Maurward is a lovely relaxed day out near Dorchester.
During the Easter holidays there are usually family trails, bunny-themed activities and craft sessions around the animal park and gardens.
Children can meet farm animals, explore the grounds and enjoy the play area.
📅 Easter holidays
📍 Kingston Maurward Animal Park
🎟 Admission required
Abbotsbury Swannery Spring Visit (Abbotsbury)
Spring is one of the best times to visit the Swannery as nesting season begins.
Families can walk through the colony and learn about the swans while enjoying views across the Fleet Lagoon and Chesil Beach.
It’s a unique wildlife experience and something quite different from a typical Easter day out.
📅 Open daily during Easter holidays
📍 Abbotsbury Swannery
🎟 Admission required
Monkey World Easter Activities (Wareham)
Monkey World is always a hit with kids and they often run special activities during the Easter holidays.
Expect family trails, craft activities and competitions alongside the chance to see rescued primates from around the world.
There’s a lot of walking involved so allow a good half day to explore.
📅 28 March – 12 April 2026
📍 Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre
🎟 Admission required
The Blue Pool Nature Walks (Wareham)
The Blue Pool is one of Dorset’s hidden gems and a lovely place for a relaxed Easter walk.
The woodland trails circle the famous turquoise pool and there are often family activity sheets or nature trails available for children during school holidays.
The café overlooking the water is also a great place for cake afterwards.
📍 The Blue Pool, Wareham
🎟 Admission required
Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park (Verwood)
This is a lovely countryside day out where children can meet the horses, watch demonstrations and explore the farm.
There are tractor rides, animal encounters and plenty of open space for kids to run around.
It’s particularly good for younger children.
📍 Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park
🎟 Admission required
Easter Holidays at The Tank Museum (Bovington)
The Tank Museum is one of the best indoor family days out in Dorset.
During the Easter holidays they run extra family activities including tank displays, talks and activity trails around the museum.
Children can explore hundreds of tanks and military vehicles while learning about the history behind them.
📅 Easter holidays
📍 The Tank Museum, Bovington
🎟 Included with museum admission
Dorset Museum Family Activities (Dorchester)
Dorset Museum & Art Gallery often runs family trails and creative activities during school holidays.
Children can explore exhibits about dinosaurs, Roman history and Dorset’s past while completing activity sheets around the museum.
It’s a good option if the weather turns.
📍 Dorset Museum & Art Gallery
🎟 Admission required
Russell-Cotes Museum Easter Crafts (Bournemouth)
This beautiful seaside museum often hosts seasonal craft sessions during the school holidays.
Children can take part in Easter-themed art activities while exploring the museum and gardens.
The sea views from the cliff-top location are also fantastic.
📍 Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
🎟 Admission required
Peter Rabbit Easter Experience – Swanage Railway (Swanage)
This is a really lovely Easter event if your kids enjoy trains.
Families board a heritage steam train and travel through the Isle of Purbeck before arriving at Harmans Cross station where the Easter egg hunt begins. Children can also meet Peter Rabbit during the event.
It’s a fun mix of nostalgia and family adventure.
📅 3 – 6 April 2026
📍 Swanage Railway
🎟 Train tickets required
Swanage Railway Steam Train Ride (Swanage)
Even if you miss the Peter Rabbit event, riding the Swanage steam train is always a great family experience.
The journey runs between Swanage and Norden passing through beautiful countryside and the village of Corfe Castle.
Kids love the vintage carriages and the sound of the steam engines.
📍 Swanage Railway
🎟 Train ticket required
Ferry to Brownsea Island (Poole)
Taking the ferry across Poole Harbour is a mini adventure in itself.
The short boat trip gives great views of the harbour before arriving at Brownsea Island where families can explore woodland trails and beaches.
📍 Poole Quay
🎟 Ferry ticket required
West Bay Discovery Centre Easter Egg-stravaganza (West Bay)
If you’re visiting West Bay during the holidays, this is a lovely little stop for families.
The Discovery Centre is hosting a chick hunt, quiz, colouring and craft activities for children. It’s designed as a drop-in activity so you can pop in anytime while exploring the harbour or beach.
It’s also free to enter, with donations welcome.
📅 28 March – 12 April 2026
⏰ 11am – 4pm
📍 West Bay Discovery Centre
💰 Free entry
Bridport Easter Market (Bridport)
Bridport’s famous market runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays and always feels lively during school holidays.
Expect street food, local produce, craft stalls and plenty of independent shops to explore.
It’s a great place to wander with kids and grab lunch.
📍 Bridport Town Centre
💰 Free
Lyme Regis Easter Bonnet Parade (Lyme Regis)
One of the most charming local Easter traditions.
Families decorate Easter bonnets and take part in a parade along the seafront before prizes are awarded for the most creative designs.
It’s a lovely community event and fun to watch even if you’re not taking part.
📍 Lyme Regis
💰 Free
Lyme Regis Easter Egg Trail (Lyme Regis)
Children follow clues around the town searching for hidden eggs in shop windows and local landmarks.
It’s a great way to explore Lyme Regis while keeping kids entertained.
📍 Lyme Regis Town Centre
💰 Small participation fee
Fossil Hunting on Lyme Regis Beach
Lyme Regis is one of the best places in the UK for fossil hunting.
After a storm or at low tide you can often find ammonites and other fossils along the Jurassic Coast.
It’s a simple but brilliant family adventure.
📍 Lyme Regis Beach
💰 Free
West Bay Harbour Walk
West Bay is one of our favourite places for a family walk.
Stroll along the harbour, watch the fishing boats come in and explore the beach. Add fish and chips and it’s a perfect Dorset afternoon.
📍 West Bay
💰 Free
Hive Beach Walk (Burton Bradstock)
Hive Beach is a fantastic spot for rock pooling and coastal walks.
There’s plenty of space for kids to explore and the Hive Beach Café is perfect for lunch or cake afterwards.
📍 Burton Bradstock
💰 Free
Durdle Door Coastal Walk
Durdle Door is one of Dorset’s most famous landmarks and a spectacular place for a family walk.
The views along the Jurassic Coast are incredible and it’s a great place for photos.
📍 Lulworth
💰 Free
Chesil Beach Adventure (Portland / West Bexington)
Chesil Beach stretches for miles and feels wild and dramatic.
Kids love exploring the stones, watching the waves and seeing how the beach changes along the coastline.
📍 Chesil Beach
💰 Free
Splashdown Waterpark (Poole)
If the weather turns, Splashdown is a brilliant rainy-day option.
The indoor waterpark has multiple slides and pools which are great for burning off energy.
📍 Poole
🎟 Ticket required
Bridport Leisure Centre Family Swim (Bridport)
A simple but reliable rainy-day activity during the school holidays.
The leisure centre runs family swim sessions and inflatable pool fun which younger children especially enjoy.
📍 Bridport Leisure Centre
🎟 Standard swim admission
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