Tea with Mr Toad tops off week of museum activities

HALF term week at the River & Rowing Museum in Henley is packed full of family activities to explore.

From Saturday, May 24 to Sunday, June 1, there is a museum trail, recommended for ages three and over.

After collecting the trail from the front desk, children can go around the museum to find all the clues. Each trail includes a small prize (one trail per child, cost £2 with museum admission).

On Tuesday, May 27, from 10.30am to 11.30am (please check in at the front desk at 10.20am), in “Tales of adventure: storytelling and craft”, Sarah will read stories filled with adventures to children. This will be followed by some crafts where they will make something they can take home with them. Recommended for ages seven and under, cost £7.75.

On Wednesday, May 28, from 10.30am to 11.30am (please check in at 10.20am), Lilly Meikle, an art psychotherapist exhibiting at the museum, will run “Tree painting with bubble leaves and cotton bud technique”. Under Lilly’s guidance, children will paint using their hands and arms as tree trunks and add colourful leaves using bubble printing and cotton buds.

The end result will be a personal piece of art that the children can take home. Recommended for primary school-aged children, dressed in clothes for mess, cost £8.50.

On Thursday, May 29, from 10am to 12.30pm, there is a “Forest, fairies and friends family day”, in a morning of activities inspired by trees, with crafts and stories.

Suitable for all ages, this is free with admission and some activities have a small additional charge of £1 to £2 (no booking required).

On Thursday, May 29, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm (please check in at 1.20pm), join a special visitor for “Mr Toad’s tea party”.

The much-loved Wind in the Willows character will join in an afternoon of fun, with self-led play and biscuit decorating, while Mr Toad reads a story.

Recommended for ages four to seven, cost £7.75.

All children must be accompanied by an adult, activity charges are in addition to museum admission. For more information and to book, visit rrm.co.uk