Top 10 things to do In Derby this Easter holidays

The In Derby Six characters.

Fri 8 Apr 2022

The Easter holidays are here, and the celebrations are in full swing around the city. There’s lots to do and see for all the family, so come along to one of our top 10 and join in the fun. Don’t forget your Easter eggs!

1. Easter Egg Hunt Trail

Hop on over to Markeaton Park for our Easter Egg Hunt Trail from Sat 9 - Sun 24 Apr. Simply download your map and EGGS-plore to win some Mundy Play Centre vouchers! Make sure to tag @_derbyparks in your Instagram photos!

2. Markeaton Park and Mundy Play Centre

While you’re at Markeaton Park, don’t forget to visit the Mundy Play Centre with pay and play activities. These include all the favourites such as Pitch and Putt, Footgolf, Canoes and the Bouncy Castle, as well as the fun-filled play area including The Adventure Galley pirate ship. The park is open daily during the school holidays between 10:30am – 4:30pm.

Activities are subject to weather conditions, see the Markeaton Park page for more details.

3. Easter Promise

Did you know that there are free children’s activities during the Easter holidays? We are making this Easter EGG-cellent with free, fun holiday club activities for children with the Derby City Council’s Easter Promise. The fund provides activities, meals, and financial support for those who need additional support throughout the school holidays and beyond.

To find out more, ask your local school or visit the Derby City Council website.

4. St George’s Day Celebrations

Come celebrate the patron saint of merry Olde England, St George, in Derby city centre on Sat 23 Apr. Working in association with Lost Boys, FOLK3D and supported by St Peter’s Quarter Business Improvement District (BID), to bring you a feast of family fun for St George’s Day including dance acts, a parade, craft stalls and storytelling.

Check out the full programme on the St George's Day Celebration page.

5. Derby Libraries

To support children’s mental health and wellbeing, Derby Libraries have teamed up with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and Derby Parks to encourage children to discover the natural world and get out and about in our city parks over the Easter holidays. Families can visit Alvaston, Mickleover, Normanton or Riverside Library to access inspiring children’s book displays. The titles are hand-picked by our library staff and celebrate and explore the natural world - from Benjamin Zephaniah’s beautiful rhyming Nature Trail to Dara McNulty's Diary of a Young Naturalist.

There are also nature spotting sheets from Derbyshire Wildlife Trust for families to use in our city parks along with nature themed colouring sheets for children to take home. Simply visit your local library and speak to one of our friendly staff members to find out more.

6. Family Track cycling at Derby Arena

Take the time to try something new this Easter with a Family Track cycling session at Derby Arena. For anyone aged 9 years and above, these sessions are the perfect chance to give this exciting sport a go!

If track cycling isn’t for you, why not try a game of table tennis or badminton? Our Family Leisure Card is a great option to use for sessions like these and is available for up to two adults, with a maximum of five people. With the card, families can get up to a 20% discount. See the Derby Arena website for details and to book your session now! 

7. Cycle Derby

Get the kids active during the Easter holiday with Cycle Derby. From Learn to Ride sessions to get the little ones on their first two wheels to holiday clubs for kids four to eight and six to twelve to build their biking skills – there’s lots of options. Plus, Cycle Derby will be running Track Days at Derby Arena during Easter including a Ladies Track Taser session.

All sessions must be booked in advance through the Cycle Derby website

8. Springwood Leisure Centre

Parents can bring their little ones aged 0 to 6 years along for a fun session on the Bouncy Castle and Soft Play. To find out more visit the Springwood Leisure Centre page.

9. Derby Parks 

Reap the benefits of the great outdoors this Easter holiday with plenty of fantastic parks and open spaces right on our doorstep in Derby. Why not try out the Love Exploring app for a little walk on the wild side and see what you can discover?

Don’t forget to stop for a bite to eat or warm up with a hot drink in one of the many cafes located in Derby Parks, see our Food and Drink page for a full list of cafes and opening times.

10. Recycle your Easter packaging

Last but definitely not least, don’t forget to recycle your packaging after you’ve gobbled your Easter Eggs, the cardboard, plastic and foil can all be recycled! Or why not reuse the cardboard and colourful foil and make some EGGS-quisite Easter themed crafts? Make sure to check Derby City Council's A-Z of recycling and rubbish for more information.

We hope this has given you a few ideas for the Easter holidays and whatever you and you're family get up to, we hope you have a CRACKING Easter holiday! To keep up to date with family and holiday activities in Derby make sure to check out our holiday activities pages.