Easter Fair, Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, London

Take the kids to learn how to jive like a bunny with hourly dance lessons at this south London museum. Horniman's Easter fair will also combine art and craft sessions with food stalls and an egg hunt. The Easter bunny will make an appearance, as will rabbit welfare experts. ("A rabbit is not just for Easter, children.") While you're there, give the holiday an exotic twist with a look around the colourful and bilingual Amazon exhibition (English/Spanish, until November), which aims to educate and entertain by drawing attention to the basin's frailty as well as its biodiversity. Kids will enjoy meeting a stingray and feeling the zap of an electric eel.
• horniman.ac.uk, 020 8699 1872,30-31 March, free entry to fair; exhibition costs children £3, adults £6

Who done it?, British Library, London

The British Library may seem a stuffy place to imprison your kids for 90 minutes, but there is mysterious appeal in its mighty shelves, and since we seem to be experiencing a full-scale Sherlock Holmes renaissance, now's the time to initiate your children into our murky fascination with murder. This free family detective workshop, which accompanies the Murder in the Library exhibition, promises to be "hands-on". Better wash them afterwards.
• bl.uk/whatson/events/apr13, 0843 2081144, 2-4 April, free

Chinese State Circus, nationwide

This year, the Chinese State Circus promises the first UK appearance of a man known only as "The One", the crown jewel in their troupe of performing Shaolin warriors. What exactly he is going to do remains tantalisingly undisclosed, but it will presumably be either dangerous or beautiful, and you can always count on the CSC to deliver particularly magnificent acrobats.
• chinesestatecircus.com, 01260 276627, February-May, from £14 (depending on venue)

My First Cinderella, Peacock Theatre, Sadler's Wells, London

Exposing young children to grand balletic masterpieces is as likely to put them off classical dance for life as it is to initiate them into a life of cultural erudition. This is the reasoning behind the "My First … " series of ballets for beginners – simplified, accessible (and cheaper) versions of famous works danced by graduates from the English National Ballet school. Cinderella is the second in this series, and opens in Sadler's Wells before touring to Aylesbury, Oxford, Manchester and beyond.
• ballet.org.uk, 0844 412 4322, 27 March-7 April, from £10

Above and Beyond, Corinthia Hotel, London

The up-and-coming, much-applauded theatre company Look Left Look Right has devised a piece of immersive theatre inside the plush Corinthia Hotel. Above and Beyond, described as "a journey of intrigue and suspense", is a one-on-one participatory piece, making it possibly unnerving for younger children, but this sort of interactive performance makes for a far more thrilling evening out than an ordinary night in the stalls.
• lookleftlookright.com, 020 7321 3133, 18th March-14 April, from £27.50

Easter Marathons, Prince Charles Cinema, London

This ever-reliable cinema is celebrating the resurrection of Christ with an unholy weekend of trilogy screenings, all of which should be required viewing for any film lover. Indiana Jones 1, 2 and 3 on Good Friday, all the Toy Stories on the Saturday, and back-to-back Back to the Futures on Easter Monday: all nine films are best shown to your progeny now to avoid a lifetime of unanswered quotations and incomprehensible references.
• princecharlescinema.com, 020 7494 3654, 29-30 March, £18 for three films

Easter Egg Hunt, Cutty Sark, London

There are public egg hunts being held all over the country, but this one is distinguished by its setting – on board Greenwich's Cutty Sark. Nosing around in search of eggs seems a good way to explore the ship, which reopened last year after its post-fire restoration. There are also family craft days over the school Easter break, when children can create their own ship's figurehead or racing puppet.
• rmg.co.uk, 020 8312 6608, 29 March-1 April, free with admission to Cutty Sark: children £6.50, adults £12

Brighton Food Festival Spring Harvest

This twice-yearly festival is less crowded during its spring incarnation but still attracted nearly 60,000 people last year, who ate their way through a wealth of Sussex delicacies and gawped at the live demos from celebrated chefs. You can tour the town's restaurants via sample dishes and watch local competitors vie to make the best cakes, cocktails and ice-creams. The event also incorporates a children's food festival (29-30 March) – imagine a sort of giant Persil advert involving hundreds of mucky hands and mouths.
• brightonfoodfestival.com, 01273 770044, 28 March-3 April, most events free

Hampton Court Funfair, Surrey

As funfairs go Hampton Court's is relatively respectable, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun. Purportedly the birthplace of the dodgem, it's been going for 150 years and was so popular that when Hampton Court green was ploughed during the war to prevent enemy landings, a small section had to be left untouched for the funfair to pitch on.
• hamptoncourtfunfair.com, 29 March-2 April, free entry, ride prices vary

Honk! Jr, Minack Theatre, Cornwall

This endearing musical version of the Ugly Duckling takes the stage this Easter at the Minack, Cornwall's vertiginous coastal theatre. You'll have to admire the cast's lungpower as they perform this poultry tale in the open air, and where better to hear the story of an embattled waterbird than perched on an Atlantic clifftop and at the mercy of the elements? Just make sure you wear your thermals.
• minack.com, 01736 810181, 29 March-7 April, children from £4, adults from £8

Easter Vintage Festival, Loughborough

This Easter the Great Central Railway's glimmering stable of steam trains becomes all the more inviting thanks to some seasonal events. As part of its holiday sale, a family of five can rattle from Loughborough to Leicester and back for £20, possibly sharing a dining car with the Easter Bunny himself. A vintage funfair is planned halfway along the line over the Easter weekend, involving steam-powered rides to compound the overall theme. For adult refreshment, there's also live music in the real ale tent.
• gcrailway.co.uk, 01509 632323, 29 March–1 April, children £7, adults £12, families from £22

Shanty UK Sea Shanty festival, Cheshire

There aren't many music festivals during the Easter holidays and this is perhaps not so varied as the big summer events, but it is also a 20th of the price and will likely display more facial hair per square metre than you have ever had the good fortune to witness. Acts such as Dogwatch and Run Out The Guns will be plying their salty trade among the handsome buildings of the National Waterways Museum, and if you require any more convincing, the phrase "Hans Weehuizen will be providing a workshop on how to play the bones" should be impetus enough.
• shanty.org.uk, 01925 241631, 29-31 March, £6.50

I Was A Rat!, Nottingham Playhouse

Philip Pullman, the archbishop of children's fantasy, wrote I Was A Rat before he was a household name, telling the tale of a rat-turned-boy learning the ways of humankind. Adapted afresh for the stage, the story is being retold in a vibrant new production from the Birmingham Rep Company, which will be in Nottingham over Easter during its regional tour. The titular ex-rodent is played by Fox Jackson-Keen – a former West End Billy Elliot.
• nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk, 0115 941 9419, in Nottingham 26 March-19 April as part of a national tour, from £8.50

V&A Magic Worlds, Norwich Castle

The V&A's Museum of Childhood is responsible for this highly praised exhibition – charting the presence of magic in art and culture – which will be unpacking its toys, terrors and sound effects in Norwich Castle over Easter. The motley history of fairy tales, from Hansel and Gretel to Harry and Hermione, is told in ways that are not only learned but kinetic and atmospheric, allowing visitors to try their hands at conjuring and join in the Hatter's tea party.
• museums.norfolk.gov.uk, 01603 495897, 26 January-14 April, children over four £4.90, adults £6.80

Refugee Boy, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

This play is a combined effort from two talented poets: Benjamin Zephaniah, who wrote the original novel, and Lemn Sissay, who adapted it for the stage. Directed by Gail McIntyre, an experienced director of young people's theatre, Refugee Boy tells the story of an Ethiopian boy effectively orphaned by war back home and struggling to identify his place in England, his new country. A promising-looking piece from Leeds' ever-progressive West Yorkshire Playhouse.
• wyp.org.uk, 0113 213 7700, 9-30 March, from £10

Farmer Parrs Animal World, Fleetwood, Lancashire

Easter is typically the time of spring and new birth. That may be somewhat on hold this year, but a family farm visit is still one of our favourite holiday traditions. So wrap up warm and head to Farmer Parrs farm park, where there will be pony and tractor rides and animal shows, as well as staple seasonal fun in the form of egg hunts, Easter quizzes and a giant Easter bunny. Plus the farm's Vintage Easter Rally (30-31 March) features old vehicles of all shapes and sizes, and craft stalls throughout the weekend.
• farmerparrs.com, 01253 874389, 29 March-14 April, adult £5.50, child £5, family £18

The Great Peter Rabbit Easter Egg Hunt, World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, Cumbria

As far as celebrity rabbits go, Peter must be up there on the A-list, despite his age. Fans can join his egg hunt with a difference and explore the Lake District national park, where Beatrix Potter lived and wrote her much-loved children's books. Treasure hunters will receive a map and clues before they set out on their quest to find, not chocolate, but 50 ceramic eggs, specially designed by local artist Sue Dunne. There are six top prizes of stays in local hotels and apartments, while all 50 egg finders get free family entry to the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction and a copy of the 100th anniversary edition of Pigling Bland.
• World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, hop-skip-jump.com. Register online in advance (requires a £2 donation to WaterAid) and the clues and map will be live online from 10 am on 4 April

York's Chocolate Story, York, North Yorkshire

If you're a fan of Kit Kat, Smarties, Yorkie or Aero, you may be interested to know they all started life in York and this museum celebrates the sweets that helped build the city's fortunes. Easter will bring additional chocolate-themed fun – as well as the regular attractions there will be egg-decorating classes and giant Easter eggs crafted by teams of chocolatiers – and on 31 March giant chocolate cakes, face painting and chocolate giveaways will mark the centre's first birthday party. The York Chocolate Festival will take place from 28 March-1 April, with events held here and at other venues across the city. See the festival website for details.
• yorkschocolatestory.com, adult £9.50, students £8.50, Children (5-15) £7.50

Chocolate!, M Shed, Bristol

Lent comes to an end on 31 March, so celebrate Easter the traditional way by getting stuck into a load of chocolate. This show at M Shed, Bristol's industrial museum, explores the history and craftsmanship behind everyone's favourite deadly sin, and on 2 April they're screening the 1971 classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to complement the functional chocolate-making machine on show in the exhibition.
• mshed.org/whats-on/exhibitions/chocolate!, 0117 352 6600, 2 February-6 May, children £3, adults £5, families £10

Edinburgh International Science Festival

Over the Easter holidays, the keenest minds will assemble in Edinburgh for the sophisticated annual science festival at venues across the city. Less well-known than its cultural sisters later in the year, this festival is still exciting, delivering a two-week kaleidoscope of public experiments, workshops and demonstrations. The theme for 2013 is "The Future", marking the festival's silver jubilee.
• sciencefestival.co.uk, 0131 553 0320, 23 March-7 April, event prices vary