Museums and libraries offer online fun during half term break
Chinese New Year celebrations, bottle oven building challenges and live storytelling sessions are among a host of free online activities available for Stoke-on-Trent families over the half term break.
The city’s museums, libraries and other indoor attractions remain closed throughout the national lockdown, but the venues are continuing to provide alternative entertainment on their websites and social media channels.
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During half term, the city’s Visit Stoke team also has information about outdoor spaces that households can use for daily exercise in their local area, as well as details of virtual attraction visits, Valentine’s Day ideas and more.
There is also a range of wellbeing support on offer to help families look after their physical and mental health, with details available at stoke.gov.uk/supportservices.
Find more details about online activities and information provided by the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stoke-on-Trent Libraries and Visit Stoke below.
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
The museum would normally be holding its hugely popular Chinese New Year celebration this weekend, with an event that usually attracts thousands of visitors to the Hanley site.
This year, while the museum is temporarily closed, the team have instead created a special section on their website to help families enjoy the festivities at home. There are craft activities including mask and Chinese lantern-making, a zodiac animals home trail, and a poem and willow pattern competition.
The museum has also produced a host of Valentine’s-themed activities and events, as well as a range of other information based on exhibits and the city’s history. Full event and activity listings are available here and at https://www.stokemuseums.org.uk/pmag/
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Gladstone Pottery Museum
This museum has a range of activities available during half term. The team are encouraging families to build their own bottle ovens from construction blocks and share photos of them. You can tag in the museum on social media or email photos to gladstone@stoke.gov.uk and entries will appear in an online gallery.
The museum’s website also has a selection of videos from skilled demonstrators, with the chance to follow step-by-step guides and make your own clay creations.
Other highlights include an amazing virtual tour of the site, presented by 360 Picture UK, with the chance to ‘walk’ through the historic pottery factory and explore each fascinating room.
The website also has the first edition of a new Gladstone comic - The Improbable Adventures of Blunger Woman – and a range of other content including fun craft activities, quizzes, a board game, pottery painting kits to buy and more.
Full details of the online activities and information are available here and at https://www.stokemuseums.org.uk/gpm
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Stoke-on-Trent’s Libraries
Our library service is putting on a selection of online events for half term – and it also has covid-secure ways to borrow books during the current restrictions.
The service is offering two Facebook Live storytelling sessions, at 11am on Saturdays February 13 and 20, with fun tales read by one of the city council’s librarians.
There are also two of the libraries’ popular singing bears events - at 10.30am on Tuesday, February 16 and Friday, February 19 – with songs and rhymes that young children can join in with.
Families can find the live videos, or watch the recorded sessions afterwards, at https://www.facebook.com/stokeontrentlibraries .
The city’s libraries have also launched a new book bundles service, with packages available for children and adults based on a range of themes and genres.
There is a covid-secure click, call and collect book borrowing service, as well as online borrowing for e-books, e-magazines and e-audio books.
For full details of events and services click here, visit https://www.stoke.gov.uk/libraries or contact your local library.
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Visit Stoke
The city council’s Visit Stoke team has information about online virtual attraction tours – with details from popular places including Middleport Pottery, World of Wedgwood, Ford Green Hall and more.
There is also information about places to go walking during daily exercise in your local area – including beautiful open spaces, parks, greenways, canals, Westport Lake and the Trentham Estate.
While families are not able to visit indoor attractions this half term, under lockdown rules you can exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person. Residents are reminded exercise should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
Visit Stoke is also providing a range of Valentine’s-themed ideas in a special section on their website – with information on walks, gifts and more.
For more information, go to https://www.visitstoke.co.uk/
Wellbeing support
There continues to be a range of wellbeing support available for families during the half term break.
The local StayWell service provides support for children and young people and parents and carers online, via phone calls and video support. You can contact 01782 418518 or email staywell.here4u@changes.org.uk to access the service. More details are available at http://changeshere4u.org.uk/ .
In response to the pandemic, Place2Be has developed activity ideas to boost children's wellbeing and help them to navigate changes in their lives. You can find out more about these by visiting https://www.place2be.org.uk/ .
The YMCA North Staffordshire is among the other organisations offering help and support. It has a range of information on its website including workout, wellbeing services, employment and skills information and more. For details, visit https://ymcans.org.uk/
For more information about other support services available for families in Stoke-on-Trent, please visit https://www.stoke.gov.uk/supportservices
Find more details about online activities and information provided by the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stoke-on-Trent Libraries and Visit Stoke on our news release.
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