Family Activities To See You Through Winter

Rather than wallowing in the January blues, a New Year is a perfect time to renew your sense of adventure and plan some fun-filled activities to enjoy with your family.
Why not swap the various resolutions broken by 01 February each year for something you can achieve… a promise to enjoy a great family day out at least once a month!

With these exciting and low-cost activities you'll have no excuses not to:

The Winterland Express At W5
If you're planning a trip to W5 at The SSE Arena this month, you're best to visit on a day when the Winterland Express train is scheduled to depart, to give your children a more magical experience.
The miniature train ride takes you on a journey through the enchanted forest and into the icy cavern, emerging in the courtyard of Winterland Castle, where a few surprises await.
The feature is free of charge once you have gained admission to W5, which costs £7.50 per child and £9.80 per adult.
The remaining dates for the Winterland Express are:
• Saturday 19 January, between 12.15pm and 5.15pm
• Sunday 20 January, between 12.15pm and 5.15pm
Pre-booking is strongly recommended due to the popularity of the experience. Click Here to book online.

Goldilocks And The Three Bears Singalong
The much-loved fairy-tale of Goldilocks and the three bears is coming to the stage for the first time ever in an unforgettable production this January.
If you have young children that need to be kept busy after the excitement of the Christmas holidays, head to Lagan Valley Island in Lisburn on Sunday 20 to see Ruff the dog and Mr Bunny join Goldilocks and the three bears in a fun-filled musical production.
The popular children's story is expected to take a few twists and turns along the way… with the introduction of new characters and, hopefully, a happy ever after.
Kids can take part in the action with well-known favourites like 'I'm a little teapot' and 'If you're happy and you know it' to singalong to.
Single tickets are £10 per person or a family of 4 can enjoy the fun at a discounted price of £35.
You can secure your seats here: Goldilocks And The Three Bears Singalong
The show will start at 2pm and last until approximately 3.30.

Lisburn Light Festival
For those in the Lisburn area, if you haven't already experienced the magic of the Lisburn Light Festival, then make your way to Bow Street for something a bit different.
Over one million lights will illuminate the City Centre with a spectacular illuminated canopy that glimmers the full length of the popular high street.
Lasting only 10 minutes, a trip to the enchanting display is a perfect way to continue the magical and festive season into January. Why not grab a coffee or a hot chocolate to keep you warm while you enjoy the sights? You can also dance along on the interactive light floor below the glistening disco balls.
Daily light displays run at 4pm, 6pm and 8pm and end on Friday 25 January.
Also during the Light Festival, you can enjoy extended late night opening hours in the city centre, and if you fancy leaving the kids at home for this one, there's plenty of choice from contemporary bars to quaint little pubs to finish off the night with a cocktail or a pint.

Spend An Afternoon At Soft-Play
Visiting one of Northern Ireland's many soft-play areas is a surefire way to beat the boredom of a winter afternoon in the house and give those iPads and computer games a rest for a few hours.
Here's some of the top spots to visit:
• Funky Monkeys
Funky Monkeys is the perfect way to get your kids active, creative and excited while also getting out of the house for a few hours. With a soft play jungle kingdom that includes Suzie's Jungle House, The Jungle Village Shop and Mikey's Safari Garage, their imagination can run wild while you relax and enjoy a treat at the on-site cafe.
Funky Monkeys has sites in Belfast, Downpatrick, Dundonald and Dungannon and is priced at less than £6 for all children.
Memberships are also available which allow you to benefit from offers and savings.
Find out more online here: Funky Monkeys

• Air-tastic Trampoline Park
Jump into a whole lot of fun by passing a few hours at Air-tastic. This is a great way of burning off some energy as the kids can spring around the huge network of flat bed trampolines and rebound off angled trampoline walls, as well as complete obstacle courses, jump challenges, play in foam pits and launch themselves into the air before landing on a super-soft airbag.
Special play zones in the exciting trampoline parks have been designed for younger bouncers to allow them to join in the fun in a safer environment. Little ones aged three and four can benefit from the Little-Air zone and anyone aged 5 and above can enjoy the rest.
Air-tastic is located in Bangor, Belfast and Craigavon and admission is as follows:
3-4 year olds: £5
5 year olds and over: £7
Sessions last one hour and you are advised to arrive 30 minutes beforehand to sign safety waivers and watch safety tutorials.
Check it out for yourself here: Air-tastic

Belfast Children's Festival
Pencil in a date between Friday 08 and Wednesday 13 March for a trip into Belfast for the Children's Festival, where your family can enjoy the very best of the international and local arts experiences on offer.
With a diverse programme of theatre, dance, visual art, music, literature, and comedy events…this festival by Young At Art is sure to ignite the creativity and curiosity of your children.
Various locations across Belfast will host interactive experiences and shows performed by both home-grown talent and international artists.
Prices for these events vary from £3-10.
Wondering what's on at the Belfast Children's Festival? See below:
• The Alien's Guide to Dance Gone Wrong, Sat 09-Sun 10 March, The Mac
An interactive futuristic show for children aged four and older, in which aliens are alive and curious about a thing humans used to do called dancing.
Tickets priced at £10.
• Milo's Hat Trick, Fri 08- Sun 10 Mar, The Lyric Theatre
Young adults can enjoy magic, music and mischief in this delightful new adventure featuring Milo the Magnificent, who isn't magnificent at all but gets himself into a spot of bother before finding a very talented bear with a sensational hat trick.
Aimed at children of aged 3 and above, tickets priced at £10.
(JG/CM)