THE National Trust is opening Hill Top garden and shop every day throughout the half-term. Wander around the grounds, in Near Sawrey, where children's author Beatrix Potter made her home and wrote many of her famous books. Tel 015394-36269 for opening times.

Enjoy an invigorating walk around Sizergh Castle estate, near Kendal, and then take a lunchtime or afternoon treat in the contemporary café set in the castle grounds. Open daily, 10.30am-3.30pm. Tel 015395-60070.

Fell Foot Country Park has something for everyone. Set in beautiful grounds on the southern shore of Windermere, near Newby Bridge, a children's activity pack will be on offer as well as a play area. Open daily. Tel 015394-36269.

Interactive Animal Experience...

ENJOY the ultimate interactive animal experience at South Lakes Wild Animal Park, at Dalton. Children can get the full hands on experience and get close to penguins, tigers, rhinos, lions, hippos, bears, lemurs, monkeys and much more, including hand feeding giraffes, at 11am and 3pm, and wallabies, kangaroos and emus all day. And to help you make the most of your day, the Gazette is offering this special voucher - for every full paying adult get a child admission FREE. The voucher must be presented at the entrance - no photocopies will be accepted and the offer is valid until March 5, 2007. For details of opening times, tel 01229-466086.

Forum 28...

FORUM 28, at Barrow, is offering some inspired events for half-term. On Monday (February 19), Hip Hop Pop Crew comprises nine talented young professional dancers and singers in a new Hip Hop Theatre show, at 6pm. Learn to dance like the Hip Hop Crew in a special one hour dance workshop prior to the performance, at 4pm.

Celebrate all things woolly over the holidays. On Monday and Tuesday (February 19 and 20), youngsters can enjoy Sheepfest, with workshops for infants from 10.30am-11.30am, and juniors from 1pm-3pm.

On Wednesday (February 21), popular children's TV presenter Dave Benson Phillips brings the live version of his popular show to the stage, at 1.30pm, with the help of his furry friend, Big Bear. Perfect for three to six year olds.

Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre tells the classic tale of Red Riding Hood - but with a difference. Red Riding Hood's Magic Purse is showing on Friday (February 23), at 10.30am and 1.30pm, and is suitable for three to seven year olds.

And on Saturday (February 24), in partnership with Word Market, children can enjoy a feast of storytelling from 10am to 2.15pm.

For full details of tickets and times, tel Forum 28 box office on 01229-820000.

Kendal Museum...

KENDAL Museum is taking a step back into the medieval past with a children's workshop which looks at the heraldry used by knights to show off their families. Make your own emblem and decorate a shield to hang on your wall to scare off all enemies! The workshop take splace on Tuesday, February 20), at 11am-12.30pm (pre-booking is essential), and is suitable for children aged four to seven. Tel 01539-721374.

Lakes Leisure...

LAKES Leisure at Kendal is holding it usual range of fantastic sporting activities, including badminton, squash, racketball, short tennis, football, basketball, netball, fitness classes for over 16s, FitZone gym for over 16s with pay as you go sessions available, and swimming sessions every day. There are special funtime sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (11am-noon) and at 11.30am-12.30pm and 4pm-5pm on Saturday. Tel 01539-729777.

Brockhole Visitors' Centre...

BROCKHOLE, the Lake District National Park Authority's visitor centre at Windermere, is opening its doors and grounds early this year for the half-term holiday. The house, grounds, shop, gardens, adventure play ground and exhibition centre will all be open from 10am to 4.30pm until February 25, and there will be a special £2 all-day parking rate. On February 23 children can get crafty with a specially-organised activity day. Tel 015394-46601.

Betrix Potter...

THE World of Beatrix Potter wants youngsters to join in the Chinese Year of the Pig celebrations by designing and making peppermint creams - the favourite treat of one of the author's best-known piggy characters, Pigling Bland (pictured above). Children can make their sweet creations at the Bowness visitor attraction this weekend - Saturday, February 17, and Sunday, February 18, from 11am-4pm - and then pig out on their tasty treats on the way home. Everyone visiting the World of Beatrix Potter during the half-term holidays will also be given the chance to enter a free competition to win a hamper of Kendal Mint Cake goodies. Admission for adults is £6, and £3 for children aged four to 14. Under-fours go free. Tel 015394-88444.

TULLIE House Museum ...

TULLIE House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle has a bumper line-up of events and activities to entertain youngsters over the half term break.

On Saturday, February 17, at 2.30pm, there is a puppet theatre production, The Am-a-zing Thing, suitable for children aged five upwards.

Also on Saturday, former science teacher Chris Robson will be setting challenges for young inventors to make a clatter toy and an electric cart, with prizes for the fastest ones.

There are 16 places per session, for children aged eight upwards and adults, from 11.30am-1pm, and 2pm-3.30pm.

Youngsters can deck themselves out like a pharaoh at a free drop-in about Egyptian jewellery on Monday, February 19, from 1pm-4pm, while on Tuesday some historical storytelling is promised in Medieval Marvels & Tudor Treachery.

Each 30-minute session has 25 places, starting hourly from 11am to 4pm.

The Egyptian theme continues on Wednesday with the chance to decorate a plaster wall in the Egyptian style, at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm, while next Friday, February 23, you can see some original ancient Egyptian artefacts and pick up a free Egyptian activity bag, from 1pm-4pm.

Tales For The Telling - Stories From Around The World, performed by Society for Storytelling member Lynette Shaw, comes to Tullie House on Thursday, February 22, at noon and 1.30pm.

Tullie House is free to under 16s, but normal admission prices apply to adults.

Tel 01228-534664.

Theatre by the Lake...

DISCOVER how timing and positioning can get you up close and personal with some of the planet's most spectacular creatures when BBC Natural History Unit presenter Steve Leonard shares some of his know-how at the Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, on Wednesday, February 21.

In Wild Geography - Right Place, Right Time, Steve will give a personal account of his extraordinary adventures, from being chased by a cheetah and stung by killer bees to tandem skydiving out of a balloon at 10,000 feet.

The Theatre by the Lake is also playing host to The Fabulous Magic of Doctor Bondini, a fun-filled show for all the family with plenty of audience participation, on Monday, February 19, at 7pm. Tel 017687-74411.

Rheged...

YOUNGSTERS can get crafty by painting a pot or joining a seasonal workshop at the Create Workshop being organised over half-term at Rheged, near Penrith, from tomorrow (Saturday, February 17), to Sunday, February 25, from 10am-4pm.

There's also a chance for children to dress up like real mountaineers and hear about tales from the top of the world at the National Mountaineering Exhibition, also at Rheged. Tel 01768-860090.