Half Term Fun!
Free Half Term Fun!
BookFest 2022
Portsmouth BookFest 2022 runs from Monday 21 February to Sunday 13 March.
This includes an exciting line up of online and in person talks, workshops and activities for all ages.
At in-person author events you’ll have the chance to buy a book and get it signed by the author!
FREE events running throughout February half-term as part of BookFest - see below
FREE Half Term Fun for Primary School Children
Event |
Date |
Description |
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Storytime (Suitable for ages 5 – 7) Cost: Free (booking required) |
Monday 21st February Time: 11am Location: Southsea Library |
Participants will make up a character who wants to help bees and insects to get their food and then place the character into a story. A simple information sheet about pollinators will be available for the children to take home with them. |
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Writing Workshop (Suitable for ages 9 – 11) Cost: Free (booking required) |
Monday 21st February Time: 1.30pm Location: Southsea Library |
If you want to hear about different ways of creating a story this workshop is for you! Making up characters for a story you want to tell, having a story you want to tell and working out how to start it are all part of the writing process. Bring along a picture you think might make a good illustration for a story. Have you ever written a poem or story with a collage background? You can try that if you like, there are all sorts of ways to tell a story. |
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Young People’s Creative Writing Workshops Suitable for young people aged 10 – 14
Cost: Free (booking required)
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Tuesday 22 February: 10am Southsea Library, PO5 3QQ 2pm Alderman Lacey Library, PO3 6HU Wednesday 23 February: 10am North End Library, PO2 9AX 2pm Carnegie Library, PO1 5EZ Thursday 24 February: 10am Central Library, PO1 2DX 2pm Portsea Library, 3HN 11 Friday 25 February: 10am Cosham Library, PO6 3EB 2pm Paulsgrove Library, PO6 4Jb |
Poetry, writing and art making. These FREE workshops are perfect for creative souls and budding environmentalists. Ever wondered how a cuttlefish talks? Or how a hermit crab finds a home? Ever wanted to know more about the ocean that surrounds our island? Join poet Becci Louise on a creative adventure and explore the wonders of the ocean. Learn about the creatures that inhabit the seas surrounding Portsmouth and find out what you can do to protect them. With poetry writing, art-making and exploration, these workshops are perfect for creative souls and budding environmentalists. Becci Louise is a poet, performer educator, and author of Octopus Medicine, poem-stories for young and old alike. Let the magic of the watery worlds she conjures inspire you to create your own poems and stories.
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Storytelling with Michael O’Leary Cost: Free (no ticket required)
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Wednesday 23 and Saturday 26 February Time: 10.30am – 2pm Location: Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, Museum Road. |
Storytelling with Michael O’Leary. Join the marvellous storyteller Michael O’Leary as he wanders the galleries of Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery. Families will be able to sit with him as he tells whimsical and musical tales for everyone to enjoy. Just drop in at the museum between 10.30am and 2pm. |
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Storytime (Suitable for ages 6-8) Cost: Free (no ticket required) |
Friday 25 February Time: 11am – 11.45am Location: Southsea Library |
Join Alan Smith for this story time all about the pebble people on Southsea beach! The story is suitable for ages 6 – 8 years but some younger and older children may enjoy it too. Alan Smith is a Southsea artist, illustrator, now author and ceramic artist |
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Amanda Hubbert Storytime: Roho and Rafiki Cost: Free (booking required) |
Saturday 26 February Time: 2pm Location: Southsea Library |
Join Amanda Hubbert at this storytime session where she will be reading from her new picture book Roho and Rafiki. Roho and Rafiki is about two friends in a zoo that go exploring and learning about different animals. |
FREE Half Term Fun for Secondary School Children
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Young People’s Creative Writing Workshops Suitable for young people aged 10 – 14
Cost: Free (booking required) |
Tuesday 22 February: 10am Southsea Library, PO5 3QQ 2pm Alderman Lacey Library, PO3 6HU Wednesday 23 February: 10am North End Library, PO2 9AX 2pm Carnegie Library, PO1 5EZ Thursday 24 February: 10am Central Library, PO1 2DX 2pm Portsea Library, 3HN 11 Friday 25 February: 10am Cosham Library, PO6 3EB 2pm Paulsgrove Library, PO6 4Jb |
Poetry, writing and art making. These FREE workshops are perfect for creative souls and budding environmentalists. Ever wondered how a cuttlefish talks? Or how a hermit crab finds a home? Ever wanted to know more about the ocean that surrounds our island? Join poet Becci Louise on a creative adventure and explore the wonders of the ocean. Learn about the creatures that inhabit the seas surrounding Portsmouth and find out what you can do to protect them. With poetry writing, art-making and exploration, these workshops are perfect for creative souls and budding environmentalists. Becci Louise is a poet, performer educator, and author of Octopus Medicine, poem-stories for young and old alike. Let the magic of the watery worlds she conjures inspire you to create your own poems and stories. |
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Gillian Morton Author Talk Suitable for young people aged 10 + Free (booking required) |
Friday 25 February Time: 1pm
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Five minutes is all it takes. Five minutes of violence in the wartime blackout. Five minutes that cast a very long shadow. After war ends, little Kenny lives with his granny who can’t find words to explain where he has come from. He knows not to ask. At this event author Gillian Morton will talk about her second novel Kissed to Death and how it is inspired by the popular children’s story The Snow Queen and her own mother’s wartime experiences in Portsmouth. |
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500 Pompey words Creative writing age 11-16 Free (booking required) |
Visit Cumberland House Natural History Museum: Tuesday – Sunday 10am-5pm Deadline for entries: Friday 25 February Location: Cumberland House Natural History Museum
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Are you aged 11-16 and living in Portsmouth? Do you love creative writing? Pick an object in the A-Z gallery at Cumberland House Natural History Museum, write a 500-word story, poem or play about it and you could win £75 in gift vouchers! Our guest judge is author and illustrator Neal Layton. |
Tudor Treasure Hunt at the Mary Rose
Tudor Treasure Hunt at the Mary Rose
Can you find the Tudor Treasures at The Mary Rose museum?
When you think of treasure, you most probably think of gold coins, or jewellery. But the treasures of the Mary Rose are far more varied!
Pick up your Treasure Hunt Clues Pack and see how many of the Tudor Treasures you can find.
Each £1 Treasure Hunt Clues Pack contains clues and pictures of objects for you to find. Plus, once you've found all the treasures you can pick up a fantastic Mary Rose pop badge!
Learn about all the great activities at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard this February half-term by visiting: historicdockyard - february-half-term.