KEEPING the kids entertained over Easter need not be problem this year, as Wales Millennium Centre have programmed a wide range of free participatory events and activities for all the family to discover, explore and engage with the arts.

The Easter season will mark the premiere of the centre’s new family engagement initiative, The Milipwt Clwb. The Milipwts are the characters that animate the Centre’s permanent and free child-focused activity den and the programming team haven taken inspiration from Lecsi, Dyfi, Ogi and Ponti, and created family activities for all ages to enjoy together. The characters will come to life this Easter with the launch of The Milipwt Clwb. Sessions themed around each character will give youngsters the opportunity to explore dance, music, digital arts and more from Friday-Monday, April 18-21. In addition to workshops, The Milipwt Den will be open as usual across the Easter holidays, providing a relaxed environment for youngsters to discover a colourful world of theatre, dance, music and literature.

For more information on The Milipwts, visit www.wmc.org.uk/families

Next to The Milipwts Den is the centre’s free performance foyer space, the Glanfa Stage, which will host a selection of music performances and walk-about acts during the holidays. Whether it’s magic shows, story-telling or live music sessions from up-and-coming Welsh artists, the Glanfa Stage is a versatile area with something for all the family to enjoy during the Easter fortnight.

There will be plenty of opportunities for youngsters to create their own art as well. Large doodle boards will be placed in the foyer, encouraging all visitors to add their own creative stamp to a piece of art, plus there will be drop-in craft workshops with different Easter themes each day.

The centre will also be launching a new trail for families to explore Wales Millennium Centre and its surroundings during the holidays. Children and adults can take this opportunity to explore the many foyers and corridors of Wales’ top visitor attraction, offering families an exciting twist on the traditional Easter egg hunt. And when it’s time to sit back and refuel, the centre offers plenty of child-friendly food and drink options, including ffresh restaurant’s new Milipwts menu.

In addition to the free activity during the Easter holidays, the centre’s Donald Gordon Theatre has been transformed into the wonderful world of Oz, with Wicked casting a spell over Cardiff for its Welsh premiere. This smash-hit musical has become an international family favourite, and the magic of Oz will spread across the Centre during the Easter season.

Louise Miles-Crust, head of programming at the centre said: "Wales Millennium Centre has gone from strength to strength on its delivery of free activity for the family during the holiday periods, and I am extremely proud of the extensive programme we are able to offer to our neighbours and our visitors this Easter. It’s thrilling for me and the whole team at the centre to see our public spaces animated with so many different activities, and to see a variety of people engaging with our building and with the arts in new and personal ways."

From Discotots for toddlers, to DJ and street dancing for the older children, this exciting programming of activity caters brilliantly for all ages, making Wales Millennium Centre the perfect venue to visit with the family this Easter.

Wales Millennium Centre will be open daily from 10am during the Easter holidays. For more information on family activity visit: www.wmc.org.uk/families/