Dobbies is running a free workshop on the lifecycle of leaves this half term, which is either a beautiful introduction to nature or two free hours, depending on how your week has gone.
Monster Mia, Wildwood, a mad scientist sheep and a volcano full of dinosaurs are among the distractions on offer, snacks sold separately and parental sanity included at no extra charge.
Swindon families can save a fortune this October half-term, provided they can hold the terms and conditions in their head at the same time as a toddler having a meltdown about the colour of their cup.
A magical quest for riddle-solving youngsters is, on closer inspection, a cunningly disguised exercise in getting from one end of a shopping centre to the other without anyone sitting on the floor.