It’s cold out there! Make sure you read our winter walking tips if you’re heading out into the hills.
Please note that not all attractions and local businesses have announced their February half term event details for 2026. As soon as events are announced, they are added to this guide.
February half term is probably the trickiest school holiday to keep kids busy. The days are still short and the weather is far from warm. So if you’re looking for some inspiration to keep your little ones entertained for the Peak District February half term, you’ve come to the right place.
February half term 2026 dates for schools in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire East and Sheffield are: 14th to 22nd February.
If you are looking for ideas for general days out, rather than specific events, please check out our guide to Family Days Out in the Peak District, which provides lots of inspiration. Some attractions around Matlock are still closed for the winter months (including Gulliver’s Kingdom and Peak Rail). However, all the caverns are open, Heights of Abraham re-opens from the winter, and Matlock Farm Park stays open pretty much year round.
Also, not much beats a long family walk in the Peak District armed with hot chocolate in your flask during winter. Do check out our safe winter walking tips.
As always, we’ll be keeping this page updated as much as possible with news from these Peak District February half term events. But also keep an eye on the Peak District Kids Facebook Group and also our Instagram. Feel free to email us if you know of an event not listed here.
1. Family Day Rock Climbing with Peak Lines
Available dates throughout February half term
Click here for further information and to book
Click here for the Peak District Kids review
Spend quality time with your family, discover stunning locations in the Peak District, and create memories to last a lifetime with the family rock climbing sessions over October half term.
Peak Lines offer private half-day and full-day climbing experiences in the Peak District.
- The sessions are friendly, encouraging, and aimed to get you working together as a family
- You will have a go at climbing and abseiling, learn how to hold each other’s ropes and even learn some of the techniques essential to climbing independently
- The session will be tailored to you and your family based on experience, age, and fitness level
- Top-of-the-range safety equipment is provided
Half Day (3 Hours) £200 for a family of up to 6 people, any additional person is £55.
Full Day (6 hours) £299 for a family of up to 6 people, any additional person is £80.
2. Thingamabobas at LEVEL Centre, Rowsley
17th to 21st February
FREE
Click here for more information and to book
Roll up, roll up, join the Circus! For one week only come and experience Thingamabobas, a fantastical installation that’s hands-on, interactive and one-of-a-kind! Visitors of all ages are invited into a whimsical, sensory world, to meet a circus troupe of bizarrely wonderful machines inspired by acrobats, jugglers, and unicyclists.
But that’s not all!
- On Wednesday 18th February you can join in the free ‘Build a Bot’ workshop!
- On Saturday 21st February join the Open Day! Combine a visit to Thingamabobas with lots of other fun, free creative activities!
Thingamabobas is brought to you by Makers of Imaginary Worlds, a Nottingham based creative organisation. They deliver innovative and immersive experiences that captivate young audiences and adults, spark curiosity, and inspire creativity.
All activities are FREE!
3. TrYumphant February Half-Term Holiday Camp
Monday 16th to Friday 20th February 8:30am-4pm with optional extra time until 6pm
Baslow Sports Field
From £32 per day
Click here for more information
The TrYumphant February Half-Term Holiday Camp runs from Mon 16th – Fri 20th February and is open to all kids, whether you live locally or are visiting on holiday.
Rated 5 stars on Google, this camp offers a great mix of creativity, sportiness, and silliness to suit all tastes and talents. They pride themselves on low staff-child ratios (average 1:6) so that they can give each and every child a memorable, confidence-building and fun experience!
For kids aged 4-11 (plus half-price mini-leaders 11-13)
Use code PDK10 to get 10% off Or get 50% off with code FSM if you qualify for free school meals based on benefits.
Contact Becky on info@tryumphinlife.com or 07855943236 if you have any questions.
4. Family Adventure Experience with Dolomite Training
Available dates between 14th and 22nd February
Click here for more information and to book
Click here for our review of a Family Adventure Experience with Dolomite Training
Looking for an active and memorable way to spend February half term in the Peak District? Private Family Adventure Days with Dolomite Training are fully bespoke and designed around your group.
Join for abseiling, caving, climbing and weaselling, with options for half-day or full-day adventures. A half day focuses on one activity, while a full day can be an extended single activity or a combination of two. At this time of year, our most popular option is a multi-activity day combining abseiling and caving. On some days, we can even squeeze climbing, abseiling and weaselling into one action-packed adventure.
No previous experience needed, just a sense of adventure. Activities and timings are tailored to suit ages, experience levels and the type of adventure you’d like.
- Half days: 9:00–12:00 or 13:00–16:00 (email to book)
- Full days: 9:00/9:30–16:00/16:30
5. Family activities at White Hall Outdoor Activity Centre
Check this Eventbrite page for dates and to book online
Click here for our review of White Hall Outdoor Centre
Looking for something different for the kids during the holidays? Why not book one of the activity days at White Hall Outdoor Centre running throughout the Easter holidays?
Courses range from one-day to five-day adventures filled with fun and challenge. Children aged 6–18 years old are welcome.
There are also family activity days where parents can join in activities with their children, as well as SEND family activity days specifically designed for families and children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Activities on offer include:
- High and low ropes
- Zip wires
- Climbing walls
- Mountain biking
- Orienteering
- Artificial cave
- Problem solving
- Shelter building
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Caving
- Abseiling
- Stream Scrambling
Prices start at £39.40 per person. Each day begins at 9:30 a.m. at White Hall Centre. With pick-up at 4:30 p.m.
6. Abseiling, caving and mining with Peaks and Paddles
Running throughout February half term
Click here to book
Peaks and Paddles are running abseiling sessions by day and night, and underground caving / mine sessions over February half term.
There’s a 15% discount at checkout valid for activities until the end February for booking 4 or more people for any activity by entering code ‘kids15%’.
This is available to children aged 5+. Click here for our full review.
7. Pirate Takeover at Alton Towers
14th to 22nd February (10am – 4pm)
Areas open: Mutiny Bay, Towers Street and CBeebies Land
Click here for more information
Ahoy swashbucklers! Discover buried treasure this February Half Term when you set sail to Pirate Takeover at Alton Towers Resort or be prepared to walk the plank!
Live out your own pirate story, whether you’re visiting us for swashbuckling days out or staying over for an unforgettable short break, as the infamous pirates of Mutiny Bay take over the Resort from the 14th to 22nd February 2026.
Budding buccaneers can join in the fun on an exciting pirate adventure with galleons of fun for the whole family to enjoy including the UK’s only CBeebies Land where families can make fantabulous memories and meet some of their favourite CBeebies friends!
Note that kids under 90cm are FREE!
8. Go Ape in Buxton
Visit the Go Ape website for more information.
Click here for our review
Whether you’re looking for things to do with family or friends, Go Ape Buxton have adventure covered. Join them in Buxton Country Park, Poole’s Cavern for 2-3 hours of action-packed fun. Climb up rope ladders, tackle tricky crossings, leap off Tarzan Swings and experience high-speed ziplines in the great outdoors. Come rain or shine, whatever the weather.
Please note that as this is one of the bigger and more challenging Go Ape courses, there is a minimum age restriction of 10 years and a minimum height restriction of 1.4 metres. One adult (18+) can supervise up to two children aged between 10-15 while on the course with them. 16 and 17-year-olds can supervise themselves (but not younger children).
The parking for Go Ape is shared with Poole’s Cavern, so you can combine your visit to the cavern, and/or venture up to Solomon’s Temple.
9. Visit a show cavern
Over the Peak District February half term, it’s pretty much guaranteed that it will rain at least one day. And what’s the top thing to do in the Peak District on a rainy day (if you don’t fancy donning the waterproofs for a family walk, that is)? Well it’s a visit to one of the show caverns, as the weather on the surface doesn’t matter when you’re underground. And thankfully ALL the show caverns are open this February half term.
Where are the show caverns?
- Heights of Abraham (Matlock Bath)
- Peak Cavern – aka Devil’s Arse! (Castleton)
- Speedwell Cavern (Castleton)
- Blue John Cavern (Castleton)
- Treak Cliff Cavern (Castleton)
- Poole’s Cavern (Buxton)
10. Chatsworth farmyard and playground opens for February half term
14th to 22nd February (10.30am – 4.30pm)
Click here for more information
Chatsworth farmyard and playground reopens for the Peak District February half term. In the farmyard you’ll meet friendly animals, from pigs and horses to mischievous goats and guinea pigs, as well as a number of rare breeds including Suffolk Punch horses, Shire horses, Albion cattle, Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, Bagot goats and Cream Legbar chickens.
There will be animal handling and feeding, craft activities, and tractor rides into Stand Wood.
From the farmyard, take the secret tunnel to the children’s playground. Fetch water from the stream using the Archimedes screw, and enjoy the huge sand play area (pack wellies and waterproofs!)
Please note that the house and garden remain closed for conservation until 19th March.
Combine your visit to Chatsworth farmyard and adventure playground with our Peak District Kids walk to Chatsworth Hunting Tower and Aqueduct in Stand Wood. We’ve also got a pram friendly version of this walk. Click here to read our full guide to visiting Chatsworth with kids.
11. Go for a family walk
A family walk in the Peak District is really number one reason to visit the National Park, and you should at least fit in one of our family walks into your February half term.
With hundreds of public footpaths criss-crossing the National Park and gentle rolling hills that aren’t too taxing on little legs, it’s the perfect free activity.
On this website we have over 80 family walks, including pram friendly walks and toddler walks, to more challenging walks such as Stanage Edge or Win Hill. Or you may even want to take on our Kinder Scout walk from Edale.
12. Get out on the bikes
February half term is a good time to dust off the bikes stored away over the winter months, and head out on one of our Peak District cycle routes.
There are lots of old railway tracks that have been transformed into traffic free routes for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and wheelchair users through some of the Peak District’s most spectacular limestone dales. As these are traffic free and relatively flat, they’re a great place to go for a family bike ride.
Plus, there are also some lovely routes around the reservoirs (including Ladybower cycle route and Carsington cycle route), although kids will need bikes with gears for these ones.
Below are our top tried and tested Peak District family bike routes. Though remember, you don’t have to do the whole route, you can always cut it short for tired legs.
You may also like to read:
Things to do on a rainy day in the Peak District
Short and easy family walks in the Peak District
Things to do in Matlock and Matlock Bath