GILBERT White’s House Museum at Selborne is preparing for a week of lively half-term activities (February 10-18).

Starting with a penguin trail, young visitors will be challenged to find the six species of Antarctic penguin hiding in The Wakes gardens and to learn some interesting penguin facts along the way.

Next Tuesday, February 13, between opening and 2pm, there will be an opportunity to make your own penguin during an arts and crafts drop-in session for all ages.

Both the trail and the craft sessions are free.

On Monday, February 12, the Gilbert White Field Studies Centre is inviting young filmmakers to take part in an iceberg adventures animation day. Following the success of last half term’s animation session creating a short ‘Dear Gilbert’ film of letters from animals to Gilbert White, the museum has another opportunity to create an animated short story. This time, create penguin characters and stories of their lives on the ice, inspired by the penguins in the Antarctic gallery and the photographs and paintings from Captain Oates’ time in Antarctica on the Terra Nova Expedition.

For participating in this activity, young filmmakers will receive an Arts Award Discover certificate. The session is suitable for children aged five and above. Booking is essential as places are limited, the cost of the day is £25, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

This will be followed on Wednesday (February 14) with an exciting new Antarctic inventors activity which will invite participants to design a new mode of transport for use in the Antarctic using Lego and Knex. Inspiration will be sought from the tractors used by Captain Scott and the amazing machines used today.

Sessions take place from 10am-noon and 1pm-3pm. All ages welcome, and the cost is £6 per child, per session, with an accompanying adult.

Half term is also the week that the museum begins its spring opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10.30am-4.30pm, providing time to visit the house, to see what the trustees are doing with the Heritage Lottery Fund-supported renovations, and to admire the snowdrops in the garden.