AS children look forward to the Easter holidays and time off school, some parents will be tearing their hair out trying to find something for their offspring to do. Gayle McBain has found some ideas to keep youngsters busy.

IF you want to stay close to home there are plenty of things to do in and around Bolton:

Rivington Pike will host the annual "walk up the pike" on Good Friday which is, traditionally, enjoyed by thousands of local folk. On Easter Saturday, there is a Pike race which originally started from the railworks at Horwich. But since 1930, it has started from the entrance of Lever Park Avenue and attracts hundreds of runners.

There is a Good Friday ramble, from 10am to 1pm, from Smithills Hall. The distance is four to five miles. Meet at Smithills Hall Ranger Base. For details ring 01204 334343.

Take your hard-boiled eggs along to the Great Spring Egg Roll at Moss Bank Park on Easter Saturday. Use the paints and decorations supplied to decorate your eggs and then enter them in the egg roll down Moss Bank Hill. Meet outside Animal World at 2pm.

The annual bunny hunt will take place on Easter Sunday, from 1.30pm to 4pm, at Rock Hall Visitor Centre. There is a charge of 50p per child.

Bolton's leisure centres have plenty to offer families this Easter. Withins has an intensive trampoline course from Monday, March 21, to Thursday, March 24, which is for an hour each day and costs £15 for the week and from Tuesday, March 29, to Friday, April 1, with the same cost. There is also a sportsmix course, including football, basketball and table tennis, which is £1 per session for two hours each day during the holidays and a cardio kids session, for children from 12 to 16 years, at £1 per two-hour session. Ring 01204 334133.

Turton has canoeing sessions from 10am to 11am and 11am to 12pm, from Tuesday, March 29, to Friday, April 1. There are also open swimming sessions. Ring 01204 334440.

Little Lever has sportsmix sessions from Monday, March 21, to Friday, April 1. Ring 01204 334177. Kearsley is offering a junior fitness club every day from 1pm to 2pm, for over 11s and a DJ workshop, £2 entrance which must be booked in advance, from Thursday, March 24, to Thursday, April 1, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Ring 01204 334141.

Harper Green offers activities for children from age five to 12, including badminton, indoor tennis, soccer, trampolining and arts and crafts. The sessions are usually free and run from noon to 4pm. The Excel Centre has junior fitness sessions on Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays (£1.95) and sportsmix sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Ring 01204 334234.

Hayward (01204 334233), Little Lever (01204 334177) and Ladybridge (01204 33443) centres are offering sportsmix classes. For details on all the activities available, and opening times, ring the individual centres.

Bolton Museum and Art Gallery is offering children the chance to "make a wobbly jellyfish" tomorrow from 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. On Easter Saturday, you can make jellyfish masks from 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. The events are free and children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. For details, ring 01204 332211 or visit www.boltonmuseums.org.uk

Bolton Town Centre Company is hosting events over the Easter weekend which include Punch and Judy shows, clowns, a magician, live music and face painting, arts and crafts. The events will take place in the Market Hall and are free. For details ring 01204 523762 or visit www.boltontowncentre.co.uk

Smithills Hall has organised children's Easter activities from Easter Saturday to Monday, including egg painting, find the rabbit and quizzes, from 1pm to 4pm and the events are free. Ring 01204 332377 for details.

Hall i'th'Wood Museum has a flower power quiz from Wednesday, March 23, to Sunday, April 3, from 11am to 5pm each day. Children will enjoy having fun looking for plant and floral designs in the museum. Each quiz sheet costs 20p. There is a flower power Easter weekend on offer with a range of creative activities based on the plants, flowers and animals associated with springtime. It runs Good Friday and Easter Saturday from noon to 4pm with an admission of £2 for adults, £1 for children and concessions and a family tickets is £5. For details of all events ring 01204 332370 or visit hallithwood@bolton.gov.uk

There are various play schemes on offer throughout Bolton during the Easter holiday, running from 8.30am to 6pm. Look out for them at Harvey's Kids Club, Pilkington Street; Heywood Playworld in High Street; Waggon Road Playcentre; Barlow Park Playcentre off Athlone Avenue; Oldhams Estate; Kids Pavilion at the Theatre Church scout hut, Seymour Road. They cost £9 to £11 per day. For details ring 01204 334147.

Libraries are offering activities for children. There is a free parent and toddler stories and rhymes session at Bromley Cross Library on Thursday, March 24, from 2pm to 3pm. Call 01204 332354 for details. Blackrod Library has stories, crafts, games and drama on Thursday, March 31. Children must be registered in advance. It runs from 10am to 12pm for children aged four to eight and 2pm to 4pm for children aged nine to 13.Call 01204 332380 for details.

Barton Grange Garden Centre, in Wigan Road, has an Easter egg hunt over the Easter weekend. Ring 01204 660660 for details.

The Connexions team has organised events all over Bolton for the Easter holidays, including Youthopia for children on the Johnson Fold Estate (ring Marion Jackson on 01204 332338 and events at Breightmet Youth Club for children aged 13 and above (ring Veronica Reardon on 01204 332325).

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust in Bolton has organised a load of fun activities including games, pond dipping and an egg hunt for eight to 12 year-olds at Seven Acres Country Park for Friday, April 1, from 1 to 3pm, meeting at Thicketford Road car park. There are limited places for this so contact them on 01204 361847 as soon as possible. They are also running fun sessions at Red Lane community gardens on Monday, March 21 - including making hanging baskets - from 1pm-3pm. Ring to find out more.

On Wednesday, March 30, the Albert Halls stages the hugely successful puppet show from Fletcher and Chadd which has been enchanting and entertaining children for more than a year. The TV Puppet Party features the wonderful Gluvets and introduces a brilliant array of crazy puppet characters. Tickets can be booked on on 01204 334400.