Lift off counts down at the Arts Centre in Darlington for children over the Easter holiday period. Creations of clay spaceships in the ceramics workshop is the theme for age four to seven years on Thursday 9th April 10.30am-12.15pm.

Following on from this on the 16th the little darlings will be invited back to glaze their ‘flying flimsies’ and build a home landscape for surviving life forms.

Children eight years and over who want to make a spaceship and landscape can attend on the 9th and 16th at 1.30pm-3.30pm; 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy.

To celebrate this, children are invited to let their imagination hold no bounds and boldly go where others have not dared, to make alien face masks on Wednesday 15th. Closer to Earth, sticky hands are guaranteed on Tuesday 14th 10.30am-12.15pm for the under sevens. They are invited to make papier-mache animal wall decorations. The older children can learn how to paint their own watercolour masterpiece between 1.30pm-3.30pm.

Ace astronauts on sticks produces a puppet theatre of other worldly possibilities for the under sevens on Friday 17th at 10.30am-12.15pm and from 1.30pm-3.30pm for children eight years and over. They can also learn how to make origami stars.

Budding storytellers can attend a four day workshop between Tuesday 14 and 17th 10.00am-4.00pm for £30.00. Ideas are written and then performed live in front of family and friends.

The telephone number for the Arts Centre is 01325 348843. Workshops cost £5.00.