HALF term starts for most students next week and the council have released a list of activities that offer good value for money, ideal for parents on a budget.

Childrens Dance Workshop - Monday, February 17, from 2.45-4.45pm, £6.

Suitable for children aged four to eight, a fun filled workshop with a musical theme.

Learn how to get into character with a musical theatre/jazz style routine and even sing along to the music, ready for a showcase at the end of the session.

The Pulse, Dursley, please provide drinks and snacks to fuel them throughout this session.

Retro Sports Activity Day - Tuesday, February 18, from 9am-4pm, £20.

Suitable for children aged five-11.

A fun-packed day with old school games and races, including sack races, egg and spoon, skipping, long jump, welly wanging and much more.

The Pulse, Dursley.

Fun and Games Day - Wednesday, February 19, from 9am-4pm, £20.

Suitable for children aged 5–11 years.

A fun-packed day involving a variety of sports, team games, relays and spending time with your friends.

Includes a water session with games and challenges so please bring your swimming kit.

The Pulse, Dursley.

Pulse Wipeout Activity Day - Thursday, February 20, from 9am-4pm, £20.

Suitable for children aged 5–11 years.

A high-octane day for all those mini ninja warriors

This day will involve obstacle courses, challenges and a swim session with the Pulse ‘Exterminator’ inflatable so please bring your swimming kit.

The Pulse, Dursley, please make sure you provide your child with a packed lunch and drink.

Canal photo competition - Deadline for submissions is July 31.

The Stroudwater Canal inspires photographs all year round, but if you take a photo you’re proud of over half term, why not enter it into the Inland Waterways Association photo competition?

Up to 20 photos can be submitted, and could be used on the IWA website, blog pages and leaflets.

There are four categories: Heritage & Restoration, Waterscape, Built environment and Active Waterways.

Endangered and Extinct exhibition - running until Sunday, March 8 - Museum in the Park, Stroud.

Artist Val Hunt has created a fascinating selection of large and small sculptural pieces which are both appealing and informative.

Animals, exotic birds, fish and dinosaurs and all species of flora, all on the edge of extinction, have been made from a selection of throwaway materials.

Admission is free, and many works are available to buy.

Endangered and Extinct Museum I Spy Trail - February 15-23 - Museum in the Park, Stroud.

Curious children who care about animals, birds and insects are invited to find the creatures hidden around the museum.

Created by local writer, illustrator and cartoonist Bill Jones.

Admission is free, donations welcome.

Recycled Creatures family drop in workshop - February 19-21, from 11am-12pm - £1.

After visiting the Endangered and Extinct exhibition why not create your very own creeping, crawling creatures from nothing more than a pile of scrap and your imagination?

Led by artist Susie Walker.

Museum in the Park, Stroud.

Glorious Grasslands - Sunday, February 16, from 11am-4pm - Museum in the Park, Stroud.

A creative, artist-led drop in workshop for families with children aged five and over.

Join artist Joanna Callaghan and make art inspired by Stroud’s unique – and endangered – chalk grasslands.

Create art with lovely handmade paper and natural materials such as chalk, charcoal and mud!

If you can, give a donation of £1 per person towards the cost of materials.

Hedgehog Hunt in the Walled Garden - February 15-23 - free to attend.

Take a walk around the garden and see how many hedgehogs you can spot (they’re not real!)

Along the way, find out more about these special spiny creatures and what we can all do to help them survive.

Stroud Museum in the Park.

Family roller skating: Saturday, February 15 and Saturday, February 22, from 1.15-2.45pm and 3pm to 4.30pm, £4.

Must have one adult to two children under eight supervising at all times. £2.85 (child), £3.15 (adult) and £2.75 for skate hire.

Stratford Park Leisure Centre, Stroud.

Valentines roller disco (fancy dress optional) - Saturday, February 15, from 7-9pm, £4.

Skate hire and tuck shop available.

Stratford Park Leisure Centre, Stroud.

Learn to swim - February 17-20 - £27.25 per child, per week.

Intensive swimming courses, from stage 1 (age 3) to stage 6/7.

Stratford Park Leisure Centre, Stroud.

Trampolining - Monday, February 17, from 5.15-6pm - £6.

Stratford Park Leisure Centre, Stroud.

Play outdoors with Play Gloucestershire - February 18, from 10am-4pm - Oldends Lane, Stonehouse & February 20, from 10am-4pm - Lawnside, Forest Green, Nailsworth.

Play Rangers will be bringing their active and creative play equipment to the district during half term.

They operate outdoors whatever the weather, and all activities are free.

Typical sessions might involve informal sports, tag, den building, face painting and giant bubbles.

Whole families join in the play and children with disabilities are welcome.

Park Runs – these 5km runs are held every Saturday morning at 9am.

At Stratford Park in Stroud and Oldends Lane Playing Fields in Stonehouse.

First-timers will need to pre-register and check the weblinks for rules about children at Park Runs.

Commons - Don’t forget a walk on the commons.

Stunning views and plenty of fresh air – Selsley Common is managed by Stroud District Council.

Rodborough and Minchinhampton Commons are managed by the National Trust.

Cam Peak and Cam Long Down also provide stunning views of the Severn Vale and Cotswold escarpment.

If you’re a dog walker, don’t forget your dog poo bags.