HOLIDAY!

It's half-term (herfstvakantie ) next week (or has already been for a week for some Leiden schools), and parents of school-age children are broadly divided into two camps. You're either revelling in the prospect of having more than the two after-school hours you normally have, or you're simply dreading how on earth to amuse them all at a time of year when outside isn't always an option .

Luckily, Leiden has simply loads to offer for rainy half-term days. Buy a Museumkaart to get free museum entry for everyone in the family over four (www.museumkaart.nl) and get out there!

Above you see some of the choices at Naturalis, the natural history museum behind the station (www.naturalis.nl): whales, a new Triceratops skeleton (did you know its Latin name was Triceratops horridus ?) and an exhibition about migration. Have you spotted the people assembling the humpback's skeleton in front of the station?

Boerhaave in the city centre (history of science, and simply super) has an intriguing-sounding exhibition all about the mouth ( www.museumboerhaave.nl), Say Cheese! You've probably seen the posters around town, and there are all sorts of activities arranged for the half-term week. On Sunday 17 th and 31 st October you can get free advice from an oral hygienist, it appears; I am all agog as to how they'll be making that one appeal to the children .

The museum Volkenkunde - on the Singel as you walk in from the station, with the wonderful Mediterranean café on your right as you enter - has a new exhibition on Maoris, and I for one will be there on Monday at 3pm when they'll be putting two Wakas - Maori canoes - in to the water ( www.volkenkunde.nl). On Saturday and Sunday 16 th /17 th and 23 rd /24 th at 10-11.30am there are English-language demonstrations of various kinds of Maori art, weaving etc., and on the website you'll see there are a whole host of other half-term activities for adults and children. The Haka workshops for children every day at 12 noon sound excellent, assuming you don't live in a first-floor flat with thin floors and sensitive neighbours.

Have a great week, and if seasonal coughs and sneezes are getting you down, I hope the new Children's Health section will come in handy.