It's April, which means the promise of sun and Easter fun by the basketload. Here are our top 20 favourite things for spring

1 Family fun…

Pollok Country Park (www.glasgow.gov.uk/eventsinthepark) is a hub of activities and events this Easter – highlights include crafting with the Countryside Rangers, tours of the famous Fairy Village, family garden talks, children’s spring crafts, Easter egg trails and behind the scenes stable visits to meet the park’s famous horses….

2 Setting sail..

Head for the Galloway Activity Centre on Loch Ken, (www.lochken.co.uk, 01556 502 011) which offers expert watersports instruction and fun family activity days. You can make a weekend of it by camping overnight in a yurt beside the loch.

3 Castle life

Be on your best behaviour at Culzean Castle (www.nts.org.uk, 01655 884455) in Ayrshire this spring break – the servants are out and about for the family event Butler, Housemaid, Footman, Cook. Explore the rambling estate, stunning grounds, beaches and cliffs; admire the grand interiors and impressive collections and let the kids run wild in the children’s Adventure Cove play area.

4 Ghostly goings-on

Edinburgh’s famous walking company, Mercat Tours, has launched its first experience for children: Ghosts, Gore and Grime just in time for the Easter holidays. It will include ghoulish stories from Edinburgh’s past and a visit to the city’s famous Blair Street Underground Vaults, with exciting tales of stinking streets, terrible tortures and ghostly goings-on. Perfect for the Horrible Histories generation….Tours run at weekends, prices start at £8. (www.mercattours.com)

5 Comic art..

Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery (0141 276 9505, www.glasgow.gov.uk) is hosting the Frank Quitely: Art of Comics exhibition from April 1 to October 1 and to tie in with it, is inviting 12 to 16-year-olds to get involved in the Comixworld: Drama Camp. Participants will create and perform a drama over three days by exploring the multiverse of superheroes and villains and designing costumes. Booking essential, cost £25 per person.

6 Hit the road..

Scotland’s answer to Route 66 is the North Coast 500 (NC500), created in 2014 by the North Highland Initiative to boost tourism in the north of the country. Bringing together a route of just over 500 miles of stunning coastal scenery, it follows the main roads across the coastal edges of the North Highlands taking in the villages and towns of places like Ullapool, Durness, John O' Groats, Dornoch and Inverness. Find out more about what to see and do at www.northcoast500.com.

7 Spring flowers..

Did you know April 8 is Hanamatsuri, the Japanese floral festival which celebrates the birth of Buddha? Find out more on the day at St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, (www.glasgow.gov.uk) which is hosting Hanamatsuri Flowers, a free, drop-in event from 1.30pm until 4pm. Learn, decorate and plant in a celebration of new life this spring….

8 Beautiful bluebells

And if you want to see the real thing, don’t miss Scotland’s Daffodil Festival at Backhouse, on the Rossie Estate, Collessie in Fife, on April 15, where there will also woodland walks, an egg hunt, artisan stalls, talks, nine hole putting and more. Bring daffodils from home to enter them in one of the festival's classes, judged by Beechgrove Garden presenter, George Anderson MBE. (www.eventbrite.co.uk)

9 Polar explorers..

The sun might be shining, finally, but Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh is about to unleash a series of extreme environments upon us all. Families will get the chance to experience life at the limits of Earth’s polar regions and in space, with a host of creative events, talks and workshops on the packed programme. (www.dynamicearth.co.uk.)

10 Adventure-seekers…

Swing into spring at Go Ape’s (www.goape.co.uk) Tree Top Adventure in Aberfoyle, Peebles and Crathes – plenty of opportunity to fling yourself down zip wires, leap off Tarzan swings and navigate obstacles, crossings and rope bridges set amidst some of the country’s most breath-taking scenery. Prices range from £33 for a gorilla (aged 16 and over) to £25 for a baboon (aged 10 to 15).

11 Park life..

Scotland’s parks are generally outstanding places to visit and one of the best is Duthie Park in Aberdeen (www.aberdeencity.gov.uk). It is Scotland's third most visited garden venue, thanks to its impressive mix of exotic plants, and there are family play areas, boating ponds, sports fields and recently restored Victorian design features into the bargain. It is also home to the David Welch Winter Gardens, one of the largest indoor gardens in Europe.

12 Sculpture culture..

Have you seen the Kelpies yet? It’s a must-visit attraction at The Helix in Falkirk. Take the tour and see the world's largest equine sculptures up close and hear the story of the real life working horses of the area, the local history and the history of the canals. The new visitor centre and café is now open too. (http://www.thehelix.co.uk)

13 Rugby sevens..

The annual rugby carnival comes to Melrose on April 8, flooding the town with international guests and the buzz of the game. This is the 126th Melrose Rugby Sevens tournament and it’s a fantastic family day out, with fast-paced games and after-event parties on the cards. Get tickets and more information at www.melrose7s.com.

14 Mask-making…

It wouldn’t be Easter without a bunny mask making workshop and Scotland Street School Museum (www.glasgow.gov.uk) is happy to oblige. Everyone is welcome to pop in between 1.30pm and 4pm on April 12 – you can learn how to make the mask then hop off round the museum to track down the hidden Easter chicks amongst the exhibits.

15 Taste of summer…

Is it warm enough for ice cream? Pay Cream o’ Galloway (www.creamogalloway.co.uk, 01557 814 040) a visit and experience traditional and unusual flavours (gingerbread or cranachan, anyone?) as well as fun in the adventure playground and the Finlay's Farm Tour.

16 If books are your bag…

Big DoG is a new children's book festival in Dumfries taking place on April 7, 8 and 9 at various venues. Authors taking part include Mairi Hedderwick, Vivian French, Debi Gliori and Abi Elphinstone. The programme, devised by Wigtown Festival Company, also includes film, music and theatre. (www.wigtownbookfestival.com/programme)

17 Dig it…

World Heritage Day falls on April 18, and its mission (to promote awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage) is perhaps more vital than ever before. Scotland has no less than six World Heritage Sites: St Kilda, Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns, the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, New Lanark, the Antonine Wall, and the Forth Bridge, so why not visit one as part of Dig It! 2017 (http://digit2017.com), a year long celebration of Scotland’s fascinating past.

18 Discover Dundee..

Climb aboard Captain Scott's ship RRS Discovery at Discovery Point (http://www.rrsdiscovery.com) and follow in the footsteps of him and his crew, see how they lived, what they ate and witness their hardships and their triumphs. Then head down into Verdant Works, Scotland's Jute Museum and let the rattle and the roar of the original restored machinery, hands-on displays and film shows transport you back in time…

19 Wonderful walks..

Springtime is perfect for wonderful woodland and waterfall walks – top spots include the leafy gorges of Kelburn Castle and Country Park in Fairlie, Largs (http://www.kelburnestate.com) and the beautiful Falls of Bruar in Perthshire (http://www.blairatholl.org.uk)

20 And finally..

Is it possible to mention Easter without discussing chocolate? Cocoa Ooze (01224 467212, www.cocoa-ooze.co.uk) in Aberdeen runs chocolate workshops for kids and adults, and there are regular tasting nights too….