SOME parents spend their half-term running around like headless chickens after their children.

So what better way for them to keep their little ones occupied than by taking them to a workshop based around the flightless, featherless birds.

Youngsters descended on the Natural History Museum on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week for the 'chicken bonanza.'

Children had the chance to meet real farmers and take part in an egg-packing race before making a funky chicken mask or a flapping chicken skeleton puppet to take home.

They were also challenged to match the egg to the bird and were able to take a look at the museum's giant chicken skeleton sculpture.

Joshua Smith from Abingdon was among those who popped along to try out some of the activities.

The 11-year-old said:"I thought the day was really good, everyone could take part and be creative with colours."

The event was hosted jointly with Pitt Rivers Museum.

The Natural History Museum has announced that next month it will host an event called Brain Spotlight for the Oxford International Women's Festival featuring female neuroscientists.

It will be followed by a super science Saturday event called The Brain.