Looking for things to do in London during the October half term break? In this guide, you’ll find a list of activities and events to help plan the upcoming October half term in London with kids.
Table of Contents
When are the October half term school holidays?
The October half term school break for most schools in London is from Monday, 26 October to Friday, 30 October 2026. Some London schools start the October half term break earlier and have two weeks off, from Monday, 19 October to Friday, 30 October.
What’s On October Half Term in London with Kids
Plan your October family days out with this list of things to do with kids in London during October half term break 2026. I will continue to add to the list as more family events and activities are announced in the coming weeks.
Since many London attractions are running Halloween-themed activities and events during October half-term, there is some overlap with my post of things to do for Halloween in London with kids.
You can also find more autumn days out inspiration in my post on Pumpkin Picking near London.
Discover the Dark Arts at WB Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter
16 September to 8 November 2026
The Making of Harry Potter studio tour is an amazing experience going behind the scenes of the work that went into filming the Harry Potter movies. In celebration for Halloween, there will be 100 floating pumpkins in the magnificent Great Hall and tables laden with sweets, cakes and pies, as seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
The WB Studio Tours London are also featuring the Dark Arts this autumn. Keep an eye out for the Dark Mark projected in various parts of the tour and learn the moves behind a wand combat scene, just like the Battle of Hogwarts, in a live duel with Death Eaters.
Read more: Dark Arts at Harry Potter Studio Tour London
Book tickets for Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter
Halloween at Kew Gardens
16 October – 1 November 2026
Join family and friends to wander from dusk into darkness between one ghostly space to another in an after-dark Halloween trail at Kew Gardens.
Related: Autumn Colours at Kew Gardens
Watch out for tricks in the forgotten fairground and beware of the monsters lurking in Frankenstein’s laboratory. Wind your way through the illuminated haunted woods filled with creepy neon cobwebs, ghastly ghouls, wicked witches, larger-than life spiders and beastly bats.
Sweet treats will be on offer, including hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows.
Book tickets for Halloween at Kew Gardens
Pumpkin Patch at Hobbledown Heath
25 September – 1 November 2026, selected dates
This autumn, browse through a wide variety of pumpkins at the Hobbledown Heath Pumpkin Patch, take part in seasonal games and enjoy a whole range of seasonal delights at the street food vendors.
Related: Pumpkin Patches around London
Browse through a wide variety of pumpkins at the Hobbledown pumpkin patch, take part in family activities and enjoy a whole range of seasonal delights at the street food vendors.
Read more: Hobbledown Heath Pumpkin Patch
Tickets from £7.50 per person ages 2+, £3.75 for ages 12 to 24 months old and free entry for under 1s. Additional booking charge of £2.75. Bundle tickets also available to combine your pumpkin patch visit with entry to Hobbledown Heath.
Book tickets for the Pumpkin Patch at Hobbledown Heath
Winnie-the-Pooh at London Zoo
2 October – 1 November 2026
Celebrating 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh alongside the 200th anniversary of the Zoological Society of London, a special storybook trail at London Zoo brings to life a new story inspired by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard, A Little Boy and His Bear.
Follow an enchanting trail across London Zoo and discover beautifully illustrated pages retracing Pooh and Eeyore’s journey in the story as it unfolds among iconic landmarks and animals in the zoo.
Book tickets to visit London Zoo
Halloween at the Tower of London
24 October – 1 November 2026
Step into the world of chilling tales and haunting history at the Tower of London over October half term. This Halloween, the Tower’s legendary past creeps back to life, with stories and spirits emerging from the shadows.
Will you discover the Haunted Forge, the Enchanted Wishing Well or the Raven’s Observatory? Something spooky is waiting around every corner, but only if you’re brave enough to find out!
Book tickets to visit the Tower of London
The London Pumpkin Patch
24 October – 1 November 2026
This October, celebrate Halloween on Parsons Green in Fulham as it transforms into central London’s largest pumpkin patch. Choose from two magical experiences – the London Pumpkin Patch or Trick-or-Treat Lane – or enjoy both for the ultimate Halloween family day out!
At the London Pumpkin Patch, autumn comes to life with spooky displays, roaming characters and seasonal surprises around every corner. Discover picture-perfect moments along the winding path and choose your perfect pumpkin to take home.
Set off on a trick-or-treat adventure through a glowing world of colourful doors and mysteries surprises on Trick or Treat Lane. Knock to discover friendly characters, delicious sweet treats and enchanting tales that bring the spirit of Halloween to life.
Book tickets for the London Pumpkin Patch
Jet and Space Week at the Royal Air Force Museum
24 October – 1 November 2026
The Royal Air Force Museum London is offering a wide range of family fun activities and workshops this October half term break for Jet and Space Week.
From stepping inside a giant planetarium to battling it out in laser tag and helping Percy and Mr Fox solve a museum mystery, there is something for every young explorer.
Read more: Royal Air Force Museum London with Kids
Activities with an additional charge this October half term include Percy & Mr Fox: Attack of the Clones! (ages 3+, £5 per person); Space Odyssey Planetarium (ages 6+, £6.50 per person) and Laser Tag (ages 7+, £6.50 per person).
Book tickets to visit Royal Air Force Museum
Halloween Half Term at Eltham Palace & Gardens
24 October – 1 November 2026
Enjoy a ghoulishly good day out at Eltham Palace and Gardens this October half term. Join the Great Pumpkin Party and celebrate the spooky season with family activities and entertainment.
Keep an eye on the Eltham Palace website for more details. So far they are planning a daily fancy dress competition, with the chance to win a prize, a themed trail, interactive storytelling and spooky games.
Book tickets for Eltham Palace & Gardens
Super Natural October Half Term at WWT London Wetland Centre
24 October – 1 November 2026
The London Wetland Centre in Barnes are running an exciting programme of October half-term activities. Get ready to discover a world of natural wonder, bubbling over with magical activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Related: London Wetland Centre Barnes with Kids
Make magical memories and experience the wonder of wetlands through enchanting activities, including making a willow wand, mixing magical potions and sculpting your own clay creature.
Book tickets to visit the WWT London Wetland Centre
This post is currently being updated with latest information on family activities and events coming up over the London October half term break.
Halloween Trail at Hampton Court Palace
24 October – 1 November 2026
Explore Henry VIII’s notoriously haunted palace along a spooky, family-friendly Halloween trail with atmospheric projections and creepy sound effects.
Work with ghost hunters to seek out all of Hampton Court Palace’s spirits, and afterwards, cosy down to hear some spooky stories and enjoy a Halloween-themed treat from the café.
Book tickets to visit Hampton Court Palace
Along the Piccadilly Line at London Transport Museum
24 October – 1 November 2026
Come along to the London Transport Museum over October half-term and celebrate the 120th anniversary of London’s Piccadilly line.
Read more: Visiting the London Transport Museum with kids
Take part in fun family activities celebrating this historic Underground line and the people and places it connects us to. Activities include storytelling sessions and arts and crafts.
Book tickets to visit the London Transport Museum
October Half Term Activities at the National Maritime Museum
24 October – 1 November 2026
Take part in a range of myth and legend themed activities at the National Maritime Museum. Featuring craft workshops and storytelling sessions, there is something different happening every day of October half term.
Family activities over the half term break include crafting your own wriggly paper silverfish puppet, sensory spider storytelling and the interactive Great Big Bug Show. All activities are free and drop-in.
Book free tickets to visit the National Maritime Museum
Hair-Raising Halloween at Hyde Park Learning Centre
27 – 29 October 2026
Celebrate Halloween with the little ones at a free drop-in Halloween-themed Discovery Day at the Hyde Park Learning Centre. Take part in a host of free creepy crawly activities including guessing the gruesome contents of “feely boxes”, exploring an eerie nature trail and learning about the bats in the Royal Parks.
Related: Best Places to See Autumn Leaves in London
Drop in to this free event between 11am and 3:30pm. Dressing up is encouraged and everyone is welcome – their grounds are fully accessible. The Hyde Park Learning Centre do ask for no more than 3 children per adult. Only assistance dogs are allowed.
Register your interest for the Royal Parks Discovery Day
Playing with Colour at the National Gallery
27 – 29 October 2026
Step into the colourful world of Renoir and get creative in the Clore Art Studio! Play with watercolour, experiment with blending and explore how colour and light can create lively Impressionist effects.
With artists Daisy Luck and Kevin Christensen, families will have the chance to experiment, collaborate and make a unique umbrella inspired by Renoir’s world to take home.
Places are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis. This is a free family workshop for adults and children to take part in together.
Find out more and check drop-in session times at the National Gallery
October Half Term Nature Roadshow at Brompton Cemetery
29 October 2026
Take part in free drop-in activities, between 11am to 3pm, at the Royal Parks Nature Roadshow in Brompton Cemetery.
Solve clues on a spooky Halloween-themed nature detective trail, get creative with wild crafts and take a closer look at nature specimens.
Register your ticket for The Royal Parks Nature Roadshow
Day of the Dead Family Festival at Horniman Museum
31 October 2026
Celebrate Mexico’s iconic cultural tradition at the Horniman Museum Day of the Dead Festival. This vibrant event brings together live performances, craft activities, delicious food and colourful displays for visits of all ages.
Tickets cost £8 for adults and £6 for children 2+. Infants under 2 enter free.
Book tickets to visit Horniman Museum and Gardens
Pumpkin Picking near London
One of the top things to do in London with kids during October is picking pumpkins at the pumpkin patch for carving, decorating and baking. There are several pumpkin patches near London in Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Hertfordshire which I have listed and will keep updating for Halloween 2026 in the Pumpkin Patches Near London post.
In previous years, we have been to Tulleys Pumpkin Farm, Cammas Hall Farm, Crockford Bridge Farm and Garsons Farm for pumpkin picking and family fall activities.
Halloween for Kids in London Map
I am also pinning the top places around London for Halloween family events, activities and workshops as well as pumpkin picking near London in my “Halloween in London with Kids 2026” Google Map Guide.
For a direct link to the map to bookmark, click here. To explore the map, click on the door sign with an arrow just before the map title.
Museums in London for Kids
Top Museums in London for Kids – plan a visit to one of London’s top family-friendly museums
Read on for more family days out inspiration with our reviews on top museums in London for kids;
Family Day Out at the British Museum
Visiting the Horniman Museum and Gardens with Kids
Wonderlab at the Science Museum London
London Transport Museum with Kids
Day Out at the National Maritime Museum
Dino Snores for Kids at the Natural History Museum
Royal Air Force Museum London with Kids
Cutty Sark Activities for Kids
London Museum of Water and Steam with Kids
National Portrait Gallery London with Kids
Autumn in London with Kids
Autumn is a wonderful time of year to explore London with kids. Discover the best parks, gardens and unique spots to see the autumn leaves in London in my recently updated post: Best Places to See Autumn Colours in London.
Read on for more inspiration for family days out in London’s beautiful parks, gardens and outdoor attractions;
Children’s Garden at Kew Gardens
Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace
Visiting Osterley Park National Trust with Kids
Gruffalo Adventure Trail at Horsenden Hill
Dinosaur Adventure Golf West London
Things to Do in St James’s Park London with Kids
If you are looking for places to visit outside of London to see the fall foliage, I can also recommend these National Trust sites which are beautiful to visit in autumn;
Autumn Colours at Winkworth Arboretum Surrey
Day Trip to Scotney Castle Kent
Pin for Later – October Half Term in London with Kids 2026
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, so if you do click through and make a purchase I may receive a small amount at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! This post was updated on 15 September 2026 with latest information on what is coming up over London October half term.
