Looking for things to do in London during the October half term break? In this guide, you’ll find a list of 2023 October half term events and activities for kids that are coming up in London.
Table of Contents
When are the October half term school holidays?
The October half term school break for most schools in England is the last full week of October, from Monday, 23 October to Friday, 27 October 2023. Some schools start the October half term holidays earlier, from Monday, 16 October and also ending on Friday, 27 October.
What’s On October Half Term in London with Kids
Plan your days out with this list of things to do with kids in London during October half term break 2023. There is some overlap with my post of things to do on Halloween in London with kids, since there are several Halloween themed activities and events running during the half term break.
This list is currently being updated for October half term 2023. I will continue to add to the list as more family events and activities are announced in the coming weeks.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter – Dark Arts
15 September – 5 November 2023
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, 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 Half Term at Eltham Palace & Gardens
21 – 29 October 2023
Enjoy a ghoulishly good day out at Eltham Palace and Gardens this half term. Follow the trail to solve creepy clues and gather round to listen to spooky stories.
Free for English Heritage members. For non-members, tickets cost £20 for adults and £12.50 for children ages 5 – 17.
Book tickets for Eltham Palace & Gardens
October Half Term at WWT London Wetland Centre
21 – 29 October 2023
The London Wetland Centre in Barnes are running an exciting programme of interactive family activities over October half term. Discover a mysterious world of wetland nature on the interactive trail and put your spookometer to the test.
Will you dare to put your hand in a snake box, grab a photo op with a bat or get up close and personal with a toad? Free family activities over October half term also include pond dipping sessions, Make a Rainbow nature art workshops, potion making sessions and a mud kitchen.
Book tickets to visit the WWT London Wetland Centre
Jet and Space Week at the Royal Air Force Museum
21 – 29 October 2023
The Royal Air Force Museum London will have a dynamic range of activities and attractions to challenge your science skills and put your knowledge to the test throughout Jet and Space Week. Learn about the different type of jets that have been flown by the Royal Air Force in Hangar 6, including the Tornado and Typhoon.
Read more: Royal Air Force Museum London with Kids
In Hangar 3, discover what lies beyond planet Earth with a range of space-themed activities and even a mobile planetarium (additional cost: £5 per person). Activities include learning coding and robot racing (£5 per person) and a build a LEGO rocket workshop (£3 per person). Due to limited numbers, participants are required to book a place for some workshops and activities.
Book workshop tickets for Jet and Space Week at the Royal Air Force Museum
Mini Monsters at London Museum of Water & Steam
21 – 29 October 2023
Find out where our water comes from and see the science that cleans the mini monsters from London’s water in the Soggy Science Show.
There will also be storytelling, crafts and a community art project running at the London Museum of Water and Steam during the October half term for families to enjoy.
Book tickets for London Museum of Water & Steam
Halloween Trail at Hampton Court Palace
21 – 29 October 2023
Explore Henry VIII’s notoriously haunted palace along a spooky, family-friendly Halloween trail with atmospheric projections and creepy sound effects.
Head to the Gallery of the Damned and see eerie portraits come to life, or stop by the Council Chamber to take part in a spine-tingling séance.
Book tickets to visit Hampton Court Palace
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt at Kew Gardens
21 – 29 October 2023
Explore Kew Gardens this autumn with a sensory adventure based on the bestselling picture book, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. The journey will take you across the Lake and into the Arboretum.
Combine with the Kew Gardens Children’s Garden playground, which no longer requires pre-booking, for a fun family day out. Read our post on Autumn in Kew Gardens for tips on best spots to see the beautiful fall foliage.
Book tickets to visit Kew Gardens
Halloween Trail at Tower of London
21 – 29 October 2023
Follow in the footsteps of infamous prisoners as you wander the Tower grounds at the spookiest time of the year. This is a family-friendly adventure designed to spook, but not to terrify.
Pick up a trail when you arrive and keep track of the ghosts that you spot on your visit.
Book tickets to visit the Tower of London
Halloween Broomstick Workshop at Chelsea Physic Garden
23 October 2023
Craft your own broomstick using plant materials foraged at the Chelsea Physic Garden. Learn about the craft of broomstick-making from around the world.
Join the Chelsea Physic Garden team for a broomstick ride around the garden at the end of the workshop to learn about some of the plants in the garden. Each participant will leave with a unique broomstick which will complement your costumes, home, or garden for the upcoming holiday season.
Tickets are £15 Adult and £10 Child and includes your entry to the Garden that day. Note that every person attending the workshop must have a ticket and children must be accompanied by an event ticket-holding adult. Recommended for ages 4+
Book tickets at the Chelsea Physic Garden
Decoding Pictures at the National Gallery
24 and 26 October 2023
Explore the National Gallery with a friendly Educator team and learn fun tips and tricks to unlock secrets hidden in plain sight. Discover how to decode pictures by looking, questioning, and discussing together in this interactive session.
Two daily 45-minute sessions will be running on 24 October, at 11am and 1pm, and on 26 October, at 12am and 2pm. Recommended for ages 5 – 13. Free, with limited capacity. Meet in the Central Hall to sign up for a place in the session.
Read more about this family activity at The National Gallery
Halloween Pumpkin Carving at Chelsea Physic Garden
24 and 26 October 2023
Prepare for the Halloween season with a visit to Chelsea Physic Garden for a pumpkin carving session. Participants will learn about pumpkin plants and explore the Garden through autumn.
All materials and tools will be provided (note that pumpkin carving involves using sharp tools), and each participant will get one pumpkin to take home. Each child must be accompanied by an adult who will work together with the child to create their jack-o-lantern masterpiece.
Tickets are £20 Adult and £15 Child and includes your entry to the Garden that day. Every person attending the workshop must have a ticket and children must be accompanied by an event ticket-holding adult. Sessions are from 1pm to 3pm. Recommended for ages 6+
Book workshop tickets at the Chelsea Physic Garden
Family Craft Morning at the William Morris Society
25 October 2023
Investigate the textiles and wallpapers of William Morris and John Henry Dearle to develop your own Autumn collage with a selection of tissue papers, fabrics, ribbons, sequins and buttons. Swirling leaves, glowing fruit and enchanting flowers will be the inspiration to produce your own design which you will take home.
The workshop runs from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Tickets cost £5 per child. Suitable for ages 6 to 12 years old. Please note that children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adults do not need to book a ticket and go free.
Book tickets for the family craft workshop at the William Morris Society
Beastly Board Games Workshop at Sir John Soane’s Museum
26 October 2023
Design and make your own beastly board game in an imaginative workshop at Sir John Soane’s Museum, taking inspiration from the magical monsters and curious creatures in the museum’s collection.
This is a free, drop-in workshop as part of your visit to the museum (entry is free). Recommended for ages 4+; children must be accompanied by an adult.
Read more about the workshop at Sir John Soane’s Museum
Halloween Pumpkin Market at Covent Garden
29 – 31 October 2023
The Halloween Pumpkin Market will return to the iconic Covent Garden Market Building throughout October. The display will feature over two hundred pumpkins, squashes and gourds available to purchase in various shapes and sizes.
Read latest updates about Halloween in Covent Garden
Family Theatre October Half Term in London
A Midsummer’s Night Dream at Polka Wimbledon
25 – 29 October 2023
World-famous Shakespearean Professor, Nick Bottom, is about to present his talk on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but his laptop cannot contain the magical forces at play and the sprites in the software want to tell the story in their own words.
In Norwich Puppet Theatre’s sideways take on Shakespeare’s classic play, we are drawn into a timeless world of love, fairies, and ridiculousness. Beautiful shadow imagery inspired by Ancient Greek art and natural images are woven together with a musical sound tapestry created especially for this production.
Recommended for ages 6+. Ticket prices from £14.
Book tickets at Polka Wimbledon
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 2023 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 2023 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 2023” 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
Here is a list of family-friendly exhibitions that are on at the top London museums for kids during October half term;
Brick Dinos at the Horniman Museum
10 February – 29 October 2023
Step back in time with Brick Dinos and see dinosaurs and other prehistoric giants – including the raptor-like Masiakasaurus and a life-sized flying pterosaur – recreated in miniature form by artist Warren Elsmore and his team.
The Brick Dinos exhibition will also feature rarely seen specimens from the Horniman’s stores, and a range of hands-on activities for children to enjoy including build your own dinosaur and digging for fossils.
Tickets cost £9 for adults, £4.50 for children. Free for under 3s.
Book Brick Dino exhibition tickets at the Horniman Museum
Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur at the Natural History Museum
31 March 2023 – 7 January 2024
Step into the world of the colossal titanosaur Patagotitan mayorum, one of the the largest known creatures to have ever walked our planet, at an exciting new, interactive exhibition at the NHM. This is the first time the Patagotitan mayorum has been on display in Europe; don’t miss your chance to see this extraordinary dinosaur up close!
Follow the life of a titanosaur around a gallery, where you can handle specimens, explore interactives and learn how a creature of this colossal size could have survived on Earth. After discovering what life was like as the biggest dinosaur, get to know the giants we share our planet with today, learn about their lives, the challenges they face and how we can protect them.
Tickets cost £16 for adults and £9 for children. Advance bookings are recommended especially for visits during the school holidays and weekends. Recommended for ages 5+.
Book tickets for the Titanosaur exhibition at the Natural History Museum
Autumn in London with Kids
Autumn is a wonderful time of year to explore London with kids. Discover the best spots to see the London fall foliage in my 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
This post was updated on 26 September 2023 with more family events, activities and theatre shows coming up over October half term.
Pin for Later – October Half Term in London with Kids 2023
