Pack your diaries with a week full of fun with our guide to activities in the country & in town...
If you’re on the look out for child-friendly activities to keep the kids happy this October half term school holidays, you’ve come to the right place. Despite the current restrictions, there are still plenty of things happening for the kids to enjoy this autumn. We’ve rounded up the best special events and nationwide diary dates to keep the little ones in good spirits for the break. With children’s afternoon tea activities, museum hunts and outdoors pursuits, there’s something for everyone…
October Half Term Kids Events in London & the Country
*Please check with venues for most up-to-date visitor restrictions*
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Teddy Bear Butler Service with Hamleys at London Marriott Hotel Park Lane
Enter the magical world of teddy-bear fun with Hamleys this winter. Begin with letting your child choose their very own British bear from the hotel’s exclusive in-room teddy bear menu and explore behind the scenes of Hamleys toy store. Stay in your new home away from home packed with bundles of fun for the children to enjoy including a private teddy bears’ picnic in your own hotel suite, with a delightful food hamper, rubber ducks and bear-themed sweet treats.
HOW? marriott.co.uk
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Very Important Kids at London Marriott Hotel County Hall
Pamper your children with the ultimate relaxing family getaway at London Marriott Hotel County Hall. Treat the little ones with their own mini slippers, bathrobe, County Hall teddy bear and dedicated children’s toiletries, for the perfect night’s sleep. Enjoy a family breakfast the next morning included in the package deal, or experience the many family-fun activities the hotel has to offer.
HOW? marriott.co.uk
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Family Fun with Elmer the Elephant at London Marriott Hotel Regents Park
Celebrate Elmer the Patchwork Elephant’s 30th Anniversary this half-term at the London Marriott Hotel in Regent’s Park. The offer includes an overnight stay in the deluxe family room with a welcome gift for the children. Choose from gifts inspired by one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature with patchwork rucksacks, Elmer costumes, the famous book itself or a comfort blanket – alongside some delicious sweet treats.
HOW? marriott.co.uk
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![One Aldwych Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]()
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych
Enter a world of pure imagination at One Aldwych’s new afternoon tea, inspired by Roald Dahl’s iconic story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The menu is like something from Willy Wonka’s dreamland, with luscious lemon floss, red velvet pops, cheddar scones with bacon toffee jam, and violet-hued cheesecake sandwiches all available alongside minty chocolate milk, show-stopping cakes and macarons. Augustus Gloop, eat your heart out.
HOW? £45 per adult and £35 per child (under 12). onealdwych.com
Check out our guide for more of the best children’s afternoon teas in London
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![Halloween At Blenheim Palace]()
Halloween At Blenheim Palace
Socially distance tricks and treats are on offer at Blenheim Palace this October half term, with spooky statues, scary stories, fire performers, ghostly train rides, tours and even turnip carving. Visitors will be able to access the Pleasure Gardens by taking a ride on the Miniature Train through the Frightful Tunnel, where activities will include family spooky stories and creepy folk tales told along on a walk to the Formal Gardens.
HOW? blenheimpalace.com
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![Charlestown Photo by Harry Kessell on Unsplash]()
Sleep on a Boat in Charlestown, Cornwall
How does spending a night sleeping in a UNESCO world heritage and the UK’s only open Georgian harbour? Step aboard Anny, a 1930’s topsail schooner and enjoy a mini staycation the kids will remember forever. While you’re there the kids can get involved with the half-term Forest School workshops on Charlestown’s beach including raft building, den making, beach cleans and marshmallow toasting.
Photo by Harry Kessell on Unsplash
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![Cornwall, Eden Project]()
Visit the Eden Project, Cornwall
If you’ve never been, February is the perfect time for a visit to The Eden Project. An absolute must-visit for nature-lovers young and old, you can spend a whole whatever-the-weather day exploring the best inland attraction in the county. An educational charity, The Eden Project’s visitor destination is a mixture of indoor and outdoor plant havens, nestled in a giant crater. The two enormous biomes hold a living rainforest and Mediterranean paradise of plant and animal life that kids of all ages will enjoy exploring, thanks to the educational stations dotted throughout, plus daily activity schedule from expert talks to story telling sessions. There are various outdoor play stations for them to burn off some energy, while the indoor weather maker in the rainforest biome is a firm favourite, where you can walk through the clouds on a canopy bridge. Find more Cornwall ideas in our Cornwall for Kids guide.
HOW? Adult tickets from £26. edenproject.com
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![Warwick Castle Haunted Castle]()
Warwick Castle Haunted Castle
Warwick Castle will be transformed into a haunted castle this Halloween with new haunted house walk-through with a trick or treat in every room. Watch wicked witches on Dead Centre Stage and find creepy characters throughout, with spooky tales and a scare maze in the evening.
HOW? October 24 – November 1 | Haunted Castle experience (daytime) from £20.00 per person | The Castle After Dark experience from £19.00 per person – when booked online | Overnight stay from £111.00 per person per night (including admission to The Haunted Castle) | warwick-castle.com
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![Tiger Lodge at Port Lymphe]()
Check out Port Lympne, Kent
A must-visit for animal-lovers; this Kent-based conservation charity is not your average UK wildlife experience. Whether you opt for a day visit or a short stay, you’ll come face to face with big cats, gorillas, giraffes and many more. If you really want to push the boat out, (and blow their minds in the process) book in for a stay at Tiger Lodge, where tigers play right outside your (very sturdy) windows.
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![World Gallery balcony, courtesy of Horniman Museum and Gardens. Planning and design by Ralph Appelbaum Associates.]()
Where’s Wally Spooky Museum Search, Nationwide
Taking place in 75 museums nationwide and organised by Walker Books and Kids in Museums, to celebrate the release of the new book, Where’s Wally? Spooky Spotlight Search, this hunt will bring an extra element of fun to museum visits this half term. There will be mini Wally stands hidden alongside letters to spell out a spooky phrase, with prizes available for all who complete the challenge.
HOW? From October 9 – November 1 | Prices vary by venue | kidsinmuseums.org.uk/what-we-do/wheres-wally-spooky-museum-search/
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![Forest Nets at Celtic Manor Resort, Newport]()
Forest Nets at Celtic Manor Resort, Newport
*Please check local guidelines to see if activities are still running*
If you want to drag the kids away from their screens and get them playing outside this half term, take a day trip to the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales and check out the Forest Nets, where kids can clamber through the trees bouncing on suspended nets. It is absolutely as fun as it sounds, for the young and young-at-heart alike.
HOW? celtic-manor.com
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![Baby Animals At Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens, Norfolk]()
Baby Animals At Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens, Norfolk
Great Yarmouth’s Thrigby Hall Wildlife Centre is the place to be if you want to escape all the Halloween activities and enjoy some cuteness this October half term. Go along and meet the new snow leopard and red panda cubs, which are just starting to get out and about and explore their surroundings.
HOW? Prices from £15.50 adults; £11.50 children and under fours are free. For more information visit: thrigbyhall.com
Image: Tom Jones Photography
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![Roseland Peninsula Walks, Cornwall]()
Go for a Family-Friendly Walk in Cornwall
Exploring the rugged Cornish coastline is best done away from the crowds, so autumn is the perfect time to travel south west. Make St Mawes your base and try a family-friendly walk on the Roseland Peninsula, suitable for all abilities. See our guide here.
HOW? The Idle Rocks, a Relais & Chateaux property, with 19 bedrooms and an award-winning restaurant with outdoor decking overlooking the bay, led by Chef Dorian Janmaat. idlerocks.com
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