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How to Keep the Kids Happy this Half Term
Pack your diaries with a week full of fun with our guide to activities in the country & in town...
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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. 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, haunting Halloween activities for kids and outdoors pursuits, there’s something for everyone…
October Half Term Kids Events in London & the Country
Book one of the UK’s best family-friendly festivals
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LONDON: The Tiger Who Came To Afternoon Tea at The Savoy
One not to miss – The Savoy’s very first children’s afternoon tea is sure to be spectacular. As part of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of Judith Kerr’s treasured classic, the iconic picture book will be the inspiration for a feast of teatime treats such as those that Sophie and her mummy shared with the visiting Tiger.
HOW? The Tiger Who Came to Tea at The Savoy will be priced from £40 per child aged from five to 12 years old and will comprise sandwiches, tiger striped scones and pastries and more. fairmont.com/savoy-london
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DORSET: Halloween at Lulworth Castle
Head to The Lulworth Estate on Dorset’s UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast for four days of spooktacular fun at Lulworth Castle. From wandering through the spooky basement to classic lawn games and a Halloween woodland trail with a gingerbread sweetshop for trick or treaters, there’s fun for all the family. There’s a zombie apocalypse for older children and a bouncy castle for little ones. You can even make a break of it by staying in one of the estate’s beautiful country cottages and explore the stunning Jurassic coastline.
HOW? 27-30 October, 10.30 to 5pm. Tickets £6 for children over 4 and £8 for adults. lulworth.com
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CORNWALL: Eden Project
If you’ve never been, October 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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KENT: Port Lympne
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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CORNWALL: Ghost Tours at Pendennis Castle
Storytellers will be on hand to guide visitors through the darkness on a journey through the past. Expect tales of ghosts, supernatural sightings and, of course, horrors from history. The family-friendly tours are suitable for brave children!
HOW? Fri 25 & Sat 26 Oct 2019. Family tours at 6pm & 7pm, Adult tour at 8pm | Adult member £13, child member £5, adult £16, child £7.50 english-heritage.org.uk
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CORNWALL: Newquay’s Halloween Zombie Crawl
Newquay is the place to be for the ultimate zombie crawl this Halloween half term. Starting at 1pm, Titan the Robot will perform at the Piazza, followed by a family disco and face painting at Cribbar. At 2pm guests can learn some monster moves at a dance workshop at Cribbar, before getting ready to set off on the Zombie Crawl at 3pm from Gover Lane through the town centre to the Hotel Victoria, where there will be a free family disco.
HOW? Aimed at ages 5-16 | Saturday 26 of October, 1pm | visitnewquay.org
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COTSWOLDS: Lower Mill Estate
Check out the Cotswolds’ only Pumpkin Flotilla at the Lower Mill Estate on Halloween. There will be 200 glowing pumpkins, created by guests during the day, floating on the Somerfood Lagoon, illuminated by candlelight. There will be firepits for toasting marshmallows and warming hot chocolate for the occasion, followed by an Into the Wild nature walk at dusk to spot beavers and owls and other nocturnal beasts.
HOW? Lower Mill Estate has a range of properties sleeping four to twelve guests available for four nights from 28 October to 1 November. A stay in four-bedroom Thistledown is £1165 for four nights. The pumpkin flotilla experience is free to all guests of Lower Mill Estate with an optional donation to Dreamflight. The Into the Wild walk is £15 per person. habitatescapes.com
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SOUTH EAST: South Downs National Park
October is the perfect time for a visit to the South Downs National Park for some leaf peeping, and to discover the abundance of wildlife in the area. Rare species include the greater mouse-eared bat, Duke of Burgundy butterfly and silver-spotted skipper butterfly.
HOW? southdowns.gov.uk
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WALES: Celtic Manor Half Term Activities
This October Half Term visitors to Celtic Manor Resort can enjoy a kids’ Halloween afternoon tea, try out the Forest Jump (perfect for adrenaline junkies) or check out the Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday 2 November, which will be accompanied by live music and entertainment plus a funfair and licensed bar for grown-ups.
HOW? celtic-manor.com
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LONDON: Kew Gardens Activities
Get yourself and the kids to Kew Gardens this October Half Term to check out activities including Storytelling with Rachel Rose Reid, School of Comedy workshops, fungi workshops and Kew’s Natural Area and Arboretum to explore the secret underground world of badgers. The Treetop Walkway is sure to be a hit with young guests, too.
HOW? kew.org
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HAMPSHIRE: Halloween at Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World
If a day out at a family theme park is on the cards for half term, check out Paultons Park UK, home of Peppa Pig World. For the first time, Peppa Pig World will be transformed for a host of Halloween fun, with Peppa and George dressing in spooky outfits, plus The Legend of Paultons Manor returning to the Stage Show. In the Big Boo Barn there will be some Halloween themed farmyard fun, to boot. Older children (and young-at-heart grown-ups) will love the thrill-tastic rides in The Lost Kingdom – the queues here tend to be shorter than in Peppa Pig World, especially at the start of the day, so start with the big hitters and finish your day with Peppa and friends when many of the younger visitors will have gone home for a nap. Happy children (and tired adults) guaranteed. Book tickets in advance to avoid the queues.
HOW? paultonspark.co.uk
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CORNWALL: Family-Friendly Walk
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 Guy Owens. Rooms at The Idle Rocks start from £200 per night, including full Cornish breakfast. idlerocks.com
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LONDON: Half Term Activities at Seven Dials Market
In light of the half-term holiday, KERB’s newly opened food hall, Seven Dials Market will be hosting an array of wonderful kid-friendly activities. From drawing workshops and storytelling sessions with renowned children’s authors such as Loretta Schauer and Mo O’Hara, to cheese and ‘wine’ pairings – suitable for littlen’s, of course – with Pick & Cheese (founders of the world’s first ever cheese conveyer belt), there will be plenty of fun-filled treats keep the little ones occupied.
HOW? Tickets for Pick & Cheese’s cheese & ‘wine’ pairing cost £10. Book via eventbrite.co.uk. Book readings can be
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LONDON: LEGO Rebuilder Workshops
These fun and creative workshops encourage children to use their imaginations and come up with solutions to solving real-life challenges, from transport to increasing green spaces – with the help of LEGO, of course. There’s no right or wrong answer – just the opportunity to see what rebuilding a world with endless possibilities looks like. Entertaining and educational.
HOW? The workshops are free, but spaces have to be reserved. Book via universe.com
