Some of the Halloween events taking place in the capital can be a bit too much for young ones (and some old ones). Thankfully, there's a whole host of family friendly and fun activities to keep your children entertained over the Halloween season.
Fans of Harry Potter are invited to delve into the Dark Arts of the films this Halloween, learning about all the darker aspects of the popular series. For two weeks only, visitors to the Warner Bros Studios will see the Great Hall decorated with over 100 hand-carved floating pumpkins as well as tables laden with apples, pumpkins and cauldrons of lollipops. Try duelling against a Death Eater - the Dark Lord's loyal followers are a focus this year and you can explore everything about them from concept art to the finished props. Members of the art department are on hand to show how the Death Eater masks were made. Get hands-on when you discover how the slime and goo for buckets of dribbling dog drool and unicorn blood was created.
This Halloween daring visitors can take a Grim Keepers tour of London Zoo and learn about the ghastlier undertakings zookeepers are tasked with. Explore the gruesome side of the animal kingdom, listen to spooky stories and test your bravery with some fun challenges. Make creepy bat masks and design pumpkin carvings before being transformed into a monstrous beast by face painters. Step into the eight-legged world of 'In with the Spiders', where giant webs surround you, or come face-to-face with giant jumping rats and fruit bats in Rainforest Life.
Follow the trail around the walled garden of Fenton House in search of pumpkins in exchange for a goody bag prize. There's more spooky goings on at the handsome National Trust property in Hampstead with themed art activities and storytelling. While you're here allow time to explore Please Sit, the new autumn exhibition where guest host Gitta Gschwendtner has invited five fellow designers to join her in creating seating in response to the rooms, garden and 300-year-old orchard.
Craft a scary pumpkin at family friendly carving sessions in Morden Hall Park where they've set a new Scarecrow Trail. Drop in to the Stableyard to pick your pumpkin, create your carving and light it with an LED tea light candle. Pick up the Scarecrow Trail at the garden centre or visit the Hay Bale Maze made from over 300 bales of straw - just two of the spooktacular happenings at the National Trust park in Morden, south London, this Halloween. During the October Half Term you can drop off children aged eight to 16 while they take on the Survival Adventure Game. They'll be tasked with navigating Morden Hall Park, using bush crafting and fire lighting skills to solve problems. Can your youngsters overcome the challenges to collect items and equipment for survival? They've only got two hours to do it!
With around 15 ghosts, Ham House is said to be one of the most haunted houses in Britain. You'll get to hear their stories at a ghostly candlelight tour of this beautiful 17th century mansion where you'll hear unexplained spooky tales. There's more Hallowe'en half term fun with a chance to explore nature's harvest - colourful kale, parsnips, aubergines, Brussel sprouts as well as pumpkins and squashes ripen in the the Kitchen Garden - and a sensory trail which encourages young ones find out about the creepy critters that come out to play at night. Can you match up the animals with their favourite foods? With spooky storytelling throughout half term, Ham House is the ideal place to dress up in your scariest outfit and explore the mansion for a week of spooktactic activities.
The Horniman Museum presents a number of Halloween activities suitable for the little ones throughout the October half term. As well as hands-on activities like slime workshops and crazy golf in the gardens, the Horniman Halloween Fair takes place on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th October with plenty of fiendish fun, including the chance to meet creepy crawlies up close, make crafty creations and get in the spirit of things by wearing your best fancy dress. The weekend will also offer Halloween storytelling by Sandal Sticks Theatre who tell the fairy tale of the Pied Piper through song and playful puppetry.
Just because you've had kids doesn't mean you have to hang up your dancing shoes. Big Fish Little Fish, who host parties for under eights and their parents, is putting on a Halloween spooktacular family rave in the three rooms at Fire and Lightbox in Vauxhall on Saturday 26th October. Rob Tissera (Sundissential) will be playing hard house at Fire while Jumping Jack Frost (Jungle/DnB legend) will be on DJ duties in the Lightbox. There's a bar, kids craft and play areas, buggy parking, bubbles, balloons, confetti, snow machine, chill out rooms and loads of spooky fun for all the family. Create creepy crafts on the Captain Cookie Craft tables, come dressed as spooky wooky characters and let the facepainters from Poppy & Perle complete your Halloween look. BFLF has two Halloween parties on the same weekend. As well as this mega rave under-the-railway-arches on Saturday, they're hosting a smaller affair at the Queen of Hoxton on Sunday.
Family ravers Big Fish Little Fish bring their multi-sensory party, confetti cannons and giant balloons to Hackney's Queen of Hoxton for a Halloween party on the light up dancefloor. Dress up in spooky, scary costumes and dance the afternoon away as top DJs spin old skool club classics, house and hip hop, and - in true Whirl-Y-Gig style - everyone comes together to dance under a colourful parachute at the end. Perfect for families with younger children (age 8 and under), little ones can join in with craft activities and there's a play area with tents and tunnels as well as a place for the under ones to chill out.
Email to a friend
