GuideOctober Half Term in London 2026: Things to Do With Kids
Half term runs Monday 26 – Friday 30 October 2026 for most London state schools (individual schools can differ). Pick by age, budget, area — and whether you want Halloween or not.
📅 Mon 26 – Fri 30 October 2026
You don't need 60 ideas. You need the right three for your kids, your budget and your side of London.
That's why this guide is built to be filtered: jump straight to toddlers, 5–8s, 9–12s or teens; free or under £20; indoor or outdoor; Halloween or firmly not Halloween; and North, South, East, West or Central London. Every pick links to a full listing with dates, prices and booking details, and the live events calendar below updates as new half-term events are confirmed.
At a Glance
- Date
- Mon 26 – Fri 30 Oct 2026 (most London state schools)
- Best for
- Ages 0–16
- Budget
- Plenty free — most paid picks under £20
- Weather
- Mixed autumn — keep an indoor backup
- Booking
- Book Kew, palaces and theatre shows ahead
- Area
- All of London
- Food
- Museum cafés fill by 12:30 — picnic or eat early
Updated 25 September 2026
Decide at a glance
Best For...
Half term with toddlers
Gentle, short and buggy-friendly
Hey Duggee at Kew Gardens
autumn challenges and badge stations, designed for ages 3–7. The standout under-5s pick this half term.
SUPER Natural at WWT London Wetland Centre
scare-free, aimed at younger children, lots of space to roam.
Winnie-the-Pooh Storybook Trail at London Zoo
a gentle storybook trail on top of a normal zoo day.
Witchcraft & Wizardry at Morden Hall Park
free, outdoors and suitable from age 2.
Mudlarks at Museum of London Docklands
free soft play-style gallery for under-8s.
Tip: go first thing. Toddler picks are calmest before 11am, and you'll be home for nap time.
Best for 5–8 year olds
Hey Duggee at Kew Gardens
perfect for the younger end of this group.
£13Twelfth Night Family Workshop (5–8) at Shakespeare's Globe
£13, hands-on drama.
Half term at London Transport Museum
kids go free.
Pumpkin & Botanical Printing at the Garden Museum
£8 per child, crafty and seasonal.
National Maritime Museum family workshops
free storytelling and making.
Best for 9–12 year olds
Halloween at the Tower of London
history with a spooky edge, pitched well at 5–12s.
£13Twelfth Night Family Workshop (9–11) at Shakespeare's Globe
£13.
Autumn Design Camp at the Design Museum
£25, a proper creative project for 7–12s.
Autumn STEM Workshop at the National Army Museum
free with museum admission.
Halloween at Kew — Twilight session
spookier, but not the full Moonlight scare.
Half term with teens
When "family activity" is a hard sell
Halloween at Kew — Moonlight session
the scariest session, built for braver older kids.
Dark Arts at Warner Bros. Studio Tour
pricey, but a guaranteed win with Potter fans.
Frieze Sculpture in Regent's Park
free, outdoors, ends 1 November.
Richmond Family Fireworks Night
Sunday 1 November, a big finale to the week.
- A West End show: Matilda, Wicked or The Lion King.
Free things to do this half term
National Maritime Museum family workshops
free workshops and storytelling all week.
Witchcraft & Wizardry at Morden Hall Park
free outdoor trail.
Holland Park Ecology Centre autumn drop-in
free, 26–30 October.
Young V&A
free, and one of the best rainy-day museums in London.
London Transport Museum
free for kids.
More ideas on our free things to do with kids page.
Under £20
Pumpkin & Botanical Printing, Garden Museum
£8 per child
£8 - £12Family theatre at Brixton House
£8–£12
Children's Autumn Story Season, Theatre Royal Stratford East
from £8
Showstopper! The Kids Show, Soho Theatre Walthamstow
from £8
Autumn Wreath Workshop at Polka Theatre
£12
£13Globe family workshops
£13
£15Super Spooky Cabaret at Jacksons Lane
£15
Indoor and rainy-day picks
National Maritime Museum
free
Young V&A
free
London Transport Museum
Discover Children's Story Centre
great for under-8s
Power Up at the Science Museum
hands-on gaming for 5+
See our full rainy day activities guide.
Outdoor picks
Wrap up and go
Hey Duggee at Kew Gardens
SUPER Natural at WWT London Wetland Centre
Hampton Court Palace Magic Garden & Spooktacular
Morden Hall Park
free
Holland Park Ecology Centre
free
Fancy a farm? Pumpkin season is here — see farms near London.
Halloween in half term
Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October — the last day of the week
Half term and Halloween overlap perfectly this year. Top picks:
Halloween at Kew
choose Daylight, Twilight or Moonlight depending on how brave your kids are
Halloween at the Tower of London
Hampton Court Palace Spooktacular
Spooky Season at Eltham Palace
from £11
£15Super Spooky Cabaret for Kids
We've sorted every option by scare level in our Halloween in London with kids guide.
Not into Halloween?
Autumn fun, zero ghosts
Plenty of families would rather skip the spooky stuff entirely. These are safe bets:
Hey Duggee at Kew Gardens
National Maritime Museum family workshops
Winnie-the-Pooh Storybook Trail at London Zoo
London Transport Museum
£13Shakespeare's Globe family workshops
Autumn Wreath Workshop at Polka Theatre
Worth knowing: WWT's SUPER Natural is Halloween-themed but explicitly scare-free.
North London
Winnie-the-Pooh Storybook Trail, London Zoo
(Regent's Park)
£15Super Spooky Cabaret, Jacksons Lane
(Highgate)
Youth Circus family shows, Jacksons Lane
Golders Hill Park autumn tree trail
free
South London
National Maritime Museum
(Greenwich) — free
Spooky Season at Eltham Palace
Morden Hall Park
free
£8 - £12Brixton House family theatre
Polka Theatre
(Wimbledon)
Crystal Palace Dinosaur Trail
free
East London
Halloween at the Tower of London
Young V&A
(Bethnal Green) — free
Mudlarks, Museum of London Docklands
free
Discover Children's Story Centre
(Stratford)
Theatre Royal Stratford East
Showstopper! at Soho Theatre Walthamstow
West London
Hey Duggee at Kew Gardens
Halloween at Kew
SUPER Natural at WWT London Wetland Centre
(Barnes)
Hampton Court Palace
Holland Park Ecology Centre
free
Design Museum Autumn Design Camp
(Kensington)
Central London
London Transport Museum
(Covent Garden)
£13Shakespeare's Globe family workshops
(Bankside)
Garden Museum pumpkin printing
(Lambeth)
National Army Museum STEM workshop
(Chelsea)
Power Up at the Science Museum
(South Kensington)
From £7.50Magic Lantern Show at the Florence Nightingale Museum
What's On
Events & Activities
Hey Duggee at Kew Gardens
17 Oct – 1 Nov · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
October Half Term Family Workshops at the National Maritime Museum
24 Oct – 1 Nov · National Maritime Museum
SUPER Natural at WWT London Wetland Centre
24 Oct – 1 Nov · WWT London Wetland Centre
Winnie-the-Pooh Storybook Trail at London Zoo
27 Sep – 1 Nov · London Zoo (ZSL)
Halloween at Kew
16 Oct – 1 Nov · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Family Trip to Kew Gardens
Family Week Tate Britain
Spooky Season at Eltham Palace
Halloween Witchcraft & Wizardry at Morden Hall Park
Stratford East Children's Autumn Story Season
Drawing Robots: Kids' Beginner Robotics at Lab Fx, 4-6 Yrs
Hampton Court Palace: Halloween Spooktacular & Magic Garden
Ozobot Halloween Maze: Kids' Beginner Robotics at Lab Fx, 7-12 Yrs
Halloween at the Tower of London 2026
Jacksons Lane Youth Circus & Family Shows
London Transport Museum October Half Term: Along the Piccadilly Line
Holland Park Ecology Centre Autumn Nature Drop-in
Magic Lantern Show: Victorian Halloween- Family Friendly Performances
Autumn STEM Workshop at National Army Museum
Autumn Design Camp for Kids
Brixton House Family Theatre & Storytelling
Jacksons Lane’s Super Spooky Cabaret for Kids
Twelfth Night: Family Workshop (9-11 Years)
Twelfth Night: Family Workshop (5-8 years)
Pumpkin & Botanical Printing Workshop
Family Tour: Julio le Parc
Showstopper! The Kids Show
Alice in Wonderland - a Fantastical Ballet for the Whole Family!
The Big Kids Book Club: Draw-along with Nadia Shireen
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep Exploring
More guides and ideas for London families
Halloween in London With Kids 2026
Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October 2026, the last weekend of half term. Pick by scare level first — then by age, budget and area.
Back to School in London 2026: The Parent's Guide
Everything you need to get sorted for September — classes, clubs, activities and weekend ideas for London families.
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