The Dress Up

4 Amazing Halloween Half-Term Family Days Out

With autumn half-term and Halloween approaching, the thought of restless children meandering around the house is on the mind of every parent. We thought we’d give you a head-start on brainstorming spooky ideas to keep them busy (along with a little something for you too).

1. Chester Zoo – for animal lovers.

“The sorcerer is back and has cast a spell to send the zoo to sleep…The wise old owls have uncovered his dastardly plot and we need your help to break the spell!”

This one is perfect for the animal lovers (just like these incredible animal themed accessories). This magical event is full of adventure and discovery. You can expect to encounter musical giraffes, stilt-walking moths and a plethora of acrobatic animals. To break the sorcerers sleeping spell, adventurers must gather information from the performers to gain access to Owl HQ and save the zoo from falling asleep forever!

Whilst you and your family will definitely learn a thing or two, don’t expect a boring biology lesson! This event has specially built sets, music and characters to set the scene and make the whole day a spectacular experience.

The best bit is that you don’t need to book in advance and the event is free with normal zoo admission between the 21st-31st of October.

The price for a family of four will set you back £58.

2. Winchester City Mill – for foodie families.

Winchester City Mill has a history dating back over a thousand years; it was saved by a group of local benefactors and gifted to the National Trust who now run it as a historical site and youth hostel. The mill has various different activities on over the half-term period ranging from baking demonstrations to spooky storytelling with a professional storyteller. For the adults, artisanal food stalls frequent the mill offering a range of mouth-watering delicacies. Captivating experiences that your little ones will hold dear for a lifetime can be found at a convenient location for those living in the south, just an hour from London.

All this at an extremely inexpensive price of just £10 for a whole family.

3. National Space Centre – Spooky Space for families that love to learn.

" The Spooky Science team have taken over and we have all gone slightly batty! "

The National Space Centre in Leicestershire are holding a spooky event over the course of the half-term holidays. Visitors can discover The School of Science Magic for lessons in potions and astronomy, Get Slimed to learn how to create a ghoulish slime and create your own gothic rockets to take home!

This is an educational experience suited best for children aged 8 and above. The Spooky Space event is running between the 14th-29th of October. It costs the standard ticket price, and these tickets double up as annual passes so you can come get your fill of astronomical knowledge for the whole year. Perfect for kids interested in the wide expanse beyond our skies.

The price for a family of four is £50 plus £3 for all day parking.

4. National Rail 2 for 1 - offers not to be missed for every other family.

National Rail offer a little known scheme which bundles together a day at an attraction and the train ticket price to get there into one. There’s a ton choice to suit every family from theme parks and museums to national attractions like the London Eye. This offer saves you the hassle of driving, parking and everything that comes with bringing a car with you. We’ve even found a few deals that are cheaper to buy through 2 for 1 than if you buy the ticket itself so it’s a no-brainer to have a look at.

Prices vary depending on where you'd like to go.