HALLOWEEN

Let’s face it, pretty much all the child-friendly activities in October half term will have a distinct Halloween theme. For a really spooky day out, head to Oxford Castle & Prison, which is running Ghost Fest spooky tours (ages 12+) from 25 to 31 Oct – plus every child’s dream: potion-making lessons. Meanwhile in South Bucks, Chiltern Open Air Museum’s Halloween Spectacular is back on Fri 1 Nov from 5pm to 9pm with its famous mega-bonfire, perfect for toasting marshmallows while being regaled with ghoulish tales. The outdoor museum’s heritage buildings will get a malevolent makeover for the occasion, and we hear there’s a fire performance too.

Waddesdon Manor is getting into the spirit of witchy season with its Zoolab Autumn adventure trail. On selected dates in half-term there’ll be some special guests: spoiler alert, expect snakes, spiders and giant snails. If that’s whet your appetite, stay on for a Halloween-themed afternoon tea at the manor too (Sat 26 & Sun 27 Oct).

Across the Berks border Legoland Windsor as its Brick or Treat promotion (top marks for the pun), daily from now until 3 Nov – all the usual rides but some Halloweeny extras thrown in, and you can save £39 by pre-booking on line per person. Back in Bucks, the Hellfire Caves in West Wycombe have a series of family-friendly spooky walks through the underground caves, while older children (16+) can test their nerve at the Fright Nights in the dark and twisted world of the Toymaker’s Tunnel of Torment.

PUMPKIN PATCHES

Never mind the kids, there’s something very mindful for adults about sticking knives in pumpkins! The Walled Garden down the road from the Hellfire Caves has a pumpkin-picking patch open until Halloween – and half-term will also be jazzed up by the judging for its eccentric Scarecrow Competition. Even if you didn’t have the time/inclination to enter one yourself, head there from 19-31 Oct to take part in the public vote.

Also worth the effort is The Patch MK, Peterley Manor Farm and The Walled Garden in Bucks, and Rectory Farm and Hadsham Farm in Oxon. Cotswolds readers can also hop over the border to Glos to Cotswold Farm Park, run by celeb farmer Adam Henson of Countryfile fame. He’s raising the pumpkin PYO bar with the usual offering plumped up thanks to a post-6pm UV pumpkin trail and live music – and fancy dress is encouraged. Sounds like a party to us – it’s on selected dates from now until 31 Oct. For more pumpkin recommendations, we’ve squashed (sorry) as many as we can into our PYO guide .

OUTDOORS

For an spooky adrenaline rush in the fresh air, ship the kids over to Wendover Woods or Black Park near Slough for a sundown session at Go Ape – a great good-weather energy-burner for Oct half-term (selected nights from Sat 19 Oct – Sat 4 Nov). Starting at 5pm, this means swinging through the trees in the dark, so maybe one for your daredevil teens.

Younger children will enjoy The Moon Witch’s Adventure at Tumblestone Hollow at Stonor Park near Henley (Sat 21 Oct – Sun 29 Oct) – it’s a scavenger hunt around the woodlands, with pumpkin-carving for afters. Over towards Oxford, Waterperry Gardens has a Halloween Hunt in the gardens from Sat 26 Oct to Sun 3 Nov, and Blenheim Palace is making the most of the Duke of Marlborough’s world-famous grounds with a dusk-to-darkness light trail (from 25 Oct to 3 Nov) – dodging wicked witches, sinister scarecrows, and other Halloween horrors along the way.

Steaming on, we’re also on board with the Bucks Railway Centre’s Halloween Spooktacular on 26-27 Oct. Its Halloween programme includes an interactive performance of Little Red Riding Hood, a steam train ride with Frankenstein, a ghost hunt and Halloween games with prizes – all for £10.50 per child. Over in Oxfordshire, Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway is running ghost trains in half term too. There will be ghouls on board, but they promise it won’t be too scary for little ones. At £1 travel for children, you can take a punt on it.

DOWN ON THE FARM

The Hogshaw Farm & Wildlife Park near Aylesbury becomes the Hogshaw School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at this time of year (Sat 26 Oct – Fri 1 Nov). Kids can follow the Herbology Tutor through the Wizarding Walled Garden to find out their wizard house, or meet Hedwig and his feathered friends in The Owlery. If you’re too far west, you can always spend a day at the Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford, which seems to be a refreshingly Halloween-free zone in half-term, sticking to up-close encounters with giraffes, lions, lemurs and the like – and not a pumpkin in sight. Phew! Also in West Oxfordshire is Cogges Manor Farm which is busy getting itself ready to open The Witch’s House. From 25 Oct to 4 Nov the manor house will be transformed, inspired by the stories of Roald Dahl. We don’t want to give away all the surprises, but expect bat trails, witches’ brews and marvellous medicine.

MUSEUMS

The Milton Keynes Museum is an undiscovered gem – it’s close to central Milton Keynes but has acres of farmland to explore alongside the museum in a pretty Victorian farmhouse. Head here in half term (28 Oct to 1 Nov) to see how arts group the Black Sheep Collective has transformed the museum’s Street of Shops for Halloween. Who’s making mysterious pies in the butcher’s shop? Pay them a visit to find out – you pay once then it’s free for the rest of the year, so ROI guaranteed.

As the shrine to the author of The Witches, you’d expect the Roald Dahl Museum to deliver in spooky season – and it’s duly laid on an imaginative range of half-term activities, including storytelling from The Twits and Revolting Rhymes, a countryside walk with a twist (Sun 27 Oct), and a late-night Halloween special. Dare to walk through Wonka’s gates at dusk? Join them on 30 Oct to find out what goes on after twilight.

The Roald Dahl Museum's Twilight Tricks late-night special — The Roald Dahl Museum’s Twilight Tricks late-night special

Meanwhile across at Science Oxford, there’s a chance for kids to learn about Brilliant Bats on Sat 26 Oct, or head to Oxford’s History of Science Museum for an afternoon getting hands-on with their collections (Sat 26 Oct and Sun 27 Oct). Older children (8-12) will enjoy the Story Explorer workshops at Oxford’s Story Museum. Led by children’s authors, they’re designed to give young people the chance to explore their creativity (Tues 29 – Thurs 31 Oct). Or pitch up on Mon 28 Oct to listen to How to Train Your Dragon author Cressida Cowell talk about her work – she’s sure to keep her youthful charges captivated. Read her recent interview with Muddy here.

THEATRE & WORKSHOPS

A Tiger's Tale, The North Wall — A Tiger’s Tale, The North Wall

Creation Theatre’s weekend of Ghost Stories, from Fri 25 to Sun 27 Oct, is one for older kids and adults, but their half-term drama workshops are a great bet for young fledgling thesps. This half-term they have the Spooky Play in a Day workshop on Mon 28 and Thurs 31 Oct, and the Mini Musical masterclass on Tues 29 Oct. Both are suitable for ages 6-12. Little theatre-goers will love A Tiger’s Tale at the North Wall Arts Centre on Sat 26 Oct. Book here for the extraordinary story of Fenella, the Holmfirth Tiger, told through circus tricks, puppetry, live music and song.

Need more half-term inspo? Read our guide to things to do when it’s raining in Bucks & Oxon.

Tricks and treats for a spellbinding October half-term

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