Halloween in London for kids

The post-rave generation of parents can induct their under-eights into the ways of the dancefloor at this family-friendly afternoon disco. Kids and adults can throw shapes to acid house, techno, drum ’n’ bass and more in a space filled with bubbles, balloons and foam. You can spend your downtime at the Halloween crafts table, getting the whole family’s faces painted or relaxing in the baby chill-out area. Spooky dressing-up is very much encouraged.

It’s the perfect time of year to explore the Henry VIII’s haunted palace. Over October half term the grand, gloomy corridors and courtyards of Hampton Court Palace will be filled with atmospheric projections and creepy sound effects. Tiptoe through the grand pile and learn about the infamous ghosts said to roam the grand rooms. Look out for witches and alchemists dotted all over the palace, visit to the ‘Gallery of the Damned’ to see eerie portraits come to life, or stop by the ‘Council Chamber’ to take part in a séance. Feeling brave? Head outside to the Haunted Garden to spot carved pumpkins and listen to spooky stories. 

Warner Bros Studios’ blockbuster Harry Potter exhibition has undergone a spooky makeover from now until early November as its Dark Arts theme returns. Most spectacularly, the Great Hall is filled with a hundred flickering, flying jack-o’-lanterns – aka Instagram heaven. Elsewhere there’s a special limited edition passport, plus Death Eaters galore: wandering around looking menacing, but also with interesting demonstrations of everything from their wand stance, their choreography and their costumes.

Chelsea Physic Garden is a wonderfully gothic place to celebrate Halloween, and it’s putting on all sorts of family-friendly fun as usual this October. Join Wild Immersive Theatre for a family theatre experience where you’ll travel back to 1947 to join a pair of ghost detectives on a race to find the famous Crown Jewels through the garden, or take part in a spooky pumpkin carving workshop, where you’ll learn about how pumpkin plants grow and explore the autumnal flora in London’s oldest botanical garden. Or make your own broomstick out of material forgaged from the garden before joining a mass broomstick ride around all the anciant flora. Halloween costumes are strongly encouraged, btw.

If you’ve still not seen ‘Wicked’, it’s definitely the season to do so. The bombastic, joyous, musical backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West is the 12th-longest running production in the history of London’s West End, and it’s won over 100 international awards. Made to be enjoyed around Halloween, it’s a spooktacular show that won't give the little ones nightmares — recommended for ages 7+. 

In a spooktacular twist of fate, Friday the 13th falls near Halloween in 2023, making this year's season extra eerie, and Cammas Hall Farm Resurrected is the perfect way to kick it off. You can worriedly wander down the Wicked Walkway, tiptoe along the Terror Tunnel and catch some thrilling musical performances all from the pumpkin patch. Food and drinks are available for fuel to frightful evening, so wrap up warm and bring a torch!

The history of the Tower of London goes back a whopping 900 years, which covers a hell of a lot of torture, prisoners and executions – most famously the beheading of Anne Boleyn. It‘s no surprise then that the landmark is notorious for ghostly sightings. Visit over October half term and follow a spooky trail around teh ancient landmark and see if you can spot medieval queens, Roman soldiers and wizards lurking about the place. Keep track of the ghosts you see along the way and drop by the ruined garden in the shadow of the White Tower where you’ll see the decaying walls and barred windows of a lost palace.