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Thrilling things to do at Halloween in London with kids


As the evenings get darker and winter approaches, it’s time for all things gruesome, ghoulish and guaranteed to make you scream – and if you’re spending Halloween in London with kids, there’s plenty of spine-chilling fun.

Vintage view of Big Ben & Houses of Parliament with muted misty effect - for the best spooky fun this autumn, these are the top things to do at Halloween in London with kids

With Halloween coinciding with October half-term in London, you’ll find plenty of family activities have an added helping of spookiness throughout the week.

But whether you’re visiting with teens who are keen to be terrified or younger kids who are all about the pumpkins, you’ll find plenty of scarily good fun this Halloween in London.

The London Dungeons

Where better to start your terrifying trip than a visit to the London Dungeon? This Halloween in London, you’re dared to step into the attic of the most haunted house in England, a location shrouded in mystery, murder and madness.

With a string of legends about the countless lives lost here, the question is… will you emerge unscathed?

Needless to say, this one is better for older kids (recommended for 10+), and it’s well worth prebooking tickets as it does sell out over Halloween. The fearsome fun runs from October 15-31.

The London Bridge Experience & London Tombs

Travel back in time to discover over 2,000 years of the area’s dark and gruesome history as part of The London Bridge Experience. The spooky interactive walk-through adventure features live actors playing some of London’s most infamous characters, including Jack The Ripper, William Wallace, and many more. 

Then, for a truly terrifying Halloween experience in London, you can make your way down to the scare maze that is the London Tombs. Here you’ll need to squeeze your way through the confined catacombs, attempting to escape the zombies, spiders, clowns, bloody butchers, and other creatures of nightmares around every corner.

The London Bridge Experience is for children 4+, while the London Tombs is only suitable for children 11+ – but be warned, the Tombs have been crowned the UK’s scariest attraction for the last 13 years, so the attraction definitely isn’t for the faint-hearted.

There’s also a special Halloween experience for over 16+ this year if you’ve got older teens who are feeling brave.

There’s a discount on tickets for the London Bridge Experience if you book through my link using code MUMMYTRAVELS6

The White Tower at the Tower of London after dark, lit up against a deep blue nighttime sky - discover infamous prisoners and chilling tales at the Tower this Halloween in London with kids

Halloween at the Tower of London

There’s another spooky Halloween experience to be found at one of the capital’s most famous attractions, the Tower of London, as you follow in the footsteps of some of its infamous prisoners.

Halloween at the Tower of London is a thrilling family-friendly adventure through the landmark’s haunted past, running from October 22-31.

As you tour the Tower’s most notorious sites such as Traitors’ Gate and the Bloody Tower, kids will come face to face with roaming ghosts of characters who spent their final moments within the walls (with the help of projectors and eerie sound effects).

The ghoulish Halloween Tower Tour is included in regular admission. It’s best to book your ticket in advance to guarantee entry during the half-term holidays.

There’s a discount on tickets for the Tower of London if you book through my link using code MUMMYTRAVELS6

Halloween at Hampton Court Palace 

If one haunted royal residence wasn’t enough, head down to Hampton Court Palace for another eerie experience by Historic Royal Palaces.

At Hampton Court Palace, this Halloween families can discover the many dark secrets of Henry VIII’s notoriously haunted palace. Kids can meet the palace’s ghosts, see portraits come to life in the Gallery of the Damned, and even participate in a séance to hear voices from beyond the grave.

The spooky and educational experience is suitable for all ages. But if you have older children who want more of a scare, visit the Palace After Dark on October 28 or 29 for a slightly more eerie Halloween experience.

There’s a discount on tickets for Hampton Court Palace if you book through my link using code MUMMYTRAVELS6

Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden – the Harry Potter tour

If you want to guarantee wizards and witches this Halloween, you can always head to Hogwarts – or the next best thing, at The Making of Harry Potter tour in the Warner Bros studios near London.

Previous special Halloween events have included A Celebration of Slytherin, looking at the house which turned out more dark wizards than any other, while this year the focus is on the Dark Arts again from September 23 to November 6.

Along the way, you can also spy some of the creatures which appeared in the wizarding world, as well as trying your hand at flying a broomstick: probably the closest you can get to magic within half an hour of the capital!

For more ideas of days out for Harry Potter fans in London, check out these magical suggestions too…

The shops of Diagon Alley at the Warner Bros Harry Potter studio tour - discover the Dark Arts among the magical displays this Halloween in London with kids

Creepy Creatures at Sea Life Aquarium

Venture into Sea Life London Aquarium and you’ll find a string of creatures to give you the shivers this Halloween.

As well as the UK’s biggest collection of piranhas, this October sees a focus on Creepy Creatures with the aquarium’s rainforest ranger helping share more about some of the crawly creatures which live there – and busting some of the myths which surround them.

You can learn about everything from crocodiles to Chilean rose tarantulas and a colony of leafcutter ants. Runs from October 22-31, included in entry. There a discount on prebooked tickets (which is also recommended during half-term).

KidZania London Festival of Fright 

For one of the best things to do over Halloween in London with younger kids, head to KidZania at London Westfield.

This Halloween, the mini-city has been transformed into an eerie ghost town, with haunted houses and spooky sightings around every corner.

There are also all sorts of fun themed activities for children aged 4-14, including a Halloween fashion show and dance sessions where kids can show off their monstrous moves. KidZania’s Festival of Fright is taking place daily from October 24-30.

There’s a discount on tickets for KidZania London if you book through my link using code MUMMYTRAVELS6

View of the Cutty Sark clipper ship in Greenwich - discover some of the gruesome history of the historic ship this Halloween in London with kids

Ghoulish tales at the Cutty Sark

Greenwich’s iconic Cutty Sark is hosting a number of family-friendly events to help keep kids entertained this October half-term – and from October 25-27, you can embark on a Halloween-themed adventure with musical storyteller Paul Rubinstein to explore the more creepy and disgusting stories from the ship’s history. 

If that isn’t enough to give you chills, watch out for another immersive option taking place over October half-term too, with the Cutty Sark’s Ice Survival event (October 23-27), where guests of all ages can discover how sailors once survived the freezing temperatures of the Antarctic.

Plus older kids (12+) can get their hearts racing by climbing the ship’s famous masts in the thrilling Cutty Sark Rig Climb Experience

There’s a discount on tickets for the Cutty Sark if you book through my link using code MUMMYTRAVELS6

Jump on the ghost bus

For a ghost tour with a difference, hop on board London’s Ghost bus tour – it’s family friendly (although best for around age 7+), as you cruise on the ‘orrible omnibus’ to the West End, around the city and south of the river.

There are spooky facts about some of London’s best known landmarks, including the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, with a creepy conductor providing the commentary.

Set abroad the only Necropolis Bus left, the sole survivor of a 19th century private funeral bus service – painted midnight black – the rest were destroyed in a mysterious fire. If you don’t already have shivers down your spine, you’re sure to by the time you step off…

Thames Thriller Ride

Speed along the Thames this Halloween in a hair-raising thrill ride experience with Thames Rockets.

The Thames Thriller Halloween experience will first take you to explore the most iconic sites along the River Thames while a gruesome costumed guide tells you some of London’s creepiest and spookiest stories (family-friendly of course). 

Then, once you reach Tower Bridge, the Rocket revs up to an electrifying 35mph and have you twisting and turning past the London skyline while listening to a monster mash-up of fun Halloween hits. That’s one way to get the heartbeat racing this Halloween in London.

The Thames Thriller runs from October 29-31 at varying times throughout the three days.

The great hall at Eltham Palace, the oldest part of the site - there's a special family trail to explore this Halloween in London with kids

Halloween Family Quest at Eltham Palace and Gardens

English Heritage’s Eltham Palace and Gardens is once again hosting one of their great family quests this October half-term. This year, you can join Dennis the Menace, Gnasher, and friends on a spooky Halloween adventure.

Running from October 22-30, the family trail will have creepy clues that you’ll need to solve and follow around the grounds of the lavish historic ​​house.

Once you’ve completed the quest, kids can meet costumed performers and hear strange and supernatural stories from times past. Tickets are free for members, otherwise there’s a discount for booking in advance.

Halloween at Charlton House & Gardens

Start your own magical training this Halloween at Charlton House and Gardens with Charlton House Explorers: Witches of Greenwich.

Aimed at kids aged 5-12, little witches and warlocks will don their finest robes, grab a wand to practise magical spells, and even craft their own potions at this family-friendly event.

Along the way, you can discover 400 years of magic and mystery at this historic London manor, known for being one of the most haunted houses in the city.

Charlton House’s Halloween event is taking place on October 25 and 26 between 10am and 12:30pm. Tickets cost £5 and include crafts and goodies.

Image of glowing pumpkins for the new Chiswick House Halloween trail - one of the best new things to do at Halloween in London with kids (Image by Sony Music)

Halloween at Chiswick House & Gardens

Brand new for 2022, Chiswick House is introducing a spooky illuminated trail through its sprawling gardens for families to enjoy this Halloween.

The Chiswick House Halloween trail will feature a haunted woodland filled with creepy neon cobwebs, ghastly ghouls, giant spiders, and more, plus amazing fire artists, flickering pumpkins, and a secret garden with even more spooky surprises.

Then once you’re finished exploring, cosy up around the bonfire and roast some marshmallows while the kids enjoy a hot chocolate and parents sip on a warming hot toddy.

The Halloween trail is open from October 14-31. Entry slots are timed so you’ll need to book tickets in advance.

Syon Park: Halloween Spooktacular Fun

Syon Park in west London is hosting its own spooktacular fun Halloween event for families this half-term, that’s not too scary for younger kids.

As well as a tour of the historic house, where costumed guides will thrill you with hair-raising stories, you can head out into the garden to follow the family trails. Don’t forget to wear your best costume to join in on the Halloween fun.

Guided Halloween tours of Syon House in Brentford are taking place from October 26-29, followed by a self-guided trail on October 30.

Exterior of Ham House - one of the most haunted places to visit for Halloween in London with kids

Ham House, Surrey

Ghostly ladies are ten a penny but there aren’t quite as many historic houses that can boast a ghostly dog as Ham House can.

Add in mysterious cold spots, ghostly footsteps and a 17th century looking glass which some people refuse to stare into for fear of who (or what) might gaze back and its a perfect Halloween day out in London.

A woman in black has also been spotted on the stairs of the house, while a lovelorn nobleman is thought to scream here – you might even smell pipe smoke, the favourite of the Duke of Lauderdale… who has been dead for well over three centuries.

There are usually great crafts for kids in the old servants’ quarters too. The house is reopening after conservation work on October 21, in time for October half-term and Halloween.

Covent Garden Halloween Pumpkin Market

Nothing screams Halloween in London like a visit to Covent Garden’s now famous Halloween Pumpkin Market.

Once again, over 200 pumpkins, squashes, and gourds of all sizes and colours will fill Covent Garden’s iconic central market building, surrounded by stunning autumnal floral displays. Kids will love wandering amongst the pumpkins, looking for the perfect one to take home and carve just in time for Halloween.

Don’t forget to bring the camera, as it’s a perfect opportunity for some great family Halloween photos!

For more ideas of places to pick pumpkins near London, check out this post

Line of different colours pumpkins, squashes and gourds - the display at Covent Garden is a fun places to visit at Halloween in London with kids

Halloween Pumpkin Carving at Chelsea Physic Garden

What’s Halloween without a pumpkin? And at Chelsea Physic Garden, you can learn all about pumpkin plants before carving your own to take home.

Aimed at kids aged 6+ (who must be accompanied by an adult), you’ll get everything you need to create your own jack-o-lantern during the sessions taking place on October 24, 25 and 27.

Tickets include entry to the Garden, priced £20 for adults, £15 for children, and sessions run from 1pm to 3pm, inside the garden’s spooky shed.

Horniman Museum and Gardens Halloween Fair

On Saturday 29th October, grab the entire family and head down to the Horniman Museum’s annual family Halloween fair.

At the fair, you’ll find rides, games, themed arts and crafts workshops, face painting, balloons, and a Halloween trail around the gardens. Kids can also enjoy mind-boggling close-up magic with Nyko the Magician, spooky science shows with Einstein’s Entertainers Halloween Science Spectacular, and a Halloween Parade through the Gardens led by a scary skeleton.

And for parents, the fair will also have plenty of food and drinks stalls, as well as arts and crafts stalls selling unique and sustainable locally made gifts.

Mexico Family Fiesta at Kew Gardens

Halloween isn’t the only big holiday taking place over October half-term in London. You can also head to Kew Gardens to celebrate Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) at their Mexico Family Fiesta.

From October 22 to 31, the Temperate House at Kew Gardens will put on a whole host of fun family activities themed around the traditional Mexican holiday. You’ll get to enjoy colourful parades, dress-up stations, carnival dance workshops, art installations celebrating Mexican culture, and more.

Tickets to the Day of the Dead family event are included with entry to Kew Gardens.

There’s a discount on tickets for tickets to Kew Gardens if you book through my link using code MUMMYTRAVELS6

Penguin stands by the edge of the pool at London zoo waiting for feeding time - follow the Top Trumps trail to learn more about the zoo's animals this Halloween in London with kids

Top Trumps Trail at London Zoo

Check out ZSL London Zoo’s Halloween Top Trumps trail – a new trail to keep kids entertained this October half-term.

To take part in the challenge, all you need to do is grab a tournament card when you enter the zoo, then head off to find the giant Halloween Top Trumps cards around the enclosures.

Once you’ve found a card, choose your animal and category and start the battle. You can compete with the zoo to see if your animal is the cutest, fastest, longest living, or highest rated.

Plus, don’t forget to visit the Terrace Restaurant where kids can have a go at designing their very own animal Top Trumps card.

Discovery Days at Hyde Park: Hair-Raising Halloween

Wrap up warm and head outside with the family this half-term for another edition of Hyde Park’s family discovery days.

The park’s Hair-Raising Halloween Discovery Day will be packed with plenty of fun and educational hands-on activities for younger children. You can explore the eerie nature trail, guess the gruesome contents of the feely boxes, listen to spooky interactive stories, and learn about the many bats that call London’s Royal Parks home.

Dressing up is also encouraged. The free half-term event will run daily from October 25 to 27, between 11am and 3pm.

Old Operating Theatre, London

If you’re looking for blood and gore this Halloween, London’s Old Operating Theatre is an eye-opening experience with a look back at genuine medical and surgical practices of long ago.

Set in the attic of an 18th century church of the old St Thomas’s Hospital, it’s the oldest surviving surgical theatre in Europe and takes you back to the days before anaesthetics.

This Halloween, you can also see the Victorian Operating Theatre Live event on October 29, a genuinely chilling look at the origins of surgery before anaesthetic and antiseptics. Best with older kids.

Old tombstones at Highgate Cemetery - one of the more unusual places to visit at Halloween in London with kids

Spy famous names in a cemetery

The idea of going for a walk in a cemetery might seem an odd one, but it’s actually a fascinating day out with kids in London, especially if you visit one of the Magnificent Seven, the ring of seven graveyards created mostly in the Victorian age and inspired by Pere Lachaise in Paris.

Brompton Cemetery has an unusual attraction for younger children – Beatrix Potter used to live nearby and some names on the tombstones apparently inspired characters in her stories: keep an eye out for Peter Rabbett, Jeremiah Fisher, Mr Nutkins, Mr Brock and Mr McGregor as you visit.

You’ll also find Suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, Victorian adventuress Elizabeth Le Blond and pioneering physician Dr John Snow, plus this cemetery has made countless appearances in films, including Bond movie Goldeneye and Sherlock Holmes.

Kensal Green is London’s largest and oldest public cemetery, with giant mausoleums as well as the grave of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, plus tightrope walker Charles Blondin, best known for crossing the Niagara Gorge on a tightrope.

Bunhill Fields is a Nonconformist burial ground which dates back to the 1660s, with the graves of writers, artists, intellectuals and radicals, including John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe and William Blake.

The best-known of the cemeteries, Highgate, isn’t free (unless you’re a grave owner), although the entry charge is minimal (from £4.50 for an adult ticket to the East Cemetery, 50p for kids) and some of its catacombs are Grade II listed. It’s the final resting place of Karl Marx, George Eliot and poet Christina Rossetti.

Chessington World of Adventures Howl’O’Ween

If you’re happy to travel slightly outside central London, Chessington’s ‘Howl’O’Ween’ Halloween event is always a good one for families – and tickets include access to the full theme park and zoo entry.

With adventures for little pumpkins and older thrill-seekers, you’ll need to beware the Vile Villagers of Wild Woods (visit at earlier times for kids aged 5+, after 3pm for 8+), watch out for the mischievous Wild Witches of Adventure Point, who’ve conjured up a cast of curious characters across the resort, and enjoy rides in the dark on some dates.

Running from October 15-31, the Creepy Caves are back for a final year at the Surrey theme park, along with the fabulously frightening fire and effects of Banyan: The Circle of 8 show.

For more ideas of the best things to do at October half-term in London with kids, check out my top picks

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission

Tower of London/Warner Bros Studio Tour/Cutty Sark copyright MummyTravels/Chiswick Halloween image courtesy Sony Music/all other images courtesy of Depositphotos

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