Autumn in Kent: 24 Family Friendly Activities this October Half Term
- Katy Mason
- Oct 6
- 9 min read
October Half Term is just around the corner and if you're still looking for activities to fill your mini monsters' week, Girl About Kent is here with some inspiration!
From Autumnal walks and ghoulish trails, to terrific train adventures and spook-tacular afternoon teas, check out our full list of 24 family friendly activities for October Half Term in Kent.
🚂 Hop aboard the Spellbound Express with KESR
Join Kent & East Sussex Railway for a spellbinding steam train adventure. Suitable for children aged 4 - 12, the little witches and wizards will have the opportunity to mix potions and practise spells with Wendy the Wicked Witch, be amazed by Merlin the Magician and even meet a friendly Baby Dragon for a photo!
The experience lasts one hour and will be running on 21st, 23rd, 28th and 30th October. All children will receive a magical activity pack, with additional sweets and prizes included. Tickets start from £45 for a table for 2 and can be booked online.
🐐 Enjoy Farmyard Fright & Delights at COT's Rare Breeds Centre
The Rare Breeds Centre in Ashford is full of spooky fun this Half Term, with a Trick or Treat trail, face painting, fancy dress competition and the return of fan favourite in all new show, Effel's Whiffs and Woofs.
Each day sees a different activity on offer - from Boo Bingo and Potion Making, to a Monster Disco and Broomstick Making - so check the timetable to select which day to visit. There'll also be pig feeding, guinea pig fishing, goat feeding and pig racing, making it the ideal destination for a great family day out.
Adult tickets are £17.50 and child tickets are £15 (under 3s are free).
🏰 Take on the Halloween Trail at Hever Castle & Gardens
There are few places in Kent more spectacular than Hever Castle during the Autumn months, and it's a great place for a family day out.
In addition to the stunning gardens and impressive play areas, Hever Castle will be running their Bones & Giggles Halloween trail between 18th - 26th October. Explore the castle grounds searching for clues and some spooky skeletons getting up to mischief. There will also be crafts and face painting on select dates.
Actvities and trail are includes in the admission price.
🧚🏼♀️ Immerse yourself in Pumpkins & Pixie Dust at Tonbridge Castle
The fantastic Once Upon A Wish Events return to the historic Tonbridge Castle for another theatrical adventure filled crafts, storytelling, dancing and magical photo opportunities.
Running from 18th - 26th October with 5 hour and a half performances daily, youngsters will be invited on a spellbinding quest through the castle accompanied by Wilbur the Wizard and Wanda the Witch. With the book of fairytales thrown into disarray by Maleficent, their task is to discover a host of fairytale character to restore the magic of each tale.
Pumpkins & Pixie Dust is suitable for children aged 3 - 8 and tickets can be booked online. Adult tickets are £15 whilst children's are £40.
Use code OAUWOCT to receive £5 off any Child ticket
💀 Brave the Spooky Woods with Quex Adventure Park's Trick or Treat Trail
Head to Quex Adventure Park to take on their Trick or Treat trail, select a pumkin from their pumpkin picking patch and enjoy a ride on board the Slime Blaster Express.
With creepy characters along the trail, youngsters must survive their terrible tricks to be rewarded with a spooktacular sweet treat at the end. In addition to pumpkin picking and the Slim Blaster Express, your ticket also give access to the adventure farm park and play areas.
The Trick or Treat trail is part of Quez Adventure Park's Halloween Fest (more details available on the website) and tickets start from £6.50 for adults / £20.95 for children.
Do a craft or slime workshop at Millbrooks Garden Centre
Visit Millbrook Garden Centre in Staplehurst for one of their interactive workshops this Half Term.
Aimed at children aged 4 - 11, attend either their Witch & Wizard Hat & Wand craft workshop on Wednesday 22nd October or go on a gooey adventure with the Neon Slime workshop on Friday 24th October.
Both workshops must be booked in advance and cost £12.
🏰 Immerse yourselves in the magic of Spell Quest at Bodiam Castle
There's tons of magic to experience at the historic Bodiam Castle this Autumn. Their impressive Spell Quest trail returns, as well as Halloween face painting, crafts and costume competitions.
If that wasn't enough, Bodiam Castle are also hosting spooky circus skills workshops and potion and wand making masterclasses on select dates. Definitely one not to miss this Half Term!
🫖 Indulge in One Warwick Park Hotel's Broomsticks & Bubbles Afternoon Tea
For a decadent way to spend time as a family this Autumn, book one of One Warwick Park Hotel's magical Halloween-themed afternoon tea, Broomsticks & Bubbles.
With a range of sweet and savoury treats on offer, as well as cocktails for adults and mocktails for the little ones, this is sure to be an enchanting and memorable experience for all the family to enjoy.
The afternoon tea is £40 for adults (which includes a welcome cocktail or Prosecco) and £20 for children (including a themed Dragon's Puff mocktail).
👻 Do the"We're Going On A Ghost Hunt" at Ightham Mote and/or Standen
For fans of the bestselling, lift-the-flap books, both Ightham Mote and Standen are hosting "We're Going On A Ghost Hunt" trails for all the family to enjoy!
Join the Halloween bunnies as they set off on an adventure around these two beautiful National Trust sites, discovering the ghosts and surprises hidden along the way. Aimed at pre-school and younger children, little ones will have the chance to choose their own bunny name, race their broomsticks and play Halloween hoopla!
The trail is included with normal admission.
🦁 Take a walk on the wild side as kids go free at Howletts Wildlife Park
Spend the day at Howletts Wildlife Sanctuary in Littlebourne this half term where all kids (under 15) go free between 18th October and 2nd November.
Home to over 390 animals, including Kent’s only giant anteaters, the largest herd of African elephants in the UK, and more gorillas and monkeys than any zoo in the county, Howletts offers a fun packed, wild day out for a great price.
This half term, they will also be offering a Halloween themed activity trail, free visits to see the creepy crawlies in the Craft Mine and daily ranger talks to learn about your favourite species. There'll also be some delicious pumpkin spice lattes, hot chocolate and bug-licious treats in the catering huts to keep the everyone fully fuelled!
🧱 Get creative with The Brick People at Trinity Theatre
On Sunday 19th October, Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells will host The Brick People who'll be offering a wide range of LEGO® brick related free-flow workshop sessions throughout the day.
With build tables, speed challenges and mosaics for both youngsters and adults to enjoy, this is a great activity for bringing the family together.
Sessions are an hour long and tickets are £5.
👻 Party all day at Chiddingstone Castle's Boo Bash
Get your fancy dress on and head to Chiddingstone Castle on 25th October for the ultimate kids Halloween party!
With a ghoulish disco in the Great Hall, spooky storytelling, the Boo Bingo castle trail, fangtastic face painting and creepy crafts, this is sure to be a very fun day which the little ones will love.There'll also be themed cream teas in the pretty courtyard cafe for everyone (young and old!) to enjoy.
Tickets are £8 for adults and £10 for children.
💀 Enjoy a free day out at Aspens
Little ones will love exploring the countryside, play areas and animals on Aspens' Halloween-themed trail around the site.
Pick up a free trail sheet from the Bluebell Cafe before heading out to follow the clues, with emus, alpacas, pigs and donkeys along the way. Complete the answers to receive a spooky treat, and perhaps even sample some of their delicious homemade cakes and pumpkin spice lattes!
🎃 Enjoy a day of pumpkin picking at various spots around Kent
We are spoilt choice when it comes to pumpkin picking spots in Kent.
Get your wellies and wheelbarrow ready, and check out our full guide to PYO pumpkin spots on our dedicated blog post here.
🦇 Attend Kingdom's Halloween Party
Head into the woods for Kingdom in Penshurst's Halloween Party on Sunday 26th October. With creepy crafting, cocktails, pumpkin painting, a spooky selfie station and freaky food truck, there'll be plenty to keep the kids and grown ups entertained!
Kingdom will also be running a Halloween trail throughout half term (20th - 26th October).
😈 Meet some monsters at Dover Castle
Take your little monsters to meet some real monsters as an actual vampire and witch descend on the historic Dover Castle this Half Term.
Visit between 18th - 26th October to embark on a quest around the castle to solve creepy clues. Meet a mischievous vampire and a wily witch as they reveal the secrets of the Monsterverse at Dover Castle this Halloween. Packed with interactive shows, stories and silly scares, it’s monstrously good fun for all ages.
The trail is included with normal admission.
🍬 Take on the Halloween Trail at Betteshanger Country Park
Running from 18th October - 2nd November, see Betteshanger park transform into a enchanting adventure for all ages! Follow the creepy trail through the winding woodland paths, solving riddles and spotty spooky surprises
Tickets are £12 per child, which includes 2 adults. Under 2s are free but won't receive a prize at the end.
🪄 Challenge your magical skills with School of Sorcery & Spells Garden Trail at Penshurst Place
Head to the beautiful Penshurst Place & Gardens to take on their Halloween-themed garden trail full of wizardry wonders, spooky spells and powerful potions.
With students from the sorcery school having gone missing whilst on a school trip, visitors are challenged to find the lost cloaks hidden around the gardens and the use the code cracker to discover who they belong to.
Running between 18th October - 2nd November, there will also be crafts and storytelling on offer, as well as the epic adventure playground that is always a hit with the little ones!
🍄 Get back to nature with Emmetts Garden Outdoor Family Trail
Running from 10th October - 2nd November, the beautiful Emmetts Garden are running a new family activity trail as part of this year's Autumn Festival.
Help woodland warriors, Fun Gus and Myrra, save the forest and the Wood Wide Web by following clues and taking on challenges around the gardens. Discover the secret code to save the forest's hidden underground network.Once the mystery is solved, enjoy time in the fantastic natural play area and a treat from the National Trust cafe.
Trail sheets cost £3.50 which includes a prize, and normal admission applies.
💚 Treat yourselves to an Wicked Afternoon Tea at The Lane
Sure to be a 'popular' event this Autumn, book a visit to The Lane in Deal for their enchanting Wicked-themed afternoon tea.
From an Oz Baked Pie and Cauldron of Popcorn to their Yellow Brick Tart and Green Elixir cocktail, this will no doubt be a show-stopping set up, as we've come to expect from The Lane is recent years.
Afternoon teas must be booked at least 48 hours in advance with adult menus priced at £40, children's at £22.50.
🧡 See the pumpkin rainbow at Priory Farm's Discovery Land
A day at Priory Farm's Discovery Land is always a hit with us and it's particularly special at Halloween!
Celebrating the spirit of the season, step into a world of playful mischief with Discovery Land's nature-led outdoor trail. Featuring their magnificent pumpkin rainbow, follow Brother Hay and the mud monsters on a hunt filled with clever illusions, fun challenges and playful tricks.
Finish up on the village green for the Halloween Festival, where you can indulge in tasty food and drink from the Priory Farm BBQ and bar.
⚓️ Discover a cursed shipwreck at Historic Dockyard Chatham
With a live show and ghostly trail, head to Historic Dockyard for their Yuck Yard event this Half Term.
Young visitors are tasked with the challenge of uncovering the secret, final message of the mysterious Medway Phantom - a warship that vanished off the Kent coast in a violent storm. With the wreck now resurfacing, children must uncover the clues and discover the truth amongst the slimy horrors.
With lots to explore as well as a cafe and soft play on site, Historic Dockyard Chatham makes for a fabulous day out during any season. Plus, with your tickets valid for a year, it's a great investment for the next 12 months!
🍁 See the Autumn colours with The Goblin King's Lost Path trail at Scotney Castle
Visit the beautiful Scotney Castle to see the Autumn colours reflected in the magnificent moat whilst the little ones take part in the goblin-themed trail around the castle and gardens.
Pick up a trail sheet at the entrance for just £3 to hunt down the six mischievous goblins hiding around the grounds, solving riddles and clues to discover their quirky jobs. With two age appropriate activity sheets available, this will be a great one for younger and older children to enjoy.
Normal admission prices apply and booking your parking space is highly recommend to guarantee entry.
🕵🏻♀️ Solve puzzles at The Beaney
Running from 4th October - 2nd November (closed on Mondays), discover Canterbury's interactive art and knowledge museum, The Beaney, and take part in their popular annual Halloween trail.
Aimed at children aged 5 - 10, the trail sees little ones help black cat Ember to solve interactive puzzles around the museum and rescue powerful objects from the collection. Complete all six puzzles to collect a tasty treat and enter a prize draw.
The trail cost £6 with entry to the museum itself free.