30 Things To Do in Kent for October Half Term
Ideas and inspiration for Things To Do in Kent for October Half Term
Don’t miss our guide to events and attractions to visit this October half term. We’ve picked some highlights to keep everyone in the family entertained in the Garden of England over the school holidays. Whether you fancy a family trail, a crafting workshop or a day out with the animals, there’s something for everyone. Plus, there are new films, shows, storytelling and plenty of ideas for rainy days and older kids and teens.
Castles & Historic Houses
Spooky stories, trails and crafty arts
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👻 Horrible Histories Halloween at Leeds Castle
📍 Maidstone
🗓️ When: 17th October to 1st November 2026, 10am-5pm (last entry 3pm)
💰 Prices: Included with admission. Explorer tickets online: Adult: £34.50 | Child – 3 to 15 years: £24.50 | Child – under 3 years: Free | Family: £87. Tickets are valid for a year.
✨ Highlights: A ghost getter’s trail around the grounds with live performers, royal spirits, witches and gruesome superstitions. Silly and spooky rather than scary, so it suits the whole family.
Full Horrible Histories Halloween at Leeds Castle 2026 details →
🧪 Halloween Half Term Fun at Hever Castle
📍 Hever, Edenbridge
🗓️ When: 17th October to 1st November 2026, 10.30am-4.30pm
💰 Prices: Included with admission. Castle & Gardens online: Adult: £25.50 | Child – 5 to 17 years: £14.05 | Child – under 5 years: Free | Family: £66.60. Gardens-only tickets are also available.
✨ Highlights: Spooktacular Science takes over the grounds, with the Mad Scientist’s Trail (solve the puzzle for a bag of sweets), goggle-making and Dr Frankenstein’s Science Adventure Show.
Full Halloween Half Term Fun at Hever Castle 2026 details →
🎃 Halloween Half-Term at Dover Castle
📍 Dover
🗓️ When: 24th October to 1st November 2026 | Halloween activities: 10am-4pm
💰 Prices: Included with admission. Advance tickets: Adult: from £24.65 | Child – 5 to 17 years: from £12.32 | Child – under 5 years: Free | English Heritage members: Free.
✨ Highlights: The Great Pumpkin Party, with interactive storytelling, spooky games, a themed trail and a daily fancy dress competition, plus the Secret Wartime Tunnels.
💡 Top Tip: Book online by midnight the day before to save.
Full Halloween Half-Term at Dover Castle 2026 details →
🧙 Halloween & Half Term at Walmer Castle
📍 Deal
🗓️ When: 17th October to 1st November 2026 | Scarecrow Trail: daily | Crafts: 27th to 30th October | Trick or Treat: 31st October
💰 Prices: Scarecrow Trail: Free with admission. Online: Adult: from £13.85 | Child – 5 to 17 years: from £6.88 | Child – under 5 years: Free | Family: from £34.76. Mask making, the Costume Studio and Trick or Treat: £2 each. English Heritage members: Free.
✨ Highlights: A Myths & Legends Scarecrow Trail made by local schools and groups, mini scarecrow making, spooky selfies and trick or treating around the gardens on Halloween.
Full Halloween & Half Term at Walmer Castle 2026 details →
👹 Halloween Half-Term Trail at Scotney Castle
📍 Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells
🗓️ When: 17th October to 1st November 2026, 10am-4pm
💰 Prices: Trail: £3.50 plus admission. Standard admission: Adult: £20 | Child – 5 to 17 years: £10 | Child – under 5 years: Free | National Trust members: Free. Non-member parking: £4.50.
✨ Highlights: Monsters around the Moat, a trail to spot hidden creatures and solve the clues to their secret party message.
💡 Top Tip: Book your parking in advance, by 9am on the day.
Full Halloween Half-Term Trail at Scotney Castle 2026 details →
🕸️ Halloween Half Term Trail at Chiddingstone Castle
📍 Chiddingstone, Sevenoaks
🗓️ When: 22nd to 25th and 29th to 31st October 2026, 11am-5pm
💰 Prices: Trail: Free with admission. Adult: £14 | Senior – 60 years+: £12.50 | Child – 5 to 15 years: £9.75 | Child – under 5 years: Free. Booking fees will apply.
✨ Highlights: A Halloween trail around the castle, with a special spooky menu in the tea room.
Full Halloween Half Term Trail at Chiddingstone Castle 2026 details →
🔮 Halloween & Half Term at Eastgate House
📍 Rochester
🗓️ When: Scavenger Hunt: 24th, 25th and 27th to 29th October 2026, 10am-5pm | The Unexplained: 30th October to 1st November, 11am-4pm
💰 Prices: Included with admission. Adult: £7 | Concession: £5 | Child – 5 to 17 years: £3.50 | Family: £17.10.
✨ Highlights: Follow the creepy clues to the witches’ cauldron to win a badge. Older ones will enjoy The Unexplained over the Halloween weekend, sharing strange goings-on in the Elizabethan mansion.
Full Halloween & Half Term at Eastgate House 2026 details →
🕷️ Halloween & Half Term at the Guildhall Museum
📍 Rochester
🗓️ When: Halloween Trail: 24th and 27th to 31st October 2026, 10am-4pm | Crafts: 27th to 30th October, 10am-4pm (closed Sunday and Monday)
💰 Prices: Included with admission. Adult: £5 | Child: £1.10 | Student/65 years+: £4.50.
✨ Highlights: A Halloween scavenger trail around the museum’s collection to spell out a spooky word, plus drop-in spider and ghost crafts to take home.
Full Halloween & Half Term at the Guildhall Museum 2026 details →
Animal Attractions & Farm Parks
Adventures, trick-or-treating and frights!
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🦎 Halloween & Half Term at Howletts
📍 Bekesbourne, Canterbury
🗓️ When: 23rd October to 1st November 2026, 10am-5pm
💰 Prices: Online: Adult: £26 | Child – 0 to 15 years: Free with a paying adult | Concession: from £18. Booking fees will apply.
✨ Highlights: Over 300 animals, play areas for little ones and the Creepy Cave, where the brave can hold bugs and reptiles.
💡 Top Tip: Kids go free on new online bookings only, so book before you go.
Full Halloween & Half Term at Howletts 2026 details →
🦖 Autumn Adventures at Port Lympne Reserve
📍 Hythe
🗓️ When: 23rd October to 1st November 2026, 9.30am-5pm
💰 Prices: Adult: £36 | Child – 3 to 15 years: £29 | Child – under 3 years: Free. Online bundles: two people £45, four people £75 (book at least 24 hours ahead).
✨ Highlights: A new Ancient Secrets of Dinosaur Forest trail, spooky animal folklore on the safari and myth-busting animal talks.
Full Autumn Adventures at Port Lympne Reserve 2026 details →
🦉 Halloween Trail at Eagle Heights
📍 Eynsford
🗓️ When: 23rd to 25th, 30th and 31st October 2026, 11am-4pm | Flying display: 12 noon
💰 Prices: Adult: £16.95 | Child – 3 to 14 years: £12.95 | Senior – 65 years+: £14.95 | Trail goody bag: from £1.50. Booking fees will apply.
✨ Highlights: Howl-oween fun with a Halloween Trail and goody bag, a birds of prey flying display and a colouring station. Add an owl-flying or bird-handling Mini Session on the day, subject to availability.
Full Halloween Trail at Eagle Heights 2026 details →
🎃 Halloween Spooktacular at Kent Life
📍 Maidstone
🗓️ When: 24th October to 1st November 2026, 10am-5pm (last entry 4pm)
💰 Prices: Adult: £14 | Child – 2 to 15 years: £14 | Child – under 2 years: Free | Family of 4: £52 (Gift Aid prices). Booking fee applies.
✨ Highlights: Trick or treat through the spooky house every day, carve or paint a pumpkin, explore the Creepy Corner and enter the daily fancy dress competition.
Full Halloween Spooktacular at Kent Life 2026 details →
🐐 Farmyard Frights at the Rare Breeds Centre
📍 Woodchurch, Ashford
🗓️ When: 24th October to 1st November 2026 | Trick or Treat Trail: 10.30am, 11.30am and 12.30pm
💰 Prices: Adult: £18.50 | Child – 2 to 15 years: £15.75 | Child – under 2 years: Free | Family: £57.75 | Trick or Treat Trail: £3.50 per child | Paint a Pumpkin: £1. Booking fees apply.
✨ Highlights: A Trick or Treat Trail, UV disco in the Cattle Barn, spooky straw maze, tractor rides and films in the Picture House.
Full Farmyard Frights at the Rare Breeds Centre 2026 details →
🍬 Trick or Treat Trail at Quex Adventure Farm Park
📍 Birchington
🗓️ When: 22nd October to 1st November 2026 | Trail slots: every 15 minutes, 9.30am-6pm (24th to 31st October)
💰 Prices: Saver tickets: Child – 1 year+: £17.95-£22.95 | Adult – 16 years+: £10.95 | Carer: £9.95 | Child – under 1 year: Free. Booking fees apply.
✨ Highlights: Head into the Spooky Woods to meet mischievous Halloween characters, then pick a pumpkin from the Bewitched Pumpkin Patch and brave the Slime Blaster Express.
💡 Top Tip: Every child’s ticket includes a treat, a pumpkin and a ride, plus a full day at the farm park.
Full Trick or Treat Trail at Quex Adventure Farm Park 2026 details →
Trails & Outdoor Adventures
Time for nature and lots of fun
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🧹 Room on the Broom Trail at Bedgebury
📍 Goudhurst, Tunbridge Wells
🗓️ When: October 2026 | Information Point: 9.30am-4.30pm
💰 Prices: Room on the Broom trail pack: £4 | Halloween leaflet: £1.50, or free with a trail pack | Parking: from £4-£15.50.
✨ Highlights: Help Witch find her hat, bow and wand and collect her spell ingredients on a 1.25-mile family trail, then earn a sticker reward.
Full Room on the Broom Trail at Bedgebury 2026 details →
🪵 Halloween & Half-Term at Brockhill Country Park
📍 Hythe
🗓️ When: Twig or Treat Trail: 24th to 26th, 30th and 31st October 2026, 10am-3pm | Twig or Treat Spooktacular: 27th and 28th October
💰 Prices: Twig or Treat Trail: £5.50 per trail sheet | Twig or Treat Spooktacular: Child: £8.50. Accompanying adults don’t need a ticket. Parking charges apply.
✨ Highlights: A spooky trail to unlock mystery boxes, plus sessions to carve a wooden pumpkin and cook a treat on the campfire.
Full Halloween & Half-Term at Brockhill Country Park 2026 details →
🎃 Pumpkin Festival at Riverhill Himalayan Gardens
📍 Sevenoaks
🗓️ When: 17th October to 1st November 2026, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm
💰 Prices: Adult: £14 | Child – 4 years+: £7.50 | Child – under 4 years: Free | Family – 2 adults + 3 children: £39 | Members: Free.
✨ Highlights: A Pumpkin Hunt around the gardens, a grotto full of carving inspiration and autumn colours. Bring your own pumpkin to carve.
Full Pumpkin Festival at Riverhill Himalayan Gardens 2026 details →
🪩 Halloween Party at Betteshanger Park
📍 Deal
🗓️ When: Friday 30th October 2026, 10am-2pm
💰 Prices: Entry: Free | Pumpkin Shy and Splat the Rat: £1 each | Face painting: from £5. Parking charges will apply.
✨ Highlights: Free Halloween crafts, a disco and a fancy dress competition.
Full Halloween Party at Betteshanger Park 2026 details →
Crafts, Workshops & Museums
Perfect for those rainy days
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🦇 Spook-Tober Half Term Discovery Days at The Amelia
📍 Tunbridge Wells
🗓️ When: Saturday 24th, Monday 26th, Wednesday 28th and Friday 30th October 2026, 10am-4pm (closed 12.30pm-1.30pm)
💰 Prices: Discovery Days: Free, just drop in | Messy Monday (26th October): £7 per child, or £10 for two.
✨ Highlights: Creepy crafts and spooky creations, plus a Relaxed Opening for autistic and neurodiverse visitors on Saturday 24th October, 2pm-4pm (book by email).
Full Spook-Tober Discovery Days at The Amelia 2026 details →
📚 The Gruffalo Free Family Workshop at Maidstone Museum
📍 Maidstone
🗓️ When: Monday 26th October 2026, 10.30am-12.30pm
💰 Prices: Free, but booking is essential.
✨ Highlights: Stories, creativity and play for ages 3 to 8, hosted by Kent Adult Education as part of the National Year of Reading.
Full The Gruffalo Free Family Workshop 2026 details →
🎃 Halloween Spooktacular at The Alex
📍 Faversham
🗓️ When: Thursday 29th October 2026 | Sessions: 10am, 12pm and 2pm (1 hour 30 minutes each)
💰 Prices: Child: £6, including a pumpkin. Booking fee applies.
✨ Highlights: Pumpkin carving and kooky crafts in a parent-led session, so grown-ups stay and join in.
Full Halloween Spooktacular at The Alex 2026 details →
🔪 Halloween Pumpkin Carving at Westwood Cross
📍 Broadstairs
🗓️ When: Tuesday 27th October 2026 | Sessions: 10am, 11am, 12 noon and 1pm
💰 Prices: £5. Booking fees may apply.
✨ Highlights: A 45-minute pumpkin carving session in the Community Hub with pumpkins provided, plus balloon modelling, family magic and free face painting.
Full Halloween Pumpkin Carving at Westwood Cross 2026 details →
🍪 Halloween Shortbread Decorating at The WonderWorks
📍 Margate
🗓️ When: Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th October 2026, 11am-2pm
💰 Prices: Shortbread decorating: £2.50 | Museum entry: Free during half term.
✨ Highlights: Decorate a pumpkin-themed shortbread to take home, as part of a free visit to The WonderWorks.
Full Halloween Shortbread Decorating at The WonderWorks 2026 details →
🧙♀️ Scare Fest at The Priory Shopping Centre
📍 Dartford
🗓️ When: Wednesday 28th October 2026 | Time slots: 10.30am-2.45pm | Anton Ghoul’s Kids Show: 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm
💰 Prices: Free, but booking is required. Spaces are limited.
✨ Highlights: Design a trick-or-treat pot, collect stamps and goodies on the Sweet Treat Adventure around the shops, and hunt for six witches hiding in the shop windows.
Full Scare Fest at The Priory Shopping Centre 2026 details →
Shows, Screenings & Spooky Stories
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🏴☠️ Dame Dolly’s Spooktacular Pirate Show at Hazlitt Theatre
📍 Maidstone
🗓️ When: Sunday 1st November 2026, 12pm (approx. 1 hour)
💰 Prices: £14. Booking fees may apply.
✨ Highlights: Dame Dolly needs her young crew to help defeat Pirate Blackbeard in this panto-style show for ages 2 to 12 and the young at heart.
Full Dame Dolly’s Spooktacular Pirate Show 2026 details →
🚗 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Hazlitt Theatre
📍 Maidstone
🗓️ When: 28th to 31st October 2026, 7.30pm | Matinee: 31st October, 2pm
💰 Prices: Adult: £20 | Concession – under 16 years and over 65 years: £17 | Groups: 6 for 5.
✨ Highlights: The Hazlitt Institute of Performing Arts presents the family musical about Caractacus Potts and the car that flies and floats.
Full Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Hazlitt Theatre 2026 details →
🚂 The Signalman at Dickens House Museum
📍 Broadstairs
🗓️ When: Friday 30th October to Sunday 1st November 2026 | Showings: 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm
💰 Prices: Museum admission: Adult: £5 | Child: £2.50 | Concession: £3.50 | Family – 2 adults + 2 children: £12.50.
✨ Highlights: An abridged adaptation of Charles Dickens’ ghost story, a good pick for older children who like their tales a little unsettling.
Full The Signalman at Dickens House Museum 2026 details →
🎬 Free Films at Folkestone Harbour Arm
📍 Folkestone
🗓️ When: Weekends, 1pm | Saturday 24th October: Mars Attacks! (12A) | Sunday 25th October: Ghostbusters (12) | Saturday 31st October: Hocus Pocus (PG) | Sunday 1st November: Eight Legged Freaks (12)
💰 Prices: Free.
✨ Highlights: Spooky screenings at The Goods Yard on the Harbour Arm, with more creature features on into November.
Full Free Films at Folkestone Harbour Arm 2026 details →
Fireworks Fun
Early fireworks over the half term, plus see our Bonfire & Fireworks in Kent Guide for a comprehensive list.
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🎇 Hampton Primary School Fireworks
📍 Herne Bay
🗓️ When: 23rd October 2026, 5pm-8pm | Fireworks: 6.30pm
💰 Prices: £6 | Child – 2 years and under: Free. Booking fees will apply. Limited tickets available on the day: From £8.
✨ Highlights: Annual fireworks; there will be food vendors, merchandise stalls and more.
Full Hampton Primary School Fireworks 2026 details →
31st OCTOBER 2026
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🎇 Addington Village Cricket Club Halloween & Fireworks Night
📍 West Malling, Tonbridge
🗓️ When: 31st October 2026, 6pm to 11pm | Fireworks: 7.30pm
💰 Prices: Adult: £10 | Child – under 16s: £6 | Child – under 3 years: Free | Family – 2 adults + 2 under-16s: £28 | Halloween Magic Show & Party add-on: £5 per child – ages 5 to 10 years. Booking fees will apply.
✨ Highlights: A Halloween magic show and party for kids, a costume competition with prizes, BBQ and fireworks display.
💡 Top Tip: Take cash, as card machines can’t be guaranteed for the club or the food vendors.
Full Halloween & Fireworks Night at Addington Village Cricket Club 2026 details →
Films For The Holidays
Don’t miss our Film Releases in Kent guide for the latest films, including the critically acclaimed Wildwood (Cert 12A), which audiences love too, and Tad and the Magic Lamp (Paramount Pictures, Cert U). In Tad’s latest adventure, he and his girlfriend Sara, with friends Mummy, Jeff and Belzoni, set off on a quest after Tad accidentally unleashes an ancient spell. Plus, lots more.
More Half Term Ideas
Still looking for more? Head to a pumpkin patch to pick the perfect pumpkin, find more spooky family fun in our Halloween guide, or browse all our October half term listings by area and date.
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🎃 Best Pumpkin Picking in Kent: Pick your own pumpkins at farms and pumpkin patches across the county.
👻 Halloween-Themed Family Fun in Kent: Spooky trails, trick-or-treating and Halloween parties for all the family.
🍂 October Half Term in Kent: Browse all our half term listings by area and date.
Rainy Days & Older Kids
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Rain on the forecast or teens to entertain? From escape rooms and bowling to trampoline parks, soft play and pottery painting, there’s plenty to do indoors across Kent.
🧩 Play Centres & Pottery Studios: Soft play for little ones and paint-your-own pottery for all ages.
🔐 Escape Rooms: Crack the codes against the clock, perfect for tweens, teens and the whole family.
🎳 Laser Tag & Bowling Centres: Indoor fun whatever the weather.
🧗 Climbing Centres, Paintballing & Trampoline Parks: Burn off some energy with a climb, a bounce or a battle.
⛳ Mini Golf & Skate Parks: Crazy golf courses and skate parks across Kent.
🏊 Water World: Swimming pools, splash zones and water fun.
🦁 Animal Attractions: Farms, zoos and wildlife parks to visit over the holidays.
🗺️ Themed Trails: Family trails to follow in gardens, parks and woodlands.
🧒 Kids See Kent: All our family days out and events for children.
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Picture Credit: © Main image by Jessie-maxwell, children crafting by Silvana Carlos, and family in woods by Siim Lukka all at unsplash.com
Explore More of See Kent
🌹 Area Guides in Kent: Get to know towns, villages and places to visit across the Garden of England
🏛️ Things to Do in Kent: Explore attractions and activities across the county.
🎭 What’s On in Kent: Find upcoming events and things to do.
💡 Ideas & Inspiration: Browse more features, themed articles and seasonal round-ups.
❄️ Seasonal Spotlight: Find events for Easter, school holidays, Halloween, Christmas and other key occasions.
📧 See Kent Newsletter: Sign up for our free newsletter for more ideas and inspiration.
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