The BEST Halloween Kids Events in London!

 

 
The ever popular Spooky Trail at Lauderdale House and the Big Fish Little Fish Halloween Family Rave at Stratford Circus are both SOLD OUT already — but don’t panic! There are tons of terrifying times to be had with your mini monsters all over town. We’ve (ahem) dug up some of the BEST Halloween Kids Events in London:

Ride a ghostly steam train through Epping Forest; try wand combat at Harry Potter Studio Tours; make Halloween goodies with Fortnum & Mason or BKD; solve a zombie epidemic at Kidzania London; unleash your Thriller moves with Baby Loves Disco or Disco Kids; warm up with pumpkin soup at the Skip Garden in King’s Cross…

Happy Halloween! (mwa hahaha… evil shrieks etc)

 

 

 
Dark Arts at Hogwarts, WB Studio Tours, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden WD25 7LR (Watford Junction rail)
The scariest elements of movie magic and special effects witchcraft come together in this behind the scenes look at Hogwards, where you can watch Death Eaters come alive, take part in wand combat or see the Great Hall decorated for Hallowe’en. From 9am; adult £31/child £23.50/family £93/under 4s FREE (Oct 16-Nov 1)

Halloween at Shrek’s Adventure, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Experience Shrek’s swamp decorated for the scary season, with pumpkins, cobwebs, witchy visitors and things that go boo. Prepare for a yucky dip, special effects and 4D fun, as part of the ‘ogre the top’ effects at one of London’s newest attractions for families. 10am-5pm (Sun-Fri), 10am-6pm (Sat); advance online tickets from £23.40 (Oct 24-Nov 1)

Halloween Dog Walk, Spaniards Rd, NW3 7JJ (Hampstead tube/Hampstead Heath overground)
Fun and fabulous parade of dogs (and their owners) all dressed up for Halloween. There are fancy dress prizes, stalls, ghoulish goodies and tricks and treats for all ages. Proceeds to charity. Registration from 10.30am, walk from 11am; entrance fee per dog £5 (Oct 25)

Ghoulish Kitchen at Fortnum & Mason, Regent St, W1A 1ER (Piccadilly Circus tube)
The hugely popular slasher fest that happened annually has given way to a Ghoulish Kitchen where kids are invited to get creepy and crafty. Get hands-on with dry ice in cauldrons, make a spooky Halloween lantern, and carve pumpkins in time for the big day. 11.30am Dry Ice (Tue-Wed), 2pm Halloween Lanterns (Tue-Wed), 4pm/£20 per child Pumpkin Decopatch (Tue-Wed) & 11am/£20 per child Pumpkin Carving (Thu) (Oct 27-29)

Halloween at Greenwich Market, SE10 9HZ (Cutty Sark DLR/Greenwich rail)
Get your creepy kit on for some Halloween fun in Greenwich Market. There’s spider webs and pompom spiders with Natty Peeps (Tue-Wed), fierce face painting (Thu) and Ready Steady Scream (Fri), a full day of fun with Halloween hoola hooping, pumpkin judging and costume contests. All ages, times vary (Oct 27-30)

Dia De Muertos: Day of the Dead at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, E1 6LA (Shoreditch High St overground)
For the third year running, Rich Mix hosts London’s most authentic celebration of the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition of commemorating loved ones who have passed on. There’s live music, arts, crafts, sugar skull decorating and kids t-shirt printing, delicious Mexican food, screening of animated flick Book of the Dead (12pm) and an offrenda (altar) where you can add mementoes for your loved ones e.g. food, flowers, poems or photos. All ages. 11am-10pm, FREE (Nov 1)

 

 

 
Halloween at London Eye, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Unlock the Book of Spells at the Witches Academy on this sky high training for little witches and warlocks. Glide over London town and hear bewitching tales, and earn yourself a goody bag for your troubles. Includes free entry to London Eye 4D experience. 12.30-6.30pm (Oct 24, 25, 26), 12.30-5.30pm (Oct 27, 28, 29) & 1.30-6.30pm (Oct 30-31); online prices adult from £26.55/child from £16.65/family of 4 £65.60/under 4s free (walk up prices higher) (Oct 24-31)

Halloween Boat Rides at London Canal Museum, 12-13 New Wharf Rd, N1 9RT (King’s Cross tube)
The popular narrowboat rides through Islington tunnel offer sweets and glow sticks for the kids, plus there’s more fun to be had in the museum before or after your trip. Boats depart every 20 mins from 3pm-9pm; adult £10/child ages 0-15 £8 (Oct 25-26)

Spookfest at London Museum of Water and Steam, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, London TW8 0EN (Kew Bridge rail, Kew Gardens/Gunnersbury tube)
Explore haunted engine houses, have spooky encounters, get crafty, and ride the Ghost Train on a trip through the creepy wood. All day; adult £11.50/child £5/ family of 3 £16.50/family of 4 £28/under 5s FREE (Oct 25-Nov 1)

Steam & Scream on the Epping Ongar Railway, North Weald CM16 6BT (Epping tube zone 6, bus to North Weald)
Ride the Ghost Train this Halloween on a heritage steam or diesel train through Epping Forest. There’s on board entertainment, fancy dress contests, scary surprises and treats for all kids. Departures 12.30pm, 2pm, 3:30pm, 5pm, 6.30pm and 8pm (earlier trains best for younger passengers); train and bus fare: adult £14/child £10/under 3s FREE (Oct 30-31)

Halloween Boat Ride with Hidden Depths Canal Cruises, Kings Cross, Canalside Steps, Granary Square, London N1C 4AA (Kings Cross St Pancras tube)
Take a spooky one-hour ride through Islington tunnel and back again from the steps outside Granary Square, with screams and moans echoing in the dark. Keep an eye out for ghost pirates! Suitable for all ages. 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm; adult £10/child £5/under 3s FREE (Oct 31/Nov 1)

Read our review of a Halloween Boat Ride with Hidden Depths

 

 

 
Kidzania presents Halloween at KidZania London, Westfield London, Ariel Way, W12 7GA (Shepherd’s Bush tube/overground, White City tube)
The role-play town of Kidzania will be transformed into Halloween city where a zombie epidemic has broken out. Visiting kids can join the Emergency Response team and help Urbano find an antidote to the outbreak. There’s also Snazaroo face painting, monster dance moves, creepy catwalk, Halloween parade and a Parents room where you can escape the madness. Holiday schedule 11am-8pm (Mon)/10am-8pm (Tue-Thu)/10am-9pm (Fri-Sat)/10am-8pm (Sun), last admission 4pm (5pm Friday); adult from £16.50/child ages 4-14 from £28/ages 1-3 £10/under 1s FREE (Oct 24-Nov 1)

Halloween Pumpkin Carving at Eltham Palace, Court Yard, Eltham, Greenwich, London, SE9 5QE (Mottingham rail)
Visit the glorious grounds of Eltham Palace with your mucky pups and get busy crafting scary Jack o’ Lanterns. There will be more art and crafts and storytelling, and scary fancy dress is highly encouraged! 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm; adult £13/£7.80/concs £11.80/family £33.80 (Oct 26-31)

Discovery Day: Hair-Raising Halloween at Isis Education Centre, Hyde Park, W2 2UH (Hyde Park Corner tube)
Dress up and drop in on this day of Halloween themed activities where you can try everything from designing your own bat mask, to whipping up potions using the natural resources available. All ages. 11am-3pm, FREE (Oct 28)

Ghost Ships and Spooky Shadows at Cutty Sark, King William Walk, Greenwich, SE10 9HT (Cutty Sark DLR/Greenwich rail)
Make sea monsters and ghost ships to create a spooky shadow puppet show, and take your own Halloween puppet home to haunt you. 11.30am-1.3pm & 2pm-4pm; FREE with entry adult £13.50/child £7 (Oct 30)

Halloween Ghost Ship at National Maritime Museum. National Maritime Museum, Park Row, Greenwich, SE10 9NF (Cutty Sark DLR/Greenwich rail)
Go deep into the Bermuda Triangle at the popular Greenwich museum to uncover sea serpents, dragons, sea witches and other terrifying beings. Come dressed to frighten, hear wicked pirate tales, search for wreckage and go on a ghost hunt around the museum. 10am-4pm; adult £10/child £6/member £5 (Oct 31)

Comedy Club 4 Kids: Halloween Special, Canada Water Culture Space, Canada Water Library, 21 Surrey Quays Road, SE16 7AR (Canada Water tube/overground)
It’s Halloween so come in your best costume for a special edition of the live comedy show aimed at anyone ages 6 to 400 years old (friendly vampires only). You’ll hear naughty jokes (but not too naughty) and entertainment to make your toes curl and your hair stand on end. Perhaps. 2pm, £7/family £24 (Oct 31)

Horniman Halloween Fair, 100 London Rd, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ (Forest Hill overground)
Enter the Wild Fangs creature cave, join in a scary parade and storytelling session, make hair-raising headdresses, hear live music and search for edibles in the Farmer’s Market (Sat only). 10.30am-4.30pm, FREE (some events ticketed) (Oct 31-Nov 1)

Ragged Ghoul Museum, Ragged School Museum, 46-50 Copperfield Rd, E3 4RR (Mile End tube)
Explore the world of Sherlock Holmes this Halloween, complete challenges and solve clues, plus there’s face painting and an under 5s play area for your baby pumpkins. 10am-5pm, FREE (Oct 28-29)

Halloween at Freightliners Farm, Sheringham Road, London, N7 8PF (Highbury & Islington tube)
Head to this wonderful local city farm for their annual Halloween shenanigans. You can carve pumpkins, make Halloween crafts, and take part in a costume or pumpkin contest on the final day. 11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm, FREE entry (donations welcome) (Oct 29-31)

Muswell Hill Geisterfest, St James Square (opposite St James’ Church), Muswell Hill, N10 3RS (Highgate Tube)
Geisterfest is back for another terrifying takeover of Muswell Hill shops and businesses. Look for freaky face painters, Monsters Dance company performance, dogs in ferocious fancy dress and a pumpkin treasure hunt. 4pm-late (Oct 31)

 

 

 
Halloween Party at Burgh House, New End Square, NW3 1LT (Hampstead tube/Hampstead Heath overground)
The Halloween Party is back at Burgh House with a bubbling mix of activities including fancy dress contest, monstrous museum trail, crafty fun, terrifying tales and more. Advance booking essential. Ages 0-8. 1-3pm, child £15/accompanying adult FREE (Oct 27)

Eddie Catz Annual Family Halloween Party at Eddie Catz Putney, 68-70 Putney High Street, 1st Floor, SW15 1SF (Putney Bridge/East Putney tube)
Magic and mayhem from entertainers Sharky & George, Halloween disco, fancy dress catwalk with prizes including goodies from Tinc and Great Little Trading Company. You can also have your macabre memories preserved by resident photographers Memory Gate. Ages 2-10 and their families. 5.30pm-7.30pm; adult £4 (includes drink and entry into fancy dress contest); child £15 (includes kids’ meal & drink, all entertainment & face painting, Halloween goodie bag); tickets required for siblings under 2 only if they want meal, face painting and goody bag otherwise normal admission applies but email info@eddiecatz.com to book spot (Oct 29 & 30)

Halloween parties also at Eddie Catz Wimbledon (2nd night SOLD OUT) and Newbury

Halloween Party on Hampstead Heath, East Heath Rd, NW3 2SY (Hampstead Heath overground)
Get your rags and bones and witches hats on for a party to remember on the Heath. There are prizes for best fancy dress and best scary drawing, ghastly games, and a few surprises. For ages 5+ (kids under 8 must be accompanied by an adult). 2.30pm-4pm, FREE. Tel: 020 7482 2116 (Oct 30)

Baby Loves Disco and Pop Lock-In Halloween Parties at DNA London, 1 St Johns Hill, Clapham Junction SW11 1TN (Clapham Junction rail/overground)
Pick up some tricks (and treats) at the BLD Halloween disco for ages 0-7 and their carers (1-3pm); or sink your fangs into bloody mocktails, karaoke and photo booth action at the Pop Lock-In for ages 4-11 (4-6pm). Baby Loves Disco £9.95 per walking human; Pop Lock-In child £12.95/£15.45 with goodie bag/accompanying adults FREE (Oct 31)

Selfridges Kids Halloween Party, 400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB (Bond St tube)
After a week of ghoulish Halloween fun, the department store throws another foot stomping party with wand making, face painting, fancy dress contest and chance to win a kids hamper worth £100. 1-6pm, FREE entry (Oct 31)

Halloween Night with Highbury Roundhouse, Sotheby Mews Day Centre, Sotheby Road, N5 2UT (Highbury & Islington tube)
The annual shebang mixes up a witches brew for adults, disco for kids and adults, apple bobbing, gunk tank, face painting, lucky dip, tricks and treats. BBQ & drinks on sale. All ages. 5-8pm, adult £5/child £2 (Oct 31)

Halloween Party at Culpeper Garden, 1 Cloudesley Rd, N1 0EG (Angel tube)
We love Culpeper Garden, a calm oasis in the middle of the city, and their Halloween party transforms the space with costumed kids (prizes for the best!), enchanted trail and ghoulish games. All ages. 4.30pm-6pm, FREE (typically Oct 31, confirm via info@culpeper.org)

Disco Kids: Monster Mash, at The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 4AG (New Cross/Deptford overground)
Wind up Halloween weekend at haunted Castle Albany, with DJ Jean Genie spinning a monster mix to unleash the boogie for under 7s and their creepy entourage. 2-5pm, £6/family £20 (Nov 1)

 

 

 
Le Pain Quotidien Halloween Cookie Workshops, various venues
Kids can help decorate creepy cookies for Halloween at Notting Hill (5pm, Oct 21 & 28), Highgate (3pm & 4pm, Oct 28), Hampstead (4pm & 5.30pm, Oct 27) and Chiswick (4pm & 5pm, Oct 30) branches. All FREE. Booking 020 3657 6929 (Oct 21-30)

BKD Spooky Cookies at Hoxton Hotel, Shoreditch, 81 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HU (Liverpool St/Old St tube)
Slip into an apron and get ready to vamp up BKD’s freshly baked ghost and ghoul cookies with googly eyes and, um, sprinkles. Fancy dress encouraged. For ages 2+. 11am-12.30pm, £25 per child (includes 1 adult plus booking fee) (Oct 29)

Halloween Pumpkin Rescue at Angel Central, 21 Parkfield Street, Islington, N1 0PS (Angel tube)
Head to Angel Central Piazza for a mini foodie fest, with a communal cook up of leftover pumpkins, including soup for all whipped up by a trio of top chefs. Part of the London #PumpkinRescue All ages. 11am-4pm, FREE (Oct 31)

Family Sunday Halloween Pumpkins, Global Generation’s Skip Garden, Tapper Walk, King’s Cross, N1C 4AQ (Kings Cross St Pancras tube)
Come to the Skip Garden for an afternoon of arts, crafts, sweet and savoury cooking. Get your hands dirty in the garden, then treat yourself to a home-cooked meal, as we get creative with leftover pumpkins. All ages. FREE but book ahead by contacting ciara@globalgeneration.org.uk or calling 07841 645457 (Nov 1)

Check for the October Half Term London Kids Scoop out soon!

Photos courtesy of BKD, Rich Mix, London Museum of Water & Steam, Eddie Catz, Kidzania London, Skip Garden