Halloween in London with Kids 2019: 12 Ideas for Little Monsters

All Hallow’s Eve is almost here and as usual, I’ve rounded up some of London’s most fang-tastic family activities. Here are 12+ ideas to make your eyes pop out for Halloween in London with kids. Mwahahahahahaha.

Halloween in London with Kids: 12 Ideas for Little Monsters

Dark Arts at Hogwarts, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Hertfordshire, WD25 7GS (Watford Junction rail)
Where else to go on All Hallow’s Eve but the Harry Potter studio tour? Head to Hogwarts for their annual Dark Arts extravaganza, always on our top picks for Halloween in London with kids. You can practice wand combat, battle Death Eaters, check out original costumes and props from the movies. And don’t miss the spectacle of 100 hand-carved pumpkins floating in the air. All ages welcome. First tours from 9am, last tours from 6.30-6.45pm (closing time 3 hours after last tour); adult from £45/child from £37/family from £148/ages 4 and under FREE but require ticket. Advanced booking only (Sep 27-Nov 10)

London Zoo: Family Halloween Fun, Regent’s Park, NW1 4RY (Camden Town/Regent’s Park tube)
Take a pumpkin selfie, make bat masks, or join a ‘Grim Keeper’ tour (for ages 8+), one of several Halloween in London zoo activities. Suck on pumpkin lattes, bare your fangs at zoo residents, or creep along to the ‘In with the Spiders’ area, if you dare! All ages welcome, activities included with regular zoo entry. 10am-4pm entry (5pm close); adult £25.20 off peak/£29.25 standard/£31.50 peak; child £17.55/£19.01 standard/£20.47 peak (tickets include voluntary donation; child under 3 FREE (Oct 19-27)

Spooky Eltham Palace with Creepy Critters, Eltham Palace, Court Yard, Eltham, Greenwich, London, SE9 5QE (Mottingham rail)
Prepare for Shocktober at Eltham Palace with a mixed bag of macabre for Halloween in London with kids. Visit Zoolab creepy critters, make creepy crafts, try witch-themed quests and strut your freaky stuff for a costume prize. All ages welcome. 11am-4pm; adult £17/child £10.20/concs £15.30/family £44.20/under 5s and members go FREE (Oct 20-25 & Oct 27)

Halloween Spooky Storytelling at the London Eye, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Enjoy sky high thrills at the London Eye with a brand new event for Halloween in London with kids. Climb into a capsule to hear 4 ghost stories, then figure out which one isn’t true! All guests receive a Hotel Chocolat goodie bag after the ride. Hurry, it’s almost sold out! All ages welcome. Every hour from 2pm daily (check available times online); online prices adult £17.50/child £17.50/adult + child comb ticket £35/under 3s FREE (Oct 23-31)

Big Fish Little Fish: Halloween Spooktacular Family Rave at Fire & Lightbox, 39 Parry Street, SW8 1RT (Vauxhall tube/rail)
Can you dig it? World famous Big Fish Little Fish (g)ravers will be tearing it up at two venues for Halloween. Their Halloween party at Queen of Hoxton is already SOLD OUT. But you can still mash up the floor at Fire & Lightbox, with a killer mix across 3 rooms by DJs including Rob Tissera and Jumping Jack Frost. Also on offer: glowstick and transfer tattoos, parachute dance finale, licensed bar, Captain Cookie crafts and Villa Pia baby chill out. Best for ages 0-8 and their grown ups. 2pm-4.30pm, tickets from adult £10, child £7 and pre-walkers go free (Oct 26)

Horniman Halloween Fair, 100 London Rd, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ (Forest Hill overground)
Little monsters converge at this brilliant holiday event every year. Enter the Wild Fangs creature cave, listen to spooky stories, show off your dead threads in a Halloween fashion parade, go on a Halloween trail, shop the Horniman market, or have fun on tea cup rides and bounce castle. All ages welcome. 10.30am-4.30pm, £0-£5, most activities are FREE (Oct 26-27)

Halloween Ghost Trains, Epping Ongar Railway, North Weald CM16 6BT (Epping tube zone 6, bus to North Weald)
Hop on a ghost bus and board a steam or diesel Halloween Ghost Train through Epping Forest and North Weird (aka North Weald). Rides include spooky characters, owl visits from Epping Forest Hawk and Owl Sanctuary, creepy storytelling, magic show and kids disco. All ages. Ghost buses leave Epping Station to Ongar from 10.30am-5.10pm (roughly every 1 hour and 20 minutes). Train departures from Ongar between 11.10am-5.50pm. For full journey times and routes, check website ahead of your trip. Tickets (including train and bus fare, most of the entertainment + free gift for kids): adult £16/child £10/under 3s FREE (Oct 26-31)

Royal Gunpowder Mills: Dr Gore’s Spooky Mad Lab, Waltham Abbey, Essex, EN9 1JY (Waltham Cross rail)
Spending this Halloween in London with kids? Head to Dr Gore’s Spooky Mad Lab for a gooey, slimy experience cooking up all sorts of freaky experiments. Make witches’ hats, mini broomsticks, or even a rocket to launch. Ages 3+. Doors open 10am, last entry 3pm; adult from £10.50/child 3-15 from £8.50/family of 4 from £34.20/single parent family from £24.75 (1 adult and 2 kids) or £32.80 (1 adult and 3 kids) (Oct 26-Nov 1)

Halloween Dog Walk, The Spaniards Inn, Spaniards Rd, NW3 7JJ (Hampstead/East Finchley tube, Hampstead Heath overground)
Grrrr! Watch out, your sweet little pup might turn into a fierce hound, inspired by all the best dressed dogs at this beloved event. There’s prizes for best costumes (worn by four-legged friends and their big or small owners). Plus doggy treats and stalls to browse. All proceeds go to charity. All ages welcome. Registration at the Spaniards Inn from 11am, walk from 12pm, fancy dress show 1pm-2.30pm; entrance fee per dog £5 (Oct 27)

King’s Cross Halloween Parade and Party at Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4BH (King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
It’s another King’s Cross throw down for Halloween in London with kids. This year, they’re joining forces with Kit and Caboodle to present spectacular family fun. See Skeleton Squad dancers rise from the grave to perform an illuminated Dance of the Dead (6.30pm & 7.30pm). Also look out for giant skeleton puppets, free face painting, skeleton costume prizes and more. Head down early from 5.30pm to join in free dance workshops, then take part in the Skeleton Squad choreographed performances! Venues around Granary Square, Coal Drops Yard and King’s Cross will be selling Halloween-themed delicacies throughout. All ages welcome. From 5.30pm; FREE (Oct 31)

Halloween Night Safari at London Wetland Centre, WWT London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, SW13 9WT (Hammersmith tube/Barnes Bridge rail)
Meet the creatures that go bump in the night at this after hours adventure. You’ll be on the hunt for nocturnal wildlife, then build your own den to hide out from ghouls, and make a campfire. The evening rounds off with toasting marshmallows and telling ghostly stories. Ages 8+ and adult (dressing up encouraged, but do wrap up warm). Gates 3.30pm, event 4pm-7pm; child £25.50/accompanying adult FREE – NB tickets only for event, normal admission charges apply prior to activity (Oct 31)

The Potion Room Afternoon Tea at Cutter & Squidge, 20 Brewer St, Soho, London, W1F 0SJ (Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Tottenham Court Rd tubes)
Fancy becoming a potions master? Sign up at the School of Wizarding Alchemy at Cutter & Squidge. You’ll take part in a secret potions class at this quirky, magical afternoon tea for ages 8+ (younger ones not admitted). Booking ahead recommended. 12pm, 3pm & 6pm; adult £49.50/child 8-12 £39.50 (ongoing)

We also like
Get ogre your fears and brave the swamp at Shrek’s Adventure (ongoing); Slime Planet hosts a Slimetacular event with glow in the dark slime to create a Giant Dracula! (Oct 19-27); hear terrifying ‘tails’ with Spooky Cats at London Museum of Water and Steam (Oct 19-27); follow the Scarecrow Trail at Morden Hall Park (Oct 19-Nov 3); the Time Travel Club at the National Archives in Richmond hosts a Halloween Craft Club (Oct 31); visit the Living Shed at Chickenshed in Cockfosters to watch Young Frankenstein and drink dracula blood cocktails, ages 8+ (Oct 31); and don’t forget to stock up on monstrous goodies at Hoxton Street Monster Supplies (ongoing)