As autumn arrives and school routines are in full swing, October Half Term offers the perfect pause: time to rest, recharge and reconnect as a family. Whether your child is a curious scientist, a creative artist or simply loves a good spooky story, London is full of inspiring and educational activities this October.
Here are our top picks for things to do during October Half Term 2025, with a few highlights beyond the capital for families travelling further afield.
If you’d like to discuss how our tutors can help your child turn their half-term discoveries into lasting passion projects that build confidence and curiosity through private tuition and enrichment programmes…
Get in touch with our Education Consultants.Puppet Theatre Barge
📍 Little Venice, Paddington
📅Throughout October Half Term
🎟 Plan your visit
A hidden gem of London’s theatre scene, this enchanting marionette theatre sits on a converted barge moored in Little Venice. Classic tales and original stories are brought to life with puppetry and live music in a cosy setting that captivates children and adults alike – a wonderful educational day out for families seeking creative inspiration.
Centre of the Cell
📍 Queen Mary University, Whitechapel
📅Workshops and drop-in events (check schedule)
🎟 Plan your visit
Located inside working biomedical research laboratories, this unique STEM learning experience lets children see science in action. The interactive “STEM Pod” and lab shows bring cell biology, genetics and medical science to life – perfect for hands-on learning this half term.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
📍 Natural History Museum, South Kensington
📅Opening October 2025
🎟 Book tickets
A global showcase of the world’s most striking wildlife photography. The exhibition inspires awe and raises awareness of conservation. The perfect educational activity in London for budding photographers and nature lovers.
Half Term Fun at the Science Museum
📍 Science Museum, South Kensington
📅Saturday 18th – Sunday 26th October 2025
🎟 Plan your visit
Get hands-on with interactive experiments, live demonstrations and pop-up activities that make science exciting for all ages. A brilliant choice for curious minds a and one of the most popular rainy day half term activities for families in London.
Autumn Festival at Kew Gardens
📍 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
📅 18th – 31st October 2025
🎟 Book tickets
Wander through golden foliage, discover seasonal trails and take part in fashion workshops celebrating autumn’s beauty. A breath of fresh air for the whole family.
Design Workshops at the V&A
📍 Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington
📅 Daily drop-ins throughout Half Term
🎟 Find out more
Children can dive into design, art and performance through free, creative workshops inspired by current exhibitions. Explore how shapes, symbols and objects are used to express ideas and tell stories. Taking inspiration from Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to Extinction Rebellion’s hourglass logo, you will play with type and glyphs to communicate!
Dark Arts at the Harry Potter Studio Tour
📍 Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Leavesden
📅 Throughout October Half Term
🎟 Plan your visit
Experience Hogwarts after dark as the Great Hall glows with floating pumpkins and Death Eaters patrol the corridors. The “Dark Arts” feature brings wand duelling, eerie sets and the secrets behind the films’ special effects to life. A must for Harry Potter fans of all ages.
Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND Windsor
📍 LEGOLAND, Windsor
📅 18th October – 2nd November 2025
🎟 Plan your visit
The park transforms for Halloween with spooky LEGO builds, themed shows and just-scary-enough fun for younger visitors.
Haunted Hampton Court Palace
📍 Hampton Court, East Molesey
📅 21st – 31st October 2025
🎟 Book tickets
Step back into Tudor times as ghostly figures, flickering lights and chilling soundscapes fill Henry VIII’s palace. History meets Halloween in this immersive, spine-tingling experience. The perfect half term outing for young historians!
The Big Draw Festival
📍 UK-wide
📅 Throughout October
🎟 Find out more
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, The Big Draw Festival returns this October with the theme Drawn Together, uniting people through creativity across the globe. From a family workshop with Marion Deuchars at Young V&A to skyline sketching with Better Bankside and community projects nationwide, it’s the world’s largest festival of drawing and creative education.
Archaeology Adventures at the Roman Baths
📍 Bath, Somerset
📅 Throughout October Half Term
🎟 Plan your visit
Dig into history with hands-on archaeology sessions at one of Britain’s best-preserved ancient sites. Children can explore real Roman artefacts, try mosaic-making, and discover what life was like in Bath nearly 2,000 years ago — perfect for curious historians.
October Half Term at the Science and Industry Museum
📍 Manchester
📅 19th – 31st October 2025
🎟 Plan your visit
Get ready for a curious day out with free activities for the whole family to enjoy together. From world-changing ideas to tiny objects with big impact, be inspired by the iconic engines and newly revealed stories ready to be explored.
Samhuinn Fire Festival
📍 Calton Hill, Edinburgh
📅 31st October 2025
🎟 Event details
This modern reimagining of the ancient Celtic festival marks the changing of the seasons with fire, drumming and acrobatics. A spectacle older children and teens will never forget.
Eden Project: Halloweden
📍 Cornwall
📅 18th October – 2nd November 2025
🎟 Book tickets
This October half term, join Zog, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout for storytelling, trails and creative activities inspired by Julia Donaldson’s beloved story – plus the return of the Eden Project’s magical ice rink. A perfect blend of adventure, imagination and eco-learning set among the famous biomes.
October half term is the perfect opportunity to combine fun with learning through enriching family experiences across London and the UK. If your child discovers a new interest – from science to storytelling – our Enjoy Education tutors can transform that curiosity into meaningful passion projects and lasting academic confidence.
Explore how private tuition and enrichment programmes can support your child’s learning journey beyond the classroom.
Get in touch with our Education Consultants!
By Marketing Team