The Christmas Adventure at Stockheld Park, near Wetherby, Yorkshire, from Friday 23 October 2009
Every year from late October, the grounds of this 2,000-acre estate in Yorkshire are turned into a winter wonderland, with illuminations, a Nordic ski trail, snowflake maze, skating rink and much more.
It all kicks off to coincide with October half term, with a week of special events. There will be spooky storytelling daily, and extra events on different days, including pottery-painting and puppet-making classes, and pumpkin-carving demonstrations.
On Friday there are drama workshops from the Theatrebugs company, followed by an interactive theatre experience in the woods.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
http://www.thechristmasadventure.com/about-us.asp
Half-Term Holidays at Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire, 25 October to 1 November 2009
Rev your way over to the world’s largest collection of British historic cars, including an Aston Martin Vanquish, as driven by Pierce Brosnan in the Bond movie Die Another Day.
As well as the car collection and other exhibitions, outside there's an adventure playground, and go-karts and a miniature roadway are available at weekends.
For the October half-term week, you can pay for the exciting 4x4 Off-Road Experience, riding as a passenger. The centre will also be providing other half-term family activities as part of the normal admission price.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk
Halloween Spooktacular Festival, The Big Sheep, Devon, 24 October to 1 November 2009
‘Fun by day, scary by night’, is how they bill this annual half-term spook-fest at The Big Sheep, a woolly attraction near Bideford.
There’s fun for smaller children, such as pumpkin-carving tips and fancy-dress prizes from the Pumpkin Princess. They can take the tractor ride to Pumpkinville, and watch the lantern parade.
For older kids there’s a haunted house and ghost train for spine-tingling thrills, while the indoor play area, Ewetopia, will be decked out with ghoulish things, and there will be a ‘Horrid Spook Hunt’ – watch out for the ghosts, who tend to move the clues around…
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.thebigsheep.co.uk/parties/bigsheephalloween.html
Saxmundham Arts Festival, Suffolk, 23 October to 1 November 2009
This is the seventh annual arts festival to grace the sleepy Suffolk market town of Saxmundham, and it takes a generously broad view of what constitutes ‘the arts’, providing something for old and young alike.
Children and parents might both find something they like at the Hobbies Fayre, and there will be Punch and Judy shows to provide fun of the good-old-fashioned variety.
Kids will also enjoy the circus skills workshop – they may even get the chance to laugh at Dad trying to juggle – and aspiring fashionistas can watch the fashion show.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.saxmundham.org/news/artsfestival.html
Heraldry at Leeds Castle, Kent, 24-30 October 2009
With TV programmes such as Who Do You Think You Are fuelling a nationwide obsession with genealogy, Leeds Castle invites you and your kids to trace this famous castle’s previous owners back through the centuries, and to find out how to research your own family tree.
Your children can have fun designing their own coat of arms and other heraldry-themed activities as part of this special half-term event.
Elsewhere you can roam the beautiful grounds of the handsome moated castle, east of Maidstone. Tackle the maze, watch falconry displays and have a mosey around the dog collar museum.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.leeds-castle.com
Ice Skating at the Eden Project, St Austell, Cornwall, October 24 to November 1
The Eden Project continues to expand its offerings with the introduction of an ice rink, just in time for half term. And to fit the build-up to Halloween, it will be decorated in a spooky manner.
Curious characters will be telling stories of a ghoulish variety, and children can meet and learn about that beautiful creature of the night, the owl.
In the ‘Wishcraft’ tent, the kids can learn how to mix magic potions, cast spells and, of course, carve pumpkins.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.edenproject.com
Up 3D, BFI Imax, London, 9-27 October 2009
The ‘next big thing’ in cinema is a contemporary take on that old kids’ favourite, 3D.
Disney-Pixar’s latest computer-animated blockbuster, Up 3D, is about a curmudgeonly old balloon salesman who ties thousands of balloons to his house and floats off to South America, before discovering he has an eight-year-old stowaway on board.
It’s out in time for this half term, and there’s nowhere more impressive to see it than at the newly refurbished, 500-seat BFI Imax in Waterloo, with its 20-metre-high screen, 11,600-watt digital surround-sound system and the world’s most advanced digital projection system.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_imax
Half-Term Hauntings at Beaulieu, Hampshire, 24 October to 1 November 2009
Things take a ghoulish turn over half term at this top-class attraction in the New Forest, famous for its motor museum.
Kids can meet and talk to real ghost hunters in the haunted abbey, and naturally the face-painting will be of the gruesome variety. The monorail has been converted into the ‘moan-a-rail’ for the occasion, and there’s a ‘witches’ cauldron’ lucky dip.
The Halloween quiz sheet will keep your kids on their toes, and shivers will go down spines when they hear the spooky stories in Palace House. Costumed youngsters get half-price entry.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.beaulieu.co.uk/beaulieu/events-ghostsandghouls
Half-term Activities, Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, near Chichester, Sussex, 26-30 October 2009
This collection of historic buildings in the Sussex countryside has won many awards over the years. Its reconstructed edifices include a timber-framed farmhouse, a working Tudor kitchen and a medieval shop.
Here, children can roam in safety among the buildings and gardens, and meet cattle, pigs, sheep and poultry.
Throughout October half term, the museum promises ‘wickedly wonderful seasonal activities’ each day for accompanied children of all ages. They’ll get to make their own mini-scarecrow, carve an authentically scary pumpkin, and indulge in arts and crafts. The activities will be under cover if it’s wet.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.wealddown.co.uk
Wizard Week, Isle of Wight Steam Railway, 25-30 October 2009
With its 19th-century carriages, this five-mile railway has been delighting children for nearly 40 years, and over October half-term it will be delighting them with a bit of added spookiness thrown in.
The train goes from Wootton, through Havenstreet and Ashey, to Smallbrook Junction. En route the wizard theme brings magic shows, an enchanting woodland walk, and even an encounter with bats. Children are encouraged to dress up as wizards, witches and other characters, with prizes offered for the best costumes. There’s a Halloween colouring competition, too.
More info:
Find a local holiday park
www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/pages/events/events.htm
