Halloween in London for kids

The post-rave generation of parents can induct their under-eights into the ways of the dancefloor at this family-friendly afternoon disco. Kids and adults can throw shapes to acid house, techno, drum ’n’ bass and more in a space filled with bubbles, balloons and foam. You can spend your downtime at the Halloween crafts table, getting the whole family’s faces painted or relaxing in the baby chill-out area. Spooky dressing-up is very much encouraged.

With hot days becoming a distant memory, it’s time to start prepping for autumn (aka Arguably the Most Charming Season of All). Brace yourself for crisp weather, longer nights, leafy streets and, inevitably, plump orange gourds popping up all over London. That’s right, pumpkin season is here. Whether you associate it with Halloween or not, there’s no excuse for not taking advantage of the huge number of pumpkin-picking opportunities at farms near the capital. Here are our favourite places to go for making the most of pumpkin season 2021.

Party with your pooch at these Halloween gatherings for cockapoos, dachshunds and their owners and admirers. There’ll be plenty of spooky high jinks, including a Halloween menu at the doggy bakery, pumpkins and scary props for that killer Insta tableau and a fancy-dress competition for hounds and humans. The cockapoo and dachshund events are separate but at the same venue, and dog lovers who don’t have pets of their own to bring are welcome to attend without.

Few things in life are scarier than taking a penalty, you might have heard. But you know what is? A spooky stadium tour. Obviously! This half-term, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will open after dark for a ‘delights and frights’ Halloween experience. Dress in your favourite spooky clothing (no Arsenal tops, they’re far too scary) and help the ghostly guide hunt down the four spirits roaming Tottenham Stadium. You’ll have to explore the entire stadium in order to save the day. You’ll become an official ghostbuster and receive a certificate at the end – and you’ll have had a unique tour of the huge stadium. Something for everyone! 

Warner Bros Studios’ blockbuster Harry Potter exhibition has undergone a spooky makeover from now until early November as its Dark Arts theme returns. Most spectacularly, the Great Hall is filled with a hundred flickering, flying jack-o’-lanterns – aka Instagram heaven. Elsewhere there’s a special limited edition passport, plus Death Eaters galore: wandering around looking menacing, but also with interesting demonstrations of everything from their wand stance, their choreography and their costumes.

If you’ve still not seen ‘Wicked’, now’s the time to go. The musical backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West was made for Halloween but it’s a spooky spectacular that won’t give the kids nightmares.

Older kids and braver adults can ‘enjoy’ The London Dungeon’s horrifying-sounding Halloween theme. Following ‘The Dentist’ – the gristly venue’s recent tribute to the horrors of Victorian dentistry – ‘The Surgeon’ is basically a celebration of the nightmare that was having a medical procedure performed upon you in the grimdark of the nineteenth century.

A family-friendly open day with a spooky twist for Halloween. Little ones can explore the witches’ den, make their way through an eerie nature trail and create potions using herbs and plants from the garden. There will also be mask-making, clay-crafting and spooky stories. Visit the event page to book a spot or just drop in on the day.

Feeling villainous? Well then, this Halloween there's only one place to head to get all of your tricks (or treats). That place is Klub Kids: The Disney Villain Ball at Clapham Grand. In addition to what will be a drag-tastic production full of incredible portrayals of Disney's finest villains. Your Ursulas, Captain Hooks and more are all in attendance, brought to life by the likes of Tayce and Miz Cracker. This event is open to those aged 14 and over, but if you're younger than 18 you'll need to be accompanied by an adult – after all, things could get spooky! 

Join the ghostly nineteenth-century figure of Captain Sir John Franklin on a spooky tour around the Old Royal Naval College grounds, while he regales you with tales about his long-lost expedition through the Arctic. Your mission is to find clues about what happened to the doomed sailors on board the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus, before returning to the Clore Learning Room to receive your prize. There’ll also be a chance to create a piece of art about life in the Arctic, or write about what you think happened to the missing sailors. Sailor costumes very much encouraged.