Spooky Watch in Northants
The nights are drawing in, there are spider webs galore, and pumpkins are making an appearance…yes, Halloween is nearly upon us! So dig out those witch and goblin costumes once more, as there are plenty of ghoulish goings-on for your little ones to enjoy. From terror-ific trails to creepy crafts, these frightful friendly events are sure to get all the family into the spooky spirit.
Fearsome Family Fun at Mead Open Farm
Get set for stacks of spooky fun for the whole family at Mead Open Farm’s Freaky FunFest! Plus, for a small extra charge, pick your own perfect pumpkin and carve a funny face at the new Pumpkin Patch! Daily from 21st October – 1st November adventure through six incredible Halloween attractions, all undercover. Help Little Red Riding Hood find her way to Grandma’s house, meet gruesome ghosts in the Haunted Hotel, brave terrific twists and turns of Mr Topper’s Twister and tiptoe through The Shed. For those seeking milder spooks, take the Tiny Terrors Tractor Ride with lots of little boos especially for toddlers! There are new shows too- gasp at Ghost Stories with Penelope Picklepan and join in the daily Halloween fancy dress competition. It’s a full day of spooky fun and adventure for the whole family! W: www.meadopenfarm.co.uk
Discover the darker side of science this half term
Happy Halloween half term from space, the most dangerous place you could ever consider visiting. Join their team as they discover the constant threat of high-speed micrometeorites, your bodily fluids from boiling in the hard vacuum of space and temperatures as low as -129C (-200F) or as high as 121C (250F), sounds like a delightful destination, right? Discover the darker side of science this half term at the National Space Centre with their Spooky Science Talk, take home some space slime, and watch the experts demonstrate What Will Kill You First In Space. W: www.spacecentre.co.uk
Bag a barrow load of frightful fun at West Lodge
Grab yourself a wheelbarrow and head to West Lodge’s pumpkin patch, choose your perfect pumpkin and bring it back to the Pumpkin Tent. They’ll cut the top off so you can scoop it out and then they’ll carve the toothy grin you’ve designed! Then get ready for a Spooky Scarecrow Story with lots of jumps and giggles as Old Ted tells a scary story from his past! Hop aboard the Spooky Tractor Ride and join in The Witch’s House Tours which will have you mesmerised; visit Daisy the Witch’s house to learn all about her magic spells! All this plus the usual farm activities for a full fun day out! W: www.westlodgeruralcentre.co.uk
Which witch will you meet at Rockingham Castle?
Pumpkin-rolling, biscuit-decorating, quizzes and trails – celebrate Halloween with spooky family fun this half term at Rockingham Castle. The Witches of Rockingham will return from 29th October – 1st November, to host ghostly themed activities in the gardens and historic castle rooms. The castle will be open between 11am-4pm on these days and adorned with cobwebs, skeletons and spooky decorations to create the happy haunting atmosphere you’d expect. Enter if you dare! T: 01536 770240 W: www.rockinghamcastle.com
Brave a Breakfast with Monsters Inc this Halloween!
Trick or treat yourself to a Halloween delight on Friday 31st October with a simply spooktacular buffet breakfast (full English and continental) at Holiday Inn Corby. You’ll enjoy a morning of delicious food and ‘fangtastic’ entertainment with a surprise visit from mischievous characters from Monsters Inc. Tickets cost £10 each or 4 for £30. T: 01536 401020 W: www.hicorby.com E: events@hicorby.com
Will you be pumpkin-ready this year?
Mini Meadows Farm has lots to entice you this half term! Find your perfect pumpkin and wheel it back to the carving station; scoop out the seeds and let your imagination run wild! How will you carve yours to be Halloween-ready? The animals will also be waiting to see you; stroke the rabbits and the guinea pigs, giggle at the goats and keep an eye on your animal feed when you visit the crafty llamas! Simple good fun no matter what your age or the weather! Have a terror-ific time in their huge indoor and outdoor play areas, then head to the café for essential refuelling! W: www.minimeadowsfarm.com
Friendly Halloween haunting events at Canons Ashby
Gather the family and head off to Canons Ashby and enjoy a lovely autumn day out together. Kick up some leaves, collect a conker or a pine cone to take home, and join in with one of their October events. Try the Halloween Bat Trail in the parkland until 3rd November – a great way to stretch your legs and discover more about bats. Or visit on the 30th October and see the Birds of Prey between 11am-3pm. Got creative kids? Spooky Stories (creative writing) is aimed at children 8-12 years old, just £10 per child including an adult on the 31st October (pre-booking essential). W: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/canons-ashby
Enter ‘Slime Manor’ and have a wonderfully wicked time!
Weston Favell’s Spooky house will be returning this half term from the 26th October – 3rd November. Open from 11am-3pm daily, shoppers can walk through ‘Slime Manor’ and share their pictures on Facebook all week, to be in with a chance of winning a Spooky Sweetie Hamper worth £20, from ‘Wendy’s Sweet Shop’! The fun doesn’t stop there; on Wednesday 30th October children will be invited to the Favell Fun Club’s Slime SPOOK-tacular! Fun Club members can choose to have their face painted or glitter-fied before heading through ‘Slime Manor’ and on to make a pot of oozing slime with their Fang-tastic Fun Club team!W: www.westonfavellshopping.com
Frightfully good Halloween fun at Kettering Market Place and Museum
Go along to Kettering Market Place and Museum on Wednesday 30th October in your best scary outfit and celebrate in spooky style, with a fantastic day of free activities for the whole family. From 10am-3pm, enjoy face painting, a ghost train, Circus of Horrors entertainment, crafts, storytelling and much more! Throughout the half term week, visit the Manor House Museum, in Kettering, for creepy craft activities to entertain your little horrors all through the holidays. Tuesday 29th October - Friday 1st November, sessions start at 10.15am & 11.45 m and cost £3 per child with discounts available. T: 01536 534219 W:www.kettering.gov.uk/childrensactivities
Dare you board the train that goes bump in the night?
Pop on your best scary costume and creep down for a day of ghosts and ghouls at Pitsford and Brampton Station. Running on Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th October, Northampton and Lamport Railway hosts another weekend of Halloween themed train rides and a special night time train lit only by the flickering light of hand carved pumpkin lanterns, which will be available for you to buy at the end of the day! Fares cost £5.50 for adults, £4.50 for children. W: www.nlr.org.uk
Spooky autumn fun in the Nene Wetlands!
If you’re looking for family-friendly activities this autumn, then look no further than the Nene Wetlands Visitor Centre at Rushden Lakes. This October half term, the Wildlife Trust BCN will be running a variety of activities, ranging from autumn leaf crafts in the visitor centre itself to spooky night walks as part of their Halloween Spook-tacular events! There will also be a ‘Scary Skulls Halloween Trail’ around the lake, as well as the ever popular ‘family forest school’- an ideal way to get your family back to nature! T: 01933 779587 W: www.wildlifebcn.org
