Family-friendly Halloween events in London for kids: spooky season 2025
- Tracy Tristram
- Oct 1
- 4 min read
There'll be no resting witch face happening this year with these skele-fun Halloween events in London for kids! Yep, we're kickstarting the 2025 spooky season with a whole host of family-friendly Halloween parties, trails, treats and tricks... Here’s your London for Kidz guide to the best Halloween activities for kids in London 2025 — from magical trails and animal encounters to fairytale adventures and thrilling rides.
Kew Gardens – Halloween at Kew
📍 Richmond, West London
Kew Gardens transforms into a spooky, glowing world of pumpkins, lanterns, and mysterious woodland creatures this October half term. With dazzling light installations, eerie soundscapes, and magical storytelling, it’s a perfect evening walk for families wanting a Halloween atmosphere without jump scares.
Thorpe Park – Fright Nights
📍 Surrey (about 20 miles from Central London)
For families with teens or older kids who love adrenaline, Fright Nights is a must. Expect rollercoasters after dark, live-action scare mazes, spooky street performers, and immersive horror zones.
LEGOLAND Windsor – Brick or Treat
📍 Windsor (easy train or drive from London)
LEGOLAND’s family-friendly Brick or Treat returns with LEGO monsters, themed shows, trick-or-treat trails, and pumpkin-filled fun. Expect spooky decorations, live entertainment, and rides transformed with a playful Halloween twist.
London Zoo – Boo at the Zoo
📍 Regent’s Park, Central London
Back for another year, Boo at the Zoo fills the zoo with pumpkins, spooky animal talks, craft sessions, and themed trails. Kids can learn about nocturnal creatures, get creative, and enjoy the zoo’s residents with a Halloween twist.
Hopefield Animal Sanctuary – Halloween Festival
📍 Brentwood, Essex (easy drive from East London)
Hopefield’s Halloween Festival is back — a heart-warming and family-friendly day celebrating animals with a side order of spooky fun. Meet adorable rescued animals (from ponies to alpacas, rabbits to Highland cows), pick a pumpkin (included in a child's ticket) from the spooky barn, get usy with Halloween arts n crafts, follow a haunted trail and lots more - with all profits going back into caring for the 700 animals who call the sanctuary home.
Chessington World of Adventures – Howl’o’ween & Enchanted Hollow
📍 Chessington, Greater London
Chessington comes alive with Halloween fun, from the Enchanted Hollow burrow trick-or-treat walkthrough to eerie shows, themed rides, and late-night openings. Expect friendly frights, giggles, and plenty of family adventure.
SEA LIFE London Aquarium – Creepy Creatures & Tricks and Treats
📍 South Bank, Central London
The aquarium’s Halloween makeover is perfect for curious kids — with creepy crawlies, spooky sea challenges, and a fun pumpkin trail. Expect ocean creatures with a twist, themed games, and “sea sorcerers” leading the adventure.
Shrek’s Adventure! London – A Shrektacular Halloween
📍 South Bank, Central London
Step into Far Far Away for a Halloween-themed interactive walkthrough with witches, potions, and fairy-tale fun. Expect themed photo ops, storytelling, and meet-and-greets with Shrek and friends.
London Wetland Centre – Super Natural Half Term
📍 Barnes, Southwest London
Nature meets imagination at the Wetland Centre’s Halloween event. Kids can craft wands, mix potions, and explore the reserve on magical trails filled with nature-themed challenges.
Tower of London – Halloween at the Tower
📍 Central London
History gets spooky this half term! The Tower’s Halloween event mixes ghostly tales, immersive storytelling, and after-hours tours through one of London’s most haunted landmarks.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – Dark Arts Season
📍 Leavesden, Hertfordshire (easy train from London Euston to Watford Junction)
Step into the wizarding world this Halloween as the Harry Potter Studio Tour is taken over by the Dark Arts. Watch Death Eaters perform live wand combat in the Great Hall, walk beneath hundreds of floating pumpkins, and spot the Dark Mark projected throughout the sets. Kids can practise their own wand moves, explore dimly lit sets like Diagon Alley, and hunt for hidden Dark Marks along the way.
Hampton Court Palace – Ghost Tours at the Palace
📍 East Molesey, Surrey (short train from Waterloo)
Join an after-dark Ghost Tour through one of England’s most haunted royal palaces. Follow expert guides by candlelight through echoing courtyards and grand halls while hearing chilling tales of Henry VIII, the Grey Lady and other resident spirits. The palace’s long history and atmospheric corridors make it the perfect setting for a Halloween adventure.
Go pumpkin picking
We've got a whole gourdeous guide to the best pumpkin patches around London to bring your little squishy squashes to. Don't forget to #londonforkidz on your social media pics so we can catch a look at your cute ickle pumpkins!
Final Thoughts
This October, London and its surroundings are bursting with Halloween activities for kids — from glowing gardens and animal rescues to thrilling rollercoasters and magical trails. Whether you’re after a cosy autumn day out or an evening of frightful fun, there’s something for every age and bravery level.
So grab your costumes, carve your pumpkins, and get ready for a spooktacular family Halloween in London 2025! 👻🕸️🎃
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