Family friendly things to do over the October half term

Half Term Store Tours at Leeds Discovery Centre
Leeds Discovery Centre is home to over 1.3 million objects in their collection, most of which are not currently on display. Their purpose-built museum storage and conservation facility holds everything from toucans to telephones, meteorites to masks - meaning there's something for everyone to enjoy!
Monday 27 to Friday 31 October, cost: give what you can
Find out more: Half Term Store Tours at Leeds Discovery Centre


Monkey Madness at Tropical World
Swing into the October half term with a wild adventure at Tropical World, it’s going to be bananas! Children who come dressed as a monkey get half price entry, so grab your costume and get ready to explore! Rain or shine, it’s the perfect family day out, full of giggles, games, and monkey mayhem. Let’s go wild this half term!
Monday 25 October to Sunday 2 November, cost: adults: £9, children 3 to 15: £4.50, under 3s: free
Find out more: Monkey Madness at Tropical World


Archery at Herd Farm
Take aim and test your skills with a bow and arrow, guided by friendly, GB Archery-trained instructors. Fun for young people and families alike! Suitable for people aged 8+.
Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 October, 1:30pm to 2:30pm, cost: £13.70
Find out more: Archery at Herd Farm


Vegetable Printing Portraits at Leeds Industrial Museum
In these fun family craft sessions, carve out vegetables into shapes and use them to print your own portraits of the scarecrows in our Scarecrow Trail! A creative and family-friendly Halloween-themed activity for kids.
Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 October, cost: included in admission
Find out more: Vegetable Printing Portraits at Leeds Industrial Museum


Wizardry Fun at Leeds Kirkgate Market
Take part in wizard and witch-themed activities and games, such as wand training, balloon modelling, and more!
Tuesday 28, Wednesday 29, and Thursday 30 October, 11am to 3pm, cost: free
Find out more: Wizardry Fun at Leeds Kirkgate Market


Adventure Days at Herd Farm
Enjoy a day of unforgettable adventure at Herd Farm, packed with outdoor thrills, team challenges, and fresh air fun! Suitable for young people aged 8 to 14.
Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 October, 9:30am to 1:30pm, cost: £40
Find out more: Adventure Days at Herd Farm


The Big Draw at Leeds Art Gallery
Come along and get creative in a big way during the half term school holiday. Inspired by Lynette Yiadom Boakye’s charcoal drawings of people, this four day project for families will use the human body to fill a room with a community of mysterious human-like paper sculptures.
Tuesday 28 to Friday 31 October, cost: give what you can
Find out more: The Big Draw at Leeds Art Gallery


Spirograph Family Fun Day at Leeds City Museum
Visit the main hall of the museum to add your own artistic flair to a giant spirograph artwork. Feel nostalgic about this quirky, engineered game, and introduce the kids to it too! Meet artist Lesley Halliwell, and find out about her dazzling, spiralling artworks. Make a spirograph keepsake to take home too. Pick up a trail to explore the museum and discover your inner engineer and artist.
Tuesday 28 October, 10am to 5pm, cost: give what you can
Find out more: Spirograph Family Fun Day at Leeds City Museum


Holiday Club at West Leeds Activity Centre
Adventure awaits, with thrilling climbing walls, speedy go-karts, and much more outdoor fun! Suitable for young people aged 8 to 16.
Wednesday 29 October, 9:30am to 3:30pm, cost: £45
Find out more: Holiday Club at West Leeds Activity Centre


Junior Ghost Walk at Temple Newsam Home Farm
Experience the magical mysteries of Halloween without any of the frights, as we dip into our cauldron of silly tales that are spooky enough to send shivers down your spine, but daft enough to deliver plenty of fun and laughter along the way. This activity is suitable for under 7s. All admissions to Temple Newsam Home Farm also get access to the new Play Barn (pre-booking necessary).
Wednesday 29 to Friday 31 October, cost: included in admission
Find out more: Junior Ghost Walk at Temple Newsam Home Farm


Pumpkin Carving at Temple Newsam
If you sowed a Pumpkin in the Walled Gardens in April, come back and help carve it for Halloween. Alternatively bring one along, preferably hollowed out, and the gardeners will help carve your design. No need to book, just turn up on the day!
Wednesday 29 October, 1pm to 3pm, cost: free
Find out more: Pumpkin Carving at Temple Newsam


SEND Holiday Club at West Leeds Activity Centre
A full day of adventure for young people with additional needs. Suitable for young people aged 8 to 17.
Wednesday 29 October, 9:30am to 3:30pm, cost: £65
Find out more: SEND Holiday Club at West Leeds Activity Centre


Unearthed: The Power of Gardening at Leeds Central Library
Explore how the act of gardening can heal and sustain people, as well as bring people together, empower communities and shape our relationship with the natural world. The exhibition also considers gardening as a form of activism, as a means of challenging land ownership and highlighting social disparities, as well as providing a global story about the movement of plants.
Until Wednesday 29 October, cost: free
Find out more: Unearthed: The Power of Gardening at Leeds Central Library


Pumpkin Patch Trailer Tours at Lotherton
Enjoy Lotherton’s award-winning Autumnal experience in preparation for spooky season! Hop on the Pumpkin Express and take a ride up to a secret pumpkin patch. Pick that all important pumpkin before the big day, and enjoy frightfully fun activities, including a mini tractor track, scarecrow display, photo opportunities, crafts, and more.
Saturday 25 to Friday 31 October, cost: £11 per child (including pumpkin), £6 per accompanying adult, plus general admission (general admission free for members)
Find out more: Pumpkin Patch Trailer Tours at Lotherton


Spooky Skeletons: Scarytales at Lotherton
Follow twisted fairytales trail through the haunting grounds, gardens and house at Lotherton and come face-to-face with a series of mischievous skeletons – making themselves at home and reimagining classic tales with a Halloween twist. A fun and slightly spooky exploration of Lotherton that’s perfect for families and younger visitors.
Saturday 25 October to Sunday 2 November, cost: included in admission
Find out more: Spooky Skeletons: Scarytales at Lotherton


Spooky Streets at Abbey House Museum
Wander the museum's authentic spooky streets to encounter scary spiders, wicked witches, wily wolves, beguiling bats and skeletons pulling pints! Come dressed as your favourite Halloween character and pose for petrifying pics. There will be a terrifying trail and creepy competitions as you go around the museum and a monster bag of crafts and activities to take home.
Saturday 25 October to Sunday 2 November, cost: included in admission
Find out more: Spooky Streets at Abbey House Museum


The Child Friendly Leeds 12 wishes represent the voices of 80,000 children and young people in Leeds. Working towards these wishes makes Leeds a better city for children to grow up in.
This article is in support of Child Friendly Leeds Wish 7: Children and young people know about different things to do and places to go across the city. They enjoy different cultural experiences including art, music, sport and film. Read the full wish and find out more.