With Halloween fast approaching, we’ve been making a list of family-friendly activities we’d like to do in around Nottingham over half term. Compared to previous years, we’ve found there are plenty of events and activities in the area to enjoy with your little ones. And today we’ve picked out our top ten to share with you guys who read my blog.
From hunting down ghosts and ghouls at Rufford Abbey, picking your own pumpkins at Maxey’s Farm Shop, and visiting Nottingham’s Old Market Scare, there’s something for everyone. So grab yourself a cuppa, make yourself comfortable, and let me tell you more …
01. Visit the Halloween Event in Nottingham’s Old Market Square
Every October Nottingham’s Old Market Square transforms into an amazing Halloween Adventureland, where you can ride the UK’s biggest mobile ghost train, visit the walk-through haunted house or don your spookiest costumes for a selfie with the giant light-up Halloween pumpkin.
On Halloween itself, you can discover more of Nottingham city centre with your family for free. Trick or Treat your way around a fun map to hunt out the hidden spooky characters and take part in craft activities, ghost stories and games. Families are encouraged to start at the Nottingham Tourist Information Centre off Market Square for an official welcome and to collect their map. Treat bags filled with goodies will be handed out as you make your way around the trail. And you can make as many or as few stops as you like.
There’s also live entertainment planned for the evening, and there’ll be a brand-new bar on hand to help calm your nerves. I definitely recommend having a wander around the Old Market Scare as it’s a truly magical experience – my two little monsters love it as it captures the essence of Halloween just perfectly.
The Old Market Scare will be open all day from Friday 25th October to Thursday 31st October.
02. P..P..Pick Up a Pumpkin at Maxey’s Farm Shop
Have you ever wondered where you can pick your own pumpkin near Nottingham? Well, the answer is to visit Maxeys Farm Shop between 5th October and 31st October for their annual P..P..Pick Up a Pumpkin Festival. Maxey’s is open every day from 9am till 5pm, and admission is completely free. You just pay for any pumpkins you pick and any activities you fancy taking part in while you’re there.
The pumpkins are grown where you pick them. So the owners recommend you wear wellies or boots when you visit as the ground may be uneven and muddy. But I think that’s all part of the fun! And as well as being able to pick your own pumpkins, Maxey’s have a whole host of other activities you can take part in too. From going on a spooky woodland walk to taking a Halloween themed tractor ride through the fields of the farm, they’ve thought of it all!
And if your tummies are a-rumbling after all that excitement, you can head on over to the BBQ and grab a delicious homemade burger or hotdog made with fresh meat from the farm shop before heading home. Visiting Maxey’s is sure to make a fantastic day out for the whole family, and my two can’t wait to go check it out. Keep an eye on my Insta feed for pictures!
03. Hunt Down Monsters at Rufford Abbey
If your kids fancy being a real-life Ghostbuster this Halloween, then I highly recommend visiting Rufford Abbey for their annual Halloween Monster Hunt Trail! Spooky goings on have been reported to the Rufford Park Rangers recently. And they need your help to hunt down ghosts, ghouls and monsters in order to restore peace and harmony to the Abbey.
Between Saturday 12th October and Sunday 3rd November, you can join Rufford’s Monster Hunt team and follow the map into the haunted hideaways and creepy woods to see if you can figure out what’s been causing the commotion! The Monster Hunt maps cost £2 each and you’re promised a whole heap of fun exploring the spooky happenings around the Abbey. Survive the trail and you will also receive a fun prize at the end of the hunt. How cool! We can’t wait to give it a go.
04. Visit White Post Farm’s Halloween Festival
This half term, White Post Farm has created a whole host of spooktacular fun for families to enjoy. You can learn to ride a broomstick at Broomstick School, get your hands dirty at one of their Slime Workshops, watch some amazing magic tricks and even pick and carve your very own pumpkins!
As well as all the Halloween fun you can find at White Post Farm this year, you’ll also find their friends from the Go-Active Falconry showing off their birds of prey, have farm favourite, Sam the Entertainer, on-hand to teach you some awesome circus skills, and find all the usual animal activities going on as well.
The Halloween Festival takes place daily from Monday 21st October to Friday 2nd November and entry costs £9.85 per adult and £9.45 per child, with under 2’s being admitted free of charge. And with so much going on, I think that’s a bargain. Will we be seeing you guys there?
05. Go to The National Ice Centre’s Family Halloween Party
If you fancy doing something a little different with your tribe this half term, why not head down to The National Ice Centre on Saturday 26th October for one of their Family Halloween Parties? This year the venue will be looking eerie and ready to host not one BUT two spooky ice parties with lots of spine-tingling action in store including gloopy slime, scary face painting and horrifying photobooth filters!
The activities begin with a spooky but not scary family party themed ‘Scaries & Fairies’, for parents to enjoy time on the ice with their little horrors. Then the family fun will be followed by a garish neon-lit Halloween Club Party where the scary face painting, photobooth filters and slime fun will continue into the evening while playing the best Halloween themed beats.
Skaters will have the chance to show-off their most frightening and drop dead gorgeous Halloween outfits as prizes for the best spookily dressed skater will be up for grabs at both parties! I’m also hoping the awesome Sub Zero Cafe will be on hand to make delicious Pumpkin Spice Lattes for the parents like they were last year. Yum!
Scaries & Fairies will take place on Saturday 26th October from 11am-5pm and The Club Party will take place on the same day but from 7:30pm-9:30pm. Tickets for both events cost £8.50 per adult, £7.50 per child and under 5’s are absolutely free! Got a big family? Don’t worry – there are family tickets available too. Just head on over to their website to find out more.
06. Go to Playmania’s Halloween Party
While we’re on the subject of Halloween party’s, I have another suggestion for you! Soft Play Centre, Playmania, in Mansfield are hosting their annual Halloween party on Sunday 27th October from 5-7pm. Little ones can spend time running off lots of energy while enjoying the equipment, while adults sit and enjoy a nice cup of tea or coffee in relative peace.
As well as being able to use the soft play area, there will be loads of fun, games and prizes for little ones to enjoy too. And, of course, a spooky disco! Playmania is also laying on a cold buffet for everyone so you won’t go hungry while you’re there. Tickets for the event cost £4.00 per adult and £8.00 per child. But be sure to order them quick, as they always sell out fast!
07. Visit Wheelgate Park’s Lil’ Park Of Horrors
From Monday 21st October till Wednesday 31st October Wheelgate Park near Newark is inviting families to it’s fangtastic Halloween event, which is jam-packed with things to do! Head on over to one of their spooky workshops where you can carve or paint a specially grown pumpkin, make a magical wand, or learn to fly your very own broomstick!
Keep an eye out for Millie the friendly Monster and Grizelda the naughty Witch who will be making special appearances throughout the festivities. Little ones love having cuddles and photo opportunities with them.
Tickets to the park are £12.99 for both adults and children over 108cm, £6.49 for kids between 95cm and 108cm and free entry for little ones under 95cm. With so much to do at the park, I think this offers great value for money. Don’t you!?
08. Catch a Movie at Nottingham Cineworld
Did you guys know that Cineworld in Nottingham has specially discounted screenings at weekends and on school holiday mornings? Well, they do, and my two absolutely love to head along to them! They’re the perfect way to enjoy a little bit of time as a family, without having to head out too far and make a full day of it.
Movies for Juniors is a great way to introduce your little ones to the exciting world of cinema without it costing a fortune and having to keep them quiet throughout the whole film. We’ve been to a fair few screenings now and find them to be a lovely, relaxed environment. If children want to jump up and down and sing or talk throughout the whole film then they can – no one complains. Although to be fair I’ve always found the majority of children do sit and watch the movies quietly, no matter how young they are!
The selection of movies is always really good and we’ve been to see The Muppet’s Most Wanted, Shaun the Sheep and Minions to name just a few. In fact, I think the kids will be wanting to go again over half term. And how can I say no when tickets are priced at just £2.50 each for 2D movies? (And slightly more for 3D ones).
Movies for Juniors offers great value for money and you’re guaranteed to choose a movie that’s suitable for the whole family to enjoy. And if you’re worried that you’ll get cheap cinema tickets but then end up spending a small fortune at the popcorn stand then don’t be. Cineworld has a special deal where you can get a box of popcorn, a snack and a drink that doesn’t cost the earth. It’s a real winner in my eyes!
09. Burn Off Some Energy at Clip ‘N Climb
If celebrating Halloween isn’t really your thing, but you still want to do something fun with the kids this half term, how about taking them to Clip ‘N Climb, Nottingham – the action-packed climbing experience for the whole family?!
We’ve been to Clip ‘N Climb as a family a couple of times now, and the kids always thoroughly enjoy it. It has a large arena with loads of different climbing walls around it, and after a safety briefing and getting harnessed up, you head out, clip your harness into whichever wall you want to climb, and off you go! There are walls for beginners, intermediates and pro’s, and I’ll be publishing a full review of the centre here on my blog soon, so make sure you look out for that.
During half term, Clip ‘N Climb is open every day from 9:30am-8pm and it costs £12.50 per person to enter.
10. Go Tenpin Bowling at Mansfield Superbowl
And last but not least on my list on things to do with the kids in and around Nottingham this half term is to go tenpin bowling at Mansfield Superbowl! I particularly like this bowling alley because it has 28 lanes, so you’re almost always sure of being able to get in if you drop by on a whim. And it’s a really relaxed, fun environment to bowl in. Oh, and they also have some amazing offers on throughout the week too.
For example, my sister-in-law and I took the kids bowling over the summer, and we hired a lane for a whole hour for just £20. How cheap is that?! It meant we could have as many games of bowling as we could squeeze in during that time, without having to keep paying for more games. There’s also an on-site diner which offers a wide range of delicious food and drinks for when you start to get a bit peckish.
Mansfield Superbowl is clean, modern and well equipped with all sorts of little extras. The staff are always friendly and ready to help, and I truly think it’s the best tenpin bowling alley in the area. You’ll definitely find us there again this half term!
And there you have it, 10 things to do with the kids in and around Nottingham this Halloween.
Have I convinced you to go and try any of them out? Or will you be heading somewhere else instead?
Be sure to let me know in the comments below.
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Hayley Warren says
It looks like there are a lot of things to do in Nottingham at the moment! I’ll have to check out the Old Market Scare if I’m around that week.
Helen Copson says
So much good stuff to do! Shame I live in Plymouth – bit far away! 🙂
Lucy Dorrington says
This all sounds great. It’s brilliant when you find things to do that are a bit different from trick or treating!
Fiona Maclean says
Great ideas! Halloween wasn’t really a thing when I was a kid, but I love those outfits! And Clip and Climb looks great
Nicola Hamilton says
I would love to go pumpkin picking … sadly I dont have any little ones to take along as it looks so much fun!
Nicola Hamilton says
I would love to go pumpkin picking, I just dont have any wee ones to take along with me. Which is a shame as it looks so much fun!
Rhian Westbury says
I’ve never been to a pumpkin patch and I’ve been meaning to go to one for ages but I have no idea where the closest one to me is x
Stacie says
Holy moly! There’s so much for the kiddos to enjoy in the area. I really love seeing posts like this because, as a visitor, I only ever see the things that you don’t want to miss while you’re in the country.
Alexandra says
Such a sweet and fun post! I love your ideas so much! Halloween isn’t huge here in Australia, but this makes me want to celebrate it! 🙂
Kacie Morgan says
I can’t believe I’ve never actually been to a pumpkin patch before, they look like good fun.
chelf says
So many fun activities aroud this time of the yer! We dont even have pumpkin patches here, I need to travel to Nottinhham and celebrate Halloween!
Catherine says
It’s the best time of year…outdoor fall activities are so much fun and a great way to get the whole family together. Looks like a wonderful list of ideas here!
Jakub says
I think these are all great ideas for people with kids! I love fall and everything that comes with it and it looks like fall around Nottingham is truly magical!
Lois Alter Mark says
Though my kids are both adults now, this post has me wishing I still had young ones to celebrate Halloween with. There’s nothing quite like the creative costumes and sugar-high joy during the holiday and it seems like Nottingham has plenty of ways to celebrate. Plus, regardless of the day, that Clip N Climb place has got to be such a blast!
Cindy says
Those are some fantastic Halloween ideas for the kiddos! I live taking our nieces to the pumpkin patch!
Neely Moldovan says
I love when our areas have so many fun things to do with kiddos around any holiday! I hope you guys get to do tons of it!
Fiona Cambouropoulos says
It looks like there is plenty of spooky fun around to keep all the family entertained. I like the look of the Halloween event in the town square.
Sarah says
Aww there’s so much going on! I’m jealous! What a fun place to live!
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Stephanie says
So many fun ideas for the weekend and festivities! We have a few things planned and already went to a local farm for their pumpkin patch.
Angela Tolsma says
Okay all of these sound so fun!! Especially all the little parties. Halloween should definitely be more than one night.
Sam says
There’s so many fun events to choose from! Good thing you can go to multiple events to experience several things.
Kate Kreates says
Wow, there are so many fun things to do in Nottingham for Halloween! I’m not sure what we’re going to do yet, but we may have to check out some of these options…
kumamonjeng says
You have a great list of things to do with kids during Halloween. I get so excited by reading all the fun events and places being decorated according to the theme. I love Halloween but never been to any Halloween party as over here we don’t usually celebrate this occasion. P..P..Pick Up a Pumpkin at Maxey’s Farm Shop is one of my favorite thing to do as I never been to any pumpkin farm before and seeing all of them in different sizes are really facinating.
catherine shane says
This is such a great event and sound a happy full of jolly children with their cute costumes .
Fatima says
I’d love to go to a pumpkin farm to buy a pumpkin for my son! These are brilliant ideas of things to do in Nottingham.
Joshua says
These are all great ideas, but I’m always up for bowling and climbing. Your pictures are fantastic!
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Kisha says
Oh my, we just took our children apple picking and had a ball, now here is a place where you can pumpkin pick! Here in the states I haven’t seen anything like this, I would make a trip to UK just for this– ha!
shan says
Holy Canoli! There are so many fun things to do for the kiddos in your area! Wow. What an enchanting place…Nottingham. Just the mention of this name and of Abbey’s and such, I would love to visit! Have fun!
Daphne D Adams says
Nottingham definitely has more kid-friendly options than McKinney does. Its nice to a see a variety of options.
Christa says
October is such a great month for family activities! The monster hunt looks so fun!
Vanessa Delia says
Those are some very cool activity ideas! There really is a lot to do there!
Patricia Chamberlain says
If I was in the area I would definitely try to do as much as this list as possible. It looks like there are so many fun events!
Liza Perry says
I would love to go there once while it is Halloween ! So many things to do thats amazing!
Jasmine Hewitt says
these are all fantastic ideas for Halloween festivity! giving me the idea to see what we can do here
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Sondra Barker says
I am always looking for more things to do around Halloween time. I recently just went to a pumpkin patch and had a blast! Thanks for sharing this post!
Surekha Busa says
I have never tried to celebrate Halloween when I was a kid and this time, I want my kids to experience how happy and exciting to celebrate the Halloween and really love these great ideas.
Preet says
This looks like a fun place to visit during Halloween. My kids would love in here.
Chastity says
I love Halloween for all these fun activities so fun! There’s always a list of good things like you mention movies, parades and parties!
Hola Cheska says
I would love to go to a halloween festival! Sadly where I live they aren’t that frequent.
Kelly says
Clearly I must head North if I want to get the Halloween spirit. I’m Canadian and London doesn’t do Halloween very well. But it looks like you’ve got great events and pumpkin patches going on up there!!
Khushboo Motihar says
My niece loves bowing and I would love to take her to Tenpin Bowling at Mansfield Superbowl. Sounds like a fab place 🙂
Shannon Gurnee says
This looks like some fun activities for the kids at Halloween time! I would love to do them too!
Angela Cardamone @marathonsandmotivation.com says
This looks like such a great place to visit in the Fall. My kids would love it!!
David Elliott says
All of those sounds like such great things to do during Halloween. I think the u pick your pumpkin one would be the most fun for me and my daughter. We love doing that every year.
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David Elliott says
The u pick your pumpkin thing would be the most fun for me and my daughter. We have the greatest time doing that every year.
David Elliott recently posted…The Single Dad’s Guide To Fake News: Volume 18
Nati says
All these ideas sound like so much fun! I wish Halloween was more popular here in Switzerland as well!
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laura says
This list is great! So many fun activities to do x
Laura
https://pinkfrenzymissl.blogspot.com/
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