Cheshire

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-halloween">Halloween</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="634" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/20221028_192416.jpeg" alt="The Gloriosu Glowing Lantern Parade at BeWILDerwood in Cheshire" class="wp-image-388" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/20221028_192416.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/20221028_192416-300x190.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/20221028_192416-768x487.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Stringing together a spider’s tunnel, magical witch’s lair and meetings with ‘friendly’ ghosts, the <a href="https://www.visitcheshire.com/whats-on/halloween-lakeside-trail-p324071">Halloween Lakeside Trail</a> at Warrington’s Partridge Lakes is always a huge sell-out so book tickets fast. But if that sounds far too tame, kids over 14 can delve into the horror-themed Lakeside Terror Trail on select dates. Running until 31 Oct.



For something completely new, <a href="https://bewilderwood.co.uk/whats-on/the-glorious-glowing-lantern-parade">BeWILDerwood</a> has unveiled its Twig or Treat at the Glorious Glowing Lantern Parade, where fancy-dressed-up kids can follow the magical light trail and curl up for haunting Halloween shows by the storytelling stage. Tickets from £14.50. Under 90cm are free. 



Another newbie for your annual Halloween calendar is the spookily-themed trail at <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/quarry-bank/halloween-at-quarry-bank">Quarry Bank Mill</a>, glowing pumpkins, ghostly horsemen, phantoms and all. 25 Oct-3 Nov. Adults from £18/ child tickets £14. 



Whilst you’re there, nip across to the <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/quarry-bank/events/04d42ef3-6675-462f-956c-1f6e8a9a47a5?origin=search">Apprentice House</a> where ghoul guides will regale stories of the ghosts that continue to haunt its corners. Spooky! It’s free but you’ll still need to book tickets. 26 Oct – 3 Nov. 



What better way to see in the 31 October than with a spooky visit to an actual castle? Let the kids loose at <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/beeston-castle-halloween-half-term-26-oct-3-nov-24/">Beeston Castle</a> as they scurry around its creepy corners, solving clues and warding off demons, werewolves and vampires. 26 Oct – 3 Nov. Adult £11/ child £6.50. 



Harry Potter fans unite. Wizard duelling, potion-making, broom-flying and herbology are all on the agenda at the brilliant <a href="https://ticketquarter.co.uk/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&amp;BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=271F54A4-DBB9-4C42-853E-B9E417934822&amp;BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=26F3097C-55F8-471F-847C-1867467D5136">Chester Wizard School</a> returning to St Mary’s Creative Space. But move quickly before tickets fly out. Child tickets from £19 include one adult. Extra adults are £6. 31 Oct-3 Nov 



Over at <a href="https://www.arleyhallandgardens.com/whats-on/whats-on-in-october/">Arley Hall</a>, Halloween-themed afternoon teas will be prepared in The Gardener’s Kitchen, with a gory banquet of mummy dogs and vampire blood, worms in chocolate mud and monster’s cupcake, all washed down with a witch’s brew on the menu. £11.99. 



For the price of garden entry (£9 adult/ £7 child) to <a href="https://www.tattonpark.org.uk/events_at_tatton_park/event-listings/2024/october/skellies-and-wellies-in-the-gardens.aspx">Tatton Park</a>, little terrors in all their Halloween garb and face paints can go in search of skeletons along the Skellies and Wellies Trail. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pumpkin-patching">Pumpkin patching</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="562" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/image00004-1.jpg-copy.jpg" alt="light up pumpkins at Quarry Bank Mill" class="wp-image-389" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/image00004-1.jpg-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/image00004-1.jpg-copy-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/image00004-1.jpg-copy-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Dunham Massey’s pumpkin event is sadly off this year due to a poor crop. But not one to rest on their laurels, the team has come up with the new <a href="https://www.dunhamapplefestival.co.uk/">Dunham Apple Festival,</a> granting access to its 20-acre orchard at Boundary Farm. Expect wagon train rides, apple pressing workshops and the chance to slurp apple juice – hell, cider for the adults. Until 1 Nov. Tickets from £5.89. 



But if it’s pumpkins you’re really after, nip over to <a href="https://www.kenyonhall.co.uk/pumpkins.html">Kenyon Hall Farm</a> with its rich pickings before raiding the shelves of its fabulous farm shop. There’s <a href="https://reddishvalefarm.co.uk/">Reddish Vale Farm</a> in Stockport, where little ones loads up their wheelbarrows with pumpkins of every size. The farm also has its very own Spooky Express this year, taking kids through a haunted forest and graveyard. At <a href="https://www.lymmpumpkinpatch.net/">Lymm Pumpkin Patch</a>, kids beaver between the mini maize maze and daily treasure hunt, scooping up pumpkins along the way. And at <a href="https://highleghpumpkinpatch.co.uk/">High Legh Pumpkin Patch</a>, you can sign up to SEN pumpkin picking sessions and candlelit picking.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-holiday-camps-and-workshops">Holiday camps and workshops</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="756" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/459294699_899411332232707_4287224152539356802_n.jpg" alt="Child having fun at The Chill Factor in Manchester" class="wp-image-391" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/459294699_899411332232707_4287224152539356802_n.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/459294699_899411332232707_4287224152539356802_n-300x227.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/459294699_899411332232707_4287224152539356802_n-768x581.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



We see our fair share of grey drizzle here in the northwest. But snow? Not so much. Enter <a href="https://www.chillfactore.com/ski-lessons/kids-ski-lessons/kids-ski-holiday-camps">The Chill Factor</a>, Manchester’s very own indoor ski slope. Take your brood along for the day or even better, hand them over to their half-term snow school and let them loose on the slope. Even if they&#8217;re complete novices, anyone can sign up and they provide all the gear, including skis, boots and helmet. 



See your tween or teen as the next big thing in coding? At <a href="https://www.codeninjas.co.uk/hyde-gtm-uk/camps#form">Code Ninjas</a> in Hyde, there are Minecraft and Roblox intro days where novice coders and gamers will learn the basics of game building and have an intro into computational thinking. 



Paintbrushes at the ready! If you&#8217;ve a crafty kid who loves to work with their hands, send them off to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArtZoneWorkshops">ArtZone&#8217;s workshops</a> in Holmes Chapel where they&#8217;ll return with a whole hoard of autumnal cushions, Halloween bunting and oil pastel pumpkins to decorate your front door. You can thank us later. 29 Oct and 31 Oct. 



For those that like to mix and match, send the kids off to <a href="https://fun-fest.co.uk/store-locator/">Fun Fest</a> and they get to design their day, from basketball to pottery, Nerf challenge to Masterchef. Ages 3-12 and with offshoots at Bolshaw Primary in Cheadle, Queensgate Primary in Cheadle, Cheadle Heath Primary in Stocport, Altrincham Prep, and Brabyns Prep in Marple.



No kid is going to complain about being sent to an adventure cave for the day (ok, it’s in Sale but they don’t need to know that). Run by <a href="https://www.gripadventure.co.uk/holiday-clubs/">GRIPADVENTURE</a>, this off-grid camp is one for wide-eyed adventurers with kayaking, bouldering, canoeing, archery and even karaoke on the bill. (28 – 30 Oct) 



Another one for those who revel in the Great Outdoors is <a href="https://moorlandadventure.co.uk/holiday-clubs/">Moorland Adventure’s Holiday Clubs</a> at Tegg’s Nose with intros to orienteering, kayaking, climbing, caving and bushcraft. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/3.-youth-social-event-scaled-1.jpg" alt="Chester Zoo Mini Rangers half term holiday club" class="wp-image-397" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/3.-youth-social-event-scaled-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/3.-youth-social-event-scaled-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/3.-youth-social-event-scaled-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/3.-youth-social-event-scaled-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/3.-youth-social-event-scaled-1-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Not a holiday club as such but a weekend hangout, <a href="https://www.chesterzoo.org/events/junior-rangers-holiday-club/">Chester Zoo’s Mini Rangers Holiday Club</a> (above) is back on Sun 13 and 20 Oct for animal lovers aged 8-11 who are granted private access to the zoo before it opens to the mulling crowds. 



Local to Nantwich? Head over to <a href="https://reaseheathzoo.co.uk/discover-and-explore/zoo-school-and-academy/">Reaseheath Zoo</a> where kids aged 8-14 turn ranger at its Zoo School, doing anything from feeding animals to administering meds and cleaning enclosures. 29-31 Oct. 



Make them break away from the screens and try out <a href="https://livewellservices.cheshireeast.gov.uk/Services/4420">Broad Leaf Forest Adventure</a>, a Congleton-based forest school where rosy-cheeked kids from 5 to 11 embrace the wild and play and learn in the bracing weather. 



If sport’s more their bag, sign tweens and teens up to the <a href="https://everybody.org.uk/what-we-offer/activities-for-kids/active-holidays/multi-activity-days/">multi-activity days</a> at either Congleton or Macclesfield Leisure Centre, for sessions in hockey, football, dodgeball, swimming and more. 



Gimme a P, Gimme an I, Gimme an X… you get the picture. Cheerleading is well and truly alive at <a href="https://www.pixiescheer.com/additional-sessions">Pixies Cheer</a> in Hazel Grove and its holiday camp is open to anyone aged 3 to 17, no experience necessary. 



Sneaky shoestring parents can take their kids along to the <a href="https://www.quaytickets.com/en-GB/shows/six%20dance%20party/events">Lowry</a> for its SIX inspired dance party which is ABSOLUTELY FREE. Watch from the sidelines as they bust a groove with a professional dancer, for anyone aged 6 and over. 



Feeling hardy? For kids who fancy kayaking, climbing, abseiling and all that jazz, <a href="https://www.peak.co.uk/activities/school-holiday-clubs/school-holiday-clubs-at-astbury-water-sports-centre/">Astbury Water Sports Centre</a> hosts some proper outdoorsy holidays clubs for kids seven plus, whatever the weather. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-amp-about">Out &amp; About</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="640" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/362238072_656801493138526_6796932005865770240_n.jpg" alt="The Crystal Maze Live Experience " class="wp-image-393" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/362238072_656801493138526_6796932005865770240_n.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/362238072_656801493138526_6796932005865770240_n-300x192.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/362238072_656801493138526_6796932005865770240_n-768x492.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



It might not have the whimsical Richard O’Brien at the helm, but <a href="https://the-crystal-maze.com/manchester/">The Crystal Maze Live Experience</a> is an enthralling place to spend an afternoon unearthing precious crystals in all sorts of frantic and fun challenges. Open to anyone aged 9 and over. 



If you’re struggling to haul your teen off the sofa, promise them a day at <a href="https://www.dnavr.co.uk/">DNA VR</a> in the centre of Manchester, a vast virtual reality arcade where zombie apocalypses, battles with armies of trolls, and descents to the dark depths of the ocean are all brought to life. For something joyfully serene, try gliding through the waters on a breathtaking kayak expedition. 



Comedy sketches, daredevil acts and dancers, there’s nothing quite like a night at a proper circus. <a href="https://gandeyscircus.com/">Gandeys</a> has been doing the rounds, but during half term, its big top will be popping up at the Trafford Centre until 3 Nov. 



Slip your wellies on and delve into all things autumnal on a thoroughly wholesome interactive trail through <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/lyme/visiting-lyme-with-family">Lyme Park’s</a> garden and Crow Wood. And at £3 a pop for a booklet it&#8217;s easy on your bank balance. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-theatre-screenings-and-exhibitions">Theatre, screenings and exhibitions</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="563" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/JWE-DE-Slider-Dino-Selfies2.jpg" alt="dino selfie at Jurassic World: The Exhibition at The Trafford Centre" class="wp-image-394" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/JWE-DE-Slider-Dino-Selfies2.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/JWE-DE-Slider-Dino-Selfies2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/10/JWE-DE-Slider-Dino-Selfies2-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Travel over the rainbow and follow the yellow brick road at the Altrincham Garrick Theatre, pulling the curtain up on <a href="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/shows/wizard">The Wizard of Oz</a> for half term, from 28 Oct to 3 Nov. 



The powerful vocals of Christine Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren will be belted out as the electric <a href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/burlesque-the-musical/opera-house-manchester/">Burlesque The Musical</a> storms the stage at the Manchester Opera House. Running until 3 Oct. 



Walk among giants at <a href="https://jurassicworldexhibition.com/">Jurassic World: The Exhibition</a>, the hugely popular experience that’s wrapping up on 3 Nov at The Trafford Centre. But be quick before tickets sell out. 



You can always rely on <a href="https://www.jodrellbank.net/">Jodrell Bank</a> to pull out all the stops for half term. From an alien intergalactic outdoor trail (21 Oct-3 Nov) to exploring the solar system with a singalong bear. And from 26 Oct onwards, you can catch the incredible Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition, too. 



Bookworms let out a collective cheer! Chester’s <a href="https://www.storyhouse.com/seasons/wayword-festival/">WayWord Festival </a>lands at Storyhouse from Sat 26 Oct – Monday 4 November bringing with it a line-up of children’s authors and illustrators to the stage plus a whole host of theatre performances, workshops and book-inspired fun. Prices vary depending on what you sign up for, but tickets to catch performance poet Michael Rosen on stage are from just £12.

30+ things to do with the kids this October half term

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