Things to do with your kids at October half-term

Going back to school may have seemed traumatic, and navigating the passage from summer to a more regular pattern of school readiness may have felt like a chore, but as the nights draw-in and the weather becomes more autumnal, for parents it's already time to find ways to entertain their children over autumn half-term.

But fear not - we've hopefully made things a little simpler by offering some ideas on activities that you and the kids can do - both indoors and out. Ready? Half term he we come!

How to get your child into enjoying making and cooking food

Cooking is a great way to bond and spend time together over the half-term holidays. Getting creative in the kitchen can be fun for the whole family and a chance for children to learn new skills too. If you’ve been watching The Great British Bake Off, why not take some inspiration and do some baking instead. Making food together or trying a healthy bake can help give them focus and get them into good habits.

Shopping for food can even be part of the experience - so they understand where it comes from and how much it costs. Give them a budget and ask them to (under supervision of course) find the ingredients for a meal in a supermarket and a budget to spend. They'll learn about choices and get an idea of the value of food.

Here are three food related activities to try - click the picture to read more:

Do you want to get your child outdoors? Whatever the weather?

The weather is particularly changeable in autumn, but as long as it's safe to do so between storms, that's no excuse to huddle indoors! The benefits of exercise are well known but getting outside also gives you an opportunity to talk to your child and explore nature with them.

It's a great way to get away from screens and devices and for children to explore the changing seasons and learn more about nature, like spotting colourful leaves and finding conkers. There's plenty to spark their curiosity and imagination including natural materials to use in crafts when you get home - for instance they can make an autumn collage.

Here are some articles with advice on getting outdoors and things to do when you're there:

Activities to do indoors when the weather is bad

Okay, so not everybody will want to get out and about, and sometimes the weather is just too miserable. So how do you entertain the youngsters when it's throwing it down with rain or blowing a gale outside?

It's a great time to get them making and doing - or reading something other than messages on a screen. Whether it's reading books for pleasure, getting crafty indoors or using a camera or mobile phone to make films and tell stories, we've some suggestions here for rainy day activities to do indoors:

How to manage screen time

While we've focused on the things you can do to get outside, be creative and get healthy, there's an elephant in the room - and it is a digital one at that!

Screen time is likely to play a big part in our lives over half-term. So what is the best approach for parents to take?

We have advice on managing screen time and weaning them off devices - see below:

Indoors or outdoors - the approach of Halloween and the changing of the clocks can be a big change for parents and for children alike. So in the whirl of activities, take time to look after yourself too so you can be ready for the festive season and the darker days and nights.

This article was published in 2026