Hurrah, you’ve made it to the end of the first school term of the year! Now it’s time to look for fun things to do this October half-term. From nature trails to spooky Halloween events, there are lots of activities in Swale for kids (and adults!) to enjoy. Here’s a pick of what’s on near you:
Food and Drink
Kids’ Juicing Workshops at Brogdale Collections, Faversham 23rd, 24th, 25th October
Children have a unique opportunity to explore where apples are growing and find out what happens to them to make apple juice. Walk through the orchards, pick and taste some apples from Brogdale’s special heritage orchards and have a go at making freshly pressed juice. You also get to take home some apple juice in a reusable Brogdale water bottle! The Kids’ Juicing Workshops are great, educational, practical and fun.
Cost: £12.50 for adult and children tickets, then £7.50 for every additional adult and child thereafter
Spooky Biscuit Workshop at Macknade, Faversham 26th October
For kids who love to get hands on in the kitchen, join Macknade this half term for their spooky biscuit decorating workshop. There will also be a Halloween activity sheet for the children to complete, as well as a “Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin” competition, with all proceeds going to Mid Kent Mind.
Cost: Free of charge and on a first-come, first-serve basis
Crazy Science Party at Hempstead House, Sittingbourne 28th October
Hempstead House is being taken over by Crazy Scientists this Halloween! The “mad scientists” from “Sublime Science”, as seen on Dragon’s Den, will be hosting an interactive 50 minute Dry Ice Show full of exciting science experiments. After the show, you can sit back and enjoy a Halloween themed Afternoon Tea, while watching the 1990’s classic film, “Flubber”. With slime making opportunities as well, this is sure not to be missed!
Cost: £32.50 per adult, £19.50 per child, £100 per family (2 adults, 2 children)
Arts and Crafts
Spooky Crafts and Games at The Arden Theatre, Faversham 25th October
Make spooky stuff and play Halloween games this half-term at The Arden Theatre. With plenty of activities to do such as face painting, this is a lovely low-cost way to get creative and have some fun!
Cost: Free of charge but they appreciate a donation of £2 minimum
Productions and Shows
Oliver! JR. at The Avenue Theatre, Sittingbourne 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th October
Avenue Theatre Productions Junior bring this award-winning musical to life with some of the most memorable characters and songs to ever grace the stage. Oliver! JR. is full of classic songs like "Consider Yourself", "Food Glorious Food", and "Oom-Pah-Pah", and perfectly showcases the talents of their junior cast.
Cost: £12.00 Adults, £10.00 concessions (under 14’s, over 60’s), £40.00 family (2 adults, 2 children)
Dame Dolly’s Spooktacular Show at Sheppey Little Theatre 27th October
Dame Dolly arrives with her very own Halloween themed show. There's only one problem… She needs everyone's help to put it on! With plenty of audience participation and loads of spooky fun, this spooktacular show is for all of the family! And there’s a prize for the best Halloween fancy dress costume!
Cost: £10 per ticket, no concessions. Buy your tickets from Sheppey Glass by calling 01795 580006 (Mon-Fri 9am-3pm)
Halloween Cinema Spooktacular at Brogdale Collections 27th October
Brogdale Collections will be turning their working barn into a unique Halloween Party venue, complete with themed treats, gruesome games, live kids’ entertainment and a classic family film, Hotel Transylvania 2, on their giant 150′ movie screen! There will be plenty of games to keep your little vampires busy, plus the return of the singing pumpkins, as well as some live comedy from Kent’s favourite zombie entertainer, Ralfus the Undead Poet.
Cost: £13.45 per adult, £9.05 per child, £38.75 per family (2 adults, 2 children or 1 adult, 3 children)
Getting Out and About
Halloween Trail and Autumn Colours at Mount Ephraim Gardens, Faversham 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th October
Mount Ephraim Gardens opens for a special out of season Halloween event. Join them as you walk through the Halloween Trail, enjoying the beautiful early autumnal colours. Hunt out their giant hand painted toadstools and watch out for the giant spider’s web in the topiary! Their team room will also be serving hot and cold drinks, cakes and sweet treats.
Cost: Adults £8, Children (4+) £3, Family (2 adults, 2 children) £20, Restricted Mobility £3
The Great Coastal Birdwatch with Bird Wise NK 25th October at Conyer Creek, 26th October at Leysdown and Queenborough, 28th October at Oare Marshes
The annual Great Coastal Birdwatch is running from 14 October until 29 October 2023. Join the Rangers as they welcome our amazing migratory birds back to our coast for the winter season. Suitable for all the family including beginners, the Rangers will help with identification as you record the birds you see.
Cost: Free of charge
Parties and Music
Halloween Children’s Party at The Queen’s Head, Boughton 27th October
Join the team at The Queen’s Head in Boughton for an afternoon of fun and games! The Halloween children’s party is free to attend and will feature a fancy dress competition, spooky games and a pumpkin competition. From 3.30-5.30pm.
Cost: Free of charge
Audio//Culture Camps with Ideas Test and Da Base Music Centre, Sittingbourne 23rd & 24th October, 26th & 27th October
Join Ideas Test and Da Base Music Centre for their new collaboration – Audio//Culture Camps. This FREE 2-day project is for 11-15 year olds, designed to unlock and maximise their creative potential through music technology. You’ll get to write, produce, record and perform brand new tracks from scratch! Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity.
Cost: Free of charge
We hope you have a wonderful half-term full of fun and games! We'd love to see your pictures so please tag us on Instagram and Facebook @VisitSwale