Half term activities
There are lots of free and low cost family-friendly activities taking place in Leicester over October half term.
Saturday 19 October
- Archaeological Finds Day
Have you found any small archaeological objects? If so, let the local Finds Liaison Officer take a look and give you more information about your find.- Drop-in between 10am and 2pm at Newarke Houses
Sunday 20 October
Why not take your children for a swim at one of Leicester's Leisure Centre.
Monday 21 October
- Babies learning together
- 10am - 11.30am at Beaumont Leys children young people and families centre
- Craft like an Egyptian
Have fun creating Egyptian hieroglyphs and symbols on papyrus paper.- Drop-in between 1pm and 4pm at Highfields Library
- Suitable for ages 7+
- Festival of lights graffiti residency
Work with professional artists to spray your own graffiti artworks to take home using lettering, stencils, tags and much more.- 10am - 2pm at Pedestrian
- Ages 8 to 16 years
- Stay and Play
- 10am - 12noon at St Matthews children young people and families centre
- 1.15pm - 2.45pm at Thurnby Lodge children young people and families centre
- 1.30pm - 3pm at Woodbridge children young people and families centre
Tuesday 22 October
- Campaign for learning - Family learning festival
Join Leicester Adult Education for a free, fun-filled day of inspiring you and your child’s curiosity. There will be lots to get involved with such as writing exciting stories and taking part in our hand decorating competition.- Drop-in between 11am and 3pm at Belgrave Library
- Craft like an Egyptian
Have fun creating Egyptian hieroglyphs and symbols on papyrus paper.- Drop-in between 1pm and 4pm at Evington Library
- Suitable for ages 7+
- Diwali and Halloween fun
Take part in the celebration two different events on the same day. Lots of colourful Diwali crafts and spooky Halloween themed ones too, with a scary story or two thrown in.- Drop-in between 10am and 1pm at Belgrave Library
- Ages 0 to 12 years
- Festival of lights graffiti residency
- 10am - 2pm at Pedestrian
- Ages 8 to 16 years
- Halloween papercrafts
Make Halloween themed puppets, hats and baskets.- Drop-in between 2pm and 3.30pm at Beaumont Leys Library
- Ages 5+
- Railway day
Enjoy a ride on Peter the Narrow-Gauge Railway this half-term (50p per person). Entry to the museum and grounds is free.
11.30am to 4pm at Abbey Pumping Station - Stay and Play
- 10am - 11.30am at Bewcastle children young people and families centre
Wednesday 23 October
- African Ndebele Bead Bracelets
Have fun learning how to create traditional Ndebele bead bracelets.- 10am to 12noon at Beaumont Leys Library
- 1.30pm to 4pm at Belgrave Library
- Booking required
- Ages 7+
- Campaign for learning - Family learning festival
Join Leicester Adult Education for a free, fun-filled day of inspiring you and your child’s curiosity. There will be lots to get involved with such as writing exciting stories and taking part in our hand decorating competition.- Drop-in between 10am and 2pm at Pork Pie Library
- Festival of lights graffiti residency
- 10am - 2pm at Pedestrian
- Ages 8 to 16 years
- Halloween papercrafts
Make Halloween themed puppets, hats and baskets.- Drop-in between 2.30pm and 4pm at Aylestone Library
- Ages 5+
- Horrible Halloween
Bella Donna the witch and her chariot powered by Venus Fly Traps will provide the entertainment and dancing. Fun and games from The Intellectual Zombies. Magical interactions with the Wish Witch and her broomstick. Ghoulish stilt walkers too.
- 11am to 3pm at Haymarket Shopping Centre
- Lego Coding
Boost your coding skills with fun activities with our Lego coding kits.
- 1pm to 3pm at Central Library
- Ages 5+
- Pop up play session by Young Champions
- 10am - 11.30am at Belgrave children, young people and families
- Stay and Play
- 1pm - 2.30pm at Beaumont Leys children young people and families centre
- 1pm - 3pm at Saffron children young people and families centres centre
- Witches and warlocks kids craft day
Come along and celebrate a magical day with us at Leicester's haunted Belgrave Hall and Gardens. Make a witch's cat hat, a flying wizard, and your own book of spells. Come dressed in your Halloween outfit and join in the magical trail.- 11am – 3pm at Belgrave Hall
- Tickets: Child (under 16): Online booking £4, On the door (cash only) £5 Accompanying adult: Free
Thursday 24 October
- African Ndebele Bead Bracelets
Have fun learning how to create traditional Ndebele bead bracelets.- 1.30pm to 4pm at Knighton Library
- Booking required
- Ages 7+
- Crafting creators
- 10am - 11.30am at Beaumont Leys children young people and families centre
- Forest school - stay and play
- 10am - 12noon at New Parks children young people and families centre
- Monstrous creations
Create your own Halloween monster or make a spooky mask.- Drop-in between 1pm and 3pm at Westcotes Library
- Ages 5+
- Spooktacular Fun Day!
Come along and have a spooky, magical day with us at Leicester's haunted hall. Make a spooky hat and a dancing skeleton and have a go at our ghost catching game. Come dressed in your Halloween outfit and join in the spooky trail around the Haunted Hall.- 11am – 3pm at Leicester Guildhall
- Tickets: Child (under 16): Online booking £4, On the door (cash only) £5 Accompanying adult: Free
- Stay and play
- 9.30am - 11am at Netherhall children young people and families centre
- 1pm - 3pm at Highfields children young people and families centre
- 1.30pm - 3pm at Belgrave children, young people and families
Friday 25 October
- African Ndebele Bead Bracelets
Have fun learning how to create traditional Ndebele bead bracelets.- 1.30pm to 4pm at St Barnabas Library
- Booking required
- Ages 7+
- Diwali celebrations
Join the Mr Cleaver's Monsters team for an awesome Diwali shadow puppet-making workshop. Make characters from the Ramayana and try them out on our projector screen. Make clay divas and glow in the dark mandalas with the team from Kala Arts and see students from Nupur Arts with their dance performances.- 11am to 3pm at Haymarket Shopping Centre
- Stay and play
Saturday 26 October
- Bike Fest
Join Leicester City Council, Ride Leicester and British Cycling for the final Bike Fest of the year - a free event where you can experience the excitement of cycling on a traffic-free track at the Leicester Cycle Circuit.- 1pm to 4pm at Leicester Cycle Circuit
- Spooky glass fusion workshop
Glass Fusion Workshops for Halloween, for all the family or bring your friends!
- Six sessions to choose from between 10am to 4pm at Belgrave Hall
- Booking required - £12 each
- Ages 5+
- Diwali Lights Celebration: Waterfall of Light
Join the Canal and River Trust, in partnership with Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre for a spectacular waterside Diwali celebration. This magical evening will feature an enchanting Waterfall of Lights, a stunning lights trail created by the local community, and an on-the-water lights paddle display. There will also be bell-boat paddling activities on the water and high ropes adventures for the thrill-seekers. Get involved in the excitement by helping us create our magical lights trail at our pre-event art workshops and let’s light up the night together.- 5.30pm to 8pm at Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre
- Free event but bookable discounted activities available on the night.
- Spooky scratch art and split pin Skeletons
- Drop-in between 1pm and 3pm at Fosse Library
- Children must be accompanied by an adult, due to the small parts.
Sunday 27 October
- Film: Coraline
Watch this dark fantasy animation film (family friendly) in the atmospheric Great Hall.- 12.30pm to 3pm at Leicester Guildhall
- Film starts at 1pm, tickets £6 each
Accessing activities
This summary is for information only and is correct at the time of publishing. View the webpage links or contact the individual providers directly to find out if the activities are suitable for your child or family needs. Children must be supervised by a parent / guardian at all times.
Activities are free to attend unless stated; however, fees may apply for additional activities or services available at the event.
Related links
- Leicester Museum and Galleries family-friendly exhibitions
- King Richard III daily activities
- Free adventure playground sessions
- Playschemes
- Mychoice - search for other activities, clubs and childcare in Leicester
- What's on in Leicester
- Go Leicestershire