The clocks have gone back, the temperature has definitely dropped and families across the nation are preparing for Halloween and Bonfire Night over the half term period. These calendar events offer the perfect opportunity for families to get creative, connect and make lasting memories. Whether you’re decorating pumpkins, baking tasty treats or heading out to local events, there are countless ways parents, nannies and children can make the most of the half term break and Halloween and Bonfire Night right here in North West London.
Creative Crafts for Kids
Arts and crafts are a brilliant way to keep children busy while encouraging creativity, independence and developing fine motor skills among younger children. We’ve suggested a few crafty ideas below that can be done from the comfort of your home, in a nanny’s care and with minimal materials.
Spooky Lantern Jars
Turn old jam jars (or kilner jars if you have them) into glowing ghost or pumpkin lanterns that will make wonderful window decorations this autumn. Children will need some orange and white tissue paper, PVA glue and battery-operated tealights or fairy lights. Simply glue the tissue paper around the jar and use a black felt tip pen to draw spooky faces onto the tissue - simple but very effective!
Autumnal Door Wreaths
Creating a seasonal door wreath is a lovely way to combine outdoor exploration with creative fun. When you’re out on a walk, encourage children to collect colourful leaves, pinecones, conkers and twigs, then use them to decorate a circular cardboard or wire ring base. Fix everything into place with PVA glue or a glue gun with adult supervision.
You can also add extra details like glitter and cutout paper shapes to give the wreath added pizazz or small pumpkins, orange ribbons or paper bats for a Halloween twist.
Paper Plate Pumpkins and Bats
For a quick and easy craft, let children paint paper plates orange or black, then add paper cut-outs to create faces, bat wings or pumpkin stems. Hang them on doors or string them together for homemade Halloween bunting.
Trick-or-Treat Bags
If you’re planning to go trick-or-treat-ing, then designing a reusable trick-or-treat bag is a fantastic activity for kids as it fuels their creativity. Simply give them a plain tote bag or a plain paper bag if preferred and some paint and let their imagination run free. You could also add things like beads or some fabric cut outs sewn on if you’re a dab hand with a needle and thread.
This is not only a fun pre-Halloween activity but it’s also a sustainable alternative to disposable plastic buckets and can be used for shopping thereafter.
Frightfully Fun Halloween Recipes
Cooking together is one of the most enjoyable (and tasty) ways to celebrate Halloween. These simple recipes are easy for nannies to make with children and perfect for family gatherings or trick-or-treat parties.
Mummified Sausage Rolls
Wrap cocktail sausages or chipolatas in thin strips of puff pastry, leaving a small gap for “eyes.” Bake until golden, then add edible eyes or dots of mustard. As a sweet alternative, do could wrap the pastry around some chocolate paste and use candy eyes. Whichever you choose, these make a quick and tasty snack for little ones after a busy day.
Pumpkin and Cheese Quesadillas
Use vitamin-rich pumpkin purée or roasted butternut squash as a filling with some grated mozzarella cheese between two tortillas. Cut out carved pumpkin faces before toasting them in a frying pan or air fryer and tucking in. You could also dip these into a ‘blood sauce’ which could simply be a bit of tomato sauce or salsa.
Monster Cupcakes
Bake (or buy) simple vanilla cupcakes and let your children decorate them with green icing, candy eyes and sprinkles. This activity is great for creativity and everyone can enjoy these afterwards with a cup of warm apple juice, hot chocolate or a cup of tea for grown-ups.
Halloween & Bonfire Night in North West London
If you’re looking to get out and about in North West London then there is a fantastic mix of family-friendly Halloween and Bonfire Night events over the coming days.
Halloween at Kenwood
This year, Kenwood House is hosting a brand-new illuminated Halloween trail, where families can wander through glowing pathways, eerie installations and spooky surprises. From a tangled spider tunnel to a glowing laser garden, it’s a thrilling after-dark adventure perfect for brave explorers. Find out more here.
Alexandra Palace Halloween Spooktacular
Alexandra Palace is known for its fantastic Bonfire Night display and this year is expected to be no exception but as the momentous occasion coincides with Halloween weekend, they have an exciting ‘Spooktacular’. With fireworks, drones, live music, ice skating, ghost tours and a German Bier Festival for adults, there’s really something for all the family and a great way to end the half term on a high. Tickets can be bought here.
Local Pumpkin Patches
While you can absolutely pick up a pumpkin from your preferred supermarket at carve it at home with children this Halloween, you could also ‘make a day of it’ by visiting a local pumpkin patch and selecting a pumpkin. Farms such as Aldenham Country Park and Lewis of London Farm offer pumpkin picking and a range of other Halloween-themed activities that make for a wholesome day out as a family.
Halloween and Bonfire Night are an opportunity for families to spend quality time together and embrace creativity, whether through homemade crafts, simple spooky recipes, a quirky costume or fun local outings. In doing so, Halloween can be both exciting and enriching, leaving your little ghosts and goblins with big smiles and happy memories.