What To Do In Norfolk This October Half Term!

We may have lower numbers than lots of other parts of the country but it’s still going to be a mindfully distanced half term for those of us in Norfolk so what is there to do with the kids this holiday that will keep us obeying the rules and at the same time having fun with the kiddos? Trick or treating is out so it’s about thinking outside the box!

1. We will be having a Halloween themed tea party just for us and 2 cousins taking us to no more than 6 as I’ll be the only grown up in attendance. Apple bobbing, the flour game, a trick or treat candy hunt and lots of fun and garishly themed party food will do the trick!
2. We are also holding a Halloween themed Murder Mystery using my own penned Murder Mystery template and script which I have made a free downloadable on my blog. See this post to download a copy and you too can have a “Murder For Six” as you dine over 3 courses – we will be having ghoulie drinks, a starter of skeleton tapas, main pumpkin shaped pizza and then ginger, pear and lime jelly trifle snake pit for dessert before just desserts of coffee/babycinno and the big murderer reveal!
3. Netflix has lots of Halloween themed movies which are fun for little ones as well as big – Hocus Pocus is top of my list!
4. A scavenger hunt for pumpkins around the village we live in will also happen when we will all go hunting for the best ones!
5. We will also be carving pumpkins ourselves (I love doing this on the beach as seagulls eat the mulch and the mess stays outside – HELLO Cromer!) of course and decorating biscuits, doing Halloween crafting and keeping ourselves busy with a few distanced days out!
   

So when it comes to days out in Norfolk we highly recommend the things we will be doing (and trying to squeeze in as I haven’t booked everything yet) and these are top of our list!

1. Wroxham Barns: We love it here and now with a one price for the whole day to include the Junior Farm and Fun Park giving unlimited access to both it’s one of the most affordable days out. For October Half Term and Halloween they are also offering every child with a ticket to pick a pumpkin AND carve it on site (none of that mess again – that’s what I’m about)! It costs£11.50 (with a booking fee) for children and adults (under 2s go FREE) and tickets MUST be booked in advance with timed slots. When we visited in the summer we were mega impressed with their social distancing measures and cannot wait to go back – in fact we are kicking off the holidays there tomorrow!
2. Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse: We are Norfolk Museum pass holders (just under £100 for the year for 2 adults and as many kids as you wanna take on any given day – the best value annual pass in the county which covers 10 museums and allows daily access even on event days) so we ALWAYS make a trip here during the holidays! For this half term and to offer a spooky edge alongside the farm (park is under refurb and not open) and museum they are inviting families to enjoy extra activities including woodland games, a pumpkin obstacle course, craft activities and more! For non members tickets are priced at £13.30 (adult), £12.60 (concession), £11.30 (ages 4 – 18), carers and under 4s are FREE and there are family packages available also. Book timed slots in advance through Norfolk Museum Arts Tickets.
3. Sea Life Hunstanton: Our favourite Sea Life Centre is the one in Hunstanton as it has the seal hospital and it’s just so gorgeous! Right on the beach too and perfect for a real sea feeling day out! For half term they are offering their usual Halloween A-scarium, an immersive trail around the sea creatures with spooktacular fun along the way! General admission costs £15.10 in advance on line (you must book a timed slot) but there are also family packages that can be made use of!
4. Pumpkin Picking at Algy’s Farm: Algy’s at Bintree, Dereham is a local farm and shop where you can head into the patch and pick your own pumpkin and I have it on good authority that their pizzas for a yummy warming snack afterwards are amazing! No need to book just head on up there and get picking the best of the patch!
5. BeWILDerwood: This was the first day out we did post lockdown and remains one of the most impressive in my mind for the social distancing measures they had in place. I had really felt for them this half term as their crowning glory in the year for us and most people we know is their wonderful Glorious Glowing Lantern parade which we assumed they wouldn’t be able to do but those clever Boggles and Twiggles have found a way! Book your Day Tickets to enjoy the park as usual (the park is a magical world inspired by author Tom Blofeld and one price gets you all the fun of tree top walk ways, mazes, play equipment, crafting, den building and more) and then book a lantern parade ticket separately to enjoy one of three timed slots for the day – it’s worth noting if you book the later slots you do have to leave the park in between day tripping and lantern parading. In advance day ticket prices are £17.50 (taller than 105cm), £15.50 (between 90cm and 105cm), £9,50 (65+) and FREE for under 90cm. For the lantern parade tickets cost £7.50 per person with under 90cm visitors going FREE. HURRY, they are nearly sold out!
6. Pensthorpe: Actually the most naturally brilliant place for social distancing Pensthorpe is both a nature reserve and the best children’s playground ever with animals and birds to visit in their natural habitat as well as a few on display. We love it here. Just love it and Halloween is one of the most magical times to visit for some reason – I can’t put my finger on why, perhaps it’s the way they decorate so beautifully or maybe it’s just because it’s so beautiful without even trying, either way we just adore visiting! For Halloween half term Pensthorpe are offering eerie explorers the chance to enjoy their family friendly activities! Tickets cost £12.95 (adult), £11.95 (seniors and children) and under 3s are FREE. Of course please do book in advance to avoid disappointment!(Hootz House is currently closed but Wild Rootz is well and truly open – expect wet play in the stream and beyond so take wellies)!
7. Pleasure Beach: Great Yarmouth’s all singing and all dancing ride machine is open for business and especially for Halloween you can enjoy Fairground Fright Nights happening from Wednesday the 28th of October until Saturday the 31st. From 5pm to 8pm enjoy unlimited rides for £17 with a bit of a spooky edge. Actors are there to scare anyone over the age of 5 and the most thoughtful social distancing measures have been put in place – we cannot wait to take the big kiddos! Admission tickets do need to be booked in advance!
8. Roarr: We just LOVE Roarr and this half term they welcome guests for Dippy’s Halloween Days where from the 24th of October to the 1st of November visitors will enjoy spooky fun across the park! As well as faves like the farm, high ropes, the play equipment and racing cars and especially for Halloween there’s crafting, a blue skeleton trail (with prizes), story telling and much more! We love that once you’ve paid to be in you’re in and nothing else is extra! Tickets cost £16.50 for anyone over 90cm and FREE to those who are under! Booking with a timed slot is essential as the park is running at a greatly reduced capacity to adhere to social distancing guidelines – in the summer we found their measures impressive and it’s good to note they have managed to accommodate an indoor picnic area for this season while still maintaining their high standards!
9. Norwich Castle Museum: Another Norfolk Museum this one is also covered on our pass and is in the heart of Norwich City Centre so we will try to coincide it with a game of bowling, a shop and maybe a lunch out somewhere nice. The museum is newly reopened for the first time since lock down and though quite small they always offer lots for children in school holidays. This half term you can expect it to be a little more sedate but no less fun as you explore the galleries and help them celebrate 126 years of being open! Ticket prices for non members are £3 (adult), £2.80 (concession), £1.50 (ages 4 – 18), carers and under 4s are FREE. Book timed slots in advance through Norfolk Museum Arts Tickets
10. Time and Tide Museum: Just as with the other Norfolk Museums this one is included on an annual membership pass and one of our faves. It’s small but perfectly formed and very interesting – we always see something new! Parking on street is free next to the museum and the cafe Silver Darlings (now open) is SO good, just brilliant for kiddos. They usually have crafting for children but expect a quieter half term for now. We still highly recommend it for a visit (even if just for the cafe to be honest) though! Tickets for non members are priced at £6.40 (adults), £6.10 (concessions), £5.50 (ages 4-18), carers and under 4s are FRE and they have family packages available too. Book timed slots in advance through Norfolk Museum Arts Tickets

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Halloween half term and can’t wait to have some socially distanced fun at some of our fave places – look out for some up to date reviews of some of these places after we’ve been and also do check my blog for past reviews too!

We will be visiting some of the places mentioned as gifted and or paid partnership experiences.