Half term… how is it half term already!? I mean we’re only just recovering from the summer holidays. Here we are again, one full week with the little ones which means one full week to entertain and feed them (which quite frankly can cost the same amount as a weekend get away to Mallorca with friends…).
So here’s what’s actually worth knowing this week: the free and cheap days out, the kids-eat-free deals that save real money, and a backup plan for the day it rains and nobody wants to put shoes on.
Free (or close to it) days out
National Trust autumn trails. Most properties are running wildlife and autumn trails this week — think conkers, falling leaves and natural crafts — plus pumpkin carving, storytelling and haunted trails at some sites in the run-up to Halloween. Members get in free; non-members, check your nearest property for entry prices, as some grounds are free to walk even without paying for the house. See the National Trust’s half-term events page for what’s on near you.
The big national museums are free, always. The British Museum (my favourite!), Natural History Museum and Science Museum don’t charge general admission, and this half term both the Natural History Museum and Science Museum have real half-term programming on top, not just the permanent galleries. Book your slot before you go either way, since the free stuff still needs a timed ticket and queues get long over half term.
- Science Museum: the free Pokémon Space Trail runs daily right through to January 2027 (book a free timed ticket), plus Bubble Explorers — a bubble-science show for under-8s — and Wonderlab’s live light show. Both are free but worth booking ahead, since they sell out over half term.
- Natural History Museum: the newly reopened Nature and Us gallery is free to visit, and Wildlife Photographer of the Year (ticketed, this year’s 62nd edition) is worth it if your kids are into animals. Either way, book before you go — the half-term queue for the dinosaur gallery is not a myth.
Your local library. Easy to forget, completely free, and most run half-term craft sessions or Halloween-themed drop-ins this week. Worth a quick look at your council’s library page before you default to the soft play again.
The kids-eat-free deals actually worth using
Some of these need an app, some need a minimum adult spend that cancels out the saving, so I’ve only kept the ones that are genuinely worth it. Offers and dates change, so double-check with the venue before you go.
- IKEA: 95p kids’ meal, no adult meal required, daily from 11am.
- Wagamama: no free-kids-meal deal to flag, honestly — but kids’ mains start at £4, and the free Soul Club app stacks up stamps toward free food and half-term kids’ workshops after a few visits, so worth joining if you’re already a regular.
- Frankie & Benny’s: kids (12 and under) eat free with each adult main, all day, through the school holidays.
- Toby Carvery: kids’ main or breakfast for £1 with an adult main, 10 Oct – 1 Nov, including weekends (sign up via the app).
- Sizzling Pubs: kids’ main for £1 per adult main, Monday–Friday, all day.
- Bella Italia: one child (2–11) gets three courses and a drink with an adult main, 17 Oct – 1 Nov in England.
There are more than twenty other chains running some version of this right now — MadeForMums has the full list if you want to check a specific restaurant before you book.
For the day it rains and nobody wants to put shoes on
Half term always has one of these days. We keep a boredom jar for exactly this — 96 screen-free activity ideas by age, and there’s a free printable version you can cut out and use. If everyone’s had enough of each other’s company by lunchtime, the board games actually worth owning is the other thing we reach for.
One eye on Halloween
This year half term runs straight into Halloween, so if the costume isn’t sorted yet, now’s the week to do it before the shops thin out. We’ve got costume ideas your kids will actually wear (and you won’t hate making) if you need a starting point.
However this week goes, it’s nine days, not nine months. It always feels longer on day two.
