Half term has taken a ghastly turn as Halloween approaches. Chris Price rounds up what to do with the family while school’s out.

Bewl Water, Lamberhurst

The flames of evil are unleashed in the Forest of Fire tour, where guides will tell the disturbing tale of Screaming Roxanne. Each guest gets a map and a story with the imagination doing the rest. The Halloween-themed half term fun continues with the Ghostly Ship, a trip down the jetty with the captain telling stories of the dangerous things that happen at sea. In Horrors Hall, children can try their hand at batting a rat, have their face painted and try pumpkin bowling. Plus visitors can take on the hydroballs and slide or enjoy a spot of fishing and model boats.

Open: Noon until 7pm from Saturday, October 22 until Sunday, October 30.

Cost: £3, children £2 but each attraction incurs a charge. A gold pass for £12.50 gains admission to everything.

Address: Bewl Water, Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst TN3 8JH

Contact: 01892 890000 or www.bewlwater.co.uk

Bodiam Castle

Meet creatures from the dusty planes of Australia to the mountains and tropical jungles of South America over the half term weekend.

Brave visitors can hold a tarantula, hissing cockroaches and a royal python. Throughout the week children can follow a treasure trail leading them on a spine-chilling tour of the castle before claiming a ghoulish prize. They may also come across the castle ghost. On weekdays families can try on medieval costumes to become a knight, lord, jester or peasant.

Open: Daily 10.30am to 5pm. The creatures will be at the castle on Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23. The treasure trail runs from Saturday, October 22 until Sunday, October 30.

Cost: £6.80, children £3.40, families £18 (two adults) or £11.20 (one adult). There is a reduced rate for visitors arriving by bike or the Kent and East Sussex Railway.

Address: Bodiam Castle, Bodiam, near Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5UA

Contact: 01580 830196 or www.nationaltrust.org.uk

The Canterbury Tales

A series of after dark performances of Chaucer’s classic stories will make audiences laugh and shriek. The Terrible Tales include a horrifying rendition of Sir Naughty Knight’s quest to right a wrong. Visitors can also laugh at the three brothers – Demetrius, Noctine and Nigel – in the Pardoner’s Tale and be terrified by the Haunting of the Willful Boy. The tales have been written by University of Kent student Lonnie Storey and will be performed by drama students. For ages 12 and above.

Open: Daily from 10am to 5pm but the Terrible Tales run from Thursday, October 27 until Monday, October 31.

Cost: £7.95, concessions £6.95, children £5.90.

Address: The Canterbury Tales, St. Margaret’s Street, Canterbury CT1 2TG

Contact: 01227 784600 or www.canterburytales.org.uk

Chatham Historic Dockyard

Young visitors can design their own tag and spray it on a wall in the style of street artists like Banksy, whose work is on show in the Dockyard’s Street Art Exhibition. Families can also find out about the monsters, mermaids, ghost ships and superstitions that frightened sailors of long ago as part of Myths & Monsters week. Friendly witch Megan has stories of mythical creatures from the oceans which will enchant, rather than scare, the younger ones. There is also junior ghost walks, suitable for ages eight and over, crafts and mask-making.

Open: Street art workshops run from 11am to 2pm from Monday to Friday, October 24 to 28. Myths and Monsters runs from Saturday to Monday, October 22 to October 31.

Cost: £15.50, concessions £13, children £10.50, families £42.50. Some events have a small extra charge.

Address: The Historic Dockyard, Chatham ME4 4TZ

Contact: 01634 823800 or www.thedockyard.co.uk

Dover Castle

A half term visit to the English Heritage attraction atop the White Cliffs might prove more ghastly than at first expected, as the castle has 12 areas where spirits have been recorded over its 2,000-year history. This school holiday spooky characters will lead the horribly haunting daytime ghost tours as well as offering tricks and treats to visitors as they find out more about the attraction’s famous phantom residents. Children can make witches hats, cat masks or a bat on a stick inside a creepy craft marquee and anyone in fancy dress could win a prize in the Halloween costume competition.

Open: The ghoulies and ghosties activities take place from 10am to 5pm from Saturday, October 22 until Sunday, October 30.

Cost: £16, concessions £14.40, children £9.60, families £41.60.

Address: Dover Castle, Castle Hill, Dover CT16 1HU

Contact: 0870 333 1181 or www.english-heritage.org.uk

Fort Amherst, Chatham

Get spooked by Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd, the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, a zombie graveyard and vampires on the ghost walks throughout half term. Children’s imagination will run wild on the spooky junior walks. A medium will join the grown ups on their wanders at midnight on the final walk through the fort. There will also be a fun fair to enjoy with a ghost train, carousel and tea cups.

Open: Children’s ghost walks from 4pm to 7pm from Friday, October 21 until Monday, October 31. Adult ghost walks from 7pm to 11pm from Monday, October 24 until Saturday, October 31.

Cost: £10, children £5.

Address: Fort Amherst, Dock Road, Chatham ME4 4UB

Contact: 01634 847747 or www.fortamherst.com

Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, Gillingham

Make pumpkin, vampire, witch, wizard and skeleton masks and hats to take home at free workshops. Marketing manager Su Button said: “The half term school holidays can prove to be expensive for parents. This year, we especially felt it was important to provide free events for families and we will be holding painting and making workshops for five days during half term.”

Open: From 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm from Monday to Friday, October 24 to 28.

Cost: Free.

Address: Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, Gillingham ME7 3PD

Contact: 01634 387076 or www.hempsteadvalley.com

Hever Castle

Scare the neighbours by making your own trick or treat to take home. Children can also plant garlic bulbs to keep the vampires away and follow a pumpkin trail through the grounds to learn about the castle’s past. There will be more ghostly goings on from the Lady of the Wildwoods who’ll keep children spellbound with her scary stories from beyond the grave. Families can also sample Halloween-themed meals and snacks.

Open: Gardens from 10.30am, castle from noon until 6pm from Monday, October 24 until Sunday, October 30.

Cost: £14, seniors £12, children £8, families £36.

Address: Hever Castle, Hever, near Edenbridge TN8 7NG

Contact: 01732 865224 or www.hevercastle.co.uk

Hop Farm, Paddock Wood

Celebrate Halloween at the Skeletons and Scarecrows week, with lots of dressing up, party dances, magic and spooky stories. From apple bobbing to broomstick games, children will be kept entertained all week. Then get the fright of your life during the evening Freak Week tours. Walk around the twisted corridors of Mr Porky’s meat factory and dare to enter Doomesgate prison where tortured souls prey on fresh meat.

Open: Skeletons and Scarecrows runs from 10am to 5pm from Saturday, October 22 to Sunday, October 30. Freak Week runs from 6pm until late from Thursday, October 27 until Monday, October 31.

Cost: Skeletons and Scarecrows £14.90, seniors £8.70, children £12.80, families from £47.50. Freak Week £15, in advance £12.50.

Address: The Hop Farm Family Park, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge TN12 6PY

Contact: 01622 872068 or www.thehopfarm.co.uk

Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks, near Canterbury and Folkestone

Follow a pumpkin trail around the walks and pathways of the parks, unveiling scary clues and facts about the animals that live there. The parks will also run creepy evening tours on Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23, 29 and 30. Howletts will run creepy crawly sessions, where for 30 minutes, visitors can come face to face with millipedes and other bugs. You can also prepare special feeds with a Halloween twist.

Open: Howletts daily 10am to 6pm. Port Lympne daily 9.30am to 6.30pm.

Cost: Howletts £19.95, children £15.95. Port Lympne £22.95, children £18.95. Under threes free.

Address: Howletts Wild Animal Park, Bekesbourne, near Canterbury CT4 5EL

Port Lympne Wild Animal & Safari Park, Lympne, near Hythe CT21 4PD

Contact: 0844 842 4647 or www.aspinallfoundation.org

Kent & East Sussex Railway

Take a spooky steam train ride during Halloween fun week, with pumpkin carving workshops among the entertainment on board. There will also be a Fright Night Train on Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29, with scary face painting and other ghostly goings on before a fireworks display.

Open: Halloween fun week from Monday to Friday, October 24 to 28. Fright Night Train on Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29.

Cost: £13.50, seniors, £12.50, children £8.50, families £37. Fright Night Train £14.50 each including snack box. Booking essential.

Address: Kent & East Sussex Railway, Tenterden Town Station, Station Road, Tenterden TN30 6HE

Contact: 01580 765155 or www.kesr.org.uk

Leeds Castle

Make witches hats, cauldrons, spiders and masks to take home in a marquee near the maze. A spot of Halloween-themed archery takes the form of an unusual pumpkin shy. Children who sent in pictures of the pumpkins they have grown will find out the results of the Beat the Leeds Castle Gardeners competition on Friday, to see who could grow the best pumpkin.

Open: Half term activities from Saturday, October 22 until Friday, October 28.

Cost: £18.50, concessions £16, children £11, under fours free. £2 per child in the craft marquee. Some events have a small extra charge.

Address: Leeds Castle, Maidstone ME17 1PL

Contact: 01622 765400 or www.leeds-castle.com

Maidstone Museum

From crazy Roman emperors to dinosaurs and spiders, there is a spooky edge to the children’s activities at the museum as Halloween approaches. The week starts with making mobiles of hanging pterodactyls on Monday and then making laurel crowns in the crazy style of Caligula on Tuesday. Wednesday sees children making amulet magnets for mummies while on Thursday, children can make spider gloves to scare their friends. Little ones will make witches hats on Friday.

Open: Activities from 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm from Monday, October 24 until Friday, October 28.

Cost: £2.50 per child. Entry free.

Address: Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery, St. Faith’s Street, Maidstone ME14 1LH

Contact: 01622 602838 or www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk

Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch

Ghost-hunting with the Ghostbusters and a Punch and Judy show will keep families entertained during the day. A production of The Gruffalo by students from Tenterden’s Homewood School, a walk through the Boo Tunnel and the Devil’s Pig Race will also go ahead over the half term break. There will be prizes for the best Halloween fancy dress, judged by the Friendly Witch. Evening sessions will be a bit more sinister and entertaining for older visitors. Events manager Nikki Sara said: “The Boo Tunnel offers many a nasty surprise, while the terrifying trailer rides and the woodland walks take you into the heart of fear itself. The gory theatre is another, dare-to-miss-it attraction.”

Open: Family activities from 10.30am to 4.30pm from Wednesday, October 26 to Sunday, October 30. The evening sessions run from Wednesday to Saturday from 6.30pm to 10pm.

Cost: £8.50, children £7.50, under threes free. Evening sessions £13, children £11.

Address: Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch, near Ashford TN26 3RJ

Contact: 01233 861493 or www.rarebreeds.org.uk

Spotlites Theatre, Chatham

After consecutive sell out performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the past five years, Spotlites is giving young performers the chance to be a part of the five productions which did so well north of the border. Drama and theatre workshops will run throughout the week and there will be four one-off performances of the successful Edinburgh shows Peter Pan on Dinosaur Island, Robinson Crusoe the Lost Jedi Knight, The Enormous Turnip and Magic Porridge Pot.

Open: From Sunday, October 23 until Saturday, October 29.

Cost: Productions £6.50, children £5.50, families £22. Workshops £5 per child.

Address: Kings Theatre, 338, High Street, Chatham ME4 4NR

Contact: 01634 829468 or www.spotlites.co.uk

Turner Contemporary, Margate

Every Wednesday and Thursday during school holidays the gallery runs creative workshops for families, this time inspired by Rodin’s The Kiss. Children can draw and sculpt from life. Then in the Saturday Studio the whole family can learn a new skill related to the Turner’s exhibitions and make artwork together at Easy Sundays.

Open: The gallery opens Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm. Draw and Sculpt workshops - Wednesday and Thursday from 1pm to 4pm. Saturday Studio and Easy Sunday from 1pm to 4pm.

Cost: Workshops £2 per child, accompanying adults and under threes free. Normal admission free.

Address: Turner Contemporary, Rendezvous, CT9 1HG

Contact: 01843 233000 or www.turnercontemporary.org