5 top tips for Halloween for families in South West London

1. Decorate your house and garden
Before having kids I didn’t know anything about spider web, pumpkins, electric tea lights and trick or treat bags, but now I realise it’s not possible to get away without stocking up on a range of Halloween decorations and accessories before the big day. Last year we went shopping for everything we needed in Fulham’s party shop Circus Circus on Wandsworth Bridge Road, and Baby Girl was thrilled with how her garden playhouse looked with spider web and cute-looking purple spiders. To get inspired, it’s worth passing through Quarrendon Street in Fulham, which must be one of the best Halloween streets in London, as families living on the street tend to go all in on Halloween decorations with skeletons, smoke machines and more.

2. Make Halloween crafts with kids
In Battersea, charming toy shop Marmalade 250 is hosting a Halloween craft day on Friday 30 October from 11am to 5pm. Older children can come make paper lanterns, and little ones can do pumpkin potato printing for £2 per child. There will also be spooky treats and tea for grown ups.

3. Learn spooky science
Kings Road children’s clothing and toy shop Igloo Kids is hosting free, spooky, one-hour long science classes aimed at children aged between 4 and 10, on Sunday 1 November at noon, 1pm and 2pm. In the classes, run by Little House of Science, children will explore Halloween experiments, learning chemistry by making floating ghosts and creepy spiders and more.

4. Create Halloween treats
In May three-year-old Baby Girl was invited to a Mr Men-themed Biscuiteers icing party, and we had a brilliant time. After her fun one-hour session, which had been rather relaxing for me as she had been entertained non-stop, we had returned home with a Mr Men party bag with her three iced biscuits and princess face paint to match her outfit. I was now excited to hear Biscuiteers in Notting Hill and Northcote Road are hosting another icing party on Saturday 31 October, where children can come for one-hour sessions to ice their own biscuits, have face paint and do Halloween games. Tickets are £15 per child and sessions run between 2-5pm.

5. Get fit with Halloween fun
On Sunday 1 November the Trick or Treat Run London is taking place in Richmond Park, offering family friendly routes of 2km, 5km or 10km. I think the 2km option sounds ideal for families with young children who want to run in fancy dress and have fun in the park that day. There will be Halloween zones along the route, and when crossing the finishing line runners can choose between a trick lane for a spooky surprise, or a treat lane for a treat. There are also prizes for best costumes, and medals for everyone. For a more relaxed option, there’s a quiz trail in Battersea Park Children’s Zoo and visitors can go for a stroll around the park, buy a quiz sheet for £1 and use the clues to find the pumpkins.

Tags: Battersea, Biscuiteers, Circus Circus, Fulham, Halloween, Igloo Kids, Little House of Science, London, Marmalade 250, Notting Hill, Quarrendon Street, Richmond, Trick or treat, Trick or Treat Run