Top things to do This October Half-term

Top things to do This October Half-term

October is a magical time to visit wetlands, and this half-term, we have exciting activities for the whole family! Whether you enjoy spooky crafts, wildlife exploration, or seasonal walks, there’s something for everyone.

Spend your days getting creative and soaking in the beauty of autumn. With hands-on workshops and outdoor adventures, it’s the perfect opportunity to connect with nature while celebrating the Halloween season! View our full October half term calendar and check out our top things to see and do this half term:

Spells and Potions activity guide - all through out October half term

Pick up a 'Spells and Potions logbook and enjoy doing nature-themed challenges and activities during your visit. From creating your own magical name, playing super-natural i-spy and spotting fungi, there's lots to keep the family busy!

Speaking of fungi, go on a fungi hunt! (Fungi Walk - Saturday 26 Oct, 11am - 12noon)

Join our team for an exciting hour-long adventure around our reserve as we hunt for all sorts of seasonal fungi! You’ll learn how to spot and identify key species along the way. No need to book - just meet us in the picture window 5 minutes before we head out at 11am! Included with admission.

Not able to make the Fungi Walk? No problemo, pick up a fungi spotter guide and fly solo searching around our woodlands for signs of fungi life.

TOP TIP: Check around standing deadwood and tree stumps in Hollowood - fungi thrives in moist woody areas and this is the perfect place to start. It's only a hop, skip and a jump away from our inner path, so great for little ones too!

Pond Dipping - Sunday 27 Oct, 1 - 2:30pm

Grab a net and dive into the underwater world with our education team during this exciting family-friendly pond dipping adventure! Visit the cool interactive Pondzone and hunt for water snails, great diving beetles, and their amazing larvae. You’ll learn how to safely catch and identify your discoveries before gently releasing them back into the water. It’s a splash-tastic way to explore nature!

Owl Pellet Workshop - Wednesday 30 Oct, 11am - 12noon

Join our reserve team in the Discovery Centre for a fun hands-on session where you can dissect owl pellets! Uncover tiny bones from mammals like mice and voles, and our friendly learning team will be there to help you identify all the cool pieces. It’s a super exciting way to learn about the darker side of nature!

Make a Halloween lantern and badge (Thursday 31 Oct 1-2:30pm)

Get Crafty with Halloween Lanterns and Badges! Join us on Halloween to make your very own spooky lantern using a glass jar, with plenty of craft materials to bring it to life. It’s the perfect take-home treat, just in time for trick or treating! You can also create a cool Halloween badge to wear while you explore the reserve on your spooky adventure!

You don’t have to dress up, but if you wear your spookiest Halloween costume, you could win a special prize in our Facebook competition! Keep an eye out for more details!

See autumn migration in action

For those keen on exploring the wilder areas of site, head down to our hides around Wader Lake or Saline Lagoon to look for a variety of wetland birds including curlew, Eurasian teal, lapwing and little egret. Hawthorn Wood hide is also a great place to stop and enjoy the sights and sounds of woodland birds flitting and feeding, such as colourful bullfinch, great-spotted woodpecker or everyone's favourite, the robin!

TOP TIP: Pick up a wetland or woodland bird spotter guide to help you ID what you see. It's a great way to introduce children and beginners to the mindful wonders of bird watching!

FINAL TOP TIP: Download our app and get 10% discount off your WWT Washington visit! Our app also features fun quizzes, audio descriptions and animal calls, plus an interactive map to help you find your way around. It's the perfect digital pocket guide!

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