Most schools and colleges in the UK will be closed for the week commencing 27 October for the “Half Term”.

This is the perfect time to explore the UK’s many Theme Parks which are popular with very young children and teens alike.

Alton Towers in the Midlands (M6, junction 15 or 16, or M1, junction 23a or 24a) suits all ages and will remain open until Sunday 1st November when it closes for most of the winter the following day. If tickets are booked online in advance, you may take advantage of a saving of over £7 for an adult ticket or nearly £30 (on a six person family ticket). If you’re prepared to be scared, how about Halloween fun at Alton Towers, with their “Scarefest” from 17th October (check website for full details and separate prices)?

Thorpe Park Theme Park in Surrey (exit M25 at junction 11 or 13) starts its “Fright Nights” on 12th October but entry is strictly controlled by advance bookings only (usual tickets may be purchased at the gate). Thorpe is preferred by older teens (13-14 years plus) as it has a fantastic range of white knuckle rides such as the Saw, whilst Chessington World of Adventures (exit M25 at junction 9) is excellent for younger children and families with its rides, Wild Wood Animal Antics Presentations and Zoo.

Infant and Junior school children (aged 3 to 12) will simply love Legoland in Berkshire near London! Not only will they be fascinated by the lego model Miniland, but with over 50 rides at Legoland including Laiser Raiders, Balloon School, train and boat rides, they’ll be asking to come back the next day too!

Other theme parks to consider include the largest family owned Drayton Manor Park near Birmingham and Coventry, with its “Thomas (the Tank Engine) Land”, Europe’s only stand up rollercoaster and superb water ride. If you’re in Essex, then Adventure Island with its pay as you go rides, is closest, with Crealy Cornwall and Crealy Devon in the west of the country. There are Gulliver’s theme parks in Bath, Milton Keynes and Warrington, with Loudoun Castle near Kilmarnock and M&D’s Strathclyde Country Park near East Kilbride, in Scotland.

Who could forget Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach, which if you head to during October will offer the added bonus of the annual Blackpool Illuminations.