With the dark nights looming, a permanent drizzle enveloping us on a daily basis and half term approaching, it would be easy to get downhearted. But luckily Oxford is brimming with stuff to do with the kids, and keeping them occupied from dawn til dusk won’t be a problem

The Theatre, Chipping Norton

  • Introduce your children to India, Bollywood and Just Jhoom Dance Fitness. Monday, Upper Town Hall, 10am-12.30pm (5-7 years) and 1.30pm-4pm (8-12 years).
  • The Willow Pattern Performance and Workshop. A magical story told through handmade wooden puppets, music and sound effects. Following the show, kids can create their own willow pattern plate. Tuesday, Lower Town Hall, 10am-12pm, 5-11 years. Box office on 01608 642350. Banbury Museum l Workshops include: Marvellous Museum Mobiles (Monday 2pm-4pm), Fabulous Frames (Tuesday, 10.30am-12.30pm) and Celebrate Diwali (Wednesday 2pm-4pm) for children aged 5+.
  • Pathé. A collection of rarely seen short historical film clips from the ‘fashions of the Gay Nineties’ (that is the 1890s!) to the Swinging Sixties. Tuesday, 2.30pm, geared to older children and adults.
  • Plus: Art Cart Action, Crazy Cameras every day for 4+ years, (drop in and make and decorate a model camera to take home).

The Mill, BANBURY l James Campbell’s Comedy 4 Kids. Children’s stand-up comedian James Campbell will be talking about scooters, Scottish country dancing and what we might do with a gaggle of gregarious giraffes in a show for children over seven. Wednesday at 2pm.

  • How To Catch A Star. Based on Oliver Jeffers’ bestselling book, it tells of a boy who loves watching stars from his bedroom window and decides to catch one of his own! Thursday, November 1, 11.30am and 2pm.

Ages 3-7.

  • There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly. Song and nursery rhyme show. Saturday, November 10. 11.30am and 2pm. Box office on 01295 279002 Creation Theatre l Creation’s spooky workshops for 6-8 and 9-12 year olds at Oxford Spires Academy. Dracula, The Hound of the Baskervilles or Grimm’s Fairytales, run for one week from October 29-November 2. Box Office on 01865 766266 or creationtheatre.co.uk Story Museum l Family Printing Workshop, Saturday, 2-4pm, suitable for ages 8+.
  • The Original Superheroes. Be an Olympic hero and make togas, swords and shields, and take away your very own gold medal in a handmade box while listening to tales of Gods, heroes and Olympians. With artist Francesca Shakespeare. Thursday, November 1, 10am-12pm and 2-4pm.
  • Runcible Rhymes, celebrate Edward Lear’s birthday with poems, songs and lots of things to make, see and do, with children’s author Diana Moore. Under 10s. Friday, November 2, 2-4pm. torymuseum.org.uk Oxford Playhouse Workshops l Auditioning for Drama School for ages 16 plus on Monday.
  • Sam Gayton’s Tales To Be Told After Dark, a Halloween writing workshop for ages 8 to 12, Tuesday from 10am to 4pm.
  • Improvisation by Seamus Allen on Wednesday from 10am to 4pm.
  • For pre-school children, Fireside Stories storytelling and craft session for ages 3 to 6 on Friday, November 2, at 1.30pm and 2.45pm. Box Office on 01865 305305 or book online at oxfordplayhouse.com Pegasus l Dance, puppet, art and singing taster workshops for ages 8 to 10. November 1 and 2. Plus Saturday free dance scratch showcase. Box Office on 01865 812150.

Oxford Castle – UNLOCKED

  • A ghoulish line-up of inmates will be locked up in the old cells of Oxford’s former prison this Halloween to put the fun and frights into trick or treating from 6pm to 8pm, on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday. Trick or Treating costs £4 per person. Oxford Castle–Unlocked on 01865 260666 or visit oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk North Wall, SUMMERTOWN
  • Clockheart Boy by Oxford’s own Hester Bond tells the tale of a boy with no heart who is washed ashore. A professor and his creations vow to bring him back to life in this family show. November 3. Box office on 01865 319450 MUSEUMS
  • Winnie’s Dinosaur Days at The Museum of Natural History, Parks Road. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Celebrate the launch of the new Winnie the Witch book by getting crafty. 1-4pm, drop-in. On Halloween itself, illustrator Korky Paul will read from his new book and draw dinosaur portraits. 1pm, limited capacity. Call 01865 272950 or see oum.ox.ac.uk/
  • Family-friendly drop-in sessions on Drawing and Invention at the Museum of the History of Science, Broad Street, from 1pm on Saturday, Thursday and Friday. Call 01865 277280 or see mhs.ox.ac.uk/
  • County Hall Museum, Abingdon is holding a series of trails and hunts from Saturday. Call 01235 523703 or see abingdonmuseum.org.uk