Be a telltale: Edinburgh

Now in its 20th year, the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh is at the centre of this celebration of stories, writers and storytellers. There's live storytelling, meet-the-storyteller events, themed and tailor-made storytelling, lectures about storytelling . . . in fact, all things involving the telling of – what was it again? – can be found here, and you can even try your hand at telling them yourself.
Until 1 Nov (0131-556 9579, scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk/festival/scottish_storytelling_festival.asp). Some events free, others between £5-£10.

Blow off steam: Llangollen

A full-sized, fully working steam Thomas the Tank Engine, alongside Duck, Diesel and others, are the rolling stock on Llangollen Railway this half term. Kids can meet the Fat Controller, watch Toby shunt the Troublesome Trucks, and ride the rails across the picturesque countryside. There is a dedicated cinema showing episodes of Thomas, face painting, and storytelling on the platform all day.
24 Oct-2 Nov (01978 860979, llangollen‑railway.co.uk). Adults £12, children £8 (free for under-threes).

Watch the fairies dance: Doncaster

Brodsworth Hall is one of the finest Victorian stately homes in Britain, and in the evenings this half term the estate plays host to an otherworldly light and music installation which reacts to movement: "fairies" dance through the trees as you wander in the landscaped gardens.
Until 1 Nov, The Enchanted Garden, 6.30pm-9pm (01302 722598, english-heritage.org.uk). Adults £7.50, concs £6.50, children £6; members save £1.50.

Pulling strings: Norwich

This puppetry theatre is running a full programme of shows and events throughout half term, including family and children's workshops on making puppets and monster-themed marionettes. There's also a raft of shows to choose from, including an adaptation of a Brothers Grimm tale, The Fisherman & His Wife.
24 Oct-1 Nov (01603 615564, puppet theatre.co.uk). Shows from £7 adults, £5 children; workshops from £7.50.

Rock out: London

Developed as a fully immersive, interactive experience, the British Music Experience lets kids get their hands on the Gibson Interactive Studio and take lessons on guitar, drums and keyboards, and even record their own track in the Sennheiser vocal booth. For half term, one kid goes free for each paying adult, and all weekday tickets are valid for an exclusive performance by Afro-Brazilian collective Rhythms of the City, fresh from supporting Friendly Fires, on 31 October. Each ticket comes with three free iTunes track downloads from the 100 most influential tracks in music history.
24 Oct-1 Nov (020-8463 2000, britishmusicexperience.com/kids). Adults £15, one child (age six-16) goes free for every adult with a full-price ticket; other children tickets, £12. Free for under-sixes.

Discover your inner boffin: Oxford

You can build your own inventions, enjoy a Halloween show, learn what's actually going on in our brains and bodies when we feel fear at Science Oxford Live, a foundation for science and enterprise. It is laying on events for children throughout half term. The foundation also puts on speakers for adults, including a talk on bats especially for Halloween.
24 Oct-1 Nov (01865 810000, scienceoxfordlive.com). Tickets from £3, family and group tickets from £10.

Get the creative juices: flowing Newcastle and Gateshead

Straddling half-term week, the annual Juice festival in Newcastle and Gateshead aims to celebrate and encourage youthful creativity. Expect a variety of performances, poetry "slams" and exhibitions, as well as displays of parkour (free running) from expert troupes Urban Playground and Gravity Style. Workshops for children and teenagers will teach a wide range of skills, from performing Shakespeare to cutting hair, and everything in between.
22 Oct-8 Nov (juicefestival.co.uk). Prices vary by event.

Holiday on ice: London

The ice rink at Alexandra Palace is offering a number of special deals over half term and Halloween weekend. Under-12s in fancy dress skate for free, and there are daily prizes for the best costume. Friday and Saturday evening will see spooky-themed disco sessions (8.30pm-11pm).
26 Oct-1 Nov (020-8365 4386, alexandra-palace.com). Adults £8, concs £7, family £25. Under-12s free with costume.

Sink your teeth into Victorian gothic: Whitby

Whitby, the town where Bram Stoker's Dracula came ashore, has for a long time been the spiritual home of the gothic. This half term, the spectacular ruined abbey that crouches on the clifftop above Whitby Bay is the venue for a weekend of Victorian gothic storytelling and demonstrations of science and medicine by costumed performers.
29–31 Oct, 6pm–8.30pm (01947 603568, english-heritage.org.uk/). Adults £9, concs £8, children £7; members save £1. Booking essential.

Build your own boat: Ironbridge

Whether budding sailors or wannabe maritime engineers, kids will love the Enginuity centre for design and technology at Ironbridge gorge. Their challenge is to make a working model sailing boat, which is then launched and tested in a pool complete with wind machine. The centre has plenty of other hands-on exhibits too — enough to satisfy the most curious.
24 Oct–1 Nov, 11am-4pm (ironbridge.org.uk/our_attractions/enginuity). £1.50 per boat.