Free things to do in the North West this half-term

With the kids off school for the autumn half-term break, many parents will be looking for fun ways to fill the week without breaking the bank.

From pumpkin carving and spooky crafts to fish feeding and swimming sessions, here are just some of the free activities that are available.

• Paper Pumpkin Trail, Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse, Northwich. From 24 October to 1 November a free Halloween-themed trail will take visitors all around the history and industry museum.

• Self-Led Crafts: Spooky Museum, Grosvenor Museum, Chester. On 27 and 28 October the Grosvenor Museum will be putting on Halloween drop-in craft sessions in which children will be able to create some spook-tacular models.

• Halloween Trail, Brereton Heath, Congleton. Until 1 November Cheshire East Council countryside ranger service will be filling the nature reserve with "spooky visitors" for their Halloween trail.

• Swimming sessions, Manchester. Children under 16 (and adults over 60) can take part in free swimming sessions over the half-term break at various locations across Manchester. Sessions can be booked via the Better website, in partnership with the council.

• Halloween Pumpkin Fun in Manchester Parks. From 27-31 October free pumpkin carving sessions will be hosted in several Manchester parks throughout the week.

• Free lantern-making session, Heaton Park. On 27 October, from 12:00 to 13:00 GMT a colourful craft event will be held where you can make your own lanterns. Suitable for all ages.

• Wild Things at The Lowry, Salford. Until 1 November, The Lowry gallery at Media City will be running a free exhibition of animals from children's books, with play areas built for children aged under seven. Slots must be reserved on the Lowry website.

• Secret Society skeleton activity at The People's History Museum, Manchester. Until 30 November the free-to-visit People's History Museum will be putting on a spooky Halloween-themed activity with a skeleton trail and mask-making workshop.

• Wild About Wildlife, Spinningfields, Manchester. Throughout the half-term week and beyond there will be an outdoor exhibition by artists Gillie and Marc - featuring nine endangered-animal sculptures ready to be found across Spinningfields.

• Fish feeding at Bolton Aquarium. During half-term Bolton Aquarium will be putting on free fish-feeding sessions on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 13:00.

• Bolton Library and Museum. Until 31 October, Bolton Library will be hosting a range of free events and activities including craft workshops and a cinema screening. The full schedule is available on the council website.

• Family Crafts - mask making, Leigh Town Hall. On 30 October Wigan Council will host a "suitable for all ages" Halloween mask-making event, with two sessions.

• Half-term Spooktacular at Rochdale Town Hall. From 27 October to 2 November you can have a go at an eerie obstacle course.

• Lightpool Festival, Blackpool. Until 31 October there will be a programme of illuminations, live performances and interactive installations in the town.

• Craft Fun at Lancashire Police Museum, Lancaster. On 29 and 30 October the museum will be putting on sessions where children can make and decorate Halloween-themed keyrings - no booking required.

• Amazing Accrington Halloween Shop Trail, Accrington. Until 30 Octrober the Hyndburn trail is back, with dressing-up encouraged and prizes to be won.

• Fun Palaces, Lancashire Libraries. Libraries across Lancashire will be putting on free activities through the week, including slime making, family yoga, sensory play and a Lego club.

• Half-term arts and crafts, Brockholes Nature Reserve. In Brockholes, a different spooky crafting event will be hosted at the nature reserve every day during the half-term week.

• Wyre Monster Ball. On 30 and 31 October Wyre Council will be bringing free family theatre back to Pilling and St Michael's - with 45-minute Halloween shows.

• River of Light Festival, Liverpool. Until 1 November a free immersive light trail will run through Liverpool city centre and across the docks.

• Branching Out, Tate Museum Liverpool. Until 1 November the Tate will be opening its doors daily. Children can make woodland-themed art in the learning space and free creative sessions.

• Books Alive, Southport. Until 31 October Sefton Council's free children's book festival will be running every day. It will include a Postman Book Trail across the city.

• Halloween craft - Sefton Council libraries. Throughout the half-term week Halloween craft sessions will be running at Formby Library, Netherton Library, Maghull Library and Bootle Library. Dates and times are listed on the Sefton Council website.

• Day of the Dead Dance Workshop, World Museum, Liverpool. The museum will host a dance workshop on 29 October in which participants will watch and learn a traditional dance from the Nahua region of La Huasteca in Northeastern Mexico.

• Spooky Sudley, Sudley House craft room, Museum of Liverpool. On 30 and 31 October the museum will offer free workshops for children to make creepy crafts. There will also be the Sudley Pumpkin Trail.

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