Accessible half-term things to do in Birmingham (October half-term 2026)
October half-term for most Birmingham schools runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, so this guide covers the weekends either side too, from 24 October to 1 November. Academies and some schools set their own dates, so check with your child's school. We have gathered relaxed and chilled theatre, quiet and autism-friendly sessions, captioned and audio described shows, SEND-only events and venues with Changing Places toilets across Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country. Details can change and some sessions sell out, so please check with the organiser before you travel.
Top picks
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Quiet at the Aquarium
9am to 10am · National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, Brindleyplace · £13 per person. Under 2s free
- Quiet session
- Low-noise or quieter display
- Autism-friendly
The aquarium opens an hour early for a calmer visit for people with autism and other sensory needs. Music stays off until 10am and screens are kept at low volume. Pre-booked tickets only and numbers are limited.
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The Snowman: chilled performance
11am · The House, Birmingham Rep, Centenary Square · From £25. Under 2s £2 · All ages
- Relaxed session
A chilled performance with a relaxed attitude to noise and movement. The Rep says lighting and content stay the same, and all performances are likely to be amplified. Running time is 1 hour 30 minutes with an interval.
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October half-term: Myths and Superstitions at Black Country Living Museum
Every day from 24 October to 1 November 2026 · 10am to 5pm · Black Country Living Museum, Dudley · Adult £27.95, young person (3 to 15) £15.50, under 3s free. 10% off when you book online in advance
- Changing Places toilet
- Wheelchair accessible
- Disabled parking
- Assistance dogs welcome
Meet a village witch, a wedding party and the undertaker, and learn old Black Country customs. The museum has a Changing Places toilet at Brook Entrance (Radar key), free manual wheelchairs to book ahead and 15 disabled parking bays. Assistance dogs are welcome across the site.
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October Half Term: Everyday to Eerie
10:30am to 12pm · The Exchange, Centenary Square, Birmingham · £5 per child
- Step-free access
- Accessible toilet
- Changing Places toilet
- Assistance dogs welcome
A family session run by the University of Birmingham. Fancy dress is welcome. The venue has step-free access, accessible toilets on every floor and a Changing Places toilet in the basement. Tickets must be booked.
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On all week
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Watch Us Lead by Christopher Samuel
Open throughout half-term, daily in Birmingham school holidays · 10am to 5pm · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, city centre · Free, no booking needed
- BSL interpreted
A free exhibition sharing the stories of disabled people of colour in Birmingham, with interviews, stained glass and objects from the Midland Mencap Archive. A BSL introduction video is shown in the exhibition.
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Solihull HAF and SEND specialist activities
October half-term 2026 · Various venues across Solihull · Free for eligible children with a HAF code. SEND short break activities are subsidised
- SEND session
Solihull Council says HAF activities run in the October 2026 half-term for children on benefits-related free school meals. The council also funds SEND specialist short break activities in school holidays until August 2027, booked directly with providers through the Family Information Service directory. Email HAFinfo@solihull.gov.uk with questions.
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Day by day
Sunday 25 October
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Relaxed screening: Hocus Pocus
10am · The Light Cinema, Walsall · See the venue's website · PG
- Autism-friendly
- Relaxed session
- Low-noise or quieter display
An autism-friendly Family Special screening. The sound is turned down, the lights are dimmed rather than off, there are no adverts or trailers, and you can move around or change seats.
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Monday 26 October
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SEN trampolining session
6pm to 7pm · AirHop, Kings Norton, Birmingham · £12.45 per person. Carers free with valid ID · 4 and over
- Low-noise or quieter display
- SEND session
AirHop runs SEN sessions every Monday from 6pm to 7pm, so this is the half-term session. There is no music, lighting is reduced and numbers are capped. Grip socks are needed and you are asked to arrive 20 minutes early.
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Tuesday 27 October
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My First Museum Tour: Halloween Edition
10:30am, 11:30am and 1pm · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, city centre · £3.50 per child, which covers their adults. Under 3s free
- Relaxed session
- Lift
A relaxed, child-friendly 40 minute tour with gentle spooky stories. Also on Thursday 29 October at the same times. A lift gives access to the main galleries. Book ahead.
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Wednesday 28 October
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Mamma Mia: audio described and captioned performance
2:30pm · Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton · From £24 · 5 and over
- Step-free access
- Lift
- Ear defenders available
- Assistance dogs welcome
This matinee is audio described and captioned by Stagetext. The theatre has flat access through two main doors, lifts to all public levels, and sensory packs with ear defenders to borrow from the Box Office. Free touch tours usually run before audio described shows and need booking.
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Friday 30 October
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The Snowman: chilled performance
11am · The House, Birmingham Rep, Centenary Square · From £25. Under 2s £2 · All ages
- Relaxed session
A chilled performance with a relaxed attitude to noise and movement. The Rep says lighting and content stay the same, and all performances are likely to be amplified. Running time is 1 hour 30 minutes with an interval.
Add to calendar (The Snowman: chilled performance) Google Calendar
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-
October Half Term: Everyday to Eerie
10:30am to 12pm · The Exchange, Centenary Square, Birmingham · £5 per child
- Step-free access
- Accessible toilet
- Changing Places toilet
- Assistance dogs welcome
A family session run by the University of Birmingham. Fancy dress is welcome. The venue has step-free access, accessible toilets on every floor and a Changing Places toilet in the basement. Tickets must be booked.
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Sassy Sensory Halloween Funday
3:15pm to 5pm · Good Shepherd Church, Castlecroft, Wolverhampton · See the organiser's website
- SEND session
- Quiet session
A low demand, sensory-friendly Halloween session for children with SEND and their families, with a quieter pop-up calming room. Fancy dress is optional. It was listed as sold out on 19 October, so check for returns.
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Saturday 31 October
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The Snowman: audio described performance and touch tour
Touch tour 1:30pm, show 3pm · The House, Birmingham Rep, Centenary Square · From £25. Touch tour free · All ages
An audio described performance with a free touch tour beforehand. Contact the box office on 0121 236 4455 to book access seats.
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Sunday 1 November
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Quiet at the Aquarium
9am to 10am · National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, Brindleyplace · £13 per person. Under 2s free
- Quiet session
- Low-noise or quieter display
- Autism-friendly
The aquarium opens an hour early for a calmer visit for people with autism and other sensory needs. Music stays off until 10am and screens are kept at low volume. Pre-booked tickets only and numbers are limited.
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-
Relaxed screening: Scooby-Doo
10am · The Light Cinema, Walsall · See the venue's website · PG
- Autism-friendly
- Relaxed session
- Low-noise or quieter display
An autism-friendly Family Special screening with low sound, dimmed lights, no adverts or trailers, and freedom to move around.
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-
Cineworld autism-friendly screenings
11am · Cineworld cinemas in Birmingham, Solihull and Wolverhampton · See the venue's website
- Autism-friendly
- Low-noise or quieter display
Cineworld runs autism-friendly screenings on the first Sunday of each month at 11am at most of its cinemas, so this falls on 1 November. Sound is lowered, lights are dimmed and there are no adverts or trailers. Check your local cinema's listings for the film.
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Tips for an easier half-term in Birmingham and the Black Country
- Use the Changing Places toilets. The Library of Birmingham has a Changing Places toilet on the lower ground floor with a hoist and height-adjustable bench. The Exchange on Centenary Square and Black Country Living Museum also have one.
- Join theatre access registers. Birmingham Rep and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre both run free access registers that help with booking access seats. The Grand also lends sensory packs and offers pre-visit orientation sessions.
- Look ahead to relaxed shows and SEN evenings. Birmingham Hippodrome's next relaxed performances start with The Nutcracker on 1 December 2026, with a calm space and trained staff. Twycross Zoo's Lanterns of the Wild SEN evenings start on 26 November 2026.
- Ask about Let Us Play in Wolverhampton. Let Us Play Wolverhampton runs free SEND holiday activities for eligible Wolverhampton children, booked through eequ. Places fill quickly, so register your interest early.
- Parking for Thinktank. Jennens Road multi-storey car park has 20 Blue Badge spaces that are free for badge holders, with step-free access from levels 1 and 2. Thinktank also has subtitled planetarium shows on Friday afternoons and weekend mornings.
Running an accessible event?
If you run a relaxed, sensory-friendly or SEND event, list it on Buzzbo for free and it appears in this guide automatically. Gold members are featured at the top.
Frequently asked questions
When is October half-term 2026 in Birmingham?
For most Birmingham schools it runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, based on the Birmingham City Council calendar listed by Save My Exams. Academies and free schools can set their own dates, so check with your child's school.
Are there autism-friendly things to do in Birmingham this half-term?
Yes. SEA LIFE Birmingham has a quiet session on Sunday 1 November from 9am, Birmingham Rep has a chilled performance of The Snowman on Friday 30 October, and Cineworld and The Light Walsall run autism-friendly screenings. AirHop in Kings Norton holds an SEN session every Monday evening.
Is there free holiday club provision for children with SEND in Birmingham?
Birmingham's holiday activities programme, Bring it on Brum, is for children on benefits-related free school meals, and the council says children with additional needs are eligible too. Schools issue the booking codes. See bringitonbrum.co.uk for clubs and booking.
Where are Changing Places toilets in Birmingham city centre?
The Library of Birmingham has one on the lower ground floor, and The Exchange on Centenary Square has one in the basement. Check the Changing Places map before you travel.
Are there SEND-only Halloween events in the Black Country?
Sassy Sensory Surprises is running a sensory-friendly Halloween Funday for children with SEND in Wolverhampton on Friday 30 October, though it was listed as sold out on 19 October. Let Us Play Wolverhampton also runs SEND holiday activities for eligible children.