Looking for ways to keep the kids entertained this half-term?

From pumpkin picking to wizarding school, there's plenty of activities taking place in the Maldon district to keep the family happy.

Here's a selection of five things to do this October half-term (Monday 25 to Friday 29 October), in no particular order.

1. Pumpkin picking at Cobbs Farm

Choose from thousands of homegrown pumpkins at Cobbs Farm from Friday (22 October) until Halloween on Sunday (31 October).

Pop on your wellies and come between 10am and 4pm for this fun event - with free entry and free parking.

You can find Cobbs Farm on Maldon Road in Goldhanger.

2. Fossil tour

Join members of Maldon Museum in the Park at the Parlour Café in Burnham-on-Crouch to find your own little piece of history on Wednesday (27 October).

Attendees will walk as a group from the café to the fossil site, where there will be an introductory talk on the Eocene and fossil hunting.

You will then have an hour and a half to hunt for your own fossils and have them identified by your guide before the group heads back.

Children are welcome.

The event starts at 10am and tickets are £5 per person, which you can get here.

You can find the Parlour Café at Creeksea Place Farm on Ferry Road in Burnham-on-Crouch.

3. Take your kids to wizarding school

The Museum of Power is inviting residents to its wizarding school for a second Halloween in a row, following the success of the initiative last year.

Children will become apprentice witches and wizards during the session, and will be able to learn how to make wands and potions while preparing for Halloween with spooky crafts.

The spooky school will be held in a marquee at the museum, with sessions running from Wednesday (27 October) to Sunday (31 October).

For more information, click here, and book tickets here before they all sell out!

You can find the Museum of Power on Hatfield Road in Langford, Maldon.

4. Get spooky at bingo - and kids are allowed for Halloween

Head down to Plantation Hall in Heybridge for a spooky cash bingo on Friday (29 October).

There will be eight games of bingo, a pumpkin flyer and a music game alongside spookily-decorated biscuits and Halloween punch.

Two prizes are up for grabs.

As it is Halloween, children over the age of eight are invited to play.

Adults cost £2 per entry and children cost £7.50 - there is a special price of £12 for all, which includes a free drink when you reserve your place online.

For more information and to book tickets online, click here.

You can find Plantation Hall on Colchester Road in Heybridge, Maldon.

5. Watch movies at Burnham's independent cinema

There are plenty of movies being shown at Burnham's independent cinema this half-term to keep the family entertained.

No Time to Die, Addams' Family 2, Boss Baby 2, Ron's Gone Wrong and Cliff Richard: The Great 80 Tour will all be showing.

The Rio Cinema can be found at 154 Station Road in Burnham-on-Crouch.

Simply turn up on the day to buy your ticket.

To find out more, visit the cinema's website here.

To find out what's on in Burnham and the Dengie this weekend, click here.

For more local events, follow this link to our What's On page.

And to get the latest news in Burnham and the Dengie, click here.