Instagram is full of pumpkins, fancy dress shops are queued out the door and suddenly ‘spooktacular’ is a word – Halloween is here. We’ve rounded up the top ten events for little monsters and their families this October holiday.

Halloween Trail
Pick up a trail leaflet at the Visitor Welcome desk and track down magical potion ingredients, repair the broken broomstick and claim a tasty Halloween treat, hopefully not an eye of newt.
Royal Botanic Garden, Wec 28 Oct–Mon 2 Nov, 10am–4pm, free

Spooky Seas
Meet some of the residents of the deep and come face to face with fearsome sharks and slithery eels. There’s also a novel pumpkin hunt, a Yucky Dip, spooky fact finding, lantern making, crafts and fancy dress.
Loch Lomond Aquarium & Sea Life Centre, Wed 28 Oct–Sun 1 Nov, 10am–5pm, included in admission

Camera Obscura’s Halloween Extravaganza
Meet Cameron, the Camera Obscura bear, have a wee boogie, and enjoy face painting, magic tattoos and games. There are prizes available for kids in costume so get creative.
Camera Obscura, Edinburgh Fri 30 Oct–Sun 1 Nov, 1pm–4pm, included in admission

Halloween Fright Night
There’s a whole host of interactive events at this family friendly Halloween party – watch the Monster Science Show, take on the zombie apocalypse, mix up a witches brew in potions class, create monsters, take a turn on the costume catwalk and get hands on in the Goo Zone.
Glasgow Science Centre, Fri 30 Oct, 6pm, £6

Paisley Halloween Festival
There's Halloweeny happenings galore in Paisley. On Friday evening there’s an illuminated parade down the High Street led by a group of LED drummers and a fire garden with sculptures made from flames. On Saturday there’s mask making, pumpkin carving and a cinema marquee showing Halloween films. Both days there are children's activities in Paisley Town Hall including soft-play, face-painting, balloon-modelling, arts and crafts, circus shows and a Harry Potter themed owl show.
Paisley town centre, Fri 30 Oct, 6–9pm & Sat 31 Oct, 12pm–9pm, free

All Day Halloween Party
A day of spooky fun suitable for children of all ages with games and songs. The train and tractor rides are open and after 5pm there is a competition for best dressed and the best carved pumpkin.
Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Livingston, Sat 31 Oct, 10am–8pm, included in admission

Steam’n’Scream Halloween Weekend
Dress up in your best fancy dress and see if the engines become ghost trains
Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, Sat 31 Oct & Sun 1 Nov, times vary, £10, children £6

Spooktacular Halloween
Get into the Halloween spirit with creepy crafts, storytelling, activities, games and spooky tours.
New Lanark World Heritage Centre, New Lanark, Sat 31 Oct, 12pm–7pm, free with visitor centre ticket, £5 for the spooky tour

Eve of All Hallows Family Fun Event
Ghoulish creatures take over the city centre as Perth hosts the Grand Halloween Parade. It finishes at King Edward Street where there’s storytelling, face-painting, funfair rides, magic, apple dookin' and treacle scone eating. You can also learn circus skills from the acrobats at Adventure Circus and enter competitions for best carved pumpkin, best fancy dress and the most terrifying witch's scream.
Perth city centre, Sat 31 Oct, 5pm-8pm, free but charges apply at the funfair

Halloween Night
A family Halloween party with games, a spooky treasure trail, a mummy race and musical zombies. Brave youngsters can opt to stay for a sleepover. Take part in a ghost trail through the museum, enjoy some late night hot chocolate and biscuits and sleep in the glass-roofed Linthouse amongst the boats. Suitable for ages 6–12.
The Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvine, Sat 31 Oct, party 7pm–10pm £5, sleepover 10pm-9.15am, £7.50, £12.50 for party and sleepover