10 Things to Do with Kids in Israel This October

The holidays are wrapping up. Sukkot ended on Friday 2 October, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah fall on Saturday 3 October in Israel, and the Education Ministry's calendar for state schools has classes resuming on Sunday 4 October (school calendar, Hebcal). Private and other schools can differ, so check your own.

After that, October is mostly weekends and afternoons, plus one extra day off. Here are 10 things worth doing with kids, with the dates, hours and prices that matter. Two dates to keep in mind: the clocks go back one hour at 2am on Sunday 25 October, so it gets dark earlier (timeanddate), and Tuesday 27 October is Election Day, a statutory day of rest, so many families will be off work (gov.il, Time and Date).

1. Madatech, the national science museum in Haifa

Madatech lists Saturday 24 October and Saturday 31 October as open 10:00 to 16:45, and the same hours on Tuesday 27 October. The museum recommends buying tickets in advance, since box office tickets depend on space. You can buy until two hours before closing. Children under 5 need a free ticket, and you will need ID showing their birthdate. No food is allowed inside the museum buildings, but you can eat in the science park or the garden outside. Opening hours and tickets.

2. Bloomfield Science Museum, Jerusalem

Hands-on and built for families. Hours listed on the museum's site: Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 18:00, Saturday 10:00 to 16:00, closed Sunday and Friday. Plan your visit.

3. A family art workshop at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art

On Saturday 17 October there is a family workshop inspired by the Noma Bar exhibition, for ages 5 and up with a parent, at 10:30 and 12:00. It runs 60 minutes and costs 45 shekels per person (adults need a ticket too). It is in Hebrew only, and places are limited. Details and tickets.

4. Ramat Gan Safari

October hours on the safari's own page: Sunday to Thursday 09:00 to 17:00 (last tickets 15:00), Friday 09:00 to 16:00 (last tickets 14:00), Saturday 08:30 to 17:00 (last tickets 15:00). That is earlier closing than summer, so start the day early. Hours.

5. Jerusalem Biblical Zoo

Open every day, with a daily feeding schedule posted on the site. Closing times are listed as 18:00 or 19:00 on weekdays depending on the page, so check before you leave. Zoo FAQ and hours.

6. Mini Israel, Latrun

Hundreds of scale models of Israel's landmarks, laid out in a park that kids can walk through with a map and a digital navigation game. Entry is 86 shekels per visitor from age 2, with a family ticket for four at 280 shekels. Shows are first come, first served, and the park can change show times, so check the day's schedule. Prices and tickets (Hebrew).

7. The Clore Garden of Science, Rehovot

An open-air science park at the Weizmann Institute where kids are encouraged to touch and play with the exhibits across ten acres of lawn. Good for a dry autumn day. Opening hours are listed differently on different pages, so confirm the day you plan to go. The Clore Garden of Science.

8. Crane season in the Hula Valley

October is when the cranes come through the Hula Valley on their way from Russia to Africa. Last year the first flock reached the Hula Lake Reserve on Monday 29 September, and many birds stay for the winter (Ynet). Arrival dates change from year to year, so check the reserve's channels before driving up. Go early in the morning or near sunset, and bring a hat and water.

9. A short walk to the first waterfall at Ein Gedi

Right now, plan this as a short visit, not a full hike. The Nature and Parks Authority page for the reserve says Wadi David is open only on the accessible path to the first waterfall, about a five-minute walk each way. The entrance closes an hour before the posted closing time, and the reserve has separate summer and winter hours (Ein Gedi Nature Reserve). A tourism site describes the full Nahal David trail (about 1.5 km, around two hours, easy) as family friendly in autumn (Nahal David), but that is the longer route the park page does not currently list as open. Check the park page before the drive.

10. Banias waterfall and the Hanging Trail

In the north, the Hermon Stream (Banias) Nature Reserve is home to Israel's largest waterfall and the Hanging Trail. Entry is 31 shekels for an adult and 16 for a child, and dogs are not allowed in the reserve. The entrance closes an hour before the posted closing time, with separate summer and winter hours, so check the day's hours on the park page. It combines well with a morning at the Hula Valley. Hermon Stream (Banias) Nature Reserve.

A simple plan for the month

• First weekend: a rest. The holiday is just over.
• Weekend of 10 to 11 October: Bloomfield if it is hot, Clore Garden or a trail if it is not.
• Saturday 17 October: the Tel Aviv Museum family workshop, then lunch nearby.
• Weekend of 24 to 25 October: the safari or the zoo, and head home before dark now that the clocks have changed.
• Tuesday 27 October (Election Day): Madatech in Haifa, which lists 10:00 to 16:45 that day.
• Last weekend: the Hula Valley and Banias, if the cranes are in.

Opening hours can change at short notice, so confirm on the official page the same morning. Details checked on 2 October 2026.