Half-Term Fun in London: 10 Exciting Activities for Families
Are you looking for fun and exciting activities to enjoy with your family during the upcoming half-term break? With a wide range of activities to choose from, it can be difficult to decide where to start…
But fear not, we've rounded up 10 of the most exciting activities in London that are perfect for families during the half-term break. So pack your bags, grab the kids, and let's get ready for a week of adventure in London!
Running through the summer, the Brick Dinos exhibition is a mixed display, with some big dinos, lots of little dinos, and lots of bricks in boxes to turn into future dinos.
This interactive exhibition brings you face to face with the prehistoric giants who walked the earth millions of years ago. Dinosaurs such as the small predatory Masiakasaurus and the swamp dwelling Sarcosuchus have been masterfully constructed with Lego bricks, in some cases in their life-size form.
Embark on a journey through the fascinating Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, build you own dinosaur and have a go at digging for fossils – hands-on activities offer something for every family member to enjoy.
WHEN: 29th October
WHERE: Horniman Museum and Gardens, London
London Zoo Spring Family Festival
Step into the season with a Spring Family Festival at ZSL London Zoo. The festival programme is packed with animal talks, colourful arts and crafts, interactive gameshows, wellbeing sessions and much more.
Younger kids can join sensory wellness sessions and interactive games in the music tent or craft their own colourful butterfly in the art zone. While older ones can learn bush craft skills and listen to animal talks.
All activities are included in the zoo admission price and suitable for children of all ages.
When: 27 May - 4 Jun
WHERE: London Zoo, Outer Circle Regent's Park London, NW1 4RY
Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed at the Orchestra
Experience the world’s first ‘comiconcerto’, Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed at the Orchestra.
Following a bedtime story, supplemented by a secret stash of comics and a sneaky video game, the audience gets ready for a musical midnight feast in Beanotown with Dennis and the Dinmakers! When they combine forces with the BBC Concert Orchestra and superstar percussionist Colin Currie, an hour of classical mischief is unleashed – a soundtrack for your imagination.
Get ready for a performance of enchanting classical earworms, fused with CGI animation, actors and audience participation – after all, who else should perform the new Bash Street School Song than Dennis, the Dinmakers and YOU! Ahead of the concerts, take a selfie with the Dinmakers themselves at a meet and greet with Dennis and his trusty mutt Gnasher, or take part in some free Beano-inspired family fun activities.
WHEN: Sat 3 Jun 2023 at 11am & 2pm
WHERE: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
Plants and Potions: Children’s Workshop
Kids can get hands on with medical history and weird and wonderful plants at this half-term workshop from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Old Operating Theatre. Children will get schooled in how medicine was practiced in the past from blood-letting and cupping to pomanders and potions and learn about the fascinating the plants of the RCP medicinal garden through activities like smelly bingo. Accompanying adults go free and all materials and light refreshments will be provided.
Create your own pomander, explore the plants of the RCP medicinal garden, get hands-on with medical history, and more in this creative half-term workshop.
The workshop will include an introduction to the museums collections and the fascinating plants of the RCP medicinal garden. Then creative activities including creating their own pomanders and trying their hand at smelly bingo!
WHEN: 31 May 2023
WHERE: Royal College of Physicians, 11 St Andrews Place London, NW1 4LE
For an immersive experience the whole family will love, book you and the clan into BBC Earth Experience. Created in partnership with BBC Studios, Moon Eye Productions and Live Nation, the experience offers a 360 degree audio-visual journey, featuring footage from the TV series Seven Worlds, One Planet.
Narrated by David Attenborough, you’ll have the chance to be fully immersed and get stuck into the wonders of planet Earth. Journey through the ocean floor in the Water Life room, immerse yourself in the drone footage on the Vista Stage and see the wonders that grace the plant on a microscopic level in the Micro Life room. Educational and fun, this is a great one for all the family.
WHEN: Until 31.07.2023
WHERE: The Daikin Centre, Earl’s Court, Empress Place, SW6 1TT
Pinocchio at The Old Operating Theatre
Being a cultural icon and one of the most re-imagined characters in children’s literature, Pinocchio is coming alive one more time with paper & wooden characters in a Victorian Paper Theatre.
Taking place at The Old Operating Theatre, one of London’s most unusual museums, is a performance of the children’s classic Pinocchio. This is no ordinary performance, however, Pinocchio will be brought to life by the Magical Paper Theatre Company. Follow the adventures of the mischievous puppet on his quest to become a real boy with paper and wooden characters in a Victorian Paper Theatre.
There are two shows, each lasting 45minutes. Afterwards you will have the chance to look around the museum.
WHEN: 31 May at 12pm and 2pm.
WHERE: The Old Operating Theatre, 9a St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY
Drawn to Water at the London Wetland Centre
Reimagine the wonder of wetlands and nature through the eyes of the UK’s best loved illustrator.
Collect an illustrated guide full of Quentin Blake’s drawings and journey around our wonderful wetland world this summer.
ACTIVITIES:
Quentin Blake prints exhibition - 18 May- 14 July
Mural Painting Workshop - 29 May to 02 June
Art Hub and Visitor Gallery - 18 May- 10 September
Charcoal Making and Drawing Workshop - 27 and 28 May, 03 and 04 June.
Artist of the Year Competition – Drawn To Water - 30 August.
WHERE: London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth Walk, SW13 9WT
Jungle Book Afternoon Tea at Brown’s Hotel
Afternoon tea is always exciting especially for little ones. Make their half term and book in for the Jungle Book tea at Brown’s hotel. The award-winning tea in inspired by the great classic novel, complete with tasty treats and savouries.
Look forward to tucking into animal shaped cookies with milk chocolate dips; strawberry pavlovas; chocolate lollipops; and, of course, freshly baked scones with jam and Cornish clotted cream.
You can also buy a special edition hardback copy of the book, printed exclusively and only available at the hotel.
WHERE: Ground Floor, 33 Albemarle Street, W1S 4BP
Children's Sweetshop Afternoon Tea
Make your children to this sweet-tastic afternoon tea and they’ll be running around like... well, a kid in a candy store.
Inspired by Hardys Original Sweetshop, this children's tea at The Chesterfield follows up the traditional finger sandwiches and scones with an array of sweet treats - think a Coca Cola slice and a strawberry liquorice allsorts cheesecake. This afternoon tea is undoubtedly suited to children, but fun-loving grown-ups are welcome too, and your efforts can be rewarded with a glass of Champagne.
WHERE: 35 Charles Street, W1J 5EB
Head out on an adventure this May at Kew Gardens with five new trails to help you explore, each made up of invitations from artists, musicians, and environmental protectors to feel, hear, move, and think differently in nature.
The Adventurer’s trail encourages you experience the world from different angles – even upside down near the Treetop walkway – while wannabe Wanderers can head to the lakeside, Protectors focus on sustainability around the Temperate House, Dreamers can be wowed at the Palm House and Time Travellers are whisked away in the Redwood Grove.
WHEN: 27 May - 3 September
WHERE: Kew Gardens, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE
