12 of the best things to do in London with the kids this half-term
From mesmerising museums to animal encounters, we’ve selected some of the best things to do in London with children, whatever your budget
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London is a city so packed with superlative attractions and activities that deciding what to do and where to go next can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Such feelings are amplified if you’re constricted by time, money or when travelling with children. While the UK capital is home to some of the world’s most respected museums, historical sights, award-winning shows and restaurants and all-round vibes, selecting something to keep children of all ages entertained is another matter.
Thankfully, we’ve done the work for you. Forget Madame Tussauds: we’ve selected some of London’s most weird, wonderful and awe-inspiring experiences to ensure both you and your little ones are entertained and inspired by everything this marvellous city has to offer, whatever your budget – and whatever the weather.
Ride the world’s longest and tallest slide
Whizz down The Slide at the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the world’s tallest (76 metres) and longest (178 metres) slide. Designed by artists Anish Kapoor and Carsten Höller and architect Cecil Balmond to mark the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, this iconic landmark is located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, east London. Composed of 12 twists and turns, including a tight corkscrew known as the bettfeder (“bedspring” in German), it climaxes with a thrilling 50 metre straight run to the ground. Expect to reach speeds of up to 24km on a journey that takes 40 seconds from beginning to end. Visitors can either take the lift to the viewing platform or tackle the 455 steps. There’s also a glass floor to peer through, for those brave enough.
Tickets from £14; a supervising adult is required for under 18s and there is a minimum height requirement of 1.3 metres
Visit a city farm
London’s 12 city farms are educational and fun green spaces aimed at serving the local community, and home to a plethora of creatures, from the curious to the cuddly. Mudchute Park and Farm covers 32 acres in the Isle of Dogs, making it one of the largest inner city farms in Europe. It’s home to over 100 animals and fowl, including llamas. Half-term events include animal petting experiences – make sure you book in advance. In south London, Vauxhall City Farm is London’s oldest, and home to alpacas, ferrets, goats and more. Visitors can also enjoy animal experiences, including being a farmer for the day, or simply just enjoy petting their furriest residents. Vauxhall City Farm also has a riding school, which is currently closed for renovation until September 2025. Other city farms can be found in Hackney, Spitalfields, Kentish Town, Stepney and Crystal Palace.
Mostly free, but donations are encouraged to keep these important spaces operational
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Watch a film on the UK’s biggest cinema screen
Towering at an impressive 20 metres by 26 metres, the BFI Imax cinema in Waterloo is the UK’s biggest cinema. A 12,000-watt digital surround system makes a visit here the ultimate immersive experience for film lovers, with the sheer scale of this film experience certain to widen young eyes. Films showing this February half-term include a Twilight saga trilogy all-nighter and Captain America: Brave New World.
From £14
Discover London’s world class museums
London is blessed with some of the world’s most illustrious museums, many of which offer a whole host of activities and experiences to engage young minds, particularly during school holidays, from zine-making to sculpture, collage to finger painting. While some are entirely devoted to children and young people, such as Bethnal Green’s Young V&A and Stratford’s Discover Children's Story Centre, there are plenty of things on offer at practically all museums to entertain young people and children. From an earthquake simulator at the Natural History Museum, to a now permanent computer games exhibit at the Science Museum, museums are a great – and often free – way to inspire children. Bowling around the cavernous space at the Tate Modern never gets old, either.
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Take a stroll through a treetop canopy
Situated 18 metres above the ground, Kew Gardens’ Treetop Walkway is a great way to get closer to their world-renowned collection of flora and fauna. Climb 118 steps to discover a complex ecosystem teeming with birds, insects, lichen and fungi that live in the trees’ uppermost branches. At ground level, sculptures carved from tree trunks illustrate microscopic elements of trees to explain how they grow. There’s also a Children’s Garden, a fun and interactive space for little ones to climb, run, jump and explore, complete with trampolines, stepping stones, periscopes, hammocks and a living bamboo tunnel.
Children under 4 go free; tickets for those aged 4-15 start from £6
Jump on the Harry Potter bandwagon
The magical world of Harry Potter continues to resonate with children of all ages – and there’s plenty to explore in London for Muggles and magical folk alike. The big hitter is undoubtedly the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Here, fans can see sets, props and costumes from the hit film franchise and step inside film locations such as Dumbledore’s office, the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and the Forbidden Forest. Buses travel regularly to the site from the centre of London, while trains take 20 minutes from Euston to Watford Junction, with regular shuttle buses. And if that’s too pricey, head to Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross station where you can cosplay as your favourite character and bag a fun selfie.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter tickets from £56; free to visit Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross station
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Get lost in the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze
Whatever your age, getting lost in the Hampton Court Maze is an experience you won’t forget in a hurry. Commissioned around 1700 by William III, it covers a third of an acre and is notorious for its confusing twists, turns and dead ends. On average, it takes around 20 minutes to reach the centre. And as it’s a multicursal maze – meaning a visitor needs to make decisions about which route to take next, rather than simply following a single path – it’s great for stimulating the grey matter and getting kids off their phones as they attempt to conquer this puzzle.
Children under four go free, tickets for those aged 5-15 start from £13.60, including entrance to the palace, maze and Magic Garden
Take a street art tour
Score points with teenagers on a tour of London’s best street art. Hear the stories behind some of the city’s most fascinating artworks, from giant murals to tiny hidden sculptures, on a tour that takes in artwork by Roa, Shepard Fairey, Invader, Stik and Vhils. There’s also the option to add on a workshop, where participants can try their hand at creating their own artwork in the purpose-built studio. Art lovers on a budget should head to Leake Street Arches where eight former railway arches beneath Waterloo station now form a public gallery of street art and graffiti for everyone to enjoy.
Tours from £30; Leake Street Arches free to visit
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Discover dinosaurs
Despite dinosaurs going extinct 64 million years ago, they continue to have a chokehold on the young imagination. Kids will love these 16 life-size sculptures of dinos past and their fellow extinct creatures which have been residing in Crystal Palace Park in south London since the 19th century. The models have their own unique history and were first unveiled in 1854 and have undergone extensive refurbishment several times since then. They can be found in the south section of Crystal Palace Park near the Penge entrance. Check out the Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs website before your visit for downloadable information sheets and even an audio guide.
Free
Take a ride above the city
A trip on the IFS Cable Car over the Thames is always a good idea, whatever your age, although sunset on a clear day brings megawatt views of iconic city sights such as St Paul’s Cathedral, the Millennium Dome, the Gherkin and the Thames Barrier. The 1km line runs between Greenwich and Royal Victoria Dock and forms part of Transport for London’s network, meaning you can simply tap on and off with your payment card. Consider the London transport box well and truly ticked by bagging the front seat of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) for your onward journey to feel like you’re in charge of your very own train.
One-way ticket costs £6
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See stars
Budding astronomers will adore a visit to the Peter Harrison Planetarium at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Get cosy in a reclining chair and prepare to be transported to distant galaxies, our solar system, the Sun – and even witness the birth of a star. A combination of real images from space and CGI combine for an awe-inspiring experience. There are different shows every day, plus a special show for children aged seven and below during school holidays and on weekends.
From £6
Hit the West End
London’s West End is home to some of the world’s slickest theatrical productions, plenty of which are devised with children in mind. Award-winning shows that are certain to enthrall include playwright Dennis Kelly and comedian and artist Tim Minchin’s musical of the classic Roald Dahl novel Matilda, the timeless spectacle of The Lion King, which continues to wow with dazzling sets and puppetry, and Wicked, the hit production that inspired the Tony award-winning film starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
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