What to do with children in London: autumn 2018

James and the Giant Weekend, Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum has teamed up with the Roald Dahl Story Company to create a wealth of insect-related activities inspired by one of Dahl’s best-loved stories.

The Wider Earth, Natural History Museum Theatre

The hairy, crawly and feathery specimens in London's Natural History Museum are being joined by a host of actors and hand-made puppets, to recreate the voyages of Charles Darwin in this charming new play for families.

Dino Snores for Kids, Natural History Museum

As night falls and the Natural History Museum gets dark and empty, kids are invited to creep down echoing halls to discover what happens to the museum at night, and to get involved in a dinosaur T-shirt making workshop, a dig and a sleepover.

Videogames: Design, Play, Disrupt: V&A, London

This September the V&A opens its doors on new exhibition, Videogames, taking visitors big and small on a journey through the monumental changes our videogames have undergone since the days of PacMan to today's gaming obsession Fortnight (and beyond).

Open House London 2018: What to expect

Take them around unusual spaces as some of London's most beautiful buildings that are rarely open to the public fling wide their doors this autumn. For the second consecutive year all of London's boroughs are participating in the scheme.

Good Grief, Charlie Brown! Celebrating Peanuts and Its Cultural Legacy, Somerset House

One for children and grown-up children alike: this long-overdue celebration of Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts cartoons offers a new perspectives on the comic-strip masterpiece, and explores the impact and influence of the cartoon on art and culture today.

New and existing works inspired by the Charlie Brown franchise by current artists and designers will be on show alongside original drawings and personal artefacts from the Schulz Museum. Visitors are invited to discover the phenomenon of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Peppermint Patty and co. through a series of accompanying interactive workshops.

War Horse, National Theatre

Eleven years after a dazzling National Theatre premiere, War Horse has won an astounding 25 awards, toured the world, and captivated crowds night after night. Now War Horse returns to where it began – the National's Lyttelton stage – for a limited run to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.

Workshops at the Royal Albert Hall

These workshops for little ones book out in the blink of an eye, so waste no time in securing a place for your kid. There's opera, ballet and dance workshops for all ages, not to mention 'crafternoons' and singing that grown-ups can get involved with.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

The second film from J.K Rowling about Magizoologist Newt Scamander airs this November. Re-enter the magical wizarding world as Newt (Eddie Redmayne) teams up with Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) to thwart Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) to prevent the suppression of non-magical beings by pure-blood wizards.

A Christmas Carol, Old Vic Theatre

Jack Thorne's absorbing and atmospheric new version of A Christmas Carol returns to the Old Vic for Christmas 2018

Father Christmas, Royal Albert Hall

Don't tell the little ones, but there are quite a few Father Christmases making appearances in London this year. None, however, are quite as charming as the Father Christmas who comes to the Royal Albert Hall. This year, he's in need of some help getting his presents ready for Christmas Eve...

Christmas at Kew Gardens

As night falls this winter, Kew Gardens transforms into a glittering festive wonderland, with a sparkling path that winds its way one mile through the world-famous botanic gardens, lit by thousands of Christmas lights.

Skate, Somerset House

In our opinion, this is the most glamorous skating rink in London. Each year, Somerset House transforms from imposing Georgian architectural wonder into an icy playground. Book yourself some time on the ice, rent some skates and grab some tasty treats from the Fortnum & Mason pop-up this November.

The Nutcracker, Royal Opera House

Is it even Christmas if you didn't see a production of the Nutcracker? Don't miss the melodious tones of Tchaikovsky in the Royal Ballet's interpretation of the timeless Christmas classic.