Easter holidays: what to do with kids in London this April 2020

Watch Rocks: Sarah Gavron's truthful story of London girlhood

Suffragette director Sarah Gavron helms this must-see portrayal of British girlhood, but gives credit to the group of young girls starring who helped shape the story through hours of workshopping to reach the most truthful portrait possible.

The film focuses on the eponymous Rocks, and the way her world turns upside down when one day her mother doesn't come home and she has to take care of her younger brother and find her way in the world.

It's not a tragic story though - Rocks looks to show all the light and laughter of being a teenage girl, as well as the fear and pressure that naturally comes with the experience as well.

Enjoy seeing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's characters come to life with Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales at the Southbank Centre

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales will be at the Queen Elizabeth Hall this April - the latest in a long line of hit Donaldson/Scheffler stage adaptations from the team behind Zog and Tabby McTat. Expect plenty of songs, puppetry and rhymes in this show which introduces favourite characters from stories including A Squash and a Squeeze, Monkey Puzzle and The Smartest Giant in Town.

Photo: Robin Savage

Have a music-centric afternoon with Peppa Pig: My First Concert, Queen Elizabeth Hall

Peppa Pig meets classical music: this intro concert for tots at the Southbank is an interactive way to make classical music appealing to your two-year-old, with compositions from Mozart to Muddy Puddles.

See Disney in a whole new way with Disney On Ice, Magical Ice Festival, Wembley

Elsa, Anna, Moana and more come to life for Disney On Ice's Magical Ice Festival at Wembley, which follows Moana and Maui on their voyage to return the stolen heart of Te Fiti.

Meditate on the passing of time with Emmanuelle Moureaux, Slices of Time, NOW Gallery

NOW Gallery in Greenwich Peninsula is a constant source of exciting, inspiring and provocative art exhibitions free for the public to enjoy. Emmanuelle Moureaux's colourful paper cutouts of numbers suspended from the ceiling is quite the breathtaking sight and well worth a visit (bonus: it's free). Just don't bring the super-young ones as the exhibition is delicate.

Dance at the ball with English National Ballet's kid-friendly Cinderella

My First Ballet is a wonderful introduction to the world of ballet for children - a collaboration between English National Ballet and English National Ballet School, it allows children to see their favourite stories on the stage, performed by other children, so it's inspiring in multiple ways. This April, Cinderella is at the Peacock Theatre, suitable for kids three and up.

Photo: Mark Ruffle

Get the teens learning to cook at Gordon Ramsay's Union Street Cafe

We once dreamed of our kids boiling water for us, but why settle for basic when they can whip up an Italian feast?

At Union Street Cafe on Easter weekend, teens aged 13-17 can book onto a cookery workshop where they learn to roll and shape their own gnocchi dough before enjoying a sorbet and ice cream making demonstration.

The 90-minute cooking class also includes a restaurant and kitchen tour as well as a three-course lunch with Italian-style mocktails and assaggini (starters and nibbles). The freshly prepared gnocchi with sauces and ice cream follows.

For a bonding experience, parents can join in (it's £95 for a teen and an adult). We're already salivating.

Have a Very Hungry Caterpillar experience at ZSL London Zoo

This April, ZSL London Zoo's got a range of fun activities themed around the classic Eric Carle book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

From storytelling sessions inside a giant butterfly egg to meet-and-greets with the caterpillar himself, kids can also enjoy tackling a giant fruit and veg assault course, making butterfly crafts and planting seeds.

Lucky kids aged 4-7 can even sleepover at the zoo (in the Bug's House) on April 7 or April 14 - which involves after-hours exploration and promises a camping experience like no other.

Bunny hop to the cinema for Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

Peter Rabbit is back with a sequel right in time for Easter. The whole gang is coming back together – James Corden, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki and more are lending their voices to the mischievous rabbits, and Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson reprise their roles as Bea and Thomas McGregor.

This instalment starts with a happy ending and also offers an adventure – as a lot of sequels do. Bea and Thomas are in love, Bea has written the stories of Peter and co. in her new books, to the joy of children across the country. But what of the rabbits themselves?

The trailer sees Peter stomping around, basking in fame but also growing restless at the prospect of a new... father. Daddy issues aside, it's obviously time for a new adventure far from the comfort of the burrow.

Watch your favourite childhood story come to life onstage at The Secret Garden, The London Palladium

Frances Hodgson Burnett fans can see The Secret Garden in all its glory on stage, in this musical production which has two performances on April 4, 2020 at the London Palladium.

Get your gaming on with Power UP at the Science Museum

Gaming can be educational AND fun, as the Science Museum shows with its hugely popular interactive gaming event, Power UP, back for another year.

Covering five decades of gaming history, you can enjoy a walk down memory lane as you show the kids the retro consoles and beloved games you used to play (we're looking at you, Pac-Man!) through to the future of gaming tech with the latest in VR. Look out for Space Invaders and Sonic, Super Mario Bros and Lara Croft - and Playstations, Xboxes, Ataris and classic arcade games.

This is one you're not going to want to miss - and parents may enjoy it as much as the kiddos. In fact, the museum is betting on it with adult-only sessions on 8 and 15 April, where you can crush your partner/friends/colleagues in DOOM.

There are relaxed morning sessions (April 11 and 18) and a special RobotChef Power UP session on April 8, where participants will use AR avatars to power a robotic kitchen. Game on.

Go behind the scenes with Family Sundays at Royal Opera House

We all want to cultivate a love of things we're passionate about in our children. That can be tricky with ballet and opera, but the Royal Opera House knows just how to do it. Invite the kiddos backstage. There's a date in April where kids can expect a mix of singing and dancing, informal performances, makeup and stage combat demonstrations, costume dressing up and more.