Happy summer holidays! From an eccentric ice-cream parlour to an outdoor theatre festival especially for families, this summer brings lots of new things to do with kids. We round up the best London events for children of all ages.
Anya Hindmarch’s eccentric summer pop-up is especially family friendly. The ice-cream project features madcap flavours translated directly from a child’s wildest imagination - think Ribena Sorbet, McVities Digestive Biscuit or Coco Pops. And for the more adventurous, there’s Heinz Ketchup, Branston Pickle or even Birds Eye Petits Pois. The experience is not bookable, so be prepared for queues and avoid busy times such as evenings and weekends. You can buy by the scoop or in 500ml tubs.
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After a three-year, £13 million refurbishment, Bethnal Green's Museum of Childhood has transformed into the Young V&A. It's a fully interactive and immersive celebration of childhood, featuring a story-telling stage, a self-portrait drawing station and all the ingredients to create your own board game. Designed with little ones in mind, the vast space has plenty of exciting corners and activities to explore and you can happily spend a full day there (though the cafe is disappointingly limited to sandwiches). We visited soon after opening with a crowd of kids aged between two and six, and there was lots to delight them all. But be warned – it was very busy, so arrive early to avoid long queues.
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Tate Modern's vast Turbine Hall is always a great space to let little ones run around and this summer it hosts a new artwork that specifically asks visitors to play and interact. Rasheed Araeen's Zero to Infinity sculpture I made of 400 latticed cubes that you can touch and move, to keep the structure constantly in flux. This kinetic approach to artwork and audience is ideal for curious kids who aren't content with looking, and always want to touch and play.
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Forget what you think you know about soft plays… This new sensory space inside the Southbank is constructed entirely from waste materials and is complimented by a specially composed score of recycled sounds. Combining adventure playground and installation, REPLAY is space where children aged 0 to 11 can create their own worlds, invent their own games or simply climb and run to their heart's content. Advance booking is required and tickets are £6.50.
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Bloomsbury's Coram's Fields are turning into a theatrical wonderland this summer, with a new pop-up 500-seat theatre (complete with air conditioning and full rain cover). Perform in the Park festival hosts four shows:The Three Billy Goats Gruff for ages two to seven, Elephants and Piggies for ages three to eight, Mermaids and Pirates for ages four to 11, and The Dream, a contemporary take on Shakespeare for ages seven to 11. The park itself has a café and a large playground, complete with padding pool and sandpits, so you can happily make a day of it.
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With Snug soft play and the Granary Square fountains, King's Cross is one of our favourite places to spend the day with kids. Over summer there is also the free open-air film festival, which screens hits from the canalside steps at Granary Square. With screenings every day and a programme including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Shrek, Coco, Moana and many more, it's an ideal outing for budding cinephiles.
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Exploring Kew Gardens gets curiouser and curiouser this summer as an al fresco production of Alice in Wonderland takes you down the rabbit hole. Make friends with the Cheshire Cat, join the Mad Hatter for tea and play croquet with the queen of hearts as a talented cast of singers and actors brings Lewis Carroll's tale to life. The show is recommended for ages five and over and the ticket price includes entry to the gardens so don't forget to visit the Children's Garden.
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There's a special programme of events happening at the Postal Museum this summer, all drop-in and included with your ticket. The Construction Zone (every Thursday and Friday) encourages kids age two to 11 to build and create with bricks, trains, chutes and tunnels. The Science Show (for ages seven to 11) includes live experiments and Revolutionary Robots shows children aged five to 11 how to invent using recycled materials. Museum entry tickets include a ride on the Mail Rail train – and don't forget to add on a session at the Sorted! play area for ages eight and under.
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From Pacman to Minecraft to Mario Cart, it's all about gaming at the Science Museum's new interactive gallery, Power Up. With 160 consoles spanning five decades of gaming, it spans nostalgic faves to futuristic experiences. You can team up and multiplayer or lose yourself in next-gen virtual reality experiences. Entry to the Power Up gallery costs £10 for a day pass or £15 for an annual pass and the gallery is for ages five and over.
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If you're thinking of paying His Royal Highness a visit this summer, plan the visit for a Monday to make the most out of a free programme of family activities at Buckingham Palace (included in entry ticket). The art and crafts are suitable for children of all ages. Plus there is a circle of succession to spin, photos to pose for and plenty of treasures to track down.
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Dinosaurs and Lego, what's not to love? Brick Dinos is an exhibition of dinosaurs, all meticulously created from Lego. From a life-sized flying pterosaur, to detailed miniature scenes, there is plenty to see. Children also have the chance to get involved with building and digging for fossils. Make the most out a trip to the Horniman Museum by also visiting the aquarium and butterfly house.
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Every day this August there are free creative sessions and activities to get kids into art. From dance-inspired movement activities to design challenges and drawing classes inspired by the National Gallery collection, there is plenty to bring art to life and keep children creative.
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History buffs and aeroplane fanatics will love the chance to learn about the history of flight at the RAF Museum. Conjured up by the team behind Horrible Histories, this interactive exhibition follows the triumphs and disasters of aviation. There are STEM and craft activities, along with challenges and puzzles, to make visitors a part of the action. The exhibition is aimed for ages five and over. Also leave time to enjoy the RAF Museum's Bourne and Hollingsworth café and outdoor playground.
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The Kids Club programme at Picture House Cinemas – which you'll find all around London – is perfect for rainy days, or swelteringly hot days (hello, air con!). Tickets are just £3.50 and accompanying adults go free, making a trip to the cinema a total bargain. Films including Encanto, The Lego Movie and Chicken Run are screened at family-friendly times. There's also Toddler Time, which features shorter features chosen especially for short attention spans (tickets £3.30) and baby-friendly screenings so you can breastfeed your way through Barbie.
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Children go free to a whole host of West End shows for the whole summer holidays with the Kids Week promotion. Any under-17 accompanied by a paying adult gets a free ticket, and two additional children can attend half price. From Frozen and Matilda, to The Smeds and the Smoos and The Tiger Who Came to Tea, there's something for all ages. Make the most of the bargain and spark their love for theatre this summer.
Click here to see the participating shows
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