TOP 50 THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS THIS NOVEMBER
The best family fireworks, light shows, theatre, events, ice rinks & festive fun this November 2024
You know the November drill. Warm up with fireworks, move onto the light shows and then nose-dive unashamedly into premature Christmas events.
So we have cherry-picked the top things to do with kids to bring an explosion of Hygge this November, from banging fireworks (with tantrum-friendly, early displays) to magical elf and Santa experiences, snowy Hogwarts adventures, light trails, the best ice rinks and festive theatre to get you in the mood.
And for the Bah Humbuggers among you, not yet ready to step into Christmas, there’s a gaggle of festive-free entertainment, plus some spooky fun for those still not over Halloween.
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Battersea Park Fireworks Family Night
Fireworks = Good. Tired, grumpy children after an 8pm display = Bad.
Enter stage left, Battersea Park Fireworks with their special Family Night on 3 November. The event kicks off at a much more tantrum-friendly 5pm, with fireworks at 7pm. And as well as food and drinks, there will be an Octonauts adventure, a kid's disco in the Big Top, rides in Whizzbang Wonderland; face-painting performers and an extraordinary show, set to music, by the team behind London's annual NYE show.
Battersea Park Fireworks, London SW11 4NJ. 3 November. 5pm. £13.10 per adult. £8.80 per child. Under 5s go free
Coram’s Field, Bloomsbury
Not only is this fireworks show brilliantly early - the event kicks off at 3.30pm with fireworks at 6pm - it is also free. The seven-acre Bloomsbury spot hosts its annual, family fireworks event on 5 November, with food stalls, dance and musical performances, and a mini funfair alongside the sky sparkles.
Coram’s Fields, Guildford Street, 5 November. Free
The Elf on the Shelf® Christmas Adventure
The interactive Christmas adventure from The Lumistella Company’s The Elf on the Shelf® Santaverse™ will make its global debut at Bluewater in Kent from 16 November.
Visitors will step through the Elf Door to the North Pole, where they will embark on an interactive, 25-minute adventure, to help the Scout Elves spread Christmas cheer.
As well as making a wish at the wish-gatherer, challenges will include Christmas tree decorating and snowball throwing. Meanwhile Santa will be watching over the ‘Christmas Spiritmeter,’ a magical machine monitoring Christmas Spirit levels. Santa plans to drop into some sessions to encourage the children to complete all the challenges on their Christmas Spirit Checklists.
Budding elves will collect stamps on their Christmas Spirit Checklist as they complete games and challenge, and each child will receive a gift.
While there, guests can also visit Bluewater’s Ice Rink, the Winterland experience and The Giving Tree.
The Elf on the Shelf Christmas Adventure, Upper Rose Gallery, Bluewater, Dartford, Greenhithe DA9 9ST. 16 November - 24 December
Magic of Afternoon Tea at Vintry & Mercer
Five star boutique hotel, Vintry & Mercer has launched a brand new #candlelit #Magic of Afternoon Tea, for little (and big) wizards, which is full of delicious surprises.
Our menu comes to life with a UV torch, there are chocolate soil-filled coffins to excavate, magical #elixirs to mix, dramatic smoking tiers brimming with edible spell books, chocolate wands, owls and a chocolate and mango Excalibur dessert stabbed with a chocolate sword.
And that's before we discuss the savouries and other surprises, which you can read about in our review. Hint: It's one of our favourite new family afternoon tea experiences.
Vintry & Mercer, 19-20 Garlick Hill, London EC4V 2AU. Adult's Magic of Afternoon Tea - from £49.50 pp. Kid's Wizard's Afternoon Tea - £37.50
Family Acrobatics at Young V&A
Join inclusive acrobatic company, Mimbre, for a fun, family acro-balance workshop where adults and young people learn to support each other in acrobatic lifts and balances.
Using the techniques of acro-balance, also known as human pyramids, Mimbre’s expert facilitators will guide you through a physical warm-up followed by different moves and balances that are inclusive and adaptable to all body types and abilities. You will then be supported to creatively devise your own unique interpretations.
Young V&A, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PA. 9 November. £25 pp
Batman Unmasked: The Exhibition
Follow the Bat Signal and explore a never-before-seen collection of the Caped Crusader's original props, vehicles, and costumes.
The new Batman exhibition has nine themed rooms, including the famous Wayne Manor library (and secret bookcase door) The Joker's Room and The Batcave.
Batman Unmasked. 45 Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7BN. Until 30 December. Tickets from £24
Room on the Broom
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's classic children’s book is zooming onto the stage at the Lyric Theatre, in this Olivier Award-nominated adventure.
When a witch with a plait, a hat and her cat are flying through the skies, they pick up some fantastic creatures along the way. But while there was room on the broom for two, there certainly was not room for five. And things take a turn for the worse when a fiery dragon is thrown into the mix.
Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7ES. 22 November - 5 January. Tickets from £12
The Snowman at Peacock Theatre
Spend an evening walking in the air in the 27th year of this magical ballet adaptation of the much-loved Christmas story. Hearts (and snowmen) will melt, with the moving choreography, enchanting set, fake snow, and famous soundtrack for big and little kids.
Peacock Theatre, Portugal St, London WC2A 2HT. 23 November-4 January 2025.
Hansel and Gretel at The Globe
Follow the trail of breadcrumbs all the way to Shakespeare's Globe this Christmas, for their beautiful production of Hansel and Gretel, returning for its second year.
Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage transforms the Globe Theatre into the gingerbread and lollipop festooned sphere of the world's most famous witch-conquering siblings, for this classic Brother Grimm fairytale.
In this timely retelling, a woodcutting dad and bread-making mum leave their children in the woods to protect them from their war-torn village, where they meet a strange old lady with a plan of her own.
The Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT. 29 November - 5 January
Christmas at Kent Life
This award-winning Christmas experience invites children to graduate from elf school, hop on the Jingle Express for a ride around the festive farm, visit the Candy Cane Cottage sweet shop, build their own teddy bear, decorate gingerbread or make reindeer food. The highlight of the event will be visiting Father Christmas in his magical grotto where little ones can choose a gift from the well-stocked toy shop. The Snow Inn will also be filled with mulled wine and festive food and drinks. All tickets include all day access to Kent Life, which is brimming with activities and animals. And from 30 November - 1 December, the Santa Paws experience invites dogs along for a photo with the Big FC.
Kent Life, Lock Ln, Maidstone ME14 3AU. 30 November – 24 December, Adult: £13.95, Child (aged 1-15): £18.95, Child (under 1): £8, Concession: £12.95, Family (2+2): £65
A Nutcracker Christmas at The Castle
Rescue the Sugar Plum Fairy in Leeds Castle's reimagining of The Nutcracker festive classic, where toys come to life.
In this festive journey through beautifully festive rooms, discover a whimsical doll house, and a rocking horse which awaken the mischievous Mouse King.
The event culminates in a showdown between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King, with live performers on weekends and during the school holidays.
A Nutcracker Christmas, Leeds Castle, Broomfield, Maidstone ME17 1PL. 23 November to 5 January. Included with admission ticket, which also gives you access to Leeds Castle for a year.
Hogwarts in the Snow
Have a very Harry Christmas at the Hogwarts in the Snow studio tour, when the iconic Harry Potter sets are twinkling with Christmas lights and covered in a blanket of snow. The Great Hall will be decked in golden decorations from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and you’ll find a banquet of turkeys and flaming puddings for the end-of-term Hogwarts feast. Learn the dance moves studied by Neville Longbottom ahead of the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, or how the invisibility cloak Harry Potter receives as a Christmas present was used to create the illusion on-screen. Then step into the Forbidden Forest, where the woodlands will be covered in snow, or stroll down Diagon Alley with its snowy shop fronts and cobbled stones. Stop by the Christmas shop which has returned this year to provide you with a premium and exclusive selection of Christmas gifts, souvenirs, and stocking fillers. The experience ends with a walk around the Hogwarts Castle model, which is blanketed with snow.
Hogwarts in the Snow, Warner Bros Studios, Studio Tour Dr, Leavesden, Watford WD25 7LR. 16 November - 19 January. Tickets from £56. Under 4s go free.
Christmas at Kew
The most festive botanical event this side of the moon kicks off on 13 November, with Kew’s annual light behemoth. Discover glittering tunnels of light, dancing lakeside reflections and trees drenched in jewel-like colours. Warm up with flickering flames in the fire garden, wander beneath larger-than-life illuminations and keep your eyes peeled for Father Christmas along the way. Kew Gardens has four entrance gates: Victoria Gate (TW9 3JR) Elizabeth Gate (TW9 3AB) Brentford Gate (TW9 3AF)13 November - 5 January. From £25.50 per adult. £16 per child. Children under 4 go free.
Children aged 7+ can enter the enchanting realm of Norse mythology this winter, in a magical and humorous adaptation about unlikely hero Odd, who is on a daring quest to save the mighty Gods - Odin, Loki, and Thor - who have been transformed into animals and stranded in the human world. With the Frost Giants threatening to envelop the world in an endless winter, this powerful new production tells a story about finding unexpected friends and courage.
Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley St, London SE1 2HZ. 19 November - 31 December. From £16.50
Winter Festival - Museum of the Home
Winter traditions are explored through a gaggle of colourful events for all ages, celebrating cultures spanning from Diwali and Hanukkah to Christmas and Lunar New Year. Highlights include the Winter Past Exhibition, looking back on festive traditions from 1630 to the future and Christmas events from live toy theatres, to gift making workshops.
Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8EA. 19 November - 12 January
Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park
The capital’s annual, Christmas mecca returns for its 17th year on 21 November. The event includes a Magical Ice Kingdom made from more than 500 tonnes of ice and snow, plus an apres ski ice bar; ice rink, a real ice slide; wintry Cirque Berserk circus show; Zippos Christmas Circus Show, ice sculpting workshop; open air Christmas markets and a Bavarian Village.
There are rides for all ages, from Ice Mountain to a ride around a Christmas tree in giant baubles, plus Santaland with more rides, the Santa Express Train and the chance to meet the Big Guy himself; firepits for marshmallow toasting, the apline, Explorer’s Rest and a Santaland Chill Out area for little ones.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park, London. 21 November - 5 January. Off peak tickets are free and peak tickets are £7.50
Glide at Battersea Power Station
Set against the backdrop of one of London’s most iconic buildings, this Insta-perfect rink offers stunning views of the Thames, while you skate around three interconnecting rinks surrounded by twinkling lights and a giant, 30ft Christmas tree. Afterwards, you can warm up with a hot chocolate - or something stronger - at the Glass House
Nine Elms, London SW11 8EF. 8 November - 5 January. tickets from £14.
Skate at Somerset House
It’s not Christmas until Somerset House opens its iconic ice rink. Expect gourmet dining at The Chalet, a rink-side view Skate lounge by Whispering Angel; Skate School lessons, and a pop-up Shelter Boutique store.
Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. 13 Nov - 12 Jan. Tickets from £11
Ice Rink Canary Wharf
London’s longest running seasonal ice rink, Ice Rink Canary Wharf offers visitors a magical skate session in the heart of Canary Wharf. This year’s ice rink will be putting on themed skating sessions, including 80’s, 90’s and Soul Classics nights to get skaters in the festive spirit. There’s a transparent roof, to thwart Blighty’s pesky weather, plus an apres-skate alpine bar serving winter warmers for skaters and spectators. And the centre piece this year is a glorious Christmas tree, beneath a suspended giant mirrored ball, casting disco reflections across the rink.
Ice Rink Canary Wharf. Canada Square, London E14 5AB. 26 Oct - 23 February
Christmas at Old Royal Naval College
Old Royal Naval College is bulging with festive family events, including storytellings with Father Christmas, the return of family favourite, immersive show The Elves and The Magic Bear, Christmas carols, and a unique festive dining experience beneath Luke Jerram’s astonishing Mars installation.
Old Royal Naval College, London SE10 9NN. From 30 November
The Fir Tree
How it Ended and artsdepot present a playful re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic Christmas tale, The Fir Tree. Fusing movement, live music, song, and puppetry, this meaningful and playful production explores mental health and environmental responsibility and made with neurodiverse audiences in mind.
Artsdepot, 5 Nether St, London N12 0GA. 12-31 December
F1 Driving, Skywalks and Tours at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Little adrenaline junkies can get their kicks at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a hat trick of high octane tours, from The Dare Skywalk - climbing to the top of the stadium, 46.8m above the pitch - to the UK’s first controlled descent from a stadium, once at the top. Plus a Stadium Tour for those who want to keep their feet on the ground. They can also experience a high tech Formula 1 driving experience, with an exciting track layout and LED steering wheels.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 782 High Rd, London N17 0BX
Michelin-Star Cookery School for Little Chefs
Michelin restaurant Pavyllon London will partner with the popular En Petit Pavilion on a series of 90-minute, kid’s cookery experiences, while parents enjoy lunch dishes from multi-Michelin-starred Chef Yannick Alléno. Starting on 15 September and running on the third Sunday of each month until January 2025, children will learn to craft from a range of cuisines, including French gastronomy, creating a main course and a dessert alongside En Cuisine’s passionate team.
The pièce de résistance? Mini master chefs will proudly present their fine dining creations to their loved ones at the iconic Pavyllon counter at the end of the class, dressed in their very own chef’s hat and apron, standing alongside the Pavyllon team.
Pavyllon London, Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane Hamilton Pl, London, W1J 7DR .
Every third Sunday of the month with sessions at 12pm & 1:30pm until 19 January 2025. Ages 6-12.
Price: £350: includes four-course set lunch menu for two adults and 1x children’s cooking class, plus a chef’s hat and apron. Additional children are priced at £50 each
The Paddington Bear Immersive Experience
Everybody’s favourite, Peruvian bear has had the immersive treatment, with The Paddington Bear™ Experience.
The marmalade-addled, interactive adventure across more than 26,000 square feet of Southbank’s London County Hall invites guests into a series of themed rooms, inspired by iconic locations from the Paddington stories.
Fittingly, it kicks off at Paddington Station, where guests will be greeted by a friendly Station Master and taken on a colourful train journey through London’s most famous landmarks, to the Browns’ charming, No. 32 Windsor Gardens home.
Once inside the famous, tree-adorned hallway, guests will embark on a multi-sensory adventure to help the Brown family and Paddington prepare for the all-important Marmalade Day Festival.
The Paddington Bear™ Experience, London County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB. Adult tickets £34pp. Children (2-15) £24. Under 2s go FREE
Mrs Doubtfire Dining Experience
Hellooo poppets! Hit West End musical Mrs Doubtfire has put the eat into theatre for a delicious new partnership with luxury London restaurant, Colonel Saab.
The award-winning Indian dining concept gives fans a multi-sensory, pre-theatre dining experience, featuring cocktails and dishes inspired by famous scenes, which transform before your eyes and are not what they seem - just like the title character of Shaftesbury Theatre’s comedy show.
Expect a "Run-By Fruiting" and a grand finale involving liquid nitrogen, in a cheeky nod to the famous kitchen fire scene, before heading around the corner to watch the show itself at Shaftesbury Theatre.
Colonel Saab, 193-197 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD. £60 course five course meal and cocktail or £35 Mrs Doubtfire Set Lunch plus theatre tickets.
Shaftesbury Theatre, 210 Shaftesbury Ave, London WC2H 8DP
Barbie: The Exhibition
The wonder doll (and society’s) evolution is charted in this luminous exhibition, which opened this month, to coincide with Barbie’s 65th birthday.
Exploring her story through a design lens including fashion, architecture, furniture and vehicle design, her plastic-fantastic universe has engulfed the Design Museum, showing changing attitudes to women’s careers - Barbie has had more than 250 jobs - race, sexuality, fashion and body image.
Highlights include a rare first edition of the very first doll released by Mattel in 1959, the first Black, Hispanic and Asian dolls to bear the Barbie name, as well as dolls that reflect today’s diverse, multicultural society, including the first Barbie with Down Syndrome, the first to use a wheelchair, and the first to be designed with a curvy body shape.
Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG. Until 23 February 2025. Adult from £14.38. Children from £7.19
Science Museum Astronights Sleepover
Budding scientists (aged 7-11) can spend the night at The Science Museum, exploring the museum out-of-hours, sleeping among space rockets, a Moon rock or in the world’s largest medical galleries. Young campers will experience the ultimate sleepover, with an evening full of activities, including science shows and interactive workshops.
This year’s Astronights programme is supported by official sponsor TEMPUR®, who will gift all campers a travel pillow to help budding scientists get some rest during this exciting night.The following morning, campers can refuel at breakfast, before exploring Wonderlab, their interactive gallery, with hands-on exhibits and immersive experiences, and catch a 3D documentary on their giant IMAX screen.
Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD. Dates vary, £70pp standard, £100 VIP. 20 August
Monster Funfair at Discover Children's Story Centre
Stratford's immersive, sprog-storytelling Mecca has launched its new family adventure, taking visitors through a fantastical circus tent and into the woods. In amongst the trees you’ll find an amazing, marvellous, EXTRAORDINARY… Monster Funfair!
Created with the award-winning Nadia Shireen, this magical world also has a fairground mystery to solve – just who has stolen ALL the candyfloss?
Discover Children's Story Centre is brimming with entertainment across three floors, plus a wonderfully imaginative Story Garden. Creep through caves, find fairy worlds within magical trees, explore hidden ships, perform in a puppet castle, leap over alligators and man your own spaceships and rockets across two floors.
Discover Children's Story Centre 383-387 High St, London E15 4QZ. Ages 0-8
Art in the Docks - FREE
There are FREE art classes every Saturday morning at Art in the Docks, which can be booked online, with 30 spots for each class. Children are encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by ceramic artist Mariana Alemany. The classes are suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.
Art in the Docks, 25 Shackleton Way, London, E16 2XJ. Every Saturday. 10am-12pm. FREE.
Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre
Natural History Museum’s new show will be a real tweet for the whole family, inviting us to experience birds in a whole new way.
Swirl around with a murmuration, chirp along with the dawn chorus and see if you have the stomach to sniff a stinky seabird egg. From feeling their heartbeats to seeing through their eyes, get to know our feathered friends better.
Meet the wonderchicken - the world’s oldest bird - find out what a pigeon has in common with a ferocious T. Rex and discover how these winged wonders managed to survive the mass extinction that wiped out all the other dinosaurs.
Today there’s more than 11,000 species. From pigeons to penguins, ostriches to ospreys, birds live on every single continent on Earth, so what’s the secret to their success? From sucking blood to bathing in acid, our winged wonders have found surprising, clever and downright freaky ways to survive.
Natural History Museum, Waterhouse Gallery, Kensington, London. Until 5 January 2025. Adults £16.50pp. Children (4-16) £9.95pp
Navrtar VR Arctic Expedition
Take the family on an Arctic expedition, without leaving London. They’ll learn about global warming in a whole, new way during the 60-minute experience, exploring the abyss of the Arctic; its icy tundras, hidden caverns and unique wildlife hidden in an extraordinary, underwater world. Guests in teams of six can teleport 100 years into the future to compare the effects of global warming. The sessions begin with a range of multi-player mini games to enhance the senses and test skills, before embarking on the Arctic expedition, exploring marine life and shipwrecks.
Navrtar, Dickens Yard, Longfield Ave W5 2UQ. Prices from £32pp.
Dinosaur rEvolution
South East London’s hidden gem, The Horniman Museum launches its roarsome new dinosaur exhibition for February half-term. The show invites us to rethink everything we thought we knew about dinosaurs, exploring the relationship between dinosaurs and birds.
It includes five large, animatronic models, a gaggle of fossil skeletons and skull casts, as well as touchable, detailed graphics by the acclaimed artist Luis V Rey, dress up, games, and more.
It will also be your last chance to see its beloved, overstuffed, taxidermy walrus until 2026, when the Natural History Gallery will reopen after a two-year refurbishment.
Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ. until 3 November. Tickets from £9 per adult and £7 per child.
iFly Childrens’ Skydive
Anybody from the age of 3 to 103 can experience the superpower of flight at iFly, as long as they can comfortably wear a helmet.
The instructors allow children to safely feel the sensation of an exhilarating, 12,000 ft free-fall and flight, without jumping out of a plane.
Along with watching the instructor perform a mesmerising dance on air inside the vertical wind tunnel, your family can enjoy the extraordinary sensation of weightlessness, soaring around the glass tube and unlocking a core memory of their newfound super powers.
iFLY London at The O2, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX. Tickets and vouchers to fly can be purchased by clicking here and are available from £69.99 per person
Wizard Exploratorium
Soho's magic-themed Wizard Exploratorium is a five-storey, geek wonderland, offering a 4D wand-making workshop, immersive trick shop and suitably magical afternoon tea encompassing tea brewing, molecular gastronomy, and technology.
Wizard Exploratorium, 26 Greek St, London W1D 5DE
Slimy Gootopia Sessions
Slime is a gloopy rite of passage for every child - parents quickly learn the art of removing it from hair and unwitting pets and it’s up there with ice cream in the kiddie delight department. Enter stage left: Gootopia, which brings its gloopy joy to Brixton and Lewisham. The venues have shelves of ready-made slime, slime ingredients, activator, and their ‘goo-to-go’ slime vending machine. They also offer a range of activities and experiences for kids of all ages, including slime workshops, birthday parties, school science workshops, drop-in slime-making sessions and live slime-making demonstrations by goo alchemists
Gootopia. Brixton and Lewisham locations.
Pampering for all the family at Pan Pacific London
Family activities that involve lying down and being pampered? Count us massively IN.Pan Pacific London has partnered with luxury children’s brand Bonpoint, to create a unique offering for the hotel’s dedicated Wellbeing Floor. The first partnership of its kind in the UK, the duo have created a range of unisex skincare treatments and packages for children aged 6 – 16 years old, that provide an opportunity for parents to spend quality time with their children and teens and enjoy a spot of pampering. Pan Pacific Family Pampering, 80 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7AB. Treatments start from £100.
Power Up at the Science Museum
Following five successful runs, Power Up will make its permanent home at the Science Museum from July, allowing visitors to try over 160 consoles and hundreds of the very best video games, all year long. With the new Power Up annual passes, visitors can return whenever they fancy, to journey through the world of gaming. Experience the evolution of gaming – from classics such as Pong and Street Fighter to the latest PlayStation and Xbox – while discovering the science and history behind gaming’s most iconic developments.
Power Up Ticketed, daily passes: £10, annual passes: £15 . Age: 5+. Science Museum, Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
Get the Kids Climbing the Walls
Get the kids climbing the walls at London’s Parthian Climbing centre in Wandsworth.
The 25,000 square foot beast combines climbing with lifestyle, thanks to its café, bar, gym, retail and co-working space. And it is the first indoor climbing facility in the UK to feature an exact replica of The Titan Olympic bouldering wall, which will be used at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
They offer a range of kids’ sessions and courses for ages 3 and up. There are instructors for little ones taking on their first climbing experience, as well as the National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme (NICAS) for a progressive syllabus. They also host kids’ parties, for 1.5 hours of climbing activities and games which are the perfect antidote to ‘Fun Freddie’ wrestling a balloon into a drooping sausage dog.
Parthian Climbing Centre, 52 - 58 Garratt Ln, Wandsworth, London SW18 4TF
Avora Family Experience
Up an unassuming, Shoreditch street is a secret portal to another planet. And on school holidays and Sundays, you can take your kids for a well-deserved break from Earth, on planet Avora.
This otherworldly adventure will see you encounter scientists, mocktails, aliens, army villains and closes with a child-pleasing, farty finale.
Avora: Family Immersive Adventure 5C, 127 Hackney Road, London, E2 8GY. Sundays, 12pm – 3:30pm. School Holiday weekdays. £24.50 per child (6-13) £29.50 per adult.
The Gunpowder Plot at Tower of London Vaults
Older children (12+) will be catapulted into the most exciting history lesson of their lives, in this explosive new, immersive experience, starring Harry Potter’s Tom Felton. Your mission is to go undercover and unmask the mysterious figures behind history’s most infamous plot. But when you’re surrounded by traitors, who can you trust? With surprises around every turn, descend into the vaults and experience a combination of live and digital actors, virtual reality and fancy pants technology like motion simulators and special effects, transporting you back to London 1605 in the heart of the Gunpowder plot.
The Gunpowder Plot, 8-12 Tower Hill Vaults, London, EC3N 4EE
Play Captain on a GoBoat River Picnic
If you’re looking for somewhere to spend a genuinely relaxing few hours for parents and children (plus dogs, if you have one) we recommend a GoBoat trip.
You can enjoy a picnic as captain of your own, electric boat through Canary Wharf, Paddington, Kingston, Thames Ditton or Birmingham.
GoBoat UK, Open 7 days a week from 9am - dusk. Prices start from £85 for 1 hour and £125 for two hours on the 8-person boats. GoBoat Canary Wharf, 22 Churchill Place, London, E14 5RE
Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
Brigit's Bakery launched the first, official Paddington Bear afternoon tea bus tour, celebrating the capital.The double-decker has built-in screens, so that Paddington and Mrs Bird can provide an animated guide to the tour, which includes some of Paddington's favourite landmarks, like Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Nelson’s Column, Downing Street, St. Paul's Cathedral, Borough Market, Green Park and Piccadilly Circus. The tour takes just under two hours, while you scoff treats including glittering shortbreads, designed to look like nibbled marmalade sandwiches, mini pizzas, smoked salmon and cucumber pretzels, turkey ham and cheddar or cream cheese and cucumber finger sandwiches and naturally, marmalade sandwiches. And for those who share the bear’s sweet tooth, the homemade sweet treats included a rice pudding studded with chocolate honeycomb, chocolate cupcakes crowned with Paddington’s chocolate paws, lemon meringue tarts, chocolate macarons and freshly baked scones with cream and jam. Brigit’s Bakery also provide vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal afternoon teas.
Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus tour Departs from Trafalgar Square, Wednesdays to Sundays. Prices from £45 adult, £35 child.
Whizz Down The ArcelorMittal Orbit
How about hurling your children down the world’s tallest slide? The 178m long ArcelorMittal Orbit was the iconic landmark of the 2012 London Olympics and is now an attraction with three adventure experiences. Families can speed down the winding slide, abseil, or walk around the glass orbit at the top. You can also pretend it's a high-brow, cultural experience, because the orbit is also a sculpture by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond. And it beats the usual views of grubby swings and bins, because here you can check out the stunning views of Queen Elizabeth Park. To ride the slide, children must be at least eight years old and over 1.3m.
ArcelorMittal Orbit, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 5 Thornton St, London E20 2AD. From £10.75.
Cutty Sark Rig Climb Experience
Originally climbed when the ship first arrived to Greenwich in 1954, visitors can now recreate this, by clambering up the famous masts of the Cutty Sark.The Rig Climb Experience invites kids and brave parents to step up from the main deck onto the ship’s ratlines and climb up its top mast, as hundreds of sailors did during the Cutty Sark’s heyday. Once at the top, climbers will experience a controlled descent from the rigging. Participants will be rewarded with some of the best views in London, overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard and Tower Bridge.
Cutty Sark King William Walk, London SE10 9H
Snot, Sick and Scabs at the Centre of the Cell
Deliciously disgusting and sneakily educational centre in a futuristic, light-studded pod suspended above the laboratories of the Blizard Institute in Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Children can learn about the heart, teeth or senses, see scientists at work and enjoy their delightfully vile ‘Snot, Sick and Scabs’ session.
Centre of the Cell, 4 Newark St, London E1 2AT
Out-of-Hours at the British Museum
Your little ones can walk in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks, Pharoahs or journey through the cultures of China at The British Museum's family-friendly, out-of-hours tours. Taking place between 8.50 – 10am, before the galleries are open to the public, you can beat the unsavoury crowds. And from 4 - 25 March, children can explore Roman history through Minecraft, create a Japan-themed family photo (11 March) and make mosaic masks inspired by the Aztec gods on 18 March.
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG. Under fives go free. £16.50 for 5-15 year olds. £33 Adults
Monopoly Lifesized
Go big or go home… or straight to jail at Monopoly Lifesized, an immersive, on-your-feet version of the classic, family game, played on a 15m x 15m lifesized Monopoly board. Enter the 4D experience and compete in challenges for your chance to buy properties. Stage a heist in Mayfair, compete against a clock to build some of London’s iconic buildings, solve a baffling murder mystery or step into the world of codebreakers. The 80-minute experience is suitable for kids from 9 and older and is open every day except Mondays.
Monopoly Lifesized, 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7PS. Tickets £49 pp
Crystal Maze LIVE Experience
Older children (from 8 onwards) can take on this immersive adventure, which brings the hit 90s TV show to life.Run around like mentalists, yell, complete a host of difficult challenges and end the game in a fetching, satin bomber jacket.
Crystal Maze Live Experience, 22 - 32 Shaftesbury Avenue W1D 7EU
Holiday to Space at Royal Observatory Greenwich
Join Ted and Plant as they explore the Solar System in search of the best place to take a holiday in an intergalactic morning adventure, including a planetarium show and interactive workshop. Recommended Age: 3 - 6 yrs. Open 10am-5pm daily
Royal Observatory Greenwich Park, Blackheath Avenue SE10 8XJ
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