The race is on to make the most of your trip with our extensive list of fun days out, family activities and free events that will keep children busy come rain or shine, says Laura Sedlak.
Free Fun
The cost of a summer holiday can quickly mount up. In the capital, however, you’ll find there is plenty to do that won’t eat into the ice-cream budget.
Many of the museums are free to visit and, better still, they’re designed with families in mind. The Natural History Museum and Science Museum are just a short walk from one another in South Kensington and offer a host of activities to enjoy. In east London, the Young V&A is purpose-built for children, while in Greenwich, the fun National Maritime Museum has hands-on exhibits and a nearby playground for an easy day of family entertainment.
Buckets and spades at the ready! If the kids are feeling the heat don’t miss the Royal Docks Summer Splash (to 16 Aug). Open daily, London’s only free, open-water experience features lifeguard-supervised swimming sessions, sandpits, deckchairs and sun-safe areas to relax in. Whether paddling or lane swimming, it’s a unique chance to splash about while admiring stunning views of the city.
The Royal Parks are doing their bit to teach little ones about wildlife and the joy of carnival at the Play in the Park events in pretty Kensington Gardens (11 & 25 Aug). Or kids can go wild for nature with detective trails, wild crafts and games in The Green Park, Greenwich Park, St James’s Park and The Regent’s Park at the Summer Nature Roadshows (various dates to 20 Aug).
People have been enjoying free street performances in Covent Garden since the 1600s. Catch anything from jugglers to ventriloquists or stroll down the South Bank for yet more entertainment.
For a guided walk, the Pride in the Quarter Trail is a free, family-friendly outdoor art trail through Westminster. Families can hunt for 17 lion sculptures inspired by the World Cup and London’s cultural heritage (to 10 Aug).
Tower Bridge is one of the city’s most iconic sights, and it becomes even more exciting when you see it in action. On selected dates in August, catch the moment when the huge bascules of the bridge rise up to let tall ships pass underneath on the River Thames. Children will love the dramatic moment when the road splits in two.
Granary Square’s fountains in King’s Cross are popular on sunny days as water jets shoot from the ground to create the perfect place to splash and play. In nearby Pancras Square, you can have a go at the classic Provençal game of pétanque (to 30 Sep), or pop along to King’s Cross Summer Sounds, the annual free music festival taking place in Coals Drop Yard (13–23 Aug).
Outdoor Adventures
If kids need to blow off steam and get the adrenalin pumping, the normally serene Walled Garden of Chiswick House hosts Action Arena, the UK’s biggest touring inflatable assault course (15–16 Aug). Ideal for the young at heart, the XXL course is a labyrinth of surprises and there’s a mini version for little ones.
Or try Go Ape Battersea Park, an adventure playground up in the trees, with wobbly bridges, high ropes and ziplines that let you take in the city skyline.
From climbing trees to being inspired to build with them. The Bonsai Treehouses Exhibition at the Museum of Architecture (to 31 Aug) invites the capital’s architecture practices to create treehouses inspired by bonsai trees. Alongside the exhibition, there are creative workshops and holiday camps for children to enjoy (check for dates).
Or see London from a different angle with a leisurely cruise on the River Thames. Sit on the open deck and keep cool as you tick off the sights. Similarly, London Canal Museum in King’s Cross is holding Family Fun Days every Tuesday in August, which include a ride on a canal boat. Kids can also enjoy the interactive family trail and a supervised craft workshop.
Wet Weather Wonders
The capital is always prepared for less than perfect weather, so don’t let summer showers spoil the fun!
If it turns dreary, enter a world of fun and illusion and leave reality behind. Across the road from Harrods (another fun place to hide from the rain), Paradox Museum London is an immersive attraction of reality-defying experiences and optical illusions. This summer, visitors can explore a playful seaside-inspired world where beach balls, sandcastles and other surprises appear in all the wrong places. Indulging in mochi ice cream from the Paradox Boutique comes highly recommended – because even if it’s raining, there’s always time for ice cream.
Alternatively, gather family and friends and step into a TV studio for BuzzAttack, a fun, interactive gameshow experience inspired by shows such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, The Chase and Wheel of Fortune. Buzzers at the ready for this customisable game with musical challenges, a spinning wheel and tricky questions that test memory, speed and general knowledge.
The Big Dig at the London Museum Docklands (to 31 Aug) recreates an archaeological dig inside. Dig through layers of the capital’s past in your own trench, uncovering real objects made and used centuries ago. Perhaps you’ll unearth the foundations of a Tudor home or even evidence from before London was a city!
From underground to way up in the sky, children will love The Chimney Lift – a glass elevator that climbs 109 metres up the northwest chimney of Battersea Power Station before emerging into 360-degree views of London. The Art Deco brick building is a surprisingly good day out for kids, with family-friendly restaurants and shops.
Inside County Hall on the South Bank, The Official Paddington Bear Experience is a multi-sensory adventure where guests can meet their favourite characters and join the Marmalade Day Festival (to 6 Sep). The Summer Special ticket includes The Paddington Bear Experience Suitcase Lunchbox, Paddington ears, a marmalade sandwich, a yummy Fruit Shoot and a Paddington Postcard to remember the day.
Nearby, Shrek’s Adventure! London is marking 25 years since the release of the iconic Shrek film with Summer at the Swamp (to 31 Aug). Enjoy an extra-special meet and greet, where you can interact with Shrek and Fiona in a celebratory setting that plays homage to over two decades of Shrek magic.
Finally, there’s an opportunity to learn about the electrical innovations that have helped people get around the city. Electric Pioneers at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden (to 2 Sep) is a programme of hands-on family activities where kids can code an electric toy train on a mini railway, design a traffic light or tinker with a model electric bus. They can even go for an imaginary journey on the world’s first electric underground railway.
With so much to see and do, you’re spoilt for choice.
