Best things to do in February half term with kids in London
Looking for kids activities to do in London at half term? February half term might be the coldest and greyest school holiday, but there are plenty of fun things to do with kids in London during February half term! I’ve rounded up all the best things to do for the whole family during February half term 2024 in London. I’ve included plenty of free things, some outdoor events and indoor places to visit if it’s too chilly to be outside. London has so much to offer families and has a brilliant array of events for February half term as well as fun places to visit any time of year. Read on for our favourites!
The great thing about visiting London with Kids during the winter months is that there is so much to see and do, even if you’re not going to a planned event. Roaming around Central London is in itself a great way to enjoy half term. Try visiting Trafalgar Square, South Bank, Leicester Square or Hyde Park. Or try a Canal Walk from Little Venice to Paddington. You’ll find plenty of people performing dance, magic tricks or bubble tricks on the streets as well as street artists and chalk drawings.
Luckily, this year February Half Term coincides with Chinese New Year and there’s lots of fun things to do across the capital to celebrate. Try visiting China Town and read our full article including listings of All of the Chinese Lunar New Year Events for families to visit in London.
Imagine Children’s Festival , Southbank Centre
Closest Station: Waterloo East or Charing Cross (FREE and PAID)
One of the best things to do in February half term with kids in London is to visit the Southbank. Imagine Children’s Festival returns this year , it is London’s leading art festival for kids aged 0-11. It’s the highlight of our half term and it’s back for another year with a brilliant programme of dancing, music, storytelling and a celebration of all things art! We’ve been coming for years and we love how interactive it is! This year it runs from 7th – 17th February and highlights include Stand Up to Racism Writing Workshop with Yassmin Abdel-Magied. Or why not try a musical extravaganza with CBeebies Ocean Adventure with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Around 50% of the events are free with some paid events and performances – check out the full programme of events here and read our full review of the event.
London Transport Museum
WC2E 7BB Closest Tube Station: Covent Garden. Closest Station: Charing Cross
Keep the kids entertained this February Half Term at the Transport Museum as they mark the 160th anniversary of the London Underground. They are celebrating with games and craft activities that celebrate London’s famous Tube network and the ways it connects people. Their half term family activities run from 10:00 – 16:00. There’s no need to pre-book: they run on a first come, first served basis, so just drop in! Plus tickets last for a full year so you can return within the year – FOR FREE!
London Museum of Water and Steam
TW8 0EN. Main Line Rail: Kew Bridge Tube: Gunnersbury
From February 10th-18th, the London Museum of Water and Steam are running interactive storytelling sessions based around their theme of ‘Water Warriors’. In addition they’ll be hands-on arts and crafts where they’ll use recyclables to create environmentally conscious masterpieces. It’s a great place for visitors of all ages to have fun together plus under 5s go FREE and child tickets are only £4.00.
Cutty Sark
Nearest Station: Greenwich. PAID
Visit a historic clipper ship and climb aboard to a fun family world of exhibitions, dressing up, plays and films! All with a colourful cast of characters to help you learn about life aboard this ship in the 1800s.
Eltham Palace
Nearest Station: Mottingham. PAID
This February half term at Eltham Palace – join in with the half term history makers. You can learn about all things medieval and learn about the horrors of mediaeval crime and punishment! You can take part in a real mock trial with the sheriff! It runs from the 10th of February to the 18th of February, buy tickets here.
Ideas for a rainy day in February half term in London
Let’s face it, you’re guaranteed a rainy day or two in the February half term holidays! Don’t worry ,we’ve got lots of ideas for things to do on a rainy day in London! Art Galleries or Museums are great to visit on a rainy day. If you do venture outdoors, then you’ll love our list of fun outdoor things to do in the rain.
Free things to do with kids in London in Half Term
London might be an expensive place to visit, but if you know where to look, there are also lots of fun free things to do with kids in the half term holidays.
Free museums in London to visit with kids
Luckily, there’s lots of FREE museums in London to visit. Many have paid for exhibitions as well but their main exhibitions are free.
Horniman museum
SE23 3PQ Forest Hill. Nearest Station: Forest Hill FREE (with some paid exhibitions)
The Horniman Museum is one of our favourite places to spend an afternoon during the half term school holidays. If it’s a nice day, they have beautiful gardens to explore and a small children’s musical playground – there’s something for children of all ages. Best of all the museum is free entry.
If your child is a budding palaeontologist, the Horniman Museum have several paid for exhibitions and workshops. You’ll love the Dinosaur rEvolution including five large animatronic models. Accurate cast fossil skeletons and skulls, dressing up, games, and more. Once you’ve visited the exhibition ignite your kids imagination and transport them back to the Jurassic era with the Horniman Museum’s exciting Dinosaur Crafting Workshop, there is a charge to visit the Aquarium, Butterfly House, and some of their other events and exhibitions.
Natural History Museum
Nearest Station: South Kensington FREE (with some paid exhibitions)
The Natural History Museum is one of London’s classic museums, head there this half term to find exhibitions on Volcanoes, Earthquakes and dinosaurs! The Natural History Museum has a variety of different exhibitions for kids of all ages and is also one of our free museums in London.This half term there are bookable lego and craft exhibitions that are free for families but first come first served. Book tickets here.
Science Museum
SW7 2DD Nearest Station: South Kensington FREE (with some paid exhibitions)
Another free museum in London is the Science Museum. It’s free to enter but you need to book a ticket during busier periods. It has a variety of free exhibitions such as Space Zone, Science of the Home and learning about your mind works in the Body Zone Paid exhibitions at the Science Museum include a Power Up Gaming Experience, Wonderlab which includes seven different zones of scientific experiments. The best thing about the Science Musuem is the spaces it has for toddlers and young children. The Garden in the basement is an interactive sensory play space for young kids that has water features and sensory climbing zone. There is also the Pattern Pod which is a multi sensory play space for those under 9.
Young V+A
E2 9PA. Nearest Station: Bethnal Green FREE (with some paid exhibitions)
The Young V&A museum only opened last year and has three large galleries to explore for free as well as some paid exhibitions. There are plenty of hands-on areas with interactive displays and an amphitheatre-style stage in the Imagine area of the museum. Visit the new exhibition which is paid for ‘Japan: Myths to Manga’ exhibition and explore how Japan has influenced Japanese art, technology and design.
British Museum
Nearest Station: Russell Square. FREE (with some paid exhibitions)
Another free museum for kids to visit in London is the British Museum, but it’s also one of our most beautifully designed. It’s one for older kids with exhibitions on the Egyptians and the Roman Empire.
Museum of London Docklands
Nearest Station: West India Quay. FREE
Museum of London Docklands have a packed February half-term with activities on the theme of Migration. Choose from tasty cookery lessons, storytelling with an Afro-Caribbean theme, music & folktales from Eastern Europe, energetic toddler parties with music from around the world and craft activities celebrating London’s diverse cultures and languages. All of their activities are free and require no booking on advance although some popular workshops are first come first served. Read our full review here.
Museum of the Home
E2 8EA. Nearest Station: Hoxton: FREE
On Tuesday 13th February from 10.30am-4pm, the Museum of Home will be holding FREE creative family focused art sessions including Collective Clay Building and Textile Placemat Making – If you’re not able to get to the museum, they also have a brilliant range of stay-at-home art fun activities for children aged 5+. Check out their resources here! Aside of the workshops the Museum of Home have lots of fun installations to explore such as ‘Tomorrowland’: A multimedia artwork by local schoolchildren exploring Hackney in 2050 and an immersive sound installation by writer Maria Fusco in collaboration with composer Olivier Pasquet.
Bank of England Museum
Nearest Station: Bank Station: FREE
This half term on the 13th, 14th and 15th February, there’s a FREE interactive storytelling session about the gold vault break in! Aside of this there are lots of activities and worksheets to take you around the museum for kids from 5-17 years old where you can be a bank note examiner and create your own banknote!
Visit Greenwich
Greenwich is a great place to visit for families this half term. Take a walk in Greenwich Park and visit the playground, see the Greenwich museums (read below), visit the Cutty Sark or join in the ‘The Sky at Night Exhibition’ at The Royal Observatory *recommended aged 7+ (PAID).
National Maritime Museum
FREE. Nearest Station: Greenwich
The National Maritime Museum is a brilliant museum to visit for kids. Most of the exhibitions are FREE and it has a interactive play space for 0-8+. The AHOY! children’s gallery is a brilliant playspace for kids to build and construct life at sea! The gallery is free but you need to book in advance! This half term they have collaborative workshops such as quilting, making peg dolls and suncatchers for LGBTQ+ pride week.
Postal Museum
PAID. Nearest Station: Farringdon
One of the Best things to do in February half term with kids in London is visit the Postal Museum. There’s an indoor mini town play space for under 8 years olds with streets, buildings, trolleys, pulleys, slides and chutes. This half term they have storytelling sessions and the main museum has a tunnel ride, dressing up and lots of interactive exhibitions. There’s plenty for older kids too over half term – such as ‘design your own postal uniform’ and other craft activities.
Twist Museum
PAID. Nearest Station: Oxford Circus
The Twist Museum is a fun immersive museum full of illusions. There are mind altering rooms that play with lighting and colour. Combine with a visit to Oxford Street or Covent Garden for a fun day out in half term.
Free art galleries for kids in London
National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery has got some great exhibits that kids will find interesting from the new COVID photography exhibition ‘Hold Still’ to photography workshops.
Tate Modern
Nearest Station: Blackfriars FREE
During half term, kids can join the Tate modern in the South Tank from 10th-18th February to create their own ‘sound art’ using a range of materials and inspiration from the art in Tate’s collection. I love that the Tate Modern also have a great top tips for visiting with young kids!
National Gallery
Nearest Station: Charing Cross FREE
On February 13th National Gallery for kids aged 5-13, there’s a fun decoding pictures class where you can learn fun tips and tricks to help you understand art. it’s free but you must book tickets to guarantee a space. For kids ages 7-11, try downloading the app ‘Keeper of Paintings’ before you go. Kids can use the app to explore the National Gallery adventure that encourages children to explore and learn about one of the greatest collections of paintings in the gallery! Our kids loved learning more about the paintings via the app and completing the activities.
Outdoor days out in London for kids in half term February 2024
London Wetlands Centre
London Wetlands Centre has family-friendly events running throughout half term, it’s a great place to go for kids to have a good run around on the boarded walkways in the wild walk or in the playgrounds. Their half term activities this year is focused on ‘The Big Hideout’ with den making and nest making activities and bird spotter sheets to see how many birds you can spot! The activities are free with paid admission to the Centre.
Outdoor Things to do in February Half Term 2024 for Kids in London
Go Ape
You can find Go Ape Centres in various locations all over London that are great for half term fun! There are high rope experiences and zip wires for kids of all ages! Have some fun on a wobbly rope bridge and swing from the trees! Family tickets are available.
Kew Garden
Kew Garden has lots of family events on making it the perfect outdoor day out in London for families. Try the tree-top walkway which is great for older children or check out the giant installation which makes which recreates life inside a bee hive. Younger children will love nature back-packs the you can pick up at reception to explore nature around the gardens. Kew Gardens has a brilliant interactive play area, one of the best in London with a sandpit, slides, trampolines and water. Click here for our full list of more Parks and playgrounds to visit in London.
And if the weather holds up, you’ll also love our Ideas for Outdoor Games for Older Kids to keep the teenagers busy!
Best things to do in February Half Term for Teens and Tweens
If you’re looking for ways to keep teenagers entertained in the school holidays with kids – you’ll love our list of the best museums for older kids and teens.
Florence Nightingale Museum
If you’re looking for things for teens and tweens to do in February half term then the Florence Nightingale Museum is a great option for older kids. Half-term highlights include ‘The Super Women in STEM’. It runs from Saturday 10th – Sunday 18th February (but is closed on Monday 12th February). Coinciding with the International Day of Women and Girls in STEM, a variety of fun creative activities and interactive family workshop and activities will take place throughout the day including a special trail and make-and-take craft sessions. All workshops are including in the admission price. https://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/
Visit Battersea
There’s lots of family friendly events happening in Battersea over the Half Term break. There’s a light installation with seven spectacular installations from British and international artists on display inside and outside the Power Station – you can combine a day out with visiting the Battersea Park Children’s Zoo and the new Prospect Park Playground. You could also check out Lift 109 in one of the chimney’s with 360 degree views over London, which is a great thing to do with teenagers.
As well as visiting The Science Museum for all aged kids, it’s got a great exhibition this half term for teenagers. ‘Power Up’ exhibition at the Science Museum explores 5 decades of gaming with it’s interactive exhibition showcasing games and consoles old and new!
The Design Museum
The Design Museum is showcasing the history of Skateboards from 20th October- 2nd June 2024 in a family-friendly exhibition. Skateboard is the first major UK exhibition to showcase the history of skateboard design, from the 1950s to the present day including around 90 rare and unique boards that will go on display.
Hope this has given you lots of ideas for fun ways to keep the kids busy during the February half term. Read here for more fun places to visit with kids in London.
If you’re off further afield this half term, you’ll love these ideas for places to visit in Somerset!
