Fun things to do in London with Kids in May Half Term
There are lots of fun things to do in London with kids during May Half Term school holidays in 2024. May Half Term is a lovely time to explore London, the weather is usually nice and rain is not so frequent! London has lots of family activities and special events running through the may half term holidays. It’s a great place for the whole family to enjoy. Read on for our favourite things to do in London with kids!
The Terrible Thames Tour is one of our top picks for the upcoming half term holiday as it’s fun for the entire family – it is a great way to sneak educational facts into a half term! Take a dive with Horrible Histories into the stories of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Julius Caesar, Queen Boudicca and Jack the Ripper in this history of the Thames with the nasty bits left in!
Battersea Park Zoo, are celebrating Love Your Zoo week at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo in! The Hive cabin will be filled with new games, crafts and activities all themed around our Animal Champions! And what better way to finish off the week that with a Wildlife Drawing class?
Fun things to do on a rainy day with kids in May Half Term.
The cinema is one of the best ways to entertain kids on a rainy day and THE upcoming kids film for May Half Term 2024 is ‘IF’. IF is an upcoming live-action/animated fantasy comedy film by John Krasinski. The film features Ryan Reynolds, Fiona Shaw along with the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Steve Carell. Its plot follows a young girl and her neighbour who find themselves able to see imaginary friends. This film is set to be a big hit for 2024, with a mixture live-action/animated, it’s sure to appeal to kids of all ages. See here for more info..
The Natural History Museum is opening a new exhibition and you can visit for a fun evening event on 31st May. Explore their galleries after hours, and get up close to real-life animals, take part in hands-on workshops and much more. As part of your ticket you’ll get to visit our Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre and Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibitions.
Foundling Museum May half term is fast approaching, and so are the Foundling Museum’s artist-led family workshops! From sculpture and animation to puppetry and photography, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Led by a skilled artist with all materials provided, all you have to do is bring yourselves! Tickets also include free entry to the Museum so you can explore at your leisure. Find out more and book your tickets here: https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/
FRAMELESS is a brilliantly immersive and interactive art experience. It’s the best way for kids to learn about Art in London. There are four separate, immersive galleries, featuring iconic masterpieces from some of the world’s greatest artists; Cezanne, Kandinsky, Monet, Dali, Van Gogh etc…. It’s a unique experience where you become the art that the young and old will love! This is a perfect half term day out because it will suit kids of all ages – it’s a feast of colour and a sensory experience for any age! They have an extensive programme of activities including Late sessions for over 18s, Multi-Sensory Tots classes for parents and toddlers, Chilled Sessions created for those that might feel more at ease in less busy public spaces and emerging artists’ residencies, there is something for everyone. Find Frameless here: 6 Marble Arch, London W1H 7AP.
Fun things to do with Teens in London in May Half Term
London is full of plenty of things for older children to enjoy this half term. The Vinyl Factory by 180 Studios art gallery (180 The Strand, London, WC2R 1EA) has put together ‘Reverb” a major multimedia exhibition exploring the intersection of art and sound for adults and young people. The Vinyl Factory brings together over 100 artists and musicians – working across mediums including visual arts, music, film and live performance. It runs until the 28th September so plenty of time to catch it. Teens will love the unique soundscapes and quirky design, it’s the perfect place for a unique experience in the half term holidays.
Ride the slide at ArcelorMittal Orbit. A 178m long slide is exactly what’s needed for fun with a teen! Take a lift to the top of the Olympic Park’s ArcelorMittal Orbit, spend some time admiring the view, then head down the tunnel slide for a great ride!
VISIT GO APE: Take the treetop challenge and try Go Ape this half term. Manoeuvring among trees more than 13m off the ground around a 730m long course, including a 50m long zip wire. There is a tamer treetop adventure for younger kids, with shorter crossings and zip wires, ideal for anyone age 4+. Anyone under 13 needs an adult up in the trees with them. 13-15 year olds can be supervised from the ground, and 16+ year olds don’t need an adult present. There are other lots of Go Ape venues all around the south east and in London.
FREE things to do with kids in London in May Half Term
UNIQLO TATE PLAY HOLIDAY MAKE STUDIO: KINETIC is back on at The Tate Modern over half term running from the 25th May to the 2nd June.They’ve got lots of squishy stuff, sturdy objects, and interesting bits and bobs for you to make art with your family. You’ll need to work together to make hanging sculptures that sway, swing, and swirl! The TATE MODERN is always a winner for younger children and older kids with plenty of hands-on activities and interactive workshops. Find out more here.
Vauxhall City Farm are holding a Spring Fair which promises a day packed with half term activities for all ages to enjoy including Sheep Shearing, Tombola with some farm themed prizes, Art and Craft including ‘Help make Wooly’. Entry to the fair is FREE with a donation to the farm! Date: Thursday, 30th May. Time: 10:30am to 4pm. Find out more here.
Paws on the Wharf runs until 17th May in Canary Wharf and brings together a fun trail for younger kids of a collection of larger-than-life guide dog sculptures, each individually decorated by talented artists in vibrant designs. Kids can spot them along Canary Wharf. Later this month they go on auction to raise money for the Guide Dog Society. You can team this with visiting the Canary Wharf sculptures or it’s the perfect opportunity for a visit to Cabot Square which often has table tennis tables and a mini golf course. You could also visit Mudchute Farm which is close by and is one of the largest city farms with over 100 different species of animals.
Kings Cross has a fun family trail, you pick up the programme at King’s Cross Visitor Centre, which is located at 11—12 Stable Street London N1C 4AB. Whilst you’re there drop-in for free, fun, family nature activities at Camley Street Natural Park or visit Handyside Gardens Playpark.
The Wellcome Collection (183 Euston Road London NW1 2BE) has a free, child friendly exhibition ‘Jason and the Adventure of 254’ which are fun installations of sculptures, illustrations that challenge societal perceptions surrounding disability, medicine and the human body. It’s open until January 2025 so there’s plenty of time to visit. It’s a mini exhibition and an immersive experience – the perfect size for kids and what I loved is that it’s an immersive exhibition – the art can be touched by the kids!
The Royal Academy of Arts are running their family studio programme on 26th May which is a series of monthly art-making workshops and creative activities that are drop-in and open to families with children of all ages. They are FREE but book tickets as first come first served!
The ‘National Portrait Gallery are running fun activities with their Family Face Workshops’ on the 28th May. You can mould, shape, paint and animate to create your own portraits of people important to you. Free but limited availability; first come first served. Check out the link for more info.
Best Theatre Productions in May Half Term for Kids
RICHMOND THEATRE: Away from the hustle and bustle of central London and the West End is the beautiful Richmond Theatre with its stunning architecture. It’s easy to get to with local parking and the tube/ train just 10 minutes away. You can make a day of it because Richmond is such a pretty place with quirky independent shops and restaurants and the riverfront with its vibrant pub scene that still retains a village feel.
Away from the hustle and bustle of central London and the West End is the beautiful Richmond Theatre with its stunning architecture. It’s easy to get to with local parking and the tube/ train just 10 minutes away. You can make a day of it because Richmond is such a pretty place with quirky independent shops and restaurants and the riverfront with its vibrant pub scene that still retains a village feel. Richmond has many great family friendly shows on over the summer period. From Thu 9 May – Sun 12 May 2024, Birmingham Stage Company are proud to present a fabulous new production of David Walliams’ amazing adventure, featuring a small ghost, a huge owl and a very awful Auntie! Catch the show up until November at a variety of theatres across the UK including Liverpool, Brighton and the New Wimbledon. Find all the tour dates here.
Unicorn Theatre is one of the most dedicated children’s theatres in London. Their mission is to transform young lives through theatre and they have lots of dedicated performances for kids in London. ‘The Princess at the Pea’ is showing during May half term which is suitable for kids over 2 years old.
Polka Theatre We couldn’t love the Polka Theatre more. It’s the best theatre spot for little ones and has a nice cafe which is super kid friendly with a kids menu and a lovely indoor play area There’s also an outdoor play area which is such a lovely space to be in.
Hope you’ll love all the great things we’ve found to make your half term enjoyable with kids in London!
