As a London mum of two boys (aged 6 and 2) I keep my finger on the pulse of fun things to do with kids. If you’re looking for the best things to do with children in London for Spring (May / June) including May half-term and the two May Bank Holidays in 2026, well you’ve come to the right place.
Read this post for the best interactive museums, immersive exhibitions, shows and festivals. This guide brings together the very best things to do with children in London for Spring.
Festivals
Spring Family Fun – a festival of fun and creativity for families at the Southbank Centre includes super shows, musical adventures, amazing puppetry and lots of free fun in the spring break. Also worth visiting is the REPLAY: A Limitless Recycled Playground – a play space made out of repurposed materials (£7.50).
Date: until 31st May
Price: Some paid activities and some free.
Events
Hamleys – Fun activities at London’s biggest toy shop.
The Chelsea Flower Show runs 19–23 May and while it may be hard to get tickets there’s plenty of other activities in London to mark the show. Check out from Flower Show Chelsea in Bloom from 18th – 24th May around the iconic Chelsea streets. Belgravia in Bloom is an less crowded lower key version on the street flower show.
Historic Attractions and London Icons
Many of London’s top historical attractions will be running special half term events. Check back here for updates.
Tower of London – Duke and Disorderly; It’s 1826 and the Duke of Wellington has been made Constable of the Tower and it’s a place that resembles more of an ramshackle town than the site we know today. Discover some of the more eclectic characters connected to the Tower’s history and early 19th century London through their weird and wonderful jobs.
Date: 30th March – 30th May
Age: All ages
Price: Included in admission price
British Library – Fairy Tales, a new interactive exhibition which explores enchanted lands, magical creatures, iconic characters and timeless tales, through books, costumes, puppets, pop-ups, artwork and illustrations from some of the UKs most beloved writers.
Date: 27th March – 23rd August
Age: 3 +
Price: £13.50 (peak) and £11.50 (off-peak)
London Eye – Build your own bunch of LEGO® Botanicals Daisies whilst your host guides your journey in a London Eye pod, highlighting London’s beautiful spring sights. Includes two rotations on the Eye. We absolutely loved this!!!
Date: 11th April – 3rd May
Price: £59
The Royal Mews Buckingham Palace – May Mews Discovery Trail, discover fascinating facts and complete fun challenges about the history, horses, cars and carriages of the Mews.
Date: 23 May 2026, every 9 days (23 May 2026 – 31 May 2026) Excl dates: 30 May 2026
Price: Inc with admission
Crafts and Carriages – Create art and crafts inspired by the history, horses, carriages and cars of the Mews.
Dates: 23 May 2026; 24 May 2026; 31 May 2026; 20 Jun 2026; 21 Jun 2026
Price: Inc. with admission
HMS Belfast – Life at Sea: Seek the Seahorse. HMS Belfast invites families to discover the origin of the Belfast’s crest by seeking out hidden seahorses. Plus create your own HMS Belfast crest in the family activity room.
Date: Weekends until 16th July
Price: Included with admission
Outdoor Attractions
London Wetland Centre – We loved this fun-filled wetland adventure with Gozzle the gosling from Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie’s picture book. Follow the interactive trail to discover what it takes Gozzle to become a grown-up goose. The Gozzle Vet Check experience is brilliant fun.
Date: 28th March – 31st May
Price: Included in admission Adult £17.95, £11.65 child (under 3s are free)
Migration Festival – Spring brings an of migratory species to WWT London Wetland Centre, including those travelling from West Africa. To celebrate there’s music, food, storytelling, and hands‑on activities for all ages and a multi‑sensory experience that explores the journeys of migratory birds.
Date: 2nd – 4th May
Ages: All ages
Price: Included in admission Adult £17.95, £11.65 child (under 3s are free)
London Zoo – London Zoo’s Big Birthday Bash – The Zoo is 200 years old! A family-friendly street party-style celebration over the May Bank Hliday weekend. With live music performances, party games, design your own Zoo for the future and a summer BBQ.
Date: 2nd – 4th May
Ages: All ages
Price: Included in admission
Create Something Wild: A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title attempt. For nine days, London Zoo transforms into a creative hub encouraging families to help create a collaborative artwork with a paint-by-numbers in celebration of ZSL’s 200th anniversary this year. Along with the main artwork there’s lots of smaller drop-in and self-guided activities such as face painting, drawing and dressing up.
Date: 23rd – 31st May 2026
Ages: All ages
Price: Included in admission
Vauxhall City Farm – May Fair. Lots of farmyard fun for all ages including animals, farm games, sheep shearing and wool spinning.
Date: 16th May
Ages: All ages
Price: Free
Indoor Attractions and Immersive Experiences
Mundo Pixar – The Mundo Pixar Experience allows fans to actually step inside their favourite Pixar Films. There are 14 Pixar Universes with over 25 sculptures – allowing for lots of photo opportunities of course.
As well as Toy Story (and a visit to Andy’s Room) guests can explore recreated ‘sets’ from Monsters Inc, Cars, Finding Nemo, Inside Out and many more. Each with details designed, music and even scents making it a fully immersive sensory experience.
Location: Fulton Road, Wembley, HA9 0TF
Age: All Ages
Price: £34 per adult £22 per child (under 3s are free)
Paddington Bear Experience – Step into Paddington’s world with an adventure through London and Peru! Explore interactive sets with live performances, and themed activities inspired by everyone’s favourite bear.
Location: County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB, nearest tube Waterloo
Opening: Open daily from 10am
Duration : 70 mins
Age: All ages, under 2s are free
Cost: Adult £34, children £24.
Shrek Adventure London – An interactive walk-through experience where visitors join a live fairy-tale journey with characters like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and of course Shrek and Donkey. There’s storytelling, actors, and themed sets to create a full 4D expereince and fun, immersive journey for kids. Oscar and Noah loved it!
Location: Riverside Building, County Hall Westminster Bridge Road
Opening: Open daily times vary
Duration: 60 mins
Age: All ages under 2 are free. Recommended for age 6 plus.
Cost: From £24 for adults £18.50 for children
Bubble Planet Experience – an immersive, multi-sensory experience where visitors walk through 11 glowing, colourful rooms filled with bubbles, lights, and playful installations. It’s both magical and surreal and great for families, photos, and interactive fun! The best bit is the huge ball pit!
Book using my the discount code BubbleLon15.
Lcoation: Near Wembley Park tube 22 Fulton Rd, Wembley
Duration: 60 – 90 mins
Age: All ages, under 4s are free
Cost: £13.90 for children and £17.90 for adults
Babylon – A theme park that is entirely indoors with a fun space theme. There’s lots of attractions such as an indoor roller coaster (thrill seeking Oscar loved this!), bumper cars, video games plus a soft play. There’s lots for toddlers too and Noah liked the carousel.
Location: 8 Castlehaven Road, Camden
You can pay as you go or buy time-based passes for unlimited access.
Age: All ages.
Price: Park entry is free but you pay for the attractions.
SeaLIFE – London’s Biggest Aquarium is always a great choice if spring weather doesn’t go as planned!
Age: all ages
Price: From £36 per adult
Museums and Galleries
Young V & A – One of London best museums for children is currently running a brilliant exhibition.‘ Inside Aardman: Wallace and Gromit and Friends‘ goes behind the scenes of the famous stop motion show casing how the classic characters are bought to life.
Date: Until 15th November
Price: From £11
Hornimann Museum – New exhibition ‘Voyage to the Deep – Underwater Adventures.’ Inspired by Jules Verne’s ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Seas’, families are invited to board the legendary ‘Nautilus’ submarine and discover on an underwater adventure. Includes an Octonauts adventure trail.
Date: Until 1st November
Price: Adult £9.80, £7 child (under 3s are free)
Postal Museum – Jolly Postman exhibition – interactive exhibition celebrating 40 years of Janet and Allan Ahlberg famous children’s book.
Date: Until Jan 2027
Price: Included in museum ticket.
Maritime Museum – Astronomers Take Over. A brand new interactive space-themed adventure, perfect for little space lovers.
Price: Experience + planetarium: £16 | Experience only: £8
Royal Museums Greenwich – There’s lots going on in Greenwich around May half term.
London Museum of Docklands – Various activities. Tots at the Docks is a monthly on going play session. Don’t miss the Mudlarks softplay.
RAF Museum – Little Swifts fun and lively sessions for pre-school children (aged 2-5 years) including arts and crafts, games, stories and songs all linked to the museums collection.
Date: Second Tuesday and last Thursday of each month, 14 April 2026 – 14 July 2026
Price: Free
Heroes of the Air for May Half-term. Young explorers build, test and fly to discover how to become an aviation hero.
Date: 23 May 2026 – 31 May 2026
Age: 3 +
Price: £3 – £10
London Transport Museum – Caribbean Connections. Celebrate Caribbean history and culture at London Transport Museum. Creative arts and crafts, costumed characters inspired by Caribbean heritage. Explore the exhibition Legacies: London Transport’s Caribbean Workforce.
Date: From 23rd – 28th May
Age: All ages
Price: Included in museum ticket.
Natural History Museum – Dino Disco for Kids listen to family friendly tunes and dance among the dinos.
Date: 16th May and 26h June
Age: 6 – 12 years
Price: £20 Members: £18
Dinos vs Sharks Show. Visit one of London’s most famous museums for a show exploring two groups of fabulous and fearsome creatures – dinosaurs and sharks.
Date: 6th and 7th June
Age: All ages
Price: From £16.50 Members: £12
National Gallery – Decoding pictures family tour.
Date: 26th – 28th May
Age: All ages, best for 5+
Price: Free
Portrait Gallery – Family Day: family portraits remixed. Explore the art of everyday life inspired by Catherine Opie: To Be Seen.
Date: 26th May
Age: 3+
Price: Free
Dulwich Picture Gallery – Mini masterpieces. Sessions for under 5s with each session beginning in the Art Play Pavilion and then on to the Gallery to discover the different people, places and animals in the paintings including.
Age: Under 5s
Price: £16
Tate Modern – UNIQLO Tate PlayMake Studio: Memory. Explore memories through playing, chatting and creating.
Date: Wednesdays and weekends from 28 February 2026 – 22 July 2026
Age: All ages (Wednesdays are for under 5s)
Price: Free
Theatre and Shows
Southbank Centre
OAE TOTS at LPO FUNharmonics: A Musical Adventure. A lively children’s workshop with musicians from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Date: 17th May
Age: 2 – 5
Price: From £13
FUNharmonics: Stan and Mabel and the Race for Space
Date: 17th May
Age: 5+
Price: From £18
Little Angel Theatre
The Flying Bath – Julia Donaldson and David Roberts’ playful story comes to life in this adaptation featuring catchy songs, fun bath toys and everyday heroes.
Date: 2nd May – 12th July
Age: 2 – 5
Price: £15.50 Adult £13.50 Child (age 1-17)
Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape – Based on Dermot O’Leary’s best-selling children’s book.
Date: 17 May – 19 Jul 2026
Age: 5 +
Price: £15.50 Adult £13.50 Child (age 1-17)
Polka Theatre
A Tale of Us – a brand new play for parents and their babies. Join Ivy and her little one on a magical journey through their first year of life together.
Date: 29th April – 3rd May 2026
Age: 0 – 18 month
Price: From £26
Tortoise and the Hare – Hilarious retelling of a children’s classic, Tortoise and the Hare.
Date: 2nd May – 31st May 2026
Age: 3 – 7 years
Price: From £10
The Rapping Princess – Shiloh is a Princess with a love for music. She’s got one problem though, she can’t sing.
Date: 16th May – 21st June 2026
Age: 3 – 6 years
Price: £11
Unicorn Theatre
Midsummer Night’s Dream – A fresh retelling of Shakespeare’s classic comedy.
Date: 21st March – 10th May 2026
Age: 7+
Price: From £10
Planet Omar – Following the chaotic world of Planet Omar, the adventures of an 8-year-old with a wild imagination.
Date: 21st May – 7th June 2026
Age: 7+
Price: From £10
Royal Albert Hall
Comedy Club 4 Kids
Date: 27th May
Price: £12.50
JW3
Shavuot Learn and Sing – Bringing the story of Shavuot to life.
Date: 24th May
Age: 2 – 5 years
Price: £7 child, £5 adult
Over the Rainbow: Yoga Stories using gentle yoga poses woven into an engaging story
Date: 25th May
Age: All ages
Price: £7 child, £5 adult
Schools Out Comedy Club – Philip Simon’s hilarious silly joke show where kids are the stars.
Date: 14th May
Age: 4+
Price: £10
The Globe
The Globe is running family workshops bringing Shakespeare’s plays to life. Twelfth Night is running for 5 – 8 year olds. Using a range of activities and games designed to draw out elements of the play’s language, characters and themes.
Date: 28th March – 28th May
Price: £13
There’s is also Ghosts & Ghouls Family Tour, a special family-friendly guided tour of the Globe Theatre which brings to life the ghosts, spirits and scary occurences in Shakespeare’s most chilling plays.
Date: 14th March – 31st October
Price: Adult £28, under 16, £21
Royal Ballet and Opera House, Covent Garden
Children’s Alice in Wonderland Adventure. 75-minute live and immersive experience, families join an actor as they dive into the magical world of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Date: Until 29th May
Age: 5 – 11
Price: 22
Plus Family Sundays at the Royal Opera House fun, relaxed and creative sessions perfect for families with children aged 3 to 10. Until 14th June.
Price: £20
Cadogan Hall – Aardman in Concert. Fun for all the family celebrating 50 years of Aardman Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time, Morph, Creature Comforts and more.
Date: 2nd May
Price: From £18
Regents Park Open Air Theatre – Family day in the beautiful surroundings of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Includes a ticket to The Marvellous Myth Hunter and events, including Harp in the Park at the Bach to Baby Family Concert, a daytime party with Fly-Kid and more.
Date: 24th May
Age: Under 4s are welcome; everyone aged two and over must have their own ticket.
Price: Adults: £18
Children: £15
Restaurants and Dining
The Anya’s Wishing Tea at Anya café – The perfect spring treat for you and your little one.
The cafe on Pont Street in Belgravia is comfy and casual, but still oh so aesthetic, part of Anya Hindmarch’s shopping village. Anya’s Wishing Tea is an ode to Spring and calls on folk traditions to celebrate the renewal that the season brings.
Activities Less than Two Hours From London
Legoland Windsor – Rides and attractions to explore, plus brick building challenges, workshops, and character meet ups. Toddlers will love Duplo Valley!
Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour – It’s really easy to get to from central London as you can catch a train to Watford Junction from Euston which only take 20 minutes and then there’s a free shuttle right outside the station. Otherwise you can book a package with a coach transfer. It’s really important to book in advance as tickets sell out really quickly. Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with a new feature entitled, First Year at Hogwarts with new shows and challenges. On 7th May to 7th September.
Chessington World Of Adventures: World of PAW Patrols open on Sunday 3rd May the May Bank Holidays. The immersive experience will include three themed play areas where fans can immerse fun inspired by their favourite pups plus themed dining inspired by Adventure Bay. These include:
The Flounder Boat Play – help Captain Turbot on a high-seas adventure aboard the Flounder Boat
Rubble & Rocky’s Play Zone – the hands-on, climbable construction zone will see guests slide, climb, and explore alongside their favourite construction pup, Rubble.
Alton Towers: – Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies at CBeebies Land at Alton Towers Resort! Ride the world’s first Bluey junior coaster!
Hampton Court: The Big Bahooey, an amazing aerial caberet. Learn from professionals in circus workshops, and dance on the stage.
Date: 23 – 25 May 2026
Price: Included with entry
See the following blog posts for London’s best ongoing Activities:
Best Things to Do in London with Babies and Toddlers
Best Museums and Attractions in London With Play Areas / Soft Play
Best child-friendly afternoon teas
Best child-friendly restaurants
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