Looking for the best things to do in London with babies and toddlers this September and October 2026? Autumn is one of my favourite times of year for days out with little ones, with pumpkin patches, Halloween activities, toddler-friendly theatre, sensory play and plenty of brilliant indoor options for rainy days. Who doesn’t love a picture of a baby in a pumpkin patch?
I’m a London mum of two boys, aged 7 and 3, and after seven years of exploring London with babies, toddlers and now bigger children, I’ve tried a lot of family attractions! For this guide I’ve focused specifically on activities that work particularly well for babies, toddlers and preschoolers that parents can enjoy too.
Below you’ll find my pick of the best baby and toddler activities in London for September and October 2026, including seasonal events, Halloween days out, theatre, museums, music classes, immersive experiences and a few pumpkin patches just outside London.
My Top Picks for Babies and Toddlers this Autumn.
Best Overall: Discover Children’s Story Centre
Best Halloween Activity: Peppa Pig Halloween Afternoon Tea Bus
Best for Babies: Home Song at Unicorn Theatre
Best for Toddlers: WWT London Wetland Centre
Best Free Day Out: St James’s Park
Best Rainy-Day Activity: London Transport Museum
Best Pumpkin Patch: Willows Activity Farm
Best Special Event: Little Londoners Early Years Festival
Pumpkin Patches for Babies and Toddlers
There is nothing cuter than a baby or toddler pumpkin picture.
Willows Activity Farm, St Albans
Best For: A full family day out
We went to Willow Farm last year for Pumpkin picking and it completely changed my mind about pumpkin patches. It was so much more fun than just choosing a pumpkin and leaving!
There’s always a full programme of events as well as the pumpkin patch itself. Such as Arts & Crafts, a Halloween maze, Character Shows including Patch the Pumpkin, Halloween Disco, Tractor Rides. Younger kids will love the meet Peter Rabbit & Friends activities and this is actually a brilliant choice for pre-schoolers.
Willows also has a special pre-school pumpkin festival running weekdays from 12th – 22nd.
Dates: 10th – 31st October
Best for: Special preschool event
Price: £22.95 (includes pumpkin)
Bockett’s Farm, Leatherhead, Surrey
Best for toddlers and younger children
Bocketts Farm was the first pumpkin patch that I took Oscar to when he was 16 months old and it’s particularly good for younger children. For 2026 they have Witches and Wizards week with a pumpkin village, a Reptile Roadshow, Science and Slime Shows, crafts, a spooky disco plus all the usual farm activities making it a fun autumn day out.
The London Pumpkin Patch, Parsons Green
Best for: not leaving London
The event includes winding paths, photo moments and autumnal backdrops, with interactive characters to meet along the way and over 10,000 pumpkins to choose from. We’ve not been to this one, but it’s firmly on my list.
Check out my full guide to the best pumpkin patches near London
Halloween Activities for Babies and Toddlers in London
London Wetland Centre – SUPER Natural family-friendly Halloween adventure. Explore the magical superpowers and folklore of the wetlands. There’s willow wand making, potion brewing and fungi hunting.
Dates: 24 October – 1 November
Best for: 3+
Price: Included with admission
SilverSpoon Tip: A great choice for a less scary Halloween day out, and a great chance for city kids to learn and understand nature.
Battersea Children’s Zoo – There are mysterious animal encounters and family-friendly Halloween storytime at this little London zoo for half term.
Dates: October half term.
Best for: Toddlers and preschoolers
Price: Approx adult £17.50 / child £13.95
SilverSpoon Tip: This smaller zoo is great for little kids and also contains several playgrounds to burn off energy!
Peppa Pig Halloween London Sightseeing Bus Tour from Brigit’s Bakery, a spooky afternoon tea experience through London’s most famous landmarks and Peppa-themed spooky treats.
Date: 19th October – 1st November
Best for: Little Peppa fans
Price: From £54
SilverSpoon Tip: We’ve done the original Peppa Bus tour and it was a huge hit, the cakes are also genuinely tasty.
Here’s my full review of the Peppa Pig afternoon tea bus.
SEA LIFE – London’s Biggest Aquarium is always a great choice for little ones! For Halloween, the brilliant sea sorcerers have arrived for a frighteningly fun time! They love looking after their ocean home and helping keep their fellow sea creatures safer.
Click here to check availability and pricing.
Dates: Halloween activities 17 October – 1 November
Best for: all ages
Price: From £36 per adult.
I’ve rounded up all the best Halloween events for kids in London here.
Museums and Early Years Activities in London
London Museum Docklands – Little Londoner Early Years Festival – Celebrate London with a special takeover day for babies and toddlers.
Sail on the River Thames with Hartbeeps, build up London Bridge in musical workshops, swim like a fish in an underwater sensory room, wiggle and shake in a mini disco and much more.
Dates: 30th September
Best for: Babies and toddlers
Price: Free
SilverSpoon London: A full day out with a baby or toddler, we loved this last year. Don’t forget to book the Mudlarks Soft Play
London Transport Museum – October half term – Along the Piccadilly Line. This half term take part in fun family activities celebrating this historic Underground line and the people and places it connects us to.
Dates: Check website for dates in October.
Best for: All ages
Price: Included in museum ticket.
SilverSpoon Tips: One of our favourite museums in London. Don’t forget to visit the cafe for pancakes!
Young V & A – One of London’s 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 brought to life. There are hands on activities that Noah loved.
Dates: Until 15th November
Best for: One for all the generations
Price: From £11
SilverSpoon Tip: Grown-ups will love the nostalgia of the classic characters, little ones will love discovering them.
Discover Children’s Story Centre – An exciting immersive experience inviting families to join Luna and friends for a very special trip to a very big city. There is also ‘spooky’ storytelling and crafts for Halloween at the centre. A baby sensory area has just opened.
Dates: Various special storytelling sessions throughout September and October
Best for: All ages, but 0 – 8 are the main audience. There are even shows suitable for tiny babies.
Price: £5.50
SilverSpoon Tip: There are two floors of storytelling fun to explore plus an outdoor playground. You can build your own adventure with the extra immersive experience, storytelling and shows. This is a great value day out.
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.
Dates: Second Tuesday and last Thursday of each month
Best for: Little aviation lovers
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.
Dates: Ongoing
Best for: Under 5s
Price: £16
Horniman Museum – ‘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 set off on an underwater adventure. Includes an Octonauts adventure trail.
Dates: Until 1st November
Best for: Preschoolers
Price: Adult £9.80, £7 child (under 3s are free)
SilverSpoon Tip: The nature playground is now open (and is free!) brilliant for the autumn months.
Cutty Sark – Ship Mates for under 5s, running on term-time Wednesdays with songs, stories and play aboard the ship.
Dates: On going Wednesdays
Best for: Preschoolers who love maritime adventures!
Price: Adults are £5, under 5s are free
SilverSpoon Tip: Make a day of it in Greenwich and combine Cutty Sark with the Maritime Musuem where little ones will love the AHOY soft play and Cove playground.
Natural History Museum – Adventure babies, A host of activities designed specifically to engage babies and encourage their development.
Dates: 13th October and 20th October
Best for: 0 – 4
Price: £20
Check out my post on the best museums and attractions in London With play areas / soft play if you love museums with your little one.
Autumn Outdoor Days Out for Babies and Toddlers
- Check out the newly reopened Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground which has a brand new huge Galleon themed around Captain Hooks ship in a sand pit.
- Also Hyde Park Discovery days which will include Hair raising Halloween 29 – 31 October, 11am – 3:30pm.
- The Children’s Garden at The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew – Noah and I loved this garden when we visited! It’s huge and actually the size of 40 tennis courts. It’s the perfect place for children to learn about plant life, mini beasts and the natural elements.
- The Cove at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich – One of the best playgrounds in London, this sea themed playground allows children to learn more about maritime life through play. They can climb a Kraken, explore a ship’s deck, explore the ‘Cutty Shark’s’ jaws and spin on a compass themed roundabout. Toddlers will love the bright colours and the multi-sensory elements of this playground.
- The Magic Garden, Hampton Court Palace – The perfect way for kids to learn about history at Henry VIII’s palace through play.
- Horniman Museum and Gardens – The Horniman Museum is a lovely and wholesome experience which can be a whole day out with toddlers. There’s 16 acres of garden including a sunken garden with perennial flower displays, a sound garden with musical instruments, a meadow field where dogs can roam, a prehistoric garden with a monkey puzzle tree, a bee garden (currently getting a makeover),a wildlife garden and nature trail. There’s also an animal walk with goats, sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and alpacas.
Winnie the Pooh at London Zoo Celebrating 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh alongside the 200th anniversary of London Zoo with a special storybook trail bringing to life a new story inspired by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard.
Dates: 2 October – 1 November
Best for: Little kids will love celebrating their favourite characters
Price: Included in zoo entry.
SilverSpoon Tip: Don’t forget to book ZooTown, London Zoo’s brilliant soft play.
Kew Gardens – Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club is heading on an autumn adventure. An outdoor trail features interactive challenges that encourage fun, exploration and learning in nature.
Dates: 17 October to 1 November 2026 (times vary)
Best for: Preschoolers
Price: Included with entry to the Gardens. This autumn £10 entry to Kew Gardens every Tuesday.
SilverSpoon Tip: A brilliant way to explore London’s famous gardens with little kids.
Check out this post for our favourite outdoor spaces and playgrounds.
Baby and Toddler Theatre Shows in London
The Smeds and the Smoos – On a far-off planet, Smeds and Smoos can’t be friends. So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love and zoom off into space together, how will their families get them back? We love this book, and the stage adaptation is brilliant for younger children. At the Southbank Centre.
Dates: 28th October – 1st November
Best for: 3 + (but fine for all ages)
Price: £22
SilverSpoon Tip: Tall Stories is brilliant theatre company and always creates amazing family productions.
Little Angel Theatre
Pip and Posy Live – Pip and Posy are best friends whose lives revolve around the world of play.
Dates: 19th Sept – 22nd Nov
Best for: 2 – 5
Price: £16 Adult £14 Child (age 1-17)
Polka Theatre
Big Dreams Festival – A celebration of Early Years Theatre and creativity.
Including:
MC Grammar
The Tale of the Loneliest Whale
Multiclore
And more…
Plus other free activities.
Dates: 19th – 20th September
Best for: Aged 18 months – 8 years
Price: From £13
Three Little Pigs – The tale of three problem-solving little pigs.
Dates: 1st October – 4th October
Best for: 3 – 7 years
Price: From £10
Unicorn Theatre
Home Song – Featuring puppetry, interactive soundscapes and beautiful a cappella singing for babies.
Dates: 2nd Oct – 8th Nov
Best for: 6 – 18 months
Price: From £18.50
Royal Albert Hall
Bring Your Own Baby Comedy
Dates: 30th September
Best for: For grown-ups with babies under 15 months
Price: £13.50
SilverSpoon Tip: A comedy show that’s actually a bit of fun for you rather than the baby!
Chicken Shed
Halloween Tales – perfect for the tiniest trick or treater.
Date: 26th – 29th October
Best for: 0 – 6 years
Price: from £7
Puppet Theatre Barge – Little Venice
Anansi & The Lost Sun – a West African tale told through puppetry, spoken word and traditional West African music.
Dates: 17 – 18 October
Best for: 3 – 7
Price: Adult £15 / child £12
The Town Mouse & The Country Mouse
Dates: 24 October – 15 November
Best for: 3 – 7
Price: Adult £15 / child £12
SilverSpoon Tip: Kids will love the unique venue itself is only a 40-seat theatre inside a converted barge.
Immersive Experiences for Toddlers in London
Paddington Bear Experience, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd – 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.
For Halloween it’s Trick or Treat at Windsor Gardens with autumnal decorations and an exclusive trick-or-treat package including: Paddington Bear Ears, a souvenir pumpkin sweet bucket and a selection of sweets. The experience lasts around 70 mins
Dates: Open daily from 10am. 17th October – 1st November for the Halloween special
Best for: Everyone will enjoy a day out with Paddington, even parents!
Price: From £39
SilverSpoon Tip: The experience ends with the Marmalade Day which gives the opportunity for free play and the chance to meet Paddington himself.
House of Dreamers – featuring 16 immersive dreamscapes: Journey through a series of whimsical, pastel installations designed to spark wonder and ignite imagination. We loved this experience! An exclusive DreamBand and AI-powered technology helps bring the experience to life. Toddlers will particularly love the giant ball pit.
Book tickets for House of Dreamers. Use the code ANGIESILVER10 for 10% off.
Location: Immerse LDN, Excel Waterfront
Duration: 60 – 90 mins
Dates: Ongoing
Best for: all ages
Price: £21.90 Child £14.90
SilverSpoon Tip: The boys loved interacting with the spaces, discovering fun details, sparking creativity and imagination whereas I loved the way I could release my inhibitions, let my inner child run wild plus get some fun photos along the way!
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 tickets for Bubble Planet.
Use the code ANGIESILVER10 for 10% off.
Location: Near Wembley Park tube 22 Fulton Rd, Wembley
Duration: 60 – 90 mins
Dates: Ongoing
Best for: All ages, under 4s are free
Price: £13.90 for children and £17.90 for adults
SEA LIFE – London’s Biggest Aquarium is always a great choice if the weather doesn’t go as planned! Click here to check availability and pricing.
Dates: Ongoing
Best for: all ages
Price: From £36 per adult.
If you love this kind of thing check out my post on London’s best immersive eperiences for kids.
Baby and Toddler Music and Classes in London
Get musical Mini Mozart has an Autumn Term programe 2026. We love these live music classes for babies and toddlers.
Tuesday 1st September until Friday 18th December inclusive (with half term break taking place 26th-30th October incl.
Bach to Baby are running a series of autumn concerts for baby and family. Schedule TBC.
Baby Broadway family concerts are running. The next one in Covent Garden is 16th October priced £14. The whole family can sing and dance along to songs from hit musicals and films plus bubbles, puppets and dance moves
See the following blog posts for London’s best ongoing Activities:
Other ideas in London with Babies and Toddlers
Best child-friendly afternoon teas
Our favourite child-friendly restaurants
Amazing child-friendly hotels in London
I really loved this stage with both boys and there are so many brilliant things to do in London with babies and toddlers. I’m already lookig forward to autumnal activities throughout September and October!
PIN IT!!
