Happy Easter! Our cracking Easter Holidays in London guide takes you all the way from Good Friday through the first weekend of April. Have a good one x
BABES CHOICE
Urban at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XT (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
One of our favourite festivals, where we first witnessed the phenomenon that is B Girl Terra among other amazing acts. This scorching celebration of street culture features live acts, demos and workshops including b-boys and b-girls battling, parkour, beatboxing, Hip Hop Karaoke, Zoo Nation Youth Dance, BMX, graffiti displays, skateboarding workshops, urban fashion show and a Southbank Carnival (Sat Mar 26, 12pm-10.30pm) with DJs, dancehall and soca classes on the festival terrace. From around 9am daily, many events are FREE (Mar 25-Apr 10)
10 Best Easter Egg Hunts in London, various locations
It wouldn’t be Easter holidays without some good old hunting for chocolate eggs and bunnies. Don’t miss my guide pointing you in the direction of 10 (ok, more than 10) fabulous spots to go Easter Egg hunting around town: from the Southbank to National Trust properties near you. (Mar 25-Apr 10)
The Wondercrump World of Roald Dahl at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
There are loads of celebrations of Roald Dahl’s centenary around the country, and Easter holidays is a perfect opportunity to explore this vibrant, interactive journey into the mind, habits and inspirations of one of Britain’s best loved writers. Laugh, learn and listen at this tactile exhibition guaranteed to spark your imagination. For ages 7-12. 11am-3pm weekdays, 10am-6pm weekends (dates and times vary); adult £10/child £8 (Mar 26-Jul 3)
Playing Up at Tate, Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG (Blackfriars/London Bridge tube)
To mark the launch of Playing Up, an artwork exploring the potential of Live Art to bridge generations, Tate Modern hosts a three day free mass ‘play in’ for adults and kids. Try your hand at styling clothes out of food, dancing with animals, creating a ketchup fight, walking through London with a map of paris, or operating your parents by remote control! Come as a team or on your own, Children Guides will welcome you at the PLAYING UP desk, introduce you to the game, and set you up with all you need to play up yourself. All ages. 12pm-7pm (Fri-Sat) & 12pm-6pm (Sun); FREE (Apr 1-3)
London Games Festival, various locations
This Easter holidays sees the inaugural London Games Festival celebrating the impact of the gaming industry on the capital. Highlights include: Now Play This, a three day celebration of everything from parlour games to digital toys at Somerset House (Apr 1-3); a full day London Games Festival Takeover at BFI Southbank (Apr 4); and a whole host of Festival Fringe events including The Games Europe Plays, an interactive and colourful exhibition for families at The Finnish Institute (Apr 2-10); Mario: The Musical (date/place tbc) and Trafalgar Square being transformed into a Giant Monopoly board (Apr 2-3)! All ages. times vary; tickets from £10 student/£35 all access pass, many activities FREE (Apr 1-10)
SIGHTS AND SCENES
The Passion of Jesus, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS (Charing Cross tube)
A cast of 100 in period wear (and one donkey) take to the streets to reenact the Passion of the Christ, spanning Judas’ kiss all the way through the crucifixion and resurrection. If you miss it on Good Friday, it will be performed again on Guildford High Street on Easter Saturday (12pm and 2.30pm). All ages, but expect huge crowds. 12pm & 3.15pm, FREE (Mar 25)
Also see The Passion of Christa, the story told through a female protagonist at Union Chapel, Islington, N1 (7pm, FREE, Mar 25)
Easter Funfair at Clapham Common, main entrance off The Avenue, S. Circular Rd, SW4 9AR (Clapham Common tube)
Stuck for what to do? Why not head to the Easter holidays funfair that’s back on Clapham Common, with traditional rides from dodgems and tea cups to Dumbo’s flying elephants. Sessions are from 12-3pm, 3-6pm & 6-9pm; all attractions FREE with wristband, charges for rides, unlimited rides now available £7.99 (under 1 metre tall) or £9.99 (over 1 metre) (daily, Mar 25-Apr 10).
More Easter Funfairs are at Shepherd’s Bush (Mar 24-Apr 10); Hampton Court (Mar 25-29) and Crystal Palace (Apr 1-10)
BYO Baby Karaoke at Lucky Voice Islington, 173-174 Upper Street, N1 1RG (Highbury & Islington/Angel tube)
We were invited to the last Bring Your Own Baby Karaoke at Lucky Voice and had such a lovely time, I had to pop it on our Easter guide. This sweet, soothing and sassy event for parents and babies/toddlers is held monthly at Lucky Voice Karaoke, and provides an alternative to the standard baby rhyme time classes. Sing your heart out to ABBA, Michael Jackson, Queen, The Bee Gees and more, meet likeminded mums, and tuck into refreshments on offer, at one of London’s most popular karaoke spots. 3.30pm-4.30pm, £8 adv (Mar 31/last Thu every month)
Bricks in the Sky at ArcelorMittal Orbit, ArcelorMittal Orbit, 3 Thornton Street, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford,London, E20 2AD (Stratford tube/overground/DLR)
Back by popular demand, Bricks in the Sky gives visitors old and young the chance to view amazing miniature buildings, from the Eiffel Tower to the Empire State building. The exhibition will also inspired a ‘live build’ of London’s skyline from LEGO bricks, and you can join in too with the best mini builds going into the final display. 11am-5pm (until Mar 31) and 10am-6pm (Apr 1-Sep 30); adult from £10/child from £5/family from £26 (Apr 2-10)
Comic Creatrix: 100 Women Making Comics at House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, King’s Cross London N1C 4BH (Kings Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
The UK’s largest ever exhibition of female comic artists, co-curated by Olivia Ahmad and Paul Gravett. Check out works from the 1800s to the present day; from observational comedy to surreal fantasy, challenging biography to subversive dissent. The sweeping exhibition features artists from Marie Duval and Tove Jansson to Posy Simmonds, Audrey Niffenegger and Nina Bunjevac. 10am-6pm, adult £7/child £4/family of 4 £18 (until May 15)
FAMILY THEATRE
My First Ballet: Sleeping Beauty at Peacock Theatre, Portugal St, WC2A 2HT, (Holborn tube)
The hugely successful My First Ballet series continues with another gorgeous production of Sleeping Beauty, in a collaboration between English National Ballet and English National Ballet School. As a baby, Princess Aurora is cursed by the evil Carabosse: on her 16th birthday, she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die. But her fairy godmother intervenes, turning the spell into a 100-year sleep form which she can be awoken by true love’s kiss. Dazzling ballet for kids as young as 3, set to an abridged version of Tchaikovsky’s score and a narrator to help the little ones follow along. Ages 3+. 10.30am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm & 5pm (times and dates vary); £10-£25/family £65 (Mar 24-Apr 2)
Sadler’s Wells Family Weekend at Sadler’s Wells and Lilian Baylis Studio, Rosebery Ave, EC1R 4TN (Angel tube)
The perennial favourite Sadler’s Wells Family Weekend returns with more shows for younger viewers and their carers. ballet LORENT’s spellbinding adaptation of the Snow White legend for ages 7+, retold by poet Carol Ann Duffy also features games and crafts for kids around the building, including the Enchanted Forest and the Once Upon a Time Wall (3pm Fri/Sat & 11am Sat, £12-£18). And don’t miss Digitopia, a stunning integration of live dance and digital technology for ages 5+ (2pm Fri/Sat & 10.30am Sat, £7-£12). Check the web site for full details (Mar 25-26)
The Amazing Bubble Man at Arts Depot, 5 Nether Street Tally Ho Corner North Finchley London N12 0GA (Finchley Central)
He’s the world’s leading bubbleologist and you can see him live at Arts Depot on Easter Saturday, in a special show exploring the science and art of bubbles, with plenty of audience participation and tricks to make your eyes POP. For ages 4+. 11.30am & 2pm, £9-£13 (Mar 26)
Also worth checking out at Arts Depot are magicians Morgan & West (Apr 3), dance show Digitopia (Apr 5), and warm story book adaptation The Bear (Apr 6-10)
The Witches, Rose Theatre Kingston
24-26 High Street, Kingston, KT1 1HL (Kingston Rail)
There’s mischief and mayhem brewing at Kingston’s Rose Theatre as Roald Dahl’s witches tyrannise the stage. See one brave boy and his nana come up against those hideously scary characters that think kids are only good for squishing — or turning into mice. A vibrant cast of actor-musicians adapt this spellbinding tale with plenty of shrieks and mind-bending illusions. For ages 7+. Varying times from 11am-5.30pm, £8-£24 (Mar 29-Apr 10)
The Party at Stratford Circus, Stratford Circus Arts Centre, Theatre Square, Stratford, London, E15 1BX (Stratford tube/overground/DLR)
Someone’s having a party, but when the doorbell rings, it’s not the people he expected. The uninvited guest list includes a French cyclist, a man dressed as a giant chicken and a mysterious stranger who’s never had a birthday. Prepare for crazy antics, circus tricks and a fun take on tricky topics like sharing, social exclusion and not always getting what you’re after. Feeling inspired? Join in The Party acrobatics workshops for parents and kids after the show! For ages 4-8. 11.30am & 3pm, £8-£10; workshops 4pm £2 (Apr 1-2)
MUSEUMS AND WORKSHOPS
V&A Museum of Childhood: Clangers, Bagpuss and Co at V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA (Bethnal Green tube)
The nostalgic trip back in time to the animated classics Clangers, Bagpuss, Ivor the Engine, Nogging the Nog and more is the centrepiece of the museum’s activities over Easter. Check out the exhibition (running until Oct), take part ‘create your own characters’ workshops with your kids and on Easter Weekend, watch back-to-back screenings of the popular retro shows. 10am-4pm, FREE (Mar 25-Apr 1)
Cutty Sark Family Weekend, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT Cutty Sark DLR/Greenwich rail)
Ahoy there matey! Climb aboard the historic Clipper ship for a weekend of family fun activities. Here you can bring the colourful characters in the ship’s figurehead collection to life. Join in a workshop to make a colourful headdress that you can wear in a game of musical statues played beneath the ship. 11.30am-1.30pm & 2pm-4pm; from adult £12.15/child £6.30/under 5s FREE (Apr 2-3)
Marawa’s Majorettes: Easter Hoop Stars at Shoreditch Town Hall, Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT (Old St tube)
Ever wanted to learn to hula hoop? Bring the kids along for a series of Easter Hoop classes with the world famous Marawa’s Majorettes, a troupe of highly skilled hoopers trained personally by hula wonder and roller skater extraordinaire Marawa the Amazing. There are special classes for kids ages 5 to 7 (Tue Apr 5, 2pm-3pm), ages 8 to 12 (Tue Apr 5, 3.30pm & Wed Apr 6, 2pm) and even a class for Parents & Toddlers (Wed Apr 6, 10am). From 10am, prices £8-£10 (Apr 5-6)
Michael Rosen’s Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake & Bad Things, Discover, 383-387 High Street Stratford, E15 4QZ (Stratford tube/overground/DLR)
LAST CHANCE to catch Michael Rosen’s exhibition at Discover, an interactive experience taking inspiration from the popular author/poet’s picture books. Step inside a giant chocolate cake (yum), splash splosh your way through a Bear Hunt, or dare to discover the Bad Things in the Dread Shed. You’ll find hidden rooms, clues and tips on what helped Michael come up with his writing, plus there’s a chance to make poems of your own too. For ages 0-11 and families. 10am-5pm (Tue-Fri), 11am-5pm (Sat-Sun); adult £5/child £5/family of 4 £18/under 2s FREE (until Apr 10)
Horniman Museum: Dinosaurs – Monster Families at Horniman, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ (Forest Hill overground)
Meet dinosaurs and their dino babies at this interactive exhibition showing how the creatures looked after their eggs, nests and offspring. You’ll get up close and personal with T-Rex’s relative – a life-size Tarbosaurus skeleton cast and see a replica of ‘Baby Louie’, the near-complete skeleton of a dinosaur hatchling. Tons to see and do at this wonderful museum and the exhibition also features interactive stations and illustrations by artist Luis V Rey. 10.30am-5.30pm, adult £7/child £4/family of 4 £17 (until Oct 30)
FAMILY FILMS
Zootropolis, in cinemas London-wide and across the UK
Enter a world where animals have evolved, and predator and prey live in harmony… sort of. Zootropolis (confusingly released as Zootopia in the US) is an absolutely BRILLIANT new Disney animation about a rabbit that becomes a cop and befriends a fox to outwit a bunch of crafty wolves… or is there more to the story than first meets the eye? Fantastic fun for all ages, this movie is the world number 1 box office smash and we highly recommend you grab your kids and see it. Full review coming soon! (from Mar 25)
Barbican Cinema Framed Family Film Club, Cinema 1, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS (Barbican tube)
The Barbican’s family film club has some great movies over the Easter break. Catch short animated features from the LIAF (Mar 26), follow the yellow brick road to The Wizard of Oz (Apr 2) and see the Africa set tale of a giraffe named Zarafa (Apr 9). Films at 11am; child £2.50/adult £3.50 (Mar 26-Apr 9)
BFI Families: Easter Programme, BFI Southbank, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XT (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Pop down to BFI Southbank for loads of Easter film activities for families including screenings of Moomins on the Riviera (Tue Mar 29 & Wed Mar 30, 2.30pm) and The Secret Garden (Thu Mar 31 2.30pm) and a Shakespeare on Film Funday and Screening of The Lion King (Sun Apr 3, 1.30pm). There are also holiday learning activities such as Messy Time for the Very Young (Tue Mar 29, 12.45pm); It’s a Whole New World (Wed Mar 30, from 10am) and It’s a Novelty Mash-Up (Thu Mar 31, from 10am). Tickets from child under 16 £4, adult £11.75, concs £9.20 (Mar 29-Apr 3)
Easter at Regent St Cinema, The Regent Street Cinema, 309 Regent St, W1B 2UW (Oxford Circus tube)
The UK’s oldest cinema plays host to some great film entertainment over the Easter break. The wonderful How To train Your Dragon is playing throughout the latter part of the holidays (Apr 2-23). This weekend catch Brave in the Kids Kino Club (Sat, 11.30am, just £1.75) and a special screening of York Theatre Royal’s award winning production of The Railway Children on Easter Monday (Mon, 4pm). Times and prices vary, see web site for details (Mar 25-Apr 23)
Disney Matinees at Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Pl, WC2H 7BY (Leicester Square tube)
Head to Prince Charles Cinema for their ongoing Disney Matinees series with Mary Poppins this weekend (Sat Mar 26, 1pm), Peter Pan (Sat Apr 3, 1pm) and Fantasia (Sat Apr 10, 12.30pm) coming up next. Also check out their Studio Ghibli Forever season showing the absolutely charming Kiki’s Delivery Service (Sun Mar 27, 3.15pm). Tickets from adult £7.50/child £3 (Mar 26-Apr 10)
NATURE AND OUTDOORS
Sensational Butterflies at Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 5BD (South Kensington tube)
Spring is here (fingers crossed) and therefore the butterflies are back for another sensational season at Natural History Museum’s hugely popular walk-through exhibition. Hunt for caterpillar camouflage, and let the young ones marvel at sights like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. All ages. 10am-5.50pm, adult/child £5.85, family £19.80, advanced booking recommended (Mar 24-Sep 11)
Land of the Lions at ZSL London Zoo, ZSL London Zoo, Regent’s Park, NW1 4RY (Camden Town/Regent’s Park tube)
I’ve always had a big thing about lions so I’m very excited about the opening of London Zoo’s new 2,500sqm lion enclosure. Land of the Lions gives you a chance to get nose to nose (almost!) with the Kings of the jungle and their stunning Asiatic Queens, discover more about the lions’ natural habitats, help out forest rangers and vets, and learn about conservation projects for this endangered species. All ages. 10am-5pm daily; regular zoo admission adult from £24.25/child from £17.60/family of 4 from £75/under 3s FREE (from Mar 25 ongoing)
The Goat Race, Spitalfields City Farm, Buxton Street, E1 5AR (Shoreditch High St overground)
Oxford and Cambridge, the famous farm goats, race to the finish in one of London’s most eccentric and fun days out for all the family. Come for people and animal spotting, live music, food stalls, crafts and of course the fast paced finale. Last year’s race raised £15000 for the farm. Fun for all ages, but gets very loud and crowded. NB: Tickets go fast for this caper, so don’t delay! 12-5pm, £0-£13 (Mar 27)
Easter Petting Zoo at Paddington Central, 1A Sheldon Square, W2 6PY (Paddington tube/rail)
Meet Tony the Pony along with a variety of Lambs, Owls, Parrots, South African Hedgehogs, Meerkats, Rabbits and loads more zoo creatures. You can talk to the animals’ keepers and learn more about each species. Great for toddlers and up, all ages welcome. 12-2pm, FREE (Mar 30)
Geffrye Museum: Spring Has Sprung, 136 Kingsland Rd, E2 8EA (Hoxton overground)
Pack a picnic and head to the Geffrye Museum’s outdoor space and gardens for some fun family activities and chill out time. You can celebrate the reopening of their gardens with daily workshops like decorating plant pots, making scented herb bags and fashioning garden animals from clay. 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm, drop-in, FREE (Apr 5-8)
