The August Bank Holiday weekend is upon us and I’ve got a whole Weekend Scoop worth of family fun for you. Whether it’s rainy or sunny inside, there’s lots to do in London this weekend for families with children of all ages. From immersive gaming to outdoor theatre, festival adventures, sleepovers, city quests, animal encounters, free activities and more. Of course, it’s Carnival Weekend too so make your way to Notting Hill if you’re ready to mash it up. Have a great one.
August Bank Holiday Weekend: What To Do with Kids in London
Thu-Mon: Power Up at Science Museum (Basement Gallery, Level -1), Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2DD (South Kensington tube)
My boys love this immersive gaming festival that celebrates 5 decades of gaming history. There are 160+ consoles for all ages, from Xbox and PlayStation to Atari 2600, Nintendo Switch, VR headsets and classics like Mario Kart, Pac Man and Pong. Ages 5+ (all ages welcome). Daily 10.15-4.30PM; day passes from £10/annual £15/under 4s FREE (until Sep 3)
Thu-Mon: London Zoo’s BIG Summer of Fun, Regent’s Park NW1 4RY (Regent’s Park/Camden Town tube)
The fun continues this August Bank Holiday Weekend at London Zoo. Little ones will love seeing the UK’s biggest penguin pool, London’s largest living rainforest, 14,000 animals and more. Try your hands at the Really wild Challenge with games like Animal Tail Hoopla, Hook-a-duck and Poo-dunnit. All ages welcome. 10am-5pm (closes 6pm); adult tickets range from £31 standard- £38 flexi/child £21.70 standard-£28 flexi/under 3s FREE (until Sep 3/ongoing)
Thu-Mon: Fuji: A Opera, The Africa Centre, 66-68 Great Suffolk St, SE1 0BL (Southwark tube)
Experience a multi-dimensional exhibition bursting with sounds, colour and history. This charts the story of Nigerian fuji music, one of the genres that’s helped spawn the global Afrobeats explosion. See rare archival footage and fashion collections, listen to archive recordings, look at original instruments and a photography wall of album covers and live performances. 10am-6pm; from adult £11.99/child £6.99 (Aug 18-28)
Thu-Mon: Alice in Wonderland at Kew Gardens, Berberis Dell, Kew Gardens, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE (Kew Gardens tube/Kew Bridge rail, overground)
Watch Alice go down the rabbit hole into a strange world where she meets the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts and other creatures. See Lewis Carroll’s tale brought to life against the backdrop of Kew Gardens. All ages welcome (best for ages 5+). Tickets include free garden entry. 11am & 2pm; adult £23, child £16/under 2s go FREE (until Aug 28)
Thu-Mon: Hobbledown Hullabaloo, Hobbledown Heath, Staines Road, Hounslow, TW14 0HH (Hounslow Central rail)
Hobbledown Heath is a sprawling space that boasts one of London’s largest play arenas. Explore 4 themed villages, acres of woodland and meadow, towers, tunnels, farm animals and more. Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, families can take part in the Hobbledown Hullaballoo! Activities include bubble blowing, paint throwing and dancing, science experiments and water games. Best for ages 2-13. 9am-6pm; from £13-£20pp (until Sep 3)
Thu-Mon: Summer of Invention at Postal Museum, 15-20 Phoenix Place, WC1X 0DA (Farringdon, Russell Square, Chancery Lane tube; King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Pop into the Postal Museum for a weekend of STEAM-related activities, looking at inventions ranging from stamps and sorting machines to mini railways and robot technology. For kids aged 8 and under, there’s fun times in the Sorted! play room (separate fee) and all ages can ride the underground Mail Rail. Various dates and times, limited capacity for some activities. Open 10am-5pm; adult from £16/child ages 3-15 from £9/child museum entry with Sorted! from £11/Sorted! entry £4-£5/under 3s FREE (until Aug 26/ongoing)
Fri: The Jabberwocky and Other Nonsense at Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY (Wood Green tube then W3 bus)
Watch out, there’s a Jabberwocky about and it’s keeping the village of Pokeytin in a state of alarm. Calf 2 Cow present a slap-tickling adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s famous poem. This lively show is crammed with floor-stamping rock n roll, water buckets, a giant dragon puppet breathing actual fire and more nonsensical fun. All ages. 5.30pm; adult £13.50/child £8.50 (Aug 25)
Fri-Sat: Roman London Family Quest, London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE, 12 Walbrook, EC4N 8AA (Bank/Mansion House tube)
Go back in history over August Bank Holiday weekend to Roman Londinium. This family quest connects two Roman City sites – London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE and London’s Roman Amphitheatre. Using a bespoke map, you’ll tour the area, exploring Roman points of interest and taking part in special activities at each location. In partnership with Museum of London. All ages welcome, best for ages 5-11. 10am-3pm; FREE but book ahead (Aug 25-26)
Fri-Mon: Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, multiple locations
Spend the August Bank Holiday weekend in Greenwich with the whole family at this brilliant festival of (mostly) free outdoor theatre and performing arts. There’s a whole day of family fun at Greenwich Fair (Aug 26) and more over two weeks. Highlights include Woman, Life, Freedom – a stirring drama about Iran’s protest movement (Aug 26); Ancient Futures, a spectacular dance party with music by grime artist Afrikan Boy (Aug 27/28); and Cygnus, an installation of 12 life-sized floating swans on Royal Victoria Dock (Aug 31-Sep 1). All ages unless otherwise stated (check ahead). Various times and performances, FREE (Aug 25-Sep 10)
Sat-Sun: Family Workshops – Puppet Festival: Mini Puppet Adventures, Little Angel Studio, Sebbon St, N1 2EH (Highbury & Islington tube/overground, Angel tube)
This is a multi sensory activity for parents and young children, part of the famous puppet theatre’s summer Puppet Festival. Friendly facilitators will help you and your kids to craft a mini festival complete with colourful stalls, funky costumes, blankets, bubbles and sparkling mud. Aimed at kids ages 3-6 and their parents/carers. 10am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm; adult £8.50/child £8.50 (Aug 26-27)
Sun: Family Night Voyage on The Golden Hinde, St Mary Overie Dock, Cathedral Street, Borough SE1 9DE (London Bridge tube/rail)
Pack your PJs for a special trip on the replica of Sir Francis Drake’s ship. Gather your shipmates to enjoy a historic evening aboard the Golden Hinde. You’ll learn about life as a 16th century mariner with hands-on activities and immersive role play. 5pm-9am; adult/child £45pp (Aug 27)
Sun-Mon: Notting Hill Carnival, Notting Hill and surrounding areas (Westbourne Park tube exit only, see TFL web site closer to date for transport advice)
Europe’s largest and lushest street party is back for another double dose of vibrant costumes, delicious street food, tasty sound systems, steel bands, floats and dancing. Sunday is Children’s Day and a bit more chill for families with younger ones. All ages welcome. From around 9.30am daily, FREE (Aug 27-28)
LONDON DAY TRIPS
Escape the city over Bank Holiday weekend…
Theme Parks: Legoland Windsor, Chessington World of Adventure, Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Paultons Park, Diggerland
Nature & Wildlife: ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable, Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire, Port Lympne Hotel & Safari in Kent, Hitchin Lavender and Sunflower farm in Hertfordshire.
Museums & Attractions: Roald Dahl Museum in Great Missenden, Beckonscot Model Village & Railway, Chislehurst Caves in Kent.
Castles: Leeds Castle in Kent, Hever Castle in Kent, Warwick Castle in Warwickshire.
Beaches: These seaside escapes are around 2 hours or less from central London (by road or train): Whitstable, Brighton, Margate, Broadstairs, Camber Sands, Ramsgate, West Wittering, Folkestone, Botany Bay, Eastbourne, Bournemouth, Hastings, Herne Bay and Dover.
We also like
The annual ice cream festival, the Covent Garden Cool Down, is back for Bank Holiday weekend with 40 varieties to sample in the heart of London (Thu-Mon); enjoy a weekend of feasting, live music and activities at Hampton Court Palace Food Festival (Fri-Sun); head to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens for a Victorian style family fete (Sat); join in Summer on the Square, the National Gallery’s free creative sessions for all the family (until Mon); and one for the grownups: catch blockbuster films after a sunset cruise along the Thames with Movies on the River (until Sat, over 18s only)
Booking Ahead
- Kew The Movies at Kew Gardens (Aug 30-Sep 3)
- Back to Hogwarts Day at King’s Cross Platform 9 3/4 (Sep 1)
- Black on the Square at Trafalgar Square, WC1 (Sep 2)
- Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave at Horniman Museum (Sep 9)
- A Bee Story at Jacksons Lane (Sep 10)
- Royal Wharf Summer Fete at Royal Wharf Park, E16 (Sep 16)
- Disney 100: The Exhibition at ExCel Centre (opens Oct 13)
- Skateboard at Design Museum (Oct 20-Jun 2, 2024)
- The Secret Life of Reptiles at London Zoo, NW1 (Oct 21-Dec 31)
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow at Phoenix Theatre (opens Nov 1)
- Burma to Myanmar at British Museum (Nov 2-Feb 11, 2024)
- The Paddington Bear Experience at Southbank (Autumn 2023)
**NB: Please note that all event timings and prices are subject to change/cancellation at short notice, so always check ahead with the venue (or the latest government guidelines) before making a trip!**
London Family Summer Holiday Guide 2023
