The best family days out in London and beyond rated by kids and teens
Welcome to KidRated’s guide to the best things to do in London at Easter for kids and teens…
Like so many other holidays, celebrating Easter can be even more fun when you have kids, older kids and teenagers. Plus, its arrival often feels like the formal transition to spring – bring on the sunshine, flowers, and baby animals!
To help celebrate, we’ve rounded up the best events, adventures and activities to keep the whole family entertained during the holiday period.
From searching for eggs in the grounds of iconic castles to trying to spot eggs in some of the most beautiful British countryside settings, the egg hunt is one of our most time-honoured Easter traditions. And with organised hunts and trails the length and breadth of the country, including ones by the National Trust and English Heritage, you won’t need to travel far to find one.
So we hope you enjoy our guide to the best things to do in London at Easter for kids and teens – and if you have any ideas or suggestions please feel free to add them in our comment section.
Paddington Afternoon tea bus tour
Arguably the biggest star of the Paddington films was the beautiful city of London. So why not take the Paddington Afternoon Tea and Bus Tour – a sightseeing tour with a difference. You and the family will ride on London’s iconic Routemaster and see some of Paddington’s favourite landmarks such as Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Nelson’s Column, Downing Street, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Borough Market, Green Park, Piccadilly Circus, and much more. Prices start from £35 and the age requirement is 5+.
If you want to save some pennies, remember we have a handy guide that takes you to some of the key locations used for filming should you want to retrace the steps of the famous little Peruvian bear for a fraction of the price.
Finally, you can buy tickets for a two-and-a-half hour Paddington walking tour here.
Whizz along the Thames on an exhilarating boat ride with Thames Rockets, admiring London’s magnificent landmarks as you speed along the river. Or opt for a more relaxing trip with a City Cruises experience – you can simply enjoy the sightseeing or pair the trip with a delightful afternoon tea.
Prices: from £45
Age requirement: there’s no age limit but must be a minimum of 1.35m (4ft. 5in.) tall.
An alien family has landed at Gunnersbury and has made an ‘eggstraordinary’ mess! Now the alien mother’s eggs are lost in the museum. Meet our ‘alien expert’, solve the clues and track down the missing eggs. Then get some delicious chocolate eggs as your reward!
Age requirement: 5+
Cost: £10 for kids; adults go free
The Passion of Jesus provides a moving portrayal of the final days of Jesus, brought to you by one hundred Wintershall players.
This is a realistic interpretation of the crucifixion, so parental guidance is advised. Not only is it free, it’s also extremely popular so it’s a good idea to arrive around 40 minutes before the start. If you can’t make it to Trafalgar Square, the performances will be livestreamed on Facebook.
The Passion of Jesus 2022 is also available on YouTube if you want to check it out.
Shakespeare Globe is running a series of family workshops and storytelling sessions over the Easter school holidays. Explore Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth through fun and practical workshops for 5-8 year olds, 9-12 year olds and ages 12+, or join in on a storytelling session for the whole family.
Cost: Tickets from £10
Explore, create and have fun with a range of family activities at Chelsea Physic Garden including: learning how chocolate is grown and making your very own chocolate bars; soap making; learning about weeds and how to identify them; and, the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed sensory session where you’ll take time to smell flowers, touch plants, and meditate under the trees. And of course, there’ll be Easter trails around the beautiful 4-acre garden.
Age requirement: 5+
Cost: £5 – £20
Led by an expert team, Discovery Days will allow the kids to explore the park and learn all about the environments and wildlife of this royal park. You could be pond dipping, helping your children discover an underwater world, sweep netting in the meadow or bug hunting at the minibeast hotel. The activities are suitable for the whole family to enjoy, allowing you and your children to connect with nature together.
Age requirement: all ages welcome.
Cost: Free
Slide into the Easter Weekend by whizzing down the world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide ArcelorMittal Orbit. What’s more, when you get to the bottom you’ll see the original prop car from the 2005 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Broadway musical, which will remain on display until August.
Children must be at least 1.3m tall and aged between 8 and 16 years old to ride the slide.
Cost: from £19
The ultimate staycation, you and the whole family can enjoy exclusive after-hours tour at sunset and after dark, before spending the night in a private lodge at London Zoo. This is a great opportunity to discover what happens at the zoo after dark. There’s also a morning tour and chance for a ‘meet and greet’ with one of the keepers.
Age requirements for Family Nights – 5+. For Adults only nights – 14+
Cost: from £134 per person
The London Transport Museum is offering the chance to explore ‘forgotten’ parts of the Tube network and go behind the scenes at some of London’s busiest stations with their exclusive Hidden London tours.
And if you can’t make it in person, there are live virtual tours that take you through the 160-year history of the London Underground.
Check website for selected dates and prices. All ages are welcome at the London Transport Museum but some restrictions apply for the in-person Hidden London Tours.
Step aboard and set sail on a fantastic family adventure at Cutty Sark! Taking place on the first weekend of every month, Cutty Sark Family Weekends feature workshops, songs, activities and experiences for all ages. Meet characters from Cutty Sark’s past and sing along with our resident sea shanty singers – for the real sailor experience, why not dress up as a member of Cutty Sark’s crew? All ages are welcome and activities are free with entry to the ship.
Date: Throughout April
Price: £8 to £18; kids under four go free
Age requirement: all ages welcome
Cost: £8 – £18 – Kids under 4 go free
Get ready for an exciting Easter at Kew Gardens as the hit animated series Bluey comes to life! Join the lovable Blue Heeler puppy for interactive adventures amidst the beauty of springtime at Kew. With activities inspired by the show, kids can explore, laugh, and learn about nature and Australian wildlife. Don’t miss the chance to meet Bluey herself during this family-friendly event, blending nature celebration with playful fun. It’s the ultimate holiday activity for budding adventurers and Bluey fans alike!
Age requirement: all ages welcome
Cost: included with Kew entry ticket
Horniman Spring Fair
Head to the Spring Fair at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill. You and the kids can enjoy seasonal games with live music, workshops, tours, an Easter bonnet parade and much more.
You can also get up close and personal with Crawley critters and furry friends at Horniman’s Habitat Heroes with Wild Fangs and learn lots of fun facts, including the important role they play in their natural habitats
Age requirement: all ages welcome
Cost: £0 -£5
Teens in Carnaby Street
London stands as a premier global shopping hub, boasting an abundance of shops that cater to every taste and style. Yet, amidst the bustling thoroughfares like Oxford Street, it can be a challenge to uncover that perfect blend of uniqueness, affordability, and alignment with your fashion sensibilities.
For parents navigating the quest for birthday presents or teens eager to stay ahead of the trends, we enlisted the expertise of 12-going-on-13 year old K-Rater Coco. With her discerning eye, Coco has curated a list of her favorite teen-centric shops in London, both brick-and-mortar and online. Prepare to ignite excitement even in the most hard-to-please teens with this handpicked selection!
Click here….
Splurging on theatre tickets feels like donating an organ these days, but hold onto your kidneys—we’ve got deals! But choosing a show for the smartphone-entranced, meme-fluent teen is no small feat. No teenager, weaned on the wild worlds of Rick and Morty and Family Guy, is going to sit through something that looks like Peppa Pig’s avant-garde stage debut.
That’s why we’ve crafted the ultimate guide to London theatre for the discerning adolescent. Dive into our curated list of shows for the older child and teen brigade (10+ years) and discover theatrical gems you didn’t know existed—like finding an extra chicken nugget in your meal box.
Got munchkins under ten? We’ve got you covered too, just follow this yellow brick link. And remember, booking with us through our hush-hush deal with TodayTix gets you prices so good, they’re almost criminal.
Convincing your kids to swap the couch for the great outdoors is akin to negotiating a peace treaty with a particularly stubborn nation of sofa-bound creatures. The creatures communicate in grunts, eye rolls, and the occasional mumble, usually requesting snacks or Wi-Fi passwords. But fear not, intrepid parent, for London is your secret weapon in this noble quest. With its vast array of parks, museums, and a mysterious underground network known as “The Tube,” you have all you need to lure them into daylight.
To give you some ideas and inspo, we’ve collected a few ideas in this handy guide. Enjoy!
Ah, London, where the prices are as high as the Eye and keeping a kid entertained feels like funding their way through college—twice. You’ve likely realized by now that touring London with the offspring in tow is akin to pouring your wallet directly into the Thames. But fear not, fellow financially flabbergasted parents! There exists a magical list of places in this wallet-guzzling city where not a single penny needs to escape your grasp. And, would you believe it, many of these freebie gems are nestled right next to each other, like a budget-friendly treasure map.
So, before you remortgage the house for a round of sandwiches, consider this: a well-packed picnic and a cunning plan can have you soaking up all the splendor of London without the accompanying fiscal despair. We’ve scoured the city for the top spots where your only investment is laughter and memories (cheesy but true). Dive into our guide for a low-cost London escapade that might just leave you with enough change for a pint or a desperately needed coffee. Who said you can’t have your cake and eat it too (just maybe not a cake from that fancy patisserie you were eyeing). Cheers to frugal fun in the greatest city on Earth!
Click here and save the pennies!
Clink Prison Museum
Matilda the Musical
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