30 Brilliant Things To Do in London This May with Kids (Including May Half Term)

Free & Under £15

Canalway Cavalcade

What is it?
A wonderfully quirky floating festival in Little Venice where decorated narrowboats, waterside performers, food stalls, crafts and family activities take over the canals. Think village fete meets boat parade.

What to know (queues/parking/tube)

• Gets busiest around lunch
• Tube strongly recommended
• Buggy-friendly if you go early
• Limited parking nearby

Why kids like it
Boats to explore, floating markets, live entertainment and the feeling something magical has taken over the canal.

Kid quote
“There are loads of things for kids to do. It’s really awesome – 10/10.” — Elliot, 12

Top tip
Go early, then combine with a canal walk or Paddington Basin.

Vauxhall May Fair

What is it?
A proper old-school family fair with a London twist – sheep shearing, games, face painting, music, hobby horsing, workshops and food.

What to know

• Family-friendly and buggy friendly
• Can get busy after lunch
• Easy by tube

Why kids like it
Loads to do, lots to touch, plenty of running around.

Top tip
Great one for younger children who like doing rather than watching.

Covent Garden May Fayre & Puppet Festival

What is it?
A gloriously eccentric day celebrating puppetry and street performance, with Punch & Judy traditions, shows and performers.

Best for ages
4 – 10 years

Where
Covent Garden Piazza
Nearest Tube: Covent Garden / Leicester Square

Price
Free

Dates / times
10 May
Most events daytime

What to know

• Arrive early for good viewing
• Busy central London location
• No parking worth attempting

Why kids like it
It’s silly, visual and energetic.

Top tip
Pair with street performers and lunch in the piazza. If you have mixed aged kids, treat older ones to a trip around the shops.

Holy Pop! – Somerset House

What is it?
Holy Pop! explores the fascinating world of contemporary shrines – the objects, collections, and spaces through which we honour our heroes whether they be actors, singers or even Dobby the House Elf.

Best for ages
10+ years

Where
Somerset House, Embankment
Waterloo Tube & Overground

Price
Pay What You Can

Dates / times
From 21 May. Times vary by day.

What to know
Thought provoking and probably better for arty teens.

Why kids like it
Instagrammable and quirky.

Top tip
Good teen add-on with Southbank.

Arsenal Football Shirt Exhibition – Woolwich to Emirates

What is it?
A pop-up exhibition from London Jersey Gallery exploring 140 years of Arsenal shirts and the club’s culture – nostalgia for adults, obsession fuel for Arsenal fans.

Best for ages
7+ years – especially tweens and teens

Where
Islington Council LDP Office, Islington (N5 1NS)
Nearest Tube: Angel

Price
Free

Dates / times
8 – 31 May
Check venue opening hours before travelling

What to know

• Best paired with other Angel outings or Camden Market
• Short visit rather than full day out
• Easy by Tube

Why kids like it
Spotting classic kits, arguing over best shirts ever.

Top tip
Perfect add-on if you’ve got an Arsenal-obsessed teen.

Young V&A Aardman

What is it?
Exhibition exploring animation using the lovable Aardman characters. Get behind the scenes of Wallace & Gromit using real models, sets and storyboards..

Best for ages
5 – 12 years, but good for teens into creating animation

Where
Young V&A Museum, Bethnal Green

Price
Museum free – exhibition pricing varies

Dates / times
Daily

What to know

• Book exhibition slots
• Exhibition isn’t huge
• Plenty of other things for younger kids in the museum

Why kids like it
Wallace and Gromit never fail.

Top tip
Leave time for the permanent galleries.

Shakespeare’s Globe Family Events

What is it?
With a Ghosts & Ghouls Family Tour (60 mins, from £21), Sword Fighting Demonstrations (45 mins, £15) and plays, there’s already plenty for families at the Globe. Half Term brings family workshops for kids aged 5-11, split into different age groups so they’re always age appropriate, plus tale telling from different children’s authors.

Best for ages
5+

Where
The Globe, Bankside
Blackfriars Tube & Overground
London Bridge 10 mins walk

Price
Workshops from around £10-15

Dates / times
Various throughout month

What to know
Book workshops. Standing tickets at shows are from £5.

Why kids like it
Interactive and fun rather than school-trip feeling.

Top tip
Older kids may enjoy A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The Rapping Princess – Polka Theatre

What is it?
Musical theatre adventure. Follow princess Shiloh on a musical journey based on Hannah Lee and Allen Fatimaharan’s inspirational children’s book. Plus, Tortoise and The Hare – a toe-tapping, laugh-out-loud retelling on the children’s classic story, where every show includes creative captions, integrated BSL and audio description.

Best for ages
5 – 10 years

Where
Polka Theatre, Wimbledon
Wimbledon Tube or Mainline or South Wimbledon Tube

Price
From around £12

Dates / times
16 May – 21 June The Rapping Princess
2 – 31 May Tortoise and the Hare

What to know
Family & SEND friendly venue.

Why kids like it
Songs, energy, attitude and inclusive.

Top tip
Perfect for a first theatre trip.

Return to the Forest – Sadlers Wells East

What is it?
Immersive dance-puppetry adventure where audiences are invited into a museum where precious objects are kept to be seen but never touched. But as dusk falls, the precious objects stir, seeming to call to the last remaining visitors, yearning to be free. Running time 1 hour 30 minutes with no interval.

Best for ages
8+ years

Where
Sadler’s Wells East
Stratford, Stratford International and Hackney Wick stations

Price
From £12.50

Dates / times
28 – 30 May

What to know
Promenade show – audience moves. Good for distracted younger ones.

Why kids like it
Feels like stepping inside the story.

Top tip
Great for imaginative older kids.

Big Days Out Worth Splashing On

Thames Rockets

What is it?
A high-speed Thames adventure on a speedboat – part sightseeing, part rollercoaster – all fun!

Best for ages
6+ years (brilliant for hard to please tweens and teens)

Where
Thames Rockets, Boarding near London Eye / Embankment

Price
From about £45 per person

Dates / times
Daily
Various sailings

What to know

• Pre-book strongly advised
• Can be windy – dress accordingly
• Very little queuing if booked

Why kids like it
Speed, music, screaming parents.

Kid quote
“They’re really fast and I loved the music… really cool seeing the landmarks.” – Billy, 9

Top tip
Go for the longer route first time.

Greenwich Family Day

What is it?
One of London’s easiest all-day family itineraries – ships, observatory, parks, boats, market and food.

Best for ages
All ages (especially 5–14 years)

Where
Greenwich SE London

Price
Can be mostly free or from about £20+ with attractions

Dates / times
Any day

What to know

• Easy DLR or riverboat access
• Lots walkable
• Busy at weekends

Why kids like it
Different adventures packed into one day. Great to get there on the Thames Clippers by Uber Boat.

Top tip
Do Cutty Sark + Observatory + park picnic. Good for multi-age groups.

Lee Valley White Water

What is it?
An Olympic white-water centre where families can raft rapids, paddleboard or tackle the giant Water Wipeout inflatable obstacle course. Think adventure park on water.

Best for ages
8+ years for major activities

Where
Lee Valley White Water Centre, Station Road, Waltham Abbey EN9
Rail: Waltham Cross

Price
Activities from around £18
Rafting from around £50+

Dates / times
Daily sessions, book ahead

What to know

• Parking on site
• Bring water shoes/old trainers
• Dry clothes essential

Why kids like it
Because they can hurl themselves at inflatables and rapids legally.

Top tip
A brilliant birthday-day-out option.

Unicorn Theatre – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

What is it?
A family reimagining of Shakespeare’s play with magic, comedy and child-centred storytelling developed in consultation with a group of 8 – 13 year olds, so you know it will work.

Best for ages
7+ years

Where
Unicorn Theatre, London Bridge

Price
From around £15

Dates / times
Ends 10 May

What to know
Book asap.

Why kids like it
Mischief and mayhem.

Top tip
You’ll feel like a great parent introducing them to Shakespeare at a young age.

Skuna BBQ Boats

What is it?
Self-drive electric boats on the dock where you cruise while cooking on your own onboard BBQ. It’s basically a floating family picnic with a steering wheel.

Best for ages
5+ years

Where
Skuna Boats, Canary Wharf Docklands

Price
From around £150 per boat hire (up to 8 people) Food packages available

Dates / times
Bookable daily
Typically 90 minute sessions

What to know

• Life jackets for children
• Boats are slow and stable
• Share cost with another family and it becomes much more reasonable
• Either buy a food package, or take your own

Why kids like it
You’re driving a boat and eating burgers. It doesn’t take much more selling.

Top tip
Special occasion rather than casual afternoon out.

Big Bahooey

What is it?
Family festival at Hampton Court in collaboration with Cirque Bijou. Watch the aerial cabaret. Be wowed by world-class street theatre. Learn from the professionals in circus workshops and dance yourself silly down at the stage.

Best for ages
4 – 12 years

Where
Hampton Court Palace

Price
Included with palace admission. Members go free. From around £14 child

Dates / times
23 – 25 May

What to know
Everything is outside and rain won’t stop play, so dress accordingly.

Why kids like it
‘Bahooey’ means utter silliness and nonsense – need we say more?

Top tip
A great whole day trip for all the family. Look around the house, get lost in the maze and take a picnic if it’s good weather.

Museum of Illusions

Manchester has had its own MoI for a while, but the London branch is finally set to open. Much like the Twist and Paradox Museums it creates mind bending illusions which are perfect for insta.

Best for ages
5+ years

Where
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road Tube

Price
From £24. There are family tickets and Grandparent bundles available.

Dates / times
From 8 May

What to know
All indoors, so great for a rainy day. Not a long experience, so at nearly £100 for a family ticket, it’s spenny.

Why kids like it
Crazy illusions like ‘head on a platter’, the ability to shrink and grow instantly and appear to walk on ceilings.

Top tip
The Grandparent bundle is £45 and includes 1senior and 1 child, so we’d recommend this as a grandparent day activity. Not too onerous and the kids will be entertained.

London Zoo

What is it?
At the start of the month join the ZSL team in celebrating their 200^th birthday! There’ll be lots of high energy activities include Zoo-robics and Zoo’s Got Talent. With party games and a birthday banquet it sounds like a fun weekend. If you can’t make it, you can join in their Guinness World Records attempt at the end of the month and help create the largest paint-by-numbers artwork.

Best for ages
3 – 8 years

Where
London Zoo, Regent’s Park

Price
From around £18+

Dates / times
2 – 4 May the Big Birthday Bash
23 – 31 May art & crafts and World Record attempt

What to know
All events are included with your entry ticket, so you can spend as long as you like seeing the animals and dip in and out of events.

Why kids like it
Animals, party games, World Records – ZSL have it all covered.

Top tip
Save up to £39 on a family ticket. Best prices are found online, so book ahead.

Hard to Please Tweens & Teens

Swingers West End

What is it?
Indoor crazy golf plus carnival side games and street-food style snacks.

Best for ages
7+ years – particularly strong for older kids/teens

Where
Swingers West End, John Princes Street W1G
Tube: Oxford Circus or Bond Street

Price
Golf from about £15

Dates / times
Daily
Under 18s until 6pm

What to know

• Book peak times
• Indoor and weather-proof
• Easy Tube access

Why kids like it
Competition, chaos and trying to beat adults.

Top tip
Combine with West End matinee if making a full day.

War Horse – Olivier Theatre

What is it?
Epic stage production with astonishing puppetry. At the outbreak of the First World War, young Albert’s beloved horse Joey is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. Too young to enlist, Albert refuses to forget him, embarking on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of wartime France – determined to bring Joey home.

Best for ages
10+ years

Where
Oliver Theatre Southbank
Waterloo Tube & Mainline

Price
From around £20+ Child discounts available and 16+ tickets for £5

Dates / times
From 16 May

What to know
Longer running time – approx. 2 hours 40 mins including interval

Why kids like it
The puppetry is amazing.

Top tip
Best for older children due to the subject matter and loud noises.

MCM Comic Con

What is it?
Massive pop culture convention. For younger kids there’s The Treehouse with chill out area, craft activities, cosplay and gaming areas. Older kids can

Best for ages
10+ years

Where
ExCeL London
Custom House Station, IFS Cloud Cable Car, Parking available but booking required.

Price
Kids tickets £7 per day. Adults from £37

Dates / times
22 – 24 May

What to know
Queues. Big ones. Go early.

Why kids like it
It’s Comic Con. They can dress up and meet their heroes.

Top tip
The Creator Pavilion, home to influencers, creators and crafters is pure teen gold. And tweens can learn steps to their fave K-Pop song in Pop Asia. It’s not all comics.

Beetlejuice: The Musical – Prince Edward Theatre

What is it?
Based on Tim Burton’s cult film, Beetlejuice follows Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager navigating grief, ghosts and the chaotic demon himself. The humour is sharp, the visuals are bonkers, and the pace keeps even sceptical teens engaged.

Best for ages
11+ years

Where
Prince Edward Theatre, Soho
Leicester Square Tube, Charing Cross Tube & Overground

Price
From around £25+

Dates / times
From 25 May

What to know
Best suited to older kids and teens rather than little ones, but if you’ve got a family that enjoys dark humour and theatrical spectacle, this lands as a real crowd-pleaser.

Why kids like it
Funny, weird, spectacular.

Top tip
Great teen theatre gateway. Running time 2 hours 30 mins including interval.

Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park – Sherlock Holmes

What is it?
If you haven’t been to the Outdoor Theatre in Regent’s Park this is your chance. A thrilling new adventure for Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Watson. There are some sensitive themes and loud noises, so probably best for older kids.

Best for ages
12+ years

Where
Regent’s Park

Price
From around £18+

Dates / times
From 2 May

What to know
Bring layers, it can get chilly.

Why kids like it
Sitting outside watching a play seems more relaxed and more of an adventure.

Top tip
Matinees may be warmer this early in the season. They’re on Thursday & Saturday. Combine with park boating for a longer day out..

Outdoor Cinema Nights

What is it?
Open-air screenings in parks and rooftops as the season begins.

Best for ages
8+ often strongest for older kids/teens

Where
Summer Screens at Canary Wharf, Rooftop Cinema Club (Peckham & Stratford), Barbican Outdoor Screen, Adventure Cinema Kew Gardens, Everyman on the Canal (Kings Cross) and more!

Price
From around £12+

Dates / times
Late May onward

What to know
Bring blankets and snacks.

Why kids like it
Films outdoors feel excitingly different.

Top tip
Pick family classics for younger kids.

May Half Term Activities

RAF Museum Heroes of the Air

What is it?
Aviation-themed family week focussing on the people, ideas and aircraft that changed the skies. Build your own LEGO aircraft, learn how to fly a remote-controlled helicopter and battle it out in the paper plane contest. Plus indoor and outdoor playgrounds and planes – lots of them!

Best for ages
6 – 13 years

Where
RAF Museum, Hendon
Collindale Tube 10 mins walk

Price
Museum free. Workshops from £3 – £5 per child.

Dates / times
Various between 23 – 29 May

What to know
Good parking (at a price: £8.50 – £11 Buy in advance for £1 discount)

Why kids like it
Huge planes. Enough said.

Top tip
Especially good for transport-obsessed kids and grandparents. For parents: there are 2 x cafes and and indoor picnic area.

Southbank Family Festival

What is it?
A cluster of family performances and installations at the Southbank Centre during half term including circus, dance parties, theatre and the brilliant REPLAY recycled playground.

Best for ages
5+ years (some all ages)

Where
Southbank Centre
Nearest Tube: Waterloo / Embankment

Price
Free events plus ticketed shows from about £18

Dates / times
27 – 31 May

What to know

• Book paid shows ahead
• Great rainy-day backup
• Family loos, food and buggy access good

Why kids like it
There’s loads of variety and lots of events feel playful rather than “worthy”.

Top tip
REPLAY can be as much of a hit as the ticketed stuff.

Science Museum Half Term

What is it?
The usual free fun of the Science Museum with a few half-term extras – space shows with explosive results, bubble demos for younger kids, the chance to sit on a replica space toilet (this is bound to be popular), Wonderlab, Power Up and free hands-on activities.

Best for ages
2 – 14 years

Where
Exhibition Road, South Kensington
South Kensington Tube

Price
Museum free
Bubble show for under 7s from £4.50
Wonderlab extra

Dates / times
Daily through half term

What to know

• Book paid extras early
• Great wet-weather option

Why kids like it
Stuff explodes. Things light up.

Top tip
Power Up brilliant for gamers. Book in advance for reduced prices. Combine with a trip to the Natural History Museum if you’ve got the energy. Take a picnic to keep costs down.

London Transport Museum

What is it?
A hands-on transport museum with a special Caribbean Connections programme and SEND-friendly early sessions. Celebrating 70 years of London Transport recruiting people from the Caribbean, it mixes storytelling, crafts and interactive activities to help bring the history to life.

Best for ages
3 – 12 years

Where
London Transport Museum, Covent Garden Piazza

Price
From about £24 adults, kids free (annual entry included)

Dates / times
Daily plus special events
Early Explorer Morning 27 May 8.30 – 10am

What to know

• Can get busy in holidays
• Book quiet sessions early

Why kids like it
Driving simulators, buses, trains and pressing buttons.

Top tip
Brilliant rainy-day fallback.

Horniman Museum

What is it?
Museum, gardens, aquarium, animals, and Voyage to the Deep interactive adventure. This half term be inspired by Jules Vernes’ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and find handy reports by the Octonauts in the aquarium.

Best for ages
4 – 12 years

Where
Horniman Museum, Forest Hill
Windrush Line & South Eastern Rail

Price
Grounds and museum mostly free. Charge for aquarium and butterfly house.
Voyage to the Deep £27 for a family ticket

Dates / times
Daily 10am – 5.30pm

What to know

• Outdoor and indoor mix
• Lovely picnic potential

Why kids like it
Animals, aquarium, weird collections.

Top tip
Easy full-day outing.

The Jolly Postman at Postal Museum

What is it?
A museum about the postal system. It’s more interesting than it may sound. All ages love the brilliant Mail Rail underground train ride, and the immersive family exhibition The Jolly Postman is great for younger kids.

Best for ages
4 – 8 years (Mail Rail – all ages)

Where
Postal Museum, Phoenix Place, Clerkenwell WC1X
Russell Square, Farringdon, Chancery Lane Tube (12-15 mins walk)

Price
From around £17 (valid for 12 months)

Dates / times
May dates available
Mail Rail Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm

What to know
Book ahead.

Why kids like it
Mini trains and story worlds.

Top tip
Mail Rail often the sleeper hit.

Natural History Museum – Jurassic Oceans

What is it?
Jurassic Oceans – Monsters of the Deep. Major exhibition about prehistoric sea monsters with interactive fossil displays. Work out which sea dwelling dinosaur was the scariest.

Best for ages
5 – 12 years

Where
Natural History Museum
South Kensington Tube

Price
From around £14 child / Members FREE

Dates / times
Starts 22 May

What to know

• Timed booking advised
• Queues likely in half term

Why kids like it
Sea monsters. Massive teeth. Easy sell.

Top tip
Pair with free dinosaur galleries.

The Great Big Bug Show – Norwood

What is it?
An interactive show full of poems, raps and songs about bugs. Find out which beetle has a blaster on its bottom and which eight-legged hunter has fangs as big as a cheetah’s claws (hopefully not in attendance) !!

Best for ages
4 – 11 years

Where
Stanley Arts, Norwood
Norwood Junction closest station. Thameslink, Windrush, Southern.

Price
£11

Dates/Times
Weds 27 May 11am & 2pm

What to know

• Running time 50 minutes with no interval 
• Based on the book by Simon Mole & featuring TikTok sensation Gecko

Why kids like it
Gruesome facts about bugs all learnt through rap and singing.

Top tip
Book early as there are only 2 shows and it’s sure to be popular.

Also worth exploring

• Best day trips from London with kids
• Best theatre for teens
• Rainy day guide
• Museums for older kids and teens
• Autism and neurodivergent-friendly London
• Travel on the Tube with kids
• Watch our YouTube reviews from real kids

Parent FAQs

What are the best free things to do in London in May with kids? Canalway Cavalcade, Vauxhall May Fair, Southbank and museum options are strong bets.

What are good things to do with teenagers in London in May? Comic Con, Thames Rockets, Swingers, Beetlejuice and Lee Valley White Water .

What if it rains in half term? Science Museum, Postal Museum, Young V&A, Swingers and London Transport Museum.