Things to Do in London with Kids & Teens in June 2026

June is when we hopefully get to see more reliable weather, but you can never be too sure. At least the parks are greener, the evenings are lighter and everyone wants to spend time outdoors. Here are some of the best family-friendly things to do in London this June – from free festivals and theatre treats to outdoor screenings, sculpture trails and proper West End sparkle.

But first up … special offers for family events in June.

SPECIAL OFFERS

Merlin Annual Pass Summer Sale

The Merlin Annual Pass gives access to over 20 top UK attractions including Thorpe Park, Alton Towers Resort, Legoland Windsor, Chessington World of Adventures, the London Eye and more. From 1 – 28 June the Gold and Platinum passes are available with a £50 discount. Alongside the Summer Sale savings, Gold Passholders can benefit from free parking and 20% off food, drink and retail, while Platinum Pass holders can enjoy additional benefits including free Fastrack, free ‘Bring A Friend’ tickets, free mini-golf and a free Coke Freestyle cup. If you’re thinking of visiting a couple of Merlin attractions in the next 12 months, this is worth it.

Dates: From 1 – 28 June
Best for: all ages
Price: Gold pass £189 (normally £239), Platinum pass £249 (normally £299)

Kids Week Theatre Tickets Go On Sale

So not strictly an event for June, but definitely not one to miss! Kids Week is back for 2026, with under 17s going free to selected West End and London shows when accompanied by a full-paying adult. Up to two extra children can also go half-price, and there are no booking fees. The actual performances run from 20 July to 31 August, but the important June date is when tickets go on sale – because the good ones will fly. Bookmark the date now.

Tickets on sale: Tuesday 9 June 2026, 10am
Performances: 20 July – 31 August 2026
Best for: Ages 17 and under
Nearest transport: Depends on theatre
Address: Various London theatres
Price: One child goes free with a full-paying adult; up to two extra children half-price

Somerset House

As well as Holy Pop! which we included in our May page, the new M C Escher exhibition opens at Somerset House on 5 June. Even if your kids aren’t aware of him as an artist, they may well have seen his impossible staircase pictures that mess with reality and they’re definitely a talking point. For kids age 7-10 years Spaghetti Club are running a group (places limited) DIY zine-making workshop on 6 June from 2 – 3pm. And then there are the fountains in Edmond J Safra Fountain Court – they’ll be switched on 2 June. All in all it’s a great place to visit.

Dates: Fountains from 2 June, Escher from 5 June, Zine workshop 6 June
Best for: fountains – any age, exhibition from 5+, workshop 7 – 10 years
Nearest transport: Temple tube, Waterloo overland
Address: Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA
Price: Escher from £16, fountains FREE, workshop £7.50

Shakespeare in the Squares

Back for its 10th edition, a troupe of Shakespearean actors will be travelling around London’s best loved green spaces performing Love’s Labour’s Lost. A perfect summer comedy with some ‘lighthearted lunacy’ thrown in. Bring a picnic and get ready to join in.

Dates: From 3 June – 12 July
Best for: Ages 10+
Nearest transport: Various
Address: Various – check website
Price: From £34 adult, £15 child

360 ALLSTARS – Peacock Theatre

A modern reinvention of the circus hits the Peacock Theatre this month. Expect BMX tricks, basketball magic, beatboxing and acrobatics that will leave you on the edge of your seat all with a backdrop of video projections and a high-energy soundtrack.

Dates: 2 – 6 June 2026
Best for: Ages 5+
Nearest transport: Temple tube
Address: Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street, WC2A 2HT
Price: From £15

Great Exhibition Road Festival

Origami spacecraft, food from the future, Bollywood dance classes and a carnival butterfly – and that’s barely scratching the surface. The Great Exhibition Road Festival returns to South Kensington with a free weekend of hands-on science, art, performances, demos and workshops from Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A and more. It’s brilliant for curious kids, tricky teens and grown-ups who secretly enjoy learning when nobody calls it learning.

Dates: Saturday 6 – Sunday 7 June 2026
Best for: All ages
Nearest transport: South Kensington
Address: Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ
Price: Free – some events may need booking

Disney’s The Lion King Exhibition – London Zoo

The Lion King returns to London Zoo with a summer exhibition celebrating the craft behind the West End musical. Visitors can see masks, puppets, costumes and props up close, including characters such as Rafiki, Zazu, Mufasa, Simba and Nala. It’s a lovely crossover: theatre magic, animal inspiration and a zoo day out all rolled into one.

Dates: Saturday 6 June – Monday 31 August 2026
Best for: Ages 5+
Nearest transport: Camden Town or Regent’s Park
Address: London Zoo, Outer Circle, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY
Price: Free with London Zoo entry

Serpentine Pavillion

This year’s pavilion outside the Serpentine South gallery opens for the summer on 6 June, designed by Mexican architecture practice LANZA. With ‘crinkle-crackle’ walls and a translucent roof it’s worth a wander and a sit down. Tie it in with a visit to the free David Hockney exhibition in Serpentine North and a picnic in the park and it’s the perfect free day out.

Dates: Saturday 6 June – 25 October 2026
Best for: Ages 5+
Nearest transport: Lancaster Gate tube
Address: Serpentine South, Kensington Gardens, W2 3XA
Price: FREE

Cutty Sark Rig Climb

This is one for confident climbers and kids who like a challenge. The Rig Climb experience at the Cutty Sark lets visitors scale the ship’s famous rigging, following routes once used by real sailors high above the deck. You’re fully harnessed and guided throughout, but it still feels exciting rather than overly tame, especially when you edge out onto the footrope with Greenwich spread out below you. It’s not cheap, but it feels genuinely memorable and very well run – ideal for adventurous kids who enjoy climbing walls, zip wires or anything involving helmets and a bit of adrenaline.

Dates: From 6 June – 30 August 2026
Best for: Ages 8+ (minimum height 1.2m)
Nearest transport: Cutty Sark DLR or Greenwich
Address: Cutty Sark, King William Walk, Greenwich, London SE10 9HT
Price: From £49

Skuna BBQ Boats

Part barbecue, part boat trip and part “how is this even a thing?”, Skuna BBQ Boats are one of those brilliantly bonkers London activities that kids absolutely love and adults end up talking about for weeks afterwards. You climb aboard your own self-drive electric boat in Canary Wharf, fire up the onboard BBQ and slowly cruise around the docks while cooking lunch or dinner with the skyscrapers all around you. It feels oddly relaxing, surprisingly easy to steer and much more family-friendly than you might expect. There are parasols for sunny days, blankets for cooler evenings and life jackets for kids, so it works well for birthdays, family meet-ups or just a different sort of summer day out.

Dates: Throughout summer 2026
Best for: Ages 5+
Nearest transport: Canary Wharf or West India Quay
Address: Skuna Boats, West India Quay, Off Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, London E14 4AL
Price: From around £25 per person / BBQ packages extra

Pride in the Quarter Lion Trail

A pride of 17 lion and lioness sculptures is taking over central London this summer, celebrating football, creativity and London itself. The trail stretches from Trafalgar Square to St James’s Park and Victoria Tower Gardens, with the sculptures placed around some of the capital’s most famous landmarks. It’s free, outdoors and nicely walkable – ideal if you want a London day out that doesn’t involve booking a timed slot, remortgaging the house or dragging everyone round a museum against their will.

Dates: June – August 2026
Best for: All ages, especially football fans and sculpture-spotters
Nearest transport: Charing Cross, Westminster, St James’s Park, Victoria
Address: Across London Heritage Quarter, including Trafalgar Square, St James’s Park and Victoria Tower Gardens
Price: Free

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Toy Story 5 Interactive Experience – Westfield London

Westfield London is turning its Atrium into a giant interactive Toy Story experience this June, with games, challenges, dance machines, photo moments and behind-the-scenes peeks at the upcoming Toy Story 5 film. Families can wander through immersive zones inspired by the movies, collect tokens, unlock clues and even grab a free Toy Story-themed frozen yoghurt smoothie from the Fro-Yo bar while stocks last. There’s also a chance to explore the Disney Lorcana trading card game, which older kids and tweens will probably become mildly obsessed with within minutes. If you need something free-ish, indoors and guaranteed to keep Pixar-loving kids entertained for an hour or two this is it.

Dates: 10 – 21 June 2026
Best for: Ages 4+
Nearest transport: Shepherd’s Bush or White City
Address: Westfield London, Ariel Way, London W12 7GF
Price: Free entry (free Fro-Yo subject to daily availability)

Young V&A

Perfect for little ones. For under 2s you can explore sound and song in the Young V&A Mini Museum, or if you prefer art to music you could drop in at Pattern by Pattern for under 5s and play with pattern, colour and shape. For those at school all day you can join the Play Champions from 3.30pm to

Dates: 11 June 10am – 5pm
Best for: 0 – 5 years, plus after school play
Nearest transport: Bethnal Green Tube, Cambridge Heath overland
Address: Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA
Price: FREE

Southbank Centre Summer Events

Southbank Centre is doing what Southbank does best: throwing loads at the wall and somehow making nearly all of it worth a look. June includes Harry Styles’ Meltdown festival, Anish Kapoor (immersive works) at the Hayward Gallery, Skate 50 (celebrating 50 years of the skate park) and the return of Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms fountain – the one where kids run through jets of water while parents pretend they definitely remembered spare clothes.

Dates: Various dates throughout June
Best for: All ages, depending on event
Nearest transport: Waterloo or Embankment
Address: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
Price: Varies – Skate 50 and Appearing Rooms are free; Anish Kapoor from £22

WALL·E Science Party – Rooftop Cinema Club Stratford

Rooftop Cinema Club Stratford is screening WALL·E with a family-friendly science-themed event beforehand in partnership with Science Boffins. So yes, you get a Pixar classic, skyline views and a bit of actual science before the film starts – which is basically parenting gold dust. The screening is at Roof East, so you can arrive early for food, games and general rooftop fun.

Date: Saturday 20 June 2026
Best for: Ages 5+
Nearest transport: Stratford
Address: Roof East, Level 8 Stratford Shopping Centre, Great Eastern Road, London E15 1XE
Price: From £14 adults, £8 kids

Quick Inspiration

Arthur – Polka Theatre

A magical new play with original songs. Arthur follows Grace as she’s whisked back to the 6th century by Merlin and thrown into an adventure involving Arthur, Excalibur, ancient forests and a beast or two. Proper quest stuff. It’s a world premiere from Polka Theatre and The Egg, Theatre Royal Bath, and should be ideal for children who like their theatre with a bit of myth, music and sword-swinging energy.

Dates: Saturday 20 June – Sunday 9 August 2026
Best for: Ages 6 – 12
Nearest transport: Wimbledon or South Wimbledon
Address: Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, London SW19 1SB
Price: From £10 plus booking fee

Red Bull Soapbox Race – Alexandra Palace

Utterly ridiculous, brilliantly entertaining and a proper crowd-pleaser, the Red Bull Soapbox Race returns to Alexandra Palace after a year off, bringing homemade vehicles, elaborate costumes and fearless downhill launches back to North London. Kids love spotting the tiny details on the carts, adults get strangely invested in who’s going to crash into a hay bale first, and the whole thing has the feel of a giant outdoor comedy show with wheels attached. Tickets sold out quickly last time, so this is definitely one to plan ahead for. You can easily make a full day of it, but it also works surprisingly well as a shorter afternoon out.

Date: Saturday 20 June 2026
Best for: Ages 5+
Nearest transport: Alexandra Palace or Wood Green
Address: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY
Price: From £23.50

West End LIVE

West End LIVE is basically musical theatre’s big free outdoor knees-up in Trafalgar Square. Across the weekend, casts from major West End shows perform live, giving families a chance to sample loads of musicals without buying tickets to all of them. It gets busy, so this is better for kids who can handle crowds – but for theatre fans, it’s a belter.

Dates: 20 – 21 June 2026
Times: Saturday 11am – 5pm; Sunday 12pm – 4pm
Best for: Ages 7+, especially musical theatre fans
Nearest transport: Charing Cross or Leicester Square
Address: Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London WC2N 5DN
Price: Free

Frida: the Making of an Icon – Tate Modern

Frida Kahlo’s art is instantly recognisable nowadays – the flowers, colours, self-portraits and iconic style – but this major new exhibition at Tate Modern explores how she became one of the world’s most influential artists and cultural icons. Alongside more than 30 of Kahlo’s best-known works, visitors can see treasured jewellery, clothing, photographs and over 200 objects inspired by her image and legacy. It’s colourful, immersive and surprisingly accessible for older kids and teens, especially those interested in art, fashion or photography.

Dates: from 25 June – 3 January 2027
Times: 10am – 6pm (relaxed hours 3rd Tuesday of the month 10-11am)
Best for: any age if they’re art lovers
Nearest transport: Blackfriars, London Bridge, Waterloo, Bankside Pier
Address: Tate Modern, Bankside
Price: Adult £35, Under 12s free with adult, 12-18 years £5

House of Dreamers – Excel

House of Dreamers contains 16 highly instagrammable immersive dreamscapes for kids and teens to wander through. Fairytale Forest & Cloud Swings, a giant pink ball pit, an AI powered ‘Dream Machine’, glitterballs, butterfiles – it’s all here. Your DreamBand unlocks magical touchpoints along the way revealing personalised interactive moments. Perfect for rainy or too hot days.

Dates: From 26 June – 30 September
Best for: all ages
Nearest transport: Custom House DLR
Address: Immerse LDN, Excel Waterfront, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway E16 1XL
Price: £23.90 adult, £18.90 child. Family tickets available.

Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

London’s new home for illustration opens in Clerkenwell this month, inside a restored 18th-century waterworks. Expect Quentin Blake’s rarely seen theatrical work, MURUGIAH’s colourful world, an exhibition celebrating 80 years of queer comics, plus a great cafe and garden. Head there on 27 June for a family celebration day. It’s one for arty kids, book-loving families and anyone who thinks pictures are not just “the easy bit” before the words.

Opens: Friday 5 June 2026, Family Day 27 June 11am – 3pm
Best for: Ages 7+
Nearest transport: Angel
Address: Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, London EC1R 1AG
Price: From £16.50 adults, £6.60 kids – members free. Book tickets for family day in advance.

Horniman Museum 125th Birthday Party

Date: Saturday 27 June 2026
Time: 12pm – 5pm
Best for: All ages
Nearest transport: Forest Hill
Address: Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ
Price: FREE, but booking required

Animating the Arab Hall – Leighton House

If you haven’t visited the Arab Hall at Leighton House, you’re missing out. Older teens are in for a treat as they learn how to make splitpin puppets taking inspiration from the animals and tiles in the Hall. As a group they’ll then create one big animation bringing the Hall to life. Young people don’t need to be accompanied, but we’d use it as the perfect excuse to visit the museum, or enjoy the view from the huge glass windows in the De Morgan café.

Dates: 27 June 2 – 4pm
Best for: 11 – 16 years
Nearest transport: Holland Park tube
Address: Leighton House, 12 Holland Park Road, W14 8LZ
Price: £5 plus booking fee