School is almost out for summer. And while it’s great to have a break from homework and the school run, keeping children entertained for several weeks can feel like a daunting task. Citizen Enfants is here to help with a list of fantastic fun days out and activities to suit all ages.
From the most exciting cultural events and outdoor adventures, to West End theatre and cinema under the stars, here’s a list of the best summer activities in and around London for kids.
1. Kids’ Week Theatre
If there is one family-friendly thing to know about in London in August it’s Kids Week. Theatres all over the Capital allow a child under the age of 17 to go completely free when accompanied by a paying adult. Tickets are now on sale across a series of best-selling hits including Frozen, Back to the Future, the Lion King and Matilda. There’s also plenty for younger children including The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Julia Donaldson’s Acorn Wood. Don’t be fooled by the name though: this fantastic event actually runs for the whole month of August. This is a super way to see some of the best productions in the world for a fraction of the price.
2. The Young V&A Museum
One of the most exciting cultural offerings for young people arrives in London this summer. Following seven years of planning, the new Young V&A Museum (formerly the V&A Museum of Childhood) will open its doors in Bethnal Green on Saturday 1st July. Every aspect of this innovative space is entirely dedicated to children, their interests, education and development. The museum’s three permanent galleries – Imagine, Play and Design – will showcase around 2,000 objects from across the V&A’s vast collection of art, design, including a sensory environment for very little ones in the Play Gallery, alongside a range of new commissions and live programming. Kids can now create their own Minecraft version of a town square, get on stage in a performance and storytelling space, frolic in a sandpit, perform tricks at a finger skateboard park…. the motto here is “Do Touch”. Co-designed with children, the Young V&A is a free, national museum designed to showcase and encourage the power of creativity in children’s lives and will no doubt enthral all youngsters who visit.
3. Luna Kids Cinema
For a magical night under the stars, check out Luna Cinema, the country’s first open air cinema experience designed specially for kids. This summer, Disney+ will be joining as headline partner to the new Luna Kids, bringing some of the best loved family favourites to outdoor locations all across the country – think Encanto, Harry Potter, The Greatest Showman and many more. With over 50 UK-wide picturesque venues such as Kew Gardens, Hampton Court, Wimbledon Park and Clapham Common, there’s plenty to choose from, all with onsite facilities for snacks, or feel free to bring your own picnic. Plus waterproofs are at the ready for any summer rains. Luna Kids is designed especially for children and families to watch, play and have fun in a relaxed atmosphere, so grab your picnic blanket and get booking.
4. Go Ape
Swing through the trees, whizz down zip lines and climb the high ropes at Go Ape. This outdoor adventure company has tons of thrilling woodland experiences for kids to enjoy at locations across London including Battersea, Alexandra Palace and Chessington. Starting with the Treetop Adventure, children as young as six can play safely on the high ropes and try out tree-to-tree crossings, wobbly bridges and zip lines, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Older kids will love more hair-raising challenges including the ‘Tarzan Swing’ and the nerve-inducing ‘Plummet’ – a 46ft drop from the trees – all in a safety harness of course. Toddlers from aged one can join in at the Nets Adventure playground with treetop nets linked by walkways 30 feet above the forest floor, and slides to bring you back down to earth again. Do not fear, there are plenty of safety checks throughout the courses by qualified instructors and, as a result, Go Ape has been awarded the RoSPA Gold Leisure Safety Award, the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running health and safety industry awards. Hours of fun for little adventurers with plenty of energy to burn.
5. UNIQLO Tate Play
It’s never too early to help children appreciate the importance of art and what better place to start than at the iconic Tate Modern, and UNIQLO Tate Play, the gallery’s year-round programme for families presents changing themes inspired by exhibitions or collection artists. They run fantastic drop-in craft activities called ‘Make Studios’, which take place over the weekends and on Wednesday mornings. Both the Tate Modern and Tate Britain, feature Tate Draw which is an area with permanent drawing stations where visitors of all ages can create their own virtual sketches on a tablet. Once their drawing is complete, it is projected onto the walls and they can download a copy onto a device or choose to have it printed on a t-shirt – perfect for budding artists. The 22nd of July sees the launch of the large-scale summer activation- UNIQLO Tate Play: Rasheed Araeen, with participatory artworks by British-Pakistani artist, Rasheed Araeen. Plus, every day throughout the school holidays the Tate Britain will run Story Space, featuring a library of books by Black, Indigenous and authors of colour from around the world. Story Space celebrates books that centre children of colour, and aims for everyone to see themselves reflected in the books they read – including LGBT children and families. As well as reading, children can dress up and take part in creative activities.
6. Horrible Histories Thames Tour
School might be out for summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something educational with your kids – as long as it’s engaging. For a really unusual day out, try the Horrible Histories Terrible Thames Tour. Jump aboard as the boat leaves Tower Bridge Quay near the Tower of London and discover all sorts of fascinating facts – some funny and some slightly gruesome – about the River Thames and the inhabitants of its banks. Expect your kids (and grown ups) to be fascinated by the witty and entertaining 45-minute immersive tour. Following on from the hit TV and theatre shows, this is Horrible Histories unique take on sightseeing that is just right for younger audiences.
7. Kew Gardens
Hopefully we will see lots of wonderful sunny weather this summer and if so, head to the most beautiful gardens in London. Kew is an oasis in the city which offers extensive green space for children to explore as well as plenty of arranged activities to spark their imagination. Every month they run Little Explorer sessions for the very youngest visitors to enjoy, investigating nature through interactive storytelling, outdoor exploration and hands-on activities such as nature-based crafts, sensory play, seed planting, story time and seasonal nature hunts. Kids can run free in the specially designed Children’s Garden. In a space the size of 40 tennis courts, youngsters can discover all about the lives of plants while also exploring the hidden treasures along the way, all of which leads them to a 4m high canopy walk wrapped around a 200-year-old oak in the heart of the Garden. Or check out the breathtaking Hive, a towering 17 metre tall installation in the heart of a wildflower meadow that recreates life inside a beehive. Step into this larger-than-life structure and you’re immediately transported to the whizzing world of a real beehive, with over a thousand LED lights glowing according to the vibrations of bees. With a great family-friendly cafe and easy parking, Kew ticks all the boxes for a great day out.
Any Questions or Tips to add?