The Easter Holidays are almost here and we have compiled the best that London has to offer for families. So if you are with children, toddlers, teens or babies – there is bound to be a family friendly event, show or activity to keep you and your brood entertained during the Easter break.
London Museum of Water and Steam: Secrets of the Museum
This Easter, get ready to have an eggs-cellent time at the Museum of Water and Steam. Learn more about why the museum is famous, follow the Splash Cat trail, and spend some time doing some magical museum crafts. Make sure to visit the Splash Zone for plenty of outdoor watery fun, be amazed by unexpected ways of moving water using gears, wheels, buckets, levers, pumps, pipes and more (and don’t forget a change of clothes) For further info & to book tickets you can visit their website here.
When: 6th – 23 April 2019, 10am to 4pm
How much: Child tickets are £4.95 (5 to 15yrs
Family tickets £16.20 (1 adult 2 children) or £27.45 (2 adults, 2 children) YoungLondonist best bit: Under 5s go free (And you can get a special look at the Museum’s usually off-limits Boiler House on the 19th of April).
Easter at St Paul’s Cathedral
Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece is opening its doors with a series of special drop-in Easter themed family activities including making Easter candles and decorations.
When: Thursday 11th April and Thursday 18th April 1:30 – 4pm
How much: Child ticket £7.20, Family tickets from £29
Young Londonist best bit: The Interactive Family Trails which allow children to discover the Cathedral at their own pace and are packed with fun facts and opportunities to find things, write creatively and draw pictures. They can all be printed in advance of your visit (just click on the pictures via their website) but plenty will be available at the Cathedral.
Tower of London: Robbery at the Tower!
It’s 1671 and Colonel Blood and his gang are going to try and steal the Crown Jewels so pick up a family trail and join in an interactive retelling of his daring escapade. You can purchase your tickets here.
When: 6th April to 22 April 2019, 11am-4:30pm
How much: Child age 5-15 (must be accompanied by an adult) £11.70 – Under 5’s go free. Adult tickets, £24.70, family tickets (1 adult, 3 children) start from £44.40 YoungLondonist best bit: If you impress, and help King Charles II restore order, you may receive a royal prize.
Easter at ZSL London Zoo
Get your Easter holidays off to a cracking start with some eggs-tra special activities at the Zoo.
ZSL London Zoo, are inviting children to become zookeepers, with a fun packed role-playing experience – Mini Keepers. New recruits will be kitted out in uniform and given their daily checklists, before going behind the scenes to experience a day in the life of the Zoo’s expert animal team. You can purchase tickets here.
When: 6th April to 21 April 2019, 10am-4.30pm
How much: Included in ZSLs entry price – Adults £27, Children (3-15 years) £17.55, under 3s go Free!
YoungLondonist best bit: Little ones having the opportunity to prepare lunch for the squirrel monkeys, create fun activities for the meerkats and experience the biggest job in a keepers’ daily life – mucking out!
The London Dungeons: Hide & Seek Easter Special
This Easter, the London Dungeon’s own Sweeney Todd is calling all those brave enough, to play his twisted game of hide and seek. Following a narrow escape from his barbershop, you’ll need to seek refuge in a small and secret room within the walls, sharing the space with creepy crawlies and the menacing drips of the pipes – all in hope of escaping the demon barber’s blade. As he launches his new show for a limited time only. You can purchase tickets here.
When: 6th April to 21 April 2019, 10am-4.30pm
How much: Family tickets from £22.50 Note: Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Young Londonist best bit: The rush won’t stop there for those who visit the attraction, which includes 19 interactive shows, 20 live actors, 1000 years of history and state of the art theming and special effects and 2 thrilling rides.
Easter Fun Breakfast at Grosvenor Hall
Easter Bunny and Crazy Caramel invite you to join the Easter Fun Breakfast with games, egg hunt, magic show, art craft, face painting, make your own mask, and a super, marvellous, amazing, delicious, breakfast table provided by the Brazilian Association of Artists and Artisans! You can register to join the fun breakfast breakfast here.
When: Saturday 6 April, 10:30am-2:30pm
How much: Free
Young Londonist best bit: Bring your own easter basket…and it’s FREE!
Royal Collection Trust: Buckingham Palace Fantastic Faberge
Families visiting The Queen’s Gallery on Easter Saturday can use an Easter-themed trail to explore the magnificent works of art from the Royal Collection in the Russia: Royalty & the Romanovs exhibition. After taking inspiration from the dazzling Fabergé diamond eggs on display, budding young artists can join the fun in the gallery’s family room and use paint, glitter and sequins to decorate their own Fabergé-style eggs to take home.
When: Saturday 20 April 11am-3pm
How much: Free with Palace ticket (adult £12.00, Student £11.00, Children £6.80, Family (2 adults and 3 under 17s) £30.80)
Young Londonist best bit: You get a Faberge egg
Royal Collection Trust: Buckingham Palace
At the Royal Mews, Rex the corgi and the royal horses Majesty and Scout have been up to no good, hiding pictures of themselves amongst the carriages for children to find. During their quest, children will be able to dress up as a footman in specially created livery, learn how to harness a horse, enjoy art activities and find out what it really feels like to ride in a royal carriage, before claiming a delicious Easter egg to take home.
When: Monday 21 April, 11am-3pm
How much: Free with Palace ticket (Adult, £12.00, Student £11.00, Children £6.80, Family (2 adults and 3 under 17s) £30.80
YoungLondonist best bit: Your ticket includes a multimedia guide available in nine languages and also a family-friendly version.
Hop into Hamleys
Hamleys Regent Street will become a cracking destination for fun and entertainment every day during Easter.
Visit Hamleys’ flagship Regent Street store to take part in the Hamleys’ Easter Egg Hunt, featuring a series of clues hidden across each of the seven floors. Children that find all the eggs will be in with a chance to win their next Birthday party at the ‘Finest Toy Shop in The World’! For a full listing of character meet and greet times as well as all other activities scheduled to take place, you can visit their website.
When: 6th – 20th April, 10am-9pm
How much: It’s Free!
YoungLondonist best bit: All the favourite Hamleys characters will be hopping through the store for the daily Easter parade at 4pm. Plus after meeting their favourite characters, kids can pick up exclusive LEGO Marvel Super Heroes mini figures for free with qualifying purchases.
Brunch Kids: Easter Egg Hunt Party
What better way to bring the whole family together this Easter than to attend a family brunch. Brunch Kids is the UK’s first themed family brunch, specialising in unique one-off experiences!
Attractions include: Giant Balloons, Free Glow Sticks, Glitter Cannons, Bubble Machines, Face Painting, Soft Mats, Beanbags & Ball Pool, Dance Competitions and Prize Giveaways. Purchase tickets here.
When: Sunday 14th April at 1pm-5pm
How much: Children £15, Adults £20
Young Londonist best bit: Your ticket includes bottomless food & drink – yum!
Easter Holiday Activities – Waterstones Trafalgar Square
Head into Waterstones Trafalgar Square throughout the day for a range of fun Easter activities, including colouring in your own Easter cards, Easter mazes, dot-to-dot and word searches on sheets you can take home with you. Please note: Activities are best suited to children aged 3-10.
When: Monday 15th April to 22 April, 9am-5pm
How much: It’s FREE!
YoungLondonist best bit: There’s even a make-your-own Easter bunny face!
Bunny hop and seek at the Museum of Brands
Hop along this bunny-themed trail which will guide you around the museum’s treasure trove of historical packaging. Amongst the toys, sweets and breakfast cereals from generations of childhood memories, hunt out Peter Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, Thumper from Bambi, and more (if you find all the bunnies you shall be rewarded with a prize.) More info here.
When: Saturday 6 April – Monday 22 April
How much: All activities free with museum admission adult £9 and children £5 Young Londonist best bit: You can also enjoy hot cross buns and seasonal treats in the café, and explore the magical garden in early spring bloom.
GoBoat Easter Egg Hunt
Fun self-drive boating company, GoBoat, is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for all bookings made during the Easter school holidays. You and your group of up to eight people will be provided with a map to help you spot the giant Easter Eggs along the canal. To claim your prize simply photograph as many as you can, there are 12 to find. The friendly crew will be on hand to help voyagers navigate your way. No boating experience is necessary as training will be given upon arrival. Life jackets are provided for all children including newborn babies. For more info and to book tickets visit their website
When: Saturday 6 April – Monday 22 April daily departures from 9am until 6pm
How much: Boat hire begins at £59 per hour for a boat of 8 people
Young Londonist best bit: You can bring your pooch along and also take a picnic on board. Boom!
Free Outdoor Screening of ‘Hop’ at Merchant Square
A free outdoor screening of the family friendly movie ‘Hop’ will take place at Merchant Square’s Big Screen on the Lawn. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket, and grab a free deckchair to enjoy watching this Easter themed feature length animation next to the Paddington Basin canal. More info here.
When: Wednesday 17th April; 5pm – 7pm
How much: Free
Young Londonist best bit: Enjoy a free family movie screening with loved ones (like going to the cinema minus the pricetag)
Free Easter Egg Hunt at Merchant Square
The annual Easter Egg Hunt at Merchant Square turns this canalside destination into a treasure trove for chocolate lovers. Not only will there be delicious chocolate bunnies to find all over the Floating Pocket Park and surrounding areas, but there will also be incredible prizes to be won. Some of the bunnies will have special 4 digit codes that will correspond to a specific prize. Hop around Merchant Square to find these bunnies in restaurants, bars, office receptions, pontoon, gym and some other hiding places canalside.
When: Thursday 18th April; 12pm – 2pm
How much: Free
Young Londonist best bit: Prizes will include a GoBoat experience, restaurant vouchers, train tickets, paddleboarding lessons plus much, much more.
Horniman Museum Easter Fair
Enjoy the Easter weekend at the Horniman with the whole family. Go on an Easter trail, create something crafty in one of workshops and dare to venture through the rabbit hole for a special storytelling performance inspired by The Hen That Laid The Golden Egg.
When: Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 April 10:30am – 4:30pm
How much: Free
Young Londonist best bit: The hopping dance classes sound like great fun for both wobbly knees and those steady on their feet.
Robotics Easter Challenge at the National Army Museum
Discover how the army uses technology with the Army Museum robotics challenge. Can you master the robotic arms to fill a basket of easter eggs without cracking one? Do you think you have what it takes to create an eggcellent piece of art with your robotic arm? These are some of the missions your little ones can undertake.
When: April 1 to April 17 10:30am – 4:30pm
How much: Free but book here
Young Londonist best bit: Free educational fun for all the family and there’s a wall of fame
Animal Easter Trail at the Royal Airforce Museum
The Easter Bunny has lots of his animal friends in the Museum, come and find them and find out why they might be hiding underneath the aircraft. Find all the animals and you will receive a delicious chocolatey prize when you hand in your trail.
When: From 8 April until 22 April from 11am until 3pm
How much: £3 per person
Young Londonist best bit: Find a lucky roundel on your prize and you will receive an egg-citing, bonus prize. Some of the bonus prizes up for grabs include: a 4D Experience family pass, a Dambusters Experience pass for four, an Afternoon Cream Tea for six, Outdoor Cinema tickets for the whole family and a top prize worth £300 for a family of up to six people to experience a VIP day out at the Museum
FAM EAST at Spitalfields Market
Fam East is a three day family event featuring creative workshops and a pop-up market from some of the UK’s most exciting independents and makers. Tackling the second week of the school holidays head on the workshop space will host drop-ins for the preschoolers, drop-offs for ages 5 – 12 , and even something to tempt the teenagers.
When: From 15 April to 17 April
How much: Free
Young Londonist best bit: Theres a puppet workshop, a daily disco from 4pm and a mindfulness workshop with @dotkidsmindfulnessandmindset
A Fine Mess UK Outdoor Easter Special
Mix it, Mulch it and mess it up this Easter half term with TWO outdoor messy play days in Hargrave Hall’s wild garden. There will be a mix of nature play alongside lots of messy activities and somewhere in all this there will be a few Easter themed activities.
When: 15 April with sessions at 10am 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm and 16 April with sessions starting at 10am, 11am, 12am and 1pm.
How much: £8 per child
Young Londonist best bit: Kids can explore freely and make a mess without their accompanying adult freaking out about tidying up