August comes with great offers of outdoor activities for little Londoners who are encouraged to have free fun and explore London’s city farms or our beautiful Parks. There’s also the recently opened Children’s Garden at Kew Gardens or the play space at Hampton Court and loads more family friendly activities at London’s Palaces.
We loved the ongoing art on display in Regent’s Park with the Frieze Sculptures and of course London Zoo is great fun, particularly with the new play space (with water play) for little Londoners to enjoy and keep cool this Summer. Here is our selection of best picks, so get dancing, learning and exploring with your children this Summer hols.
Skyline by Mimbre
For all those happy feet, Hackney-based, female-led youth acrobatic dance company, Mimbre, will use street dance to mimic the skyline with human pyramids. Sounds bonkers but also sounds like great fun! Mimbre, supported by rising stars of the National Centre for Circus Arts and the acrobatic brilliance of Acroujou, will also be running free drop-in circus workshops.
When: 2 August 2019 at 12 til 2 and 5 til 6
Where: Aldgate Square, Aldgate High Street, London EC3N 1AF
How much: free
Lego at Tate Modern
The ongoing Olafur Eliasson exhibition is simply amazing, and there is also the free tonne of Lego building blocks for families to get busy with. You are invited to sit at two large tables and use your imagination to make your vision of a future city. The models that you make or take over from other builds previously done by others, will continue to be modified and expanded by waves of new visitors. This is an evolving sculptural creative piece that will grow and change and adapt to reflect the diversity of all involved in the build.
When: Until 18 August
Where: Tate Modern
How much: Olafur Eliasson exhibition is £18 with children under 12 going free. Book here.
Little Foals at the Royal Mews
Under 5s explorers and their adults can join in on a musical adventure around the Royal Mews followed by some messy art play in the Livery Room.
When: 2 August & 6 September 2019
Where: The Royal Mews
How much: Tickets to the Royal Mews are £12 for an adult, £6.80 for under 17s and under 5s are free but you can turn your ticket into a donation and enjoy unlimited entry for a year (which is worth doing if you are local). Book here.
Slime Festival
If your kid is slime obsessed then this is the event for them! Featuring the internet’s biggest Slime stars and dreamland workshops, the event is promising a whole day of Slimey goodness. There will be live demonstrations from the superstars themselves, a nail bar, face painting and loads of interactive opportunities.
When: 3 August 10 am til 6pm
Where: York Hall Leisure Centre in Bethnal Green
How much: £9 with children under 3 free, book here
Colourfest: Family Festival
Celebrate colour at Dulwich Picture Gallery with rainbow storytelling, printmaking, drawing and building. Be the first to try the new Gallery family trail or climb and gaze The Colour Palace. This event is put together with the help of Pricegore architects and designer Yinka Ilori and it is on until 22 September.
When: 4 August 10am til 5pm with loads of activities throughout the day
Where: Dulwich Picture Gallery
How much: free but ticketed, book here.
Make it: Clay at V&A
Work with artist-duo Emily Stapleton – Jefferis and Alice Walton to explore the Museum’s food inspired ceramics collection and create your own sensory plate. You will experiment with collage making, textures and press moulds to create a true sensory masterpiece to own for the years to come.
When: 7 – 15 August 2019 sessions run twice a day from 10:30 ti 12:30 and 2:30 til 4:30pm
Where: V&A Ceramics Studio
How much: £8 book here.
Finsbury Park festival
Finsbury Park celebrates its 150 years with a Sesquicentennial Summer Festival featuring an impressive line-up of entertainment for all the family. Zoom Events is coming to the party with a World Village Market, street food, music and a host of family friendly fun.
When: 9 August – Sunday 11 August 2019 10am til 8pm
Where: Finsbury Park
How much: free
Family Weekend at Serpentine Galleries
Over two days, artists One of My Kind (OOMK) will create a temporary interactive printing press, inviting families to identify the urban challenges we face and use collage and drawing to design new buildings to improve our city. Using the risograph printer, children and their families can produce multiple prints of their designs, add to a collective cityscape and distribute proposals to friends and family.
When: 10 & 11 August 1pm til 5pm
Where: Serpentine Galleries
How much: free
London Wildlife Family Festival
A weekend filled with activities for the whole family inspired by nature and conservation and a diverse program packed full of talks and immersive workshops. Whether you’re a keen nature enthusiast or looking for something a little bit different this Summer, there will be something for you to enjoy at this event.
When: 9 – 11 August 2019
Where: Walthamstow Wetlands
How much: £6 buy here
Little Flamingoes: Pots and Pans
Little Flamingos sessions include making, dancing, singing and a sensory session in the Historic Kitchens. Activities are set up for babies and toddlers to interact and play with a parent or carer and are designed for little ones that can sit unaided. Explore the Historic Kitchens and learn about some of the dishes that might have been cooked for the Rothschilds. Recreate the sounds and smells of the kitchen with the clink of pots and pans and the smell of the herbs and make a simple cold recipe for little ones to taste.
When: 14 August
Where: Gunnersbury Park and Museum
How much: £3-£5 book here.
Forest Day
Join the Holland Park Ecology centre in the woods where you can try your hand at fun forest activities like whittling, knot making and shelter building. Bring outdoor clothing and a packed lunch and get ready to explore!
When: 15 August 10:30 – 3pm
Where: Holland Park Ecology Centre
How much: £28 per child for the day (suitable for ages 8 to 12) more info & booking here.
Mermaids and Pirates Family Day
Can you help the Pirate Crew rescue the Mermaid Treasure before the time runs out? Jump aboard the pirate ship at Belair House this Summer! There will be crafts where you can make Mermaid Crowns and Pirate Hats to wear on the adventure and a Tattoo and Glitter Bar for that extra something special before the secret door opens and you are all transported to the Treasure Island.
When: 15 August 11:30 til 1pm
Where: Belair House, Dulwich
How much: £12 child £8 adult book here.
Discovery Days in Hyde Park
Discovery Days take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the school holidays at The LookOut Discovery Centre in the heart of Hyde Park and are fabulous free and exciting nature-inspired activities for families guided by the expert learning team at Hyde Park. You could be pond dipping, helping your children discover an underwater world, sweep netting in our meadow spy on the bug residents of the mini beast hotel.
When: throughout August 11am til 3pm
Where: Look Out Discovery Centre Hyde Park
How much: free
Little feet: Get splashy
There’s so much to discover about the wonderful world of water. Bring a towel and prepare to get wet – it’s time for those little feet to splash!
When: 16 August 11am til 3pm
Where: British Museum
How much: free
River tails and sewer stories
Dive into the city sewers and discover tales of pirates, poo and pollution in this interactive family show. Meet Ronnie the river rat and Aggie Sweepclean and go on a journey through London’s hidden rivers. Encounter the Smell’o’Sock’o’Meter, take a whiff of some filthy finds and sing songs along the way. The city’s rivers are at risk! Learn what you can do to save them!
When: 7 – 31 August 2019
Where: Museum of London Docklands
How much: free but book here
Enchanted Habitats
Collect natural objects to create a miniature world of your own in a shoebox.
When: 27 August 2pm til 4pm
Where: Holland Park Ecology Centre
How much: £5.30 or £4.40 concession book here.
Kids Week Theatre
Escape the heat with some affordable culture as for the whole of August, a child aged 16 or under can go to any participating show for free as long as they’re accompanied by a full paying adult. There’s loads of shows involved including London musicals, plays, comedies and children’s shows to choose from.
When: Throughout August
Where: West End
How much: Various costs for various shows. More info here.
Summer activities at the Museum of Childhood
Join the Museum of Childhood this Summer and enjoy a range of free activities from design stations, to storytelling and play sessions.
When: throughout August
Where: Museum of Childhood
How much: free