Are you looking for things to do in London this July? Our round-up of family friendly days out for this month include outdoor adventures, best of July family-friendly art, kid-friendly London theatre shows, dance, and cinema.
London turns into one big playground in July – and we’re so here for it. Think open-air theatre, kid-friendly festivals, pop-up playgrounds, and enough ice cream to build a small (melty) sculpture. Whether your little ones are into wild science shows, magical storytime sessions, or just running wild in a splash fountain, there’s loads to keep them buzzing all summer long. Want the inside scoop on what’s hot (and what’s free)? Follow us on Instagram for more family friendly fun.
If you’re in town just for a few days and want to make the most our of the city, take a guided sightseeing tour on a vintage open-top bus to explore iconic landmarks (at a slower pace), or enjoy breath-taking views with a scenic Thames river cruise. Check out our round-up of places with air-con for where to have fun when it is too hot outside or take it easy with an alfresco picnic in the city’s lush parks.
Outdoor events in London this July 2026
This month, Bach to Baby Family Concert on 5 and 7 July and a free Coockery Club in Greenwich is a great way to meet people and learn how to cook delicious meals.
Summer Daze Festival in Canary Wharf on 23 – 26 July is the brand-new four-day summer festival that brings together theatre, comedy, live music and family-friendly activities across Wood Wharf.
Summer’s packed with family fun across the Royal Parks: enroll in Summer tennis camp (runs until 4 August), immerse yourself in All Things Orchestral on Hyde Park on 2 July or find out about the Hidden Stories of St. James’s Park on 17 July.
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival on 8 – 12 July is packed with stunning floral displays, gardening ideas and plenty of gardening goodies to take home.
Kaleidoscope Festival returns to Alexandra Palace on 11 July with a packed day of live music, DJs, comedy, and family fun. Dance to Rudimental, joined by Groove Armada (DJ set), MJ Cole, Black Grape, Roni Size, The Amy Winehouse Band, Wookie, and DJ Paulette.
Dragonfly Festival at London Wetland Centre takes 18 July to 31 August and is packed with experiences that bring the world of dragonflies to life: try pond dipping, adventure play, dragonfly safaris and creative art workshops to spark curiosity in every young explorer.
The Rubber Duck Race at Merchant Square is on 30 July and it is as important fund raiser event as it is fun. Sponsor a duck or come and cheer up the winner.
London outdoor splash fountains open this summer
With the temperatures soaring the city’s splash fountains are a magnet for families and fun in the sun seekers and most of them are free to enjoy. Just make sure you have a spare change of clothes at hand. Our top splash fountains include:
- Jeppe Hein’s splash-happy masterpiece Appearing Rooms is back at the Southbank Centre until 31 August. This much-loved pop-up fountain squirts jets of water into ever-shifting “rooms” – step in if you dare, but don’t expect to stay dry. It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s basically the coolest way to cool off this summer. Just note: it’s taking Mondays and Tuesdays off.
- Royal Docks Summer Splash is back (24 Jul–16 Aug) with city views, lido dips, a giant sandpit, and chilled vibes for all ages. Little ones can splash safely, grown-ups can lounge, and yep — it’s all free.
- The 1080 playful jets at Granary Square in King’s Cross is one giant watery playground. The square transforms into a spectacular light and water show in the evening.
- The iconic Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park offer an opportunity to cool your feet after a long walk.
- Clapham Common Waterplay area.
- Paddling Pool at Ravenscourt Park and Splash Pad at Bishops’s Park
- London Wetland Centre Splashpad is part of the Dragonfly Festival this year.
- The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s fountains have 195 controlled jets for maximum splashy fun.
- The Shakespeare Water Fountain in Leicester Square is small but perfectly formed
- Elephant Springs at Elephant Park.
- The Fountain Maze at Merchant Square delights all visitors with its 320 jets arranged in three concentric circles that squirt and splash at different heights.
Wimbledon tennis runs from 29 June to 12 July and live matches are showing at popular outdoor screens like St Katharine Docks, Everyman on the Canal in King’s Cross, Portman Square in Marylebone, Eccleson Yards in Belgravia, Lyric Square in Hammersmith, The Big Screen at London Bridge City, and the screen in Leicester Square garden. Live sport, family films, and gaming fun is also showing at the Summer Screens running until 1 Sept in Canada Square Park. And for that special VIP treat, check out the Strawberries & Screen at Duke of York Square for the Wimbledon finals on 11 and 12 July.
Pride of London Parade on 4th July is the colourful free event that brings dance, eye-catching floats and live performances from acclaimed DJs and iconic drag artists. Join in the fun in locations like Piccadilly, Haymarket and Trafalgar Square or just come to sample some delicious street food!
ZSL London Zoo’s weekly Zoo Nights is the adults-only event taking place every Friday in July from 6pm. Come to enjoy delicious street-food, live acoustic performances from Disney’s award-winning musical The Lion King. Wander the zoo at your own pace and say hello to some of the 8,000 animals. The X-rated Naughty Nature Tour to hear some of nature’s wildest secrets. Tickets from £21.50. until 24 July
Family soap making at Chelsea Physic Gardens is one nice scented workshop on 27 July. Learn about fragrant herbs from the garden and botanical stories then head to the classroom to make botanical soaps using colourful ingredients, scented plants and a little summer imagination.
FREE Minigolf by Craig and Karl is at Canary Wharf’s Montgomery Square.
David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting – until 23 August
The late David Hockney, used his debut exhibition at the Serpentine to challenge audiences to pause and rediscover the hidden marvels embedded in daily life. This fresh body of work, conceived exclusively for the gallery, deepens his career-long obsession with the mechanics of human perception. Free to visit.
Discover the magic of Henry Moore gigantic sculptures at Kew Gardens. Monumental Nature is an extraordinary exhibition that transforms the landscape into a vast open-air gallery, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience the relationship between art, nature, and monumental scale. Featuring an unprecedented number of sculptures displayed across the grounds, the exhibition showcases both celebrated masterpieces and rarely seen works by Henry Moore. As the sculptures interact with the surrounding environment, each season brings new perspectives and experiences, ensuring that no two visits are exactly alike. Designed to engage visitors of all ages and interests, the exhibition provides something for everyone while supporting a meaningful cause, as every visit contributes directly to the preservation and development of the site.
Outdoor shows
The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has an exciting line-up of theatre productions this summer, running until 25 September. Plenty of musicals, plays, family shows, dance and comedy to delight all type of audience.
Love’s Labour’s Lost returns to Shakespeare’s Globe from 17 July. A flamenco inspired production packed with rhythm and fiery romantic tension, where joy and revelry mingle with longing, grief, and melancholy. For a memmorable family outing, come to see A World Elsewhere from 25 July.
The Summer Festival at the Opera Holland Park has superb classic music performances for all ages. Surrounded by beautiful formal gardens the canopied open-air auditorium is the perfect place to enjoy performances like the free Songs on the Steps to Carmina Burana on 4 July and Johann Strauss II Die Fledermaus on 29 and 31 July .
Arts, Crafts, Song and Dance
Enjoy a relaxed summer evening of music as string quartet enSEmble26 take to the stage on the historic Horniman Bandstand at Sunset Quartet with enSEmble26 on 16 July. Tickets needed.
Relics at Lyric Hammersmith is a play about family ties and long-buried secrets. This darkly comic new drama written by Ben Ockrent and directed by the award-winning Michael Longhurst follows four siblings who return to their late mother’s home to divide her belongings. Rich with biting wit and emotional depth, Relics delivers a sharp, poignant exploration of inheritance, personal choices, and the painful compromises of adulthood. Until 18 July. Tickets from £15.Running until 18 July. Tickets from £15.
Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy runs until 23 August. This popular art show returns this summer with the usual contemporary works from established artists and emerging talent. Tickets £25.50. The free Young Artists’ Summer Show 2026 opens on 14 July and runs until 30 August.
Family Freestyle at Sadler’s Wells East is a series of free dance workshops for children aged 2-4 and their parents led by professional dance artists. Runs until 2 July. Booking is required.
At the Museums
Experience the intensely colourful work of British artist Hurvin Anderson at Tate Britain. Running until 23 August. Tickets from £18.
Discover inspiring stories of humankind’s efforts to explore the universe with on-site activities, trails and more at the Science Museum.
Step Into A Dinosaur’s World, Like Never Before at Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs. Join Damian Lewis on an unforgettable journey as you explore the extraordinary story of dinosaurs, from their dominance 66 million years ago to their lasting legacy today. From 18 July. Tickets needed.
Discover the remarkable style of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch through clothing worn in all ten decades of her life – from birth to adulthood. Featuring more than 300 items, many on display for the first time, this is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of the late Queen’s fashion ever mounted. Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style open until April 2027 at Royal Collection Trust. Tickets from £14.00.
The Coming of Age explores experiences and perceptions of ageing, from adolescence to later life, and asks how societies can adapt for us all to age better. Free admission. Until 29 November.
Immerse yourself in two million years of human history, art and culture at British Museum. Free entry.
Somerset House presents Holy Pop!, an exhibition celebrating the world of modern shrines, the objects and collections through which we honour heroes, celebrities, and cult icons. Running until 9 August. Tickets needed.
Explore the museum spaces and galleries, as well as the Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends exhibition in a relaxed, kid-free atmosphere. Enjoy free drop‑in activities such as make your own Feathers McGraw or grab a boardgame in the café, alongside music, food, and drinks throughout the evening. 2 July.
Singing, stories and crafts for under 5s: Take part in a craft, singing and storytelling session, especially for families with children under five years old. Free with Museum admission.
Moco Museum: Perfect destination for contemporary art. From Yayoi Kusama and Andy Warhol to Banksy, this friendly museum is the perfect place to explore art and creativity. Tickets £17.90.
Discover the wonders below the waves in Voyage to the Deep – Underwater Adventures at Horniman Museum & Gardens. Until 1 November. Tickets from £9.80.
Tots at the Docks. Free monthly play sessions inspired by the history of London’s Docklands. Free admission.
Splash in the fountain, relax in our Roof Garden, sample sizzling street food and soak up sun, shows and art for everyone at Summer Time, Southbank Centre. Until 31 August.
Cutty Sark Rig Climb: Are you brave enough to scale the masts of the famous tea clipper? Take part in this unique London experience, back for 2026. Tickets from £11.
At London Galleries
Wes Anderson: The Archives. Delve into Wes Anderson’s extensive archive in this first retrospective exhibition devoted to his distinctive cinematic output, produced in collaboration with la Cinémathèque française. At Design Museum until 16 August. Tickets from £10.35.
The Barbican invites you to step inside origo, roam its tunnels, experience its shifting light, rest within its central patio and become a part of its ecosystem. Until 31 Jul. Free entry.
Emilio Isgrò: Erasing to Create: This exhibition at Estorick Collection traces the extraordinary artistic journey of Emilio Isgrò (b.1937), from his pioneering verbo-visual experimentation of the early 1960s to his most recent creative explorations. Until 6 September. Tickets needed.
London Parks: An Exhibition at Southbank Centre is all about London’s parks and open spaces seen through photographs created by young refugees and asylum seekers. Running until 30 August. Free entry.
London family friendly theatre shows this July 2026
London Theatre’s Kids Week is back for the summer!
Children under 17 can take advantage of FREE theatre tickets when accompanied by an adult paying full price, additional children can have their tickets for half price. Kid’s Theatre Week runs from 21 July to 31 August with tickets on sale now. Book YOUR TICKETS HERE
My Neighbour Totoro at Gillian Lynne Theatre – The magical Ghibli adaptation returns to the West End. Until Jan 2027.
Puppet Festival: Tiny Planet at Little Angel Theatre is an intergalactic puppet adventure with breathtaking music, live folk songs merged with big 90s synth and live camera projections. 28-29 July. Tickets from £13.50.
There is a Tiger in the Garden at Polka Theatre follows the colourful illustration book by Lizzy Stewart but with added imaginative design and music. Tickets from £15.
For further recommendations for theatre and shows to see in London for young theatre goers please visit our Theatre & Dance page.
For the latest reviews, updates and recommendations follow @younglondonist on Instagram. For more ideas of things to do with the kids in London, visit our events and activities area which provides details of free events and special offers in London’s finest venues.