October half term is a fantastic opportunity for families to explore London together without breaking the bank. Here’s a guide to some free activities around the city for an exciting, budget-friendly week.
Explore the Natural History Museum and Science Museum
London’s iconic Natural History Museum and Science Museum in South Kensington are perfect for curious kids. Both offer free admission, with engaging exhibits like dinosaur skeletons, human biology displays, and interactive science zones. Be sure to visit Natural History Museum new garden revealing its latest dinosaur resident.
Hyde Park Adventure Playground
Hyde Park’s Diana Memorial Playground, inspired by Peter Pan, is free and designed for kids of all ages. There’s a giant pirate ship, sand pits, sensory trails, and teepees to explore. Parents can relax in the surrounding gardens while kids enjoy a safe, imaginative space to play.
Interactive Art at Tate Modern
Tate Modern on the South Bank offers a range of family-friendly activities, and entry is free. Kids will love the playful and thought-provoking exhibits, and the museum frequently hosts free workshops for children. Head to the Turbine Hall to see large-scale installations that are often interactive and child-friendly.
Explore London’s Markets
Wander through iconic London markets like Borough Market, Covent Garden, or Spitalfields. Leadenhall Market beautifully covered pathways stood in for Diagon Alley in the first Harry Potter Film. While food and crafts are on sale, exploring these markets can be a free sensory experience for the whole family. Many markets also feature street performers, live music, and pop-up exhibits during half term.
Discover Historical Sites in Greenwich
Take a trip to Greenwich for a day filled with free activities. Visit the Cutty Sark (from the outside), explore Greenwich Park with its stunning views over London, and walk along the Prime Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory grounds. The National Maritime Museum offers free entry and has hands-on exhibits that kids will enjoy.
Southbank Centre Free Events
The Southbank Centre often hosts free family events during the half-term holidays. These include storytelling sessions, arts and crafts, and music workshops suitable for all ages. Southbank’s riverside location also makes it a lovely place for a scenic stroll.
Family Fun at the V&A Museum of Childhood
The V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green offers free admission and is a treasure trove of toys and memorabilia. Kids can enjoy interactive exhibits, storytelling sessions, and arts activities designed especially for children, giving them a chance to play while learning about history.
London icons’ interactive sculpture trail
Places to see the sculptures: Teacup – Victoria Embankment Gardens; Teapot – Lower Grosvenor Gardens; Taxi – Trafalgar Square; Telephone box – Westminster Cathedral Piazza; Post-box – Supreme Court; Bus – Strand Aldwych; Crown – St James’s Park; Rain Boots – Victoria Tower Gardens; Top Hat – Whitehall Gardens; Guard – The Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks; Pocket Watch – QEII Centre
Bank of England
BOE Museum at Threadneedle Street, In there Modern Economy room, find out why there are 400,000 gold bars in the Bank of England’s underground vaults. In the Rotunda room try to lift a real gold bar for yourself. And take a #GoldVaultSelfieOpens in a new window in the ‘gold corridor’.
Man Stuck in a Clock!
Just outside Paddington Station is a new clock, and trapped inside is a man who has to perpetually keep cleaning the face and drawing new hands on the glass. It is of course art, and the man is a video performance of a person, created by the Dutch artist, Maarten Baas, who was commissioned to make the latest in his series of Real Time clocks for the office building it hangs from.
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