The summer holidays are here (how did they come around again so quickly? I swear the school year goes by faster than it used to) and like every other parent, we have been looking for fun things to take our kids to, in London.
With five-year-old twins (speaking of time whizzing by, can you believe they’re five?!) and a 13-year-old (hello teenage years) we’ve focused more on keeping the little ones amused, always giving the big one the option of joining in or staying home/arranging to see her friends.
So here are 8 things I’ve spotted and think look BRILLIANT for summer holiday fun. The plan is to intersperse these days out with much more local, less exciting activities like going to the park, playdates, and (our favourite) the kids amusing themselves at home while mum and dad work/do jobs around the house. Thank goodness experts say it’s good for kids to get bored from time to time.
The Gruffalo, Lyric Theatre
What’s not to love about a stage version of the beloved Julia Donaldson children’s book? Tall Stories theatre company do an incredible job at bringing the now-classic tale to life, with musical numbers from Mouse, Fox, Owl, Snake and the Gruffalo himself.
We took our 5-year-old twins to this and they were captivated from the start, and only got slightly fidgety in the final five minutes, which is good going, concentration-wise.
It’s sweet, it’s funny, it’s got mild peril… and the kids loved helping Mouse on its quest to outsmart the other animals in the deep dark wood.
Suitable for ages 3+, this is running until 8th September at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London with tickets starting at only £10.
Discover Story Centre, Stratford
Have you ever been to Discover Story Centre in Stratford? Five minutes walk from Westfield Shopping Centre, it’s one of my favourite places in London to take the kids.
The indoor play area has two floors of things to explore, sensory fun, imaginative play and crafts. Outside are slides, climbing frames, interactive musical toys and a treehouse.
They also have a fab cafe, bookable story sessions and an exhibition which changes every six months or so. We loved the Rob Biddulph one last year and this year’s by Nadia Shireen – Monster Funfair – is just as brilliant, with lots of activities for the kids to get stuck into.
Tickets start at £10 for entry and then extra for storytelling sessions and exhibitions.
Shrek The Musical, Eventim Apollo
Back in London for six weeks after a West End and Broadway run, Shrek The Musical is a romp through the hugely popular Dreamworks movie.
Wow. What can I say about Shrek The Musical? It surpassed all of my expectations. Of course we all know the story, and laughs and touching moments were guaranteed.
But the musical numbers? Incredible.
The numbers sung by the Fairytale Creatures ensemble are jaw-dropping and during some of Princess Fiona’s songs, you would be forgiven for thinking you were at a production of Wicked.
Shrek The Musical is the perfect family outing this summer – the kids will love the silly toilet gags while adults will get sucked into the music.
Running until 31st August, at the Eventim Apollo, tickets start at £20.
Rough Magic, Shakespeare’s Globe
A chance to take kids age 5+ to the historic reconstructed Shakespeare’s Globe? Count me in.
In the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, this production sees Macbeth’s Weird Sisters getting help from their audience of supernatural apprentices to save the world!
I took one of my five-year-olds along (much-needed one on one time) and wasn’t sure if most of the play would go over her head.
But she loved it!
A great mix of Shakespeare references and panto style comedy and audience participation, Rough Magic had us hooked from the start.
With a series of quick changes and brilliant characters, the cast were fantastic at involving the audience in the drama.
They invite everyone to come along to the show dressed as their favourite magical creature, whether that’s fairies, witches, ghosts, or monsters which added to the fun.
This is a brilliant all-family day out, from age 5 up to grandparents.
Tickets start at £15 and this runs until 24th August.
Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour, Harold Pinter Theatre
Are your kids as mad about Blippi as mine are? Well now they can go see him live onstage!
Following the success of the 2023 Olivier Award-nominated debut, Blippi The Musical, Blippi returns to London to the Harold Pinter Theatre.
Blippi is joined by special guest Meekah for the ultimate curiosity adventure live on stage as they discover what makes different cities unique and special. Will there be monster trucks, excavators, and bin lorries galore?
This sounds like the ultimate musical party for kids.
Running until 7th September, tickets start at £15.
The Underbelly Festival, Cavendish Square
We LOVE the Underbelly Festival. The pop-up event hits London’s Cavendish Square every summer and it’s always worth a visit.
In previous years we’ve bought tickets for a brilliant Sam and Mark show amongst others and this year there’s a jam-packed schedule of kids’ shows.
While you’re there, you can eat from one of the food vendors and hang out in the sunshine.
Taylor Swift day out – V&A, Wembley Stadium murals, afternoon tea bus
There was always going to be a Taylor Swift themed day out on here, wasn’t there?
While not an ‘official’ tour, we’ve planned a TS day out in London with my 13-year-old and her friend.
First stop, the Taylor murals by Wembley Stadium. Painted before her June Eras Tour concerts, they’re still there and it’ll be far easier to get decent photos on a non event day.
Next up, we’ll head to the V&A Museum where they have a Taylor Swift costume trail. And it’s free-of-charge, no booking required.
Last but not least, we’re hoping to hop on the Taylor Swift afternoon tea bus which promises to be the ultimate Swiftie experience with music, nibbles and a souvenir mug!
If we have time we might even swing by The Black Dog in Kennington too.
Frameless London
If you’re keen to give your kids an introduction to the art world, in an engaging and interactive way, Frameless London is brilliant.
With four gallery rooms you can wander in and out of, at your leisure, you experience art “breaking free”. Images are projected onto the walls, ceilings and floors. The art moves and changes. The rooms are filled with sounds and music to match the art. You can even interact with the art in some rooms.
We took all three of our kids (ages 5,5 and 13) and all of them had a ball. The smaller ones sat in some galleries looking up in awe, and ran around other galleries chasing the art. Our eldest loved seeing art by some of the artists she has learned about in school – Cezanne, Kandinsky, Monet, Dali, Van Gogh, Canaletto, Rembrandt and Klimt.
There’s a lovely cafe there for a post-art coffee (and fruit juice) and of course a fab gift shop too. Ten out of ten recommend for a family day out!
Adult tickets are from £27 and children (3-15 years) are from £17 but you can save 10% by booking online in advance.
