Things to do in London this February half-term

South London's Horniman Museum and Gardens is a quirky family favourite, with a museum, aquarium and plenty of outdoor space to explore. This February half-term, kids can take on Octonauts mini missions, visit the Butterfly House, and explore the new Voyage to the Deep – Underwater Adventures exhibition. With free trails, family craft sessions and a wide range of displays running throughout the break, it's a great choice for a fun and educational half-term day out.

Battersea Power Station is marking February half-term with a packed programme of family-friendly events and experiences. Kids can enjoy pop-ups such as Planetarium Go!, hands-on workshops including Sticks'n'Sushi kids' masterclasses, and the ever-popular Jurassic World Experience. Families can also take in views from the Chimney Lift, catch a film at the Cinema in the Arches, and explore the site's toy shops, cafés and child-friendly restaurants, making it an easy all-in-one half-term day out.

Thrillseeking kids will love a visit to Go Ape. This active treetop and high ropes experience is available at several parks in London. There are courses to explore of various durations and levels of skill, including options designed for younger children. Everyone gets a thorough safety briefing and support from instructors.

Kids will be entertained at Flip Out, a trampoline park and indoor playground with a few locations in London. Vibrant and full of colour, they're great for keeping children busy for a few hours. There are various zones to explore including trampolines, obstacle courses, and soft-play spaces for the youngest children. Hours are extended for school holidays too.

Vibrant attraction Bubble Planet takes you into a world of bubbles, with 11 themed rooms that allow big and small kids to let loose. This multi-sensory experiences uses bubbles, lasers, lights, colours, and advanced technology to create a dreamy and immersive experience. The experience takes 60-90 minutes and is suitable for every age group.

Get creative with pottery at Clay Time, which welcomes children and adults. At this North London ceramics studio, there are sessions for kids to make their own clay pot or paint a pre-made ceramic tile with an original design. You can also hire out the venue for kids' birthday parties.

Get back to nature in East London at Hackney City Farm. This working farm is open to visitors. Families can meet farmyard animals like pigs and donkeys, explore the garden and grounds, and visit the restaurant. Various activities take place, including weekly clubs for under and over 12s that include working with animals.

Take young thrillseekers to the ArcelorMittal Orbit. Designed by artist Anish Kapoor, it's the world's longest tunnel slide, measuring 178m long and including 12 twists and turns. The slide is suitable for those aged eight and over. You'll get to take fab photos of London from the viewing platform before hurtling down the slide. The opening hours are slightly extended for the school holidays too.

Located in Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery is one of the most famous galleries in the country. It houses works from the 13th to 20th centuries and has free activities during half-term. Let the gallery's team of educators guide you through the gallery as you learn to decode pictures, or join a family lute tour.

With modern style and tons of interactive features, the Science Museum is popular with every age group. During February half-term, kids can explore loads of exhibits covering different scientific topics, from the history of aircraft and space travel to the climate crisis. There's a gift shop too, full of novelties that'll entertain young people.

Kew Gardens' annual Orchids Festival runs through February, filling the Princess of Wales Conservatory with colourful displays inspired by global biodiversity. The festival is included with standard garden admission and is suitable for all ages, making it a popular half-term outing for families. Alongside the main floral installations, visitors can explore the wider gardens, glasshouses and family trails. With plenty of space and a mix of indoor and outdoor attractions, Kew offers a relaxed and visually striking half-term experience.

February half-term means the Imagine Children's Festival returns to Southbank Centre. Dozens of events are happening to suit kids of all ages, with many of them being free to join. The festival is designed to stimulated kids' imaginations and includes performances, workshops, and activities covering music, poetry, dance, comedy, and much more.

Wimbledon's Polka Theatre has been putting on children's theatre since 1977. It's an inclusive, imaginative, and vibrant space designed especially for kids. During half-term in February there are productions suitable for toddlers and children of ages up to 7, as well as soothing sensory workshops. The venue also has spaces for reading and playing.

London's transport network is a vital part of city life, and families can explore its history at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. This February half-term, the museum celebrates iconic London Transport posters with hands-on printing workshops, drama, dance sessions and family-friendly tours. All family events are included with the museum's Annual Pass, which offers unlimited entry for a year and free admission for kids. For an extra adventure, families can also book behind-the-scenes experiences at the Museum Depot in Acton or join Hidden London guided tours for older children.

Don't stay at home playing board games – visit Monopoly Lifesized instead. This unique immersive experience involves moving around a life-sized board and letting your competitive side out. There are several different boards to choose from. It's suitable for kids aged 9+ and there's an on-site restaurant to relax in afterwards.

At The Postal Museum, families can discover Britain's postal history through hands-on galleries and a ride on the underground Mail Rail train. This February half-term, The Jolly Postman takes centre stage, with playful activities included in museum admission. Children can follow a Jolly Postman trail, get creative in fairy-tale-themed arts and crafts sessions, write and post letters to their favourite characters, and enjoy interactive storytelling inspired by the much-loved book. Younger visitors can also play in Sorted! The Postal Play Space (separate entry), making it a fun and imaginative half-term day out for ages 3+.

Check out Champions Wharf Play Beach for outdoor play by the Thames. Opened in 2013, this is a fun park for all ages and offers great views of the river. It’s sandy underfoot, there’s a viking boat and a Victorian water taxi, and it’s enhanced with artwork and places to sit down.

Next to the Thames you'll find Shakespeare's Globe, a reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre. Regular performances take place, including shows for children, and family-friendly tours of the building are available too. During February half-term, kids and families can join acting workshops, storytelling sessions, demonstrations, and tours suited to different age groups.

North London’s Finsbury Park is great for families who need some fresh air. There are spacious grounds to wander, a pond that’s a hotspot for birds and wildlife, sports facilities, a zip wire, a kids’ playground, and a café with child-friendly menus. A walk here is perfect for burning off some energy.

Get some fresh air when you explore Crystal Palace Park. This expansive green space in South London is home to the famous Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, historical dinosaur sculptures you can explore on foot or by pedalo. Kids can also have fun at the skatepark, playground, and one of the country’s largest mazes.

Since 1936, kids in London have been playing at Coram's Fields, a seven-acre playground in Bloomsbury. It's open to everyone aged under 16 and is a great place for some lively fun. There are multiple play areas, including a sensory zone and adventure playground with a zip wire, plus a paddling pool.

Right at the tip of North London there's Chickenshed, an inclusive local theatre with lots on for all ages. Workshops, film screenings, live music, and theatre performances are on here regularly, including lively theatre shows aimed at children this half-term. They're made for kids from babies up to age seven.

The WWT London Wetland Centre spans 105 acres of scenic open spaces and is home to diverse wildlife such as otters and water birds. During February half-term, the centre is hosting Mudfest, a festival taking advantage of the wetlands' copious supply of mud to organise all sorts of fun activities, including mud painting, a mud kitchen, nest building, and more. Don't forget your wellies.

Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury has a range of great activities going on during half-term. This museum explores London's history through the story of the UK's first first home for children at risk of abandonment. It has an impressive art collection too. During the February half-term, families can get involved with a number of creative workshops inspired by the museum's exhibitions.

During February half-term, the Design Museum is hosting a week-long series of workshops called Design Camp. Children can learn about stop-motion animation, coding, interactive storytelling, worldbuilding, and more in workshops designed to stimulate their creativity and educate them about the basic principles of quality design.

The Golden Hinde was the first English ship to sail around the world but today it's a museum permanently docked on the Thames. Visitors can explore the ship or enjoy special events like talks and live music. Throughout February half-term there are guided tours taking place regularly, where the whole family can meet the crew and find out what being a 16th-century sailor was really like.

North London theatre Artsdepot is staging a play during half-term that's suitable for one-year-olds and above. Take the kids along to this modern venue to see an adaptation of the much-loved children's book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. The show brings the story to life through puppets, songs, and costumes.

The V&A South Kensington is a half-term favourite, offering free, drop-in family activities inspired by its world-class collections. During February half-term, children can expect hands-on creative workshops, gallery-based activities and opportunities to explore design, fashion and art through making and play. Sessions are usually suitable for a wide range of ages and take place throughout the museum, making it easy to combine with time in the galleries. Activities are free, though capacity can be limited at busy times.

London Museum Docklands runs a strong programme of free family activities during school holidays, using hands-on sessions to bring London's history to life. February half-term typically includes crafts, storytelling and interactive workshops linked to the museum's galleries and collections. Activities are designed to suit primary-age children, with plenty of opportunities to explore themes such as trade, migration and life along the Thames. Entry to the museum is free, making this an easy and educational half-term option in east London.

This February half-term, step into the shoes of the workers who built the Thames Tunnel with Tunnellers' Tales, an interactive experience at the Brunel Museum. Families can handle Victorian-inspired props and explore the tough, grimy, and sometimes dangerous conditions faced by the tunnel diggers.

Royal Museums Greenwich is offering a brilliant mix of family-friendly events this February half-term across their iconic venues. At Cutty Sark, kids can meet historic character actors, enjoy creative craft workshops, follow family trails and play on board the ship, all included with entry. Families can also catch a planetarium show at the Royal Observatory, explore the National Maritime Museum, and enjoy Greenwich Park, making it an ideal half-term day out.

Somerset House is hosting SOIL: The World at Our Feet, an exhibition about soil's vital role in ecosystems and human life, throughout the February half-term. During the break, the exhibition will include family-friendly activities such as seed-related drop-in sessions and creative soil-inspired drawing workshops, helping children discover what's going on beneath their feet.

The Gravity Max entertainment centres offer all sorts of family-friendly fun that's sure to keep both parents and kids entertained during February half-term. In the neon-tinged setting, families can go bowling or karting, play exciting arcade games, bounce around on trampolines, and more. On-site food and drink vendors make sure no is lacking energy, and there are various discounts and special packages you can take advantage of.

The Royal Air Force Museum London regularly marks February half-term with family-friendly activities designed to make aviation history engaging for children. Programmes often include hands-on workshops, themed trails and interactive demonstrations inspired by the museum's aircraft and exhibitions. Activities are usually included with free museum entry, though some sessions may require advance booking.