February Half Term in London
What a great week to just live in the culture of our city. There is so much on you can catch an opera, explore the wilderness, create a clay figurine, make a self portrait and meet an Elizabethan hermit.
Concerts and Music
Royal Albert Hall Half Term: Monday 16th, Albert’s Band The Big Top – take a musical trip to the circus. Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th, The Discovery Art Workshops for ages 5-11 – explore the Royal Albert Hall and make your own craft after.
St. Martin’s-in-the-Field, Introduction to Opera: Great Opera of Little Ears. Bring the little ones to learn about all the interesting basics of the opera. Saturday 14th February, 4:30. £8.50 adults, 6.50 children.
Cadogan Hall, Southbank Sinfonia Family Concert: Come and enjoy Beethoven, Mendelsohn and Romero. 11am, Saturday 21st, £10 adults, £5 child, £25 family. All ages welcome, ideal for 5-11
Wigmore Hall: Tuesday 17th Family Day, Too Hot to Handel. Visit Handel House museum and then make your own music on stage. 10:30-3:30pm, £15 adult, £10 child. Early Opera Company and Isabelle Adams present Purcell’s King Arthur. Saturday 21st, £9 adult, £7 child, 11am-noon
Theatre and Film
The Globe Theatre, Muse of Fire: Spend some time with an Elizabethan hermit who has lived under The Baird’s stage for over 400 years and be taken on a performance around The Globe Theatre. £12.50 adults, £10 children Tuesday- Friday, 11am and 2pm, ages 6+.
BFI Institute: Aadrman Animation Workshops. Drop your kids off for a day-long explorations of clay animation. The day starts with a hands on animation workshop and ends with a screening of an Aardman classic. £27.50 siblings £18.50. There are also screenings with arts and crafts sessions after for £5
Nature
Holland Park Ecology Centre: Monday through Friday , from 10-noon and 2-4pm, bring the kids (drop off children over 8 years old) and have them take part in lovely nature activities like making casts of animal tracks, make your own wormery and learn orienteering. £4.20 per child per session for residents, £5.45 for non-residents.
Isis Education Centre, Hyde Park: this little treasure trove boasts all kinds of learning activities for families. On Tuesday 17th, spend the day learning about nature in Hyde Park using magnifying classes, make art, create sculpture and have fun learning to love nature £15 per person, 10am-3pm, ages 8-11, drop-off. Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th free family days, come and learn all about birds, 11am-3pm.
Museums:
British Museum, The Year of the Goat: Monday – Friday, 11am-4pm. Head over to the museum and celebrate Chinese New Year with a series of drop-in activities including arts and crafts, storytelling and Little Feet events for the under 5s on Thursday and Friday.
National Maritime Museum- Saturday 21st Family Day, bring the kids and take part in a variety of activities exploring Chinese New Year, free all ages. Also, head over to the Cutty Sark for Dancing Dragons, Chinese Tea Hats and other activities throughout half term. Activities are free with admission to Cutty Sark.
Museum of London: As always, there are lots of activities on at the museum. Of particular note, Snail on the Whale will explore this enchanting story by Julia Donaldson along with The Real Pocahantas, Equip the Ship and World Food Explorer.
Geffrye Museum: head down to London’s very own museum of the home and take part in a lovely range of beautifully resourced arts and craft activities for the little and bigger ones. Ages 5-16, Tuesday – Friday various times
Foundling Museum: Clay Sculptures Family Workshop – make your own clay figure inspired by the infants and cherubs around the foundling museum. Wednesday 18th 10:30-4pm, all ages, free with entry. Memorial Medals – make your very own medals to take home, Friday 10:30-4pm, all ages, free with entry.
Ragged School Museum: head over to Dr. Bernardo’s school for orphans for an exploration into the great tourist events of the 19th century through arts and crafts. Also visit the Victorian school house and kitchen. Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th 10am – 5pm, free, all ages.
National Portrait Gallery: Head over to the NPG, Monday through Friday the museum will be hosting a series of workshops for children to explore portraits in the museum and other activities creating self-portraits.
Imperial War Museum, Print It – Truth and Memory. As part of the centenary honouring, children will make their own version of museum artwork and then turn this into their very own print to take home. Saturday 14th – Sunday 22nd 11:30-12:30 and again 2:30-3:30. Free, all ages.
V and A: Every day throughout half term you can pop in and take part in the Imagination Station or watch a Pop up Performance 11am, 1pm and 3pm daily.
