Half Term Guide from London Baby and Kids
Before the list here are a few quick reviews of some half-term destinations you may not yet have been. Thinking about an outing to The Making of Harry Potter? Wondering about Go Ape in Battersea Park, debating buying a pass to Wonderlab in the Science Museum or Oxygen Freejumping? Click on the links and read what I hope are some helpful reviews.
Theatre and Performance:
Wilton’s Music Hall, Morgan & West’s Utterly Spiffing Spectacular Magic Show for Kids: Thursday 16th and Friday 17th, 11:45am. Having recently taken our kids to West End Magic, I am keen to see this show after how much we enjoyed ourselves at the Museum of Comedy. Tickets £5 - £9
Ovalhouse, The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad by Bootworks: Thursday 16th- Sunday 190th, 11:30am and 2pm, tickets £10, or 4 for £25. Head over to Kennington for a play that sensitively discusses grief and loss, the show asks how we cope when things go missing.
Southbank, Imagine Festival: Come enjoy 11 days of workshops and activities for children age 0-12, including storytelling with Chris Riddell, The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, storytelling with Nimble Tots and a family Rave.
The Globe, Tales for Winter - Half Term Storytelling for Families Head to The Globe for The Tempest and Merchant of Venice storytelling and acting workshops. Various dates, times, ages and availability. £10 for storytelling.
Vauxhall Vaults Festival, Dr. Zeiffal, Dr. Seigal and the Hippo that can Never be Caught!: Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 (also 11th/12th and 25th/26th February). Winner of the Buxton Fringe Award for best family show, this is an energetic, engaging, intelligent, imaginative and very funny show … tickets £12 each, family tickets £40. For ages 5+.
Southbank FUNharmonics, Conducting Science: Grab your safety goggles for our first ever concert hall laboratory. Music meets science as we discover the secrets behind the extraordinary sounds of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Saturday 18th, £10 - £18, all ages.
Little Angel Theatre: There are three plays on this half-term at Little Angel Theatre The Girl and the Giraffe, ages 3-7; The Lost Forest, ages 5-11; The Story of Mr. B, ages 5-11. Tickets £10 adults and £8 children.
Half Moon: Duvet Day ages 0-18 months, Saturday 11th, 10am, 11:30 and 2:30pm. Three, ages 3-8, Wednesday 15th (11am and 2pm) and Thursday 16th (11am). All tickets just £8.50.
King’s Place, Aurora Orchestra: Join Aurora orchestra for a magical journey through a winter world in the company of Jimbo, the shy snow elephant. Friday 10th, Saturday 11th, Sunday 12th, Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th. all ages, tickets £5.50 kids, £7.50 adult, £20.60 family ticket.
BFI, Half-term and Holiday Activities: Head over to Southbank for Fairytale Versus Superhero Mash-Up! An animation workshop featuring your favourite fairytale characters and superheroes. £30 first child, £20 for siblings. Thursday 16th, 11am-4pm.
LMA Mini Maestros, St. Martin-in-the-Fields: Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik : Mozart’s brilliant mini-symphony for strings called “A Little Night Music” is full of action and one of the most popular pieces ever composed. Tickets are £10.00, £8.00 and the concert is on Saturday 18th, 4:30.
Pippa’s Poppets Half Term Workshops for 3-6 yrs.
This half term Pippa’s Poppets has two workshops for you to chose from taking place Monday13th - Wednesday 15th. South Ken worksop singing and dancing based on Frozen(£100) and in Pimlico the theme of Space Adventures (£90)
Your child will experience performing as part of a cast, picking up some funky dance moves and learning life skills such as teamwork, communication and discipline. Jam-packed with drama games, story time, instrument playing, dressing up and making new friends, these workshops are always the highlight of our calendar! Click for more info. Please email [email protected] to book your child’s place!
Science and Nature Picks
Chelsea Physic Gardens, Family Activity Days: Silk, Unwoven Histories. Take the kids to the gorgeous Chelsea Physic Gardens for a workshop of storytelling and garden exploration. Learn about the exciting facts and stories surrounding silk production and creating your own silk panel story. ages 7-16, £13 (paying adult must accompany children) February 16th, 10:30-3pm.
Royal Institute British Architects: Head over to the RIBA for a day of workshops and activities, 11am -4pm, all ages.
RIGB Saiful PR Shots
Royal Institution, Family Fun Day: Saturday 11th, 11am-4pm. Get hands-on and explore the supercharged world of electricity. Ages 6+, £14 adults, £7 for children.
The Lookout in Hyde Park: Take the kids to The Lookout in Hyde Park. Tuesday 14th, 10am-3pm, 8-11 years old, £15 is an all-day workshop called Nature Explorers. Head over Wednesday and Thursday for free, drop-in, all ages workshops making your own bird feeder. From 11am.
Holland Park Ecology Centre, February Half Term: this is a brilliant way to spend a day with the kids, book now to make a shelter, investigate creepy crawlies, track animals who live in Holland Park, create your own habitat – an 2 hour session of investigation, making and games. £5-£8.50 per child ages 5-10 years old (8 year old children may be unaccompanied).
Museum Picks:
British Museum South African Art Feburary Half-Term Events: Monday - Friday 11am-5pm daily. Head over to the Great Court and take part in a variety of activities including making a paper house or a South African inspired craft. All activities are free, all ages, drop-in.
Tate Britain BP Family Festival: Explore Tate Britain with music, movement, sound, dance, performance. there will even be a chat-show! Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th, 11am-4pm, free, drop in, all ages.
Serpentine Gallery: Design and construct your own utopian cityscape with artists from OOMK and is programmed in parallel to Zaha Hadid’s Early Paintings and Drawings at the gallery. Saturday, 1-5pm, free, all ages.
Westminster Abbey Family Day: Saturday 11th, 10am-1:30pm. Kids go free to the Abbey over half-term, and Saturdays visit will cost make a puppet, take a tour, create your own crown, make a lion and more. Tickets £20 per adult, children go free Saturday 11th-18th.
National Gallery: lots of workshops for under 5s, 5-12 year olds, and for all ages. Various dates and time throughout the holidays. Highlights include day-long art workshops for 8-11 year olds, Messy Mondays and Talking Tuesdays for the under 5s and all ages workshops Monday - Thursday.
National Maritime Museum Family Day: Saturday 11th, 11am-4pm. Head over to Greenwich for a family festival celebrating LGBT history month with London Gay Men’s Chorus, storytelling, crafts, and pirates!
Wallace Collection Half Term Events: there are a variety of events taking place over the half term including a writing workshop, book swap, watercolour class and more.
National Portrait Gallery Half Term Activites: bring the kids to the museum for family portraits, drawing workshops, portrait painting, and more. There are activities all day over the February half term.
