With summer on the horizon and (hopefully) some sun, you’re always spoiled for choice with things to do at May half-term in London with kids – especially as holiday dates stretch into early June. UPDATED 2025
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In London, half-term runs from May 24-June 1, including the bank holiday Monday on May 26 – expect the city to be busy on the first weekend in particular.
But from the big museums to places to get outdoors, special events and exhibitions, I’ve picked some of the best days out at May half-term in London with kids.
Feeding time at London Zoo
Learn about animals’ favourite snacks and join in with some fun foodie games as part of Feeding Time at the Zoo at London Zoo.
There are some pop-up animal-themed kitchens to explore, focused about herbivore diets, carnivores favourite foods and an insectivore kitchen to learn more about the curious world of insect-eaters.
After you’ve taken the Kitchen Quiz, there’s plenty of food at the BBQ chalet and a Teddy Bear’s Picnic to join, along with talks on animal diets, storytelling and more family fun.
Included in zoo entry, runs from May 24-June 1. Tickets may be available on the gate on the day, subject to availability, but you’ll get a discount if you book online in advance.
The Poet’s Predicament at the Tower of London
History Riot are introducing visitors to Geoffrey Chaucer at the Tower of London during May half-term.
The poet and author of The Canterbury Tales once worked at the Tower as Clerk of the King’s Works, and the Poet’s Predicament shares how he tried to balance the demands of this job with his wish to be writing instead.
Suitable for all ages, the programme takes place every day (weather permitting) from 10.30am-4.30pm. Runs until June 29, included in admission, free for members. Prebooking tickets to the Tower is advised during school holidays.
Tickets with free cancellation are available from Tiqets, with a discount if you book through this link using my code MUMMYTRAVELS6
Space: Could Life Exist beyond Earth at the Natural History Museum
Could there be life on Mars? Or anywhere else in the universe? That’s what the latest exhibition at the Natural History Museum sets off to answer.
Space: Could Life Exist beyond Earth lets visitors touch a fragment of the Moon, handle a piece of Mars and snap a selfie with the Allende meteorite, which – at 4.567 billion years old – is even older than Earth!
With growing amounts of evidence to suggest there is life beyond earth, you’ll travel out into space, visiting asteroids, planets, the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn and even head beyond our solar system. Along the way you can design your own space mission and see what scientists think could be out there.
Recommended for life forms aged 8+ but suitable for all ages. Opens May 16, prebooking strongly advised during half-term.
Making Egypt at the Young V&A
The latest exhibition at the Young V&A – Making Egypt – takes visitors on a trip through Egyptian history, and is still running over May half-term.
Looking at the ways Egypt influences art, design and popular culture today, the exhibition takes you from ancient Egypt to the modern day.
Featuring items spanning more than 5,500 years, you can see everything from the fully painted inner sarcophagus of Princess Sopdet-em-haawt alongside contemporary comics, games and film, including Lego, minecraft and The Mummy movie.
There’s also a chance to decipher hieroglypics, design your own amulet and gets hands on to give kids a chance to understand what ancient Egyptians might have used to make their own creative works.
Prebooking is recommended. Tickets cost £10 for adults and children aged 4+, concessions available.
Check out my review of Making Egypt to find out more about what’s inside
Secrets of the Thames, London Museum Docklands
The first major exhibition on mudlarking introduces you to the world of treasure hunting along the Thames, at the London Museum Docklands.
Packed with fascinating finds from the Thames foreshore, where thousands of years of London’s history is still being uncovered, the displays include a Tudor knitted wool hat, as well as a medieval gold ring, a decorated Viking-era dagger and even a pair of 18th century false teeth.
There are stories of London’s long history, told through the items found, as well as a fascinating glimpse into the world of mudlarking – now much more strictly controlled. You can even see how good you are at spotting items hidden in a replica of the Thames foreshore (look but don’t touch!)
Secrets of the Thames: Mudlarking London’s lost treasures runs until March 1, 2026. Tickets cost from £16, museum entry free.
Check out my full review of a visit to Secrets of the Thames at the London Museum Docklands
At London’s Service at the London Transport Museum
May marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) and there’s a chance to learn more about the role London’s transport played in keeping the city moving throughout the Second World War at the London Transport Museum.
You can hear stories of those who worked on London Transport during wartime, find out how Underground stations doubled as shelters during the bombings of the Blitz and join in with some special drop-in activities during the half-term week.
From May 26-30, there’s interactive storytelling for kids aged 7+, taking an imaginary trip underground to find out more about the secret operations which kept London and the whole of the UK moving during the war. Sessions last 45 minutes and run at 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.
Or there’s also bunting-making for all ages (drop in any time between 10.30am and 1pm, or 2-4.30pm).
On May 24-25 and May 31-June 1, kids under five can enjoy singing and storytelling themed around the Bun Specials, tube trains which were used to carry tea and refreshments to those taking shelter in the underground.
Or children aged 5+ can meet actors in the museum galleries, where 1940s shop worker Dorothy shares more about the different jobs women did during the Second World War.
There’s also the usual opportunity to climb aboard vintage tube trains, learn how to drive a modern Elizabeth line train, head to the All Aboard play zone, and check out more about London’s transport history.
Get a discount on entry to the London Transport Museum if you book via tiqets using my code, MUMMYTRAVELS6.
May half-term fun and games at Eltham Palace
There’s a chance to get hands on with a series of games and other fun family activities in the grounds of Eltham Palace and Gardens this May half-term.
There’s plenty more at Eltham Palace beyond the games in the grounds – try on some 1930s clothes inside Virginia Courtaulds’ wardrobe, take shelter in the wartime bunker in the basement, and learn more about the owners pet lemur. There’s also the wooden outdoor play area and the grounds of the lavish house explore.
Runs from May 24-June 1, save 15% on entry if you prebook tickets. Free for English Heritage members.
The Big Bahooey at Hampton Court Palace
With events, workshops, entertainment and a promise of ‘oodles of silliness’, The Big Bahooey is the perfect day out at Hampton Court Palace this May bank holiday weekend.
Try everything from juggling to plate spinning, wire walking and more in the circus workshops, dance at the silent disco, join in one of the singalongs, watch acrobats and jugglers or watch a show – just for starters. You can also enjoy crafts, marvel at some of the skilled circus professionals or stop to watch some street theatre, with acts from around the globe.
Runs from May 24-26, included in palace entrance (free for members) – prebooking tickets advised.
If you’re visiting later during half-term, you can also step into the historic kitchens to find out more about soap making during the time of Queen Anne – and just how you get stains out.
With some very strange recipes for getting rid of grubby marks, you can learn how Stuart laundresses would have dealt with spills at dinner, sweaty stains and find out whether soap really was any good in the days before antibac handwash.
Pirates at the National Maritime Museum
Discover the truth behind pirate life at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich with its latest exhibition Pirates.
Recommended for ages 10+, it looks at the changing depictions of pirates through the ages, from comical characters like Captain Pugwash and Captain Hook to anti-heroes like Long John Silver and Captain Jack Sparrow – as well as the brutal reality behind the fiction.
Far from swashbuckling scoundrels, the real history is far more complex… but continues to fascinate us to this day. The exhibition follows the global history of piracy across the world, with a focus on some real-life pirates and how modern piracy is an issue for seafarers today.
Runs to January 4, 2026, priced £7.50 for children, £15 for adults.
For more ideas of things to do in Greenwich with kids, check out my top picks
Second World War week at the Royal Air Force Museum
The RAF Museum in north London is celebrating all things from the 1940s as part of its Second World War week this May half-term.
Join in a LEGO big build of a Second World War icon (for all ages), enjoy a chance to climb into the aircraft for older aviators and discover some of the extra activities running during half-term week.
There’s a special tour to commemorate the D-Day Landings (recommended for age 8+, £10), sharing the role of the RAF during the D-Day Operations. Takes place at 11am and 2pm on May 25, 27, 29, 31 and June 1.
And there’s also a special D-Day family weekend celebration on May 31-June 1, with music, dancing family activities and more.
The Robot Zoo at the Horniman Museum
The new exhibition at the Horniman Museum in south east London focuses on the mechanisms which give animals some amazing abilities.
Looking at everything from how chameleons change colour to how bats see at night and how grasshoppers can leap so high, the Robot Zoo exhibition includes creatures recreated using machine parts and gadgets to let visitors understand animals’ incredible abilities.
Add in plenty of interactive fun too, including the chance to try jet-propelled squid racing and shooting a chameleon’s ‘tongue gun’ so there’s plenty to entertain younger children in London during May half-term.
Runs to November 5, additional tickets are required and prebooking is strongly recommended. Prices start from £9.75 for adults, £6.50 for kids, with family tickets also available.
The museum’s natural history gallery is temporarily closed but the aquarium, butterfly house and gardens are also open to explore.
Voices of Resistance: Slavery and Post in the Caribbean at the Postal Museum
There’s another chance to see the new exhibition at the Postal Museum, Voices of Resistance: Slavery and Post in the Caribbean.
The exhibition looks at the stories of enslaved people who enabled 19th century postal ships to carry mail between the UK and Caribbean, with original letters sent between plantation owners and managers from the museum’s archive.
Helping to shine a light on the lives of enslaved people in the Caribbean, as well as some of their acts of resistance, and a special look at those living on the island of St Thomas, a refuelling stop on the route, this is something to get kids thinking.
Included in the standard museum ticket – get a discount if you book through my link using the code MUMMYTRAVELS6.
Family activities at the Royal Mews
There’s some extra fun the Royal Mews this May half-term, with crafts activities for families to enjoy during durung their visit,
As well as seeing some of the historic carriages used by the Royal Family, not least the 260-year-old Gold State Coach which took the King and Queen back to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey after the Coronation, kids can sit in a replica carriage, tack up a wooden pony and dress up in livery.
Along the way, you can join in the family crafts on May 24 and 25, as well as June 1, from 10.30am-3pm. Available on a drop-in basis and are included in the price of admission.
Meet the characters at the Cutty Sark in Greenwich
Families can meet colourful character actors from the iconic Cutty Sark’s past in Greenwich this May half-term.
You could come across everyone from the ship’s builder to its cook, the witch who inspired the Cutty Sark’s name and the mother of one of the apprentices on board, with roaming encounters from 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm, and some static performances in the Dry Berth at 11.30am and 2.30pm.
There’s a discount on tickets for the Cutty Sark if you book through my link using code MUMMYTRAVELS6
Discovery Day at Hyde Park
Get outside with the family and connect with nature this May half-term at the Royal Park’s Royal Discovery Days – this year, themed around Time Travellers.
Head to Hyde Park between May 27-29 for the sessions taking place between 11am and 3pm, with a variety of activities to try.
You can meet Queen Victoria, design your own park of the future, try your hand at calligraphy or create a plant print. Free, spaces can be reserved online.
There are also Nature roadshows at St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens on May 27 and 28 with scavenger trails and free activities from 11am to 3pm
Lloyd of the Flies at WWT London Wetland Centre
It’s the last chance to follow the Lloyd of the Flies trail at the WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes, learning about the world of wetland insects with a new trail in association with Aardman.
Lloyd and his new friend Dart the dragonfly will be joining the centre’s own cast of wetland minibeasts, with a trail to help Lloyd and guide Dart to find Lloyd’s friends and family so they can make their way to the bug hotel.
Using an augmented reality trail app, you’ll even be able to shrink down to fly size and see the world through insects’ eyes. Runs to June 1, plus there are the usual indoor and outdoor play areas too to keep everyone entertained.
Check out some of our adventures at WWT Barnes, the London Wetland Centre with kids
Horrible Histories trail at Osterley House and Park
The Gorgeous Georgians are still to be found at Osterley House and Park in west London, with the family-friendly interactive trail around the house, graden and parklands.
Discover more about the quirks and scandals of Georgian history while exploring the elegant Georgian manor house, with games, activities and the usual gruesomely entertaining facts along the way – look out for posh potties and horrible highwaymen along the way.
Runs to August 31, included with admission to the National Trust property (free for members).
Chelsea in bloom
With so much taking place in London during May, it would be easy to overlook the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, celebrating its 20th anniversary this May.
Free to visit and overlapping with the start of half-term, you can catch the very end of this festival of flowers on May 24 and 25, with the shops, restaurants and hotels in Chelsea all breaking out the blooms to compete in the floral art show. This year’s Chelsea in Bloom theme is Flowers in Fashion.
Family workshops at Chelsea Physic Garden
The popular family chocolate workshop is back at Chelsea Physic Garden this May half-term, as well as two other fun family activities.
Suitable for children 5+, the workshop on May 26 and 29 will teach them how cacao beans grow and how they are made into chocolate, as well as letting kids design their own chocolate treats with a selection of herbs, flavourings, and spices.
Or head to the Family Bees and Bugs Exploration on May 27 or try your hand at Family Soap Making on May 27. Must be prebooked, ticket prices vary.
Shakespeare’s Globe Family Workshops
For an interactive and educational way to get your kids interested in the works of William Shakespeare, join the Globe’s Family Workshops this May half-term in London.
Led by some of the theatre’s talented actors, teachers, and directors, these practical workshops will explore the language, characters, and themes of the plays in a variety of engaging activities and games. They’re the perfect way to introduce little ones to one of the world’s most iconic playwrights.
With multiple plays to choose from – including Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream – and options for different age groups (5-8 and 9-14), it’s easy to tailor to your kids. Must be pre-booked, dates vary with workshop tickets priced £10.
Family workshops at the V&A
Head to one of the digital kids workshops at the V&A in South Kensington this May half-term, where you can get inspired by clay.
Create shapes of words with clay before animating them into a short video, letting kids enjoy storytelling, stopmotion animation and a chance to get hands on building. Suitable for aged 5+, the drop-in sessions are free and take place from May 27-30 between 11am and 4pm.
The Spring Family Festival also runs on May 31, celebrating storytelling, with everything from workshops to activities, dance, puppetry, music and performances, with a whole array of creative fun for families.
Family activities at the National Gallery
The National Gallery has a whole string of free events for families this May half-term, including ways to explore the collection as well as getting creative.
With free drop-in sessions inspired by gold, encouraging kids to hunt out the precious metal in artworks in the gallery as well as joining the family workshop, there’s plenty for all ages.
You can also find sessions inspired by the art of Siena in Italy as well as family mark-making sessions. The events run on various dates from May 27-29.
Time Travel Club at the National Archives
A perfect day out for kids who love history, the Time Travel Club at the National Archives in Kew has a great workshop inspired by spies during May half-term in London.
Spying on Spies takes place on May 29 from 10.30am-12 noon and 1.30pm-3pm, aimed at age 8-11s. Part of the MI5: Official Secrets events season, kids can check out spy files from the collection, discovering stories of real spies along the way.
Or younger kids can also enjoy crafts with the Time Travel Craft Club on May 26 and 29 at 10.30am and 1.30pm. Prebooking essential for all activities.
Story Explorers at the British Library
Set off on a journey through imaginary worlds at the British Library this May half-term, where you can dicsover there’s more than just books – not least a giant furry octopus!
Story Explorers is aimed at kids aged 2-9, with a chance to discover three imaginary worlds which look at some of the Library’s weirdest and most wonderful items up close, and hear their stories.
Free but must be prebooked, with visitor numbers capped at 30 – you’ll have 90 minutes to explore the gallery (arrive/leave any time during that slot), as you explore the worlds of space, the jungle and dive under the ocean. There’s also an activity trail and some fun interactive elements.
Plus, naturally, a book corner if you want to sit and relax. Runs from May 16 (ends January 18, 2026).
The Moominhouse at Southbank Centre
To celebrate 80 years of the Moomins, a special Moominhouse is being built on the South Bank, which can be visited between 2pm and 5pm.
You can also come along the chop wood, hammer nails, get creative, build and paint objects for the house as it is brought to life, as part of the Play, Make, Dream sessions for age 4+ – from May 27-June 1, free but needs prebooking.
In the stories, the door to the Moominhouse is always open to those who need shelter, linking to the Southbank Centre’s Refugee Week in June.
Save time to check out REPLAY: A limitless recycled playground, which is part installation, part adventure play area, built entirely out of repurposed waste materials. The space is designed to be moved, changed, worn and re-imaginged any way you fancy as you play (to June 1, Royal Festival Hall).
The Vanishing Forest at the Polka Theatre
There’s a great new show coming to the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, with The Vanishing Forest running over May half-term.
A continuation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the magic is disappearing from the land as more and more trees are chopped down and Puck, Cassie and Mylas head off on a quest to find Oberon and Titania to restore wonder to the forest.
Using spells, puppetry and mystical flowers, the show mixes education about deforestation with creative inspiration through the new Shakespeare-infused opera. Aimed at age 7-12, runs from May 24 to June 1.
The Elmer Adventure/The Smeds and the Smoos at the Arts Depot
Elmer the colourful elephant is coming to the Arts Depot in North London, in a lovely production for younger theatre-goers, complete with lots of interactive fun, as one of the May half-term productions for families.
The Elmer Adventure is aimed at kids aged 3+, with songs, storytelling and puppetry. The show lasts for 60 minutes and runs from May 23-25 – wear your brightest clothes!
Or The Smeds and The Smoos brings the much-loved book from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler to life, with plenty of music along with the story of a Smed and a Smoo who fall in love – despite the fact that everyone knows Smeds and Smoos can’t be friends. For age 3+, from May 27 – June 1.
More May half-term days out with kids in London: ongoing
The World of Tim Burton exhibition, Design Museum
The Design Museum exhibition The World of Tim Burton has been extended until May 26 for your very last chance to visit at the start of May half-term.
Focusing on the eerie worlds created in his films, from The Nightmare Before Christmas to Sleepy Hollow and Edward Scissorhands, the exhibition includes 600 separate items featuring some of the director’s own personal archive of sketches, paintings, designs dating back to his childhood plus original costumes.
The exhibition has been touring in various locations worldwide over the past 10 years, and will be the only UK stop as well as it’s final showing.
Titanic: Echoes from the Past
If the sinking of the Titanic fascinates you, there’s a chance to experience it almost first-hand with the next VR immersive exhibition, Titanic: Echoes from the Past in Camden.
The experience mixes storytelling sharing the human stories behind the tragedy, reconstructions and historical fact to take you on a journey through the history of the famous ship.
With your VR headset on, you’ll dive 3,800m to the Atlantic ocean floor to witness the wreck, recover the lost film reels shot on the voyage by the Titanic’s official filmmaker, allowing you to experience key moments and spaces aboard ship – the closest you can possibly get to wandering the boat deck or stepping onto the ship’s Grand Staircase.
Suitable for kids aged 8+, the experience lasts 45 minutes.
Minecraft Experience
If your kids are Minecraft fans, there’s finally a chance to experience it in the real world, with the new immersive adventure in London.
Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue lets you practice your Minecrafting skills as well as exploring seven Minecraft rooms, then take on different challenges in your quest to save villagers from a zombie attack.
Plus, of course, plenty of opportunity to pick up lots of Minecraft merch. Currently booking until the end of August, at Corner Corner in Surrey Quays.
Moco Museum
Discover the world of modern and contemporary art at Moco Museum near Marble Arch, with collections featuring everyone from Picasso and Warhol to Banksy, Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and plenty more.
Packed with colourful and thought-provoking pieces, there’s also plenty of information to introduce kids (and adults!) to some of the biggest names in the art world over the past five decades. Best for tweens and teens.
Check out my full review of a visit to Moco Museum with kids
Frameless
The UK’s largest, permanent digital art exhibition in Marble Arch, Frameless lets kids – and big kids – experience artworks like never before.
Set within a 30,000 square foot space, with four separate galleries, visitors can discover key moments in art history, with state-of-the-art projection and motion sensor technology to bring to life work from artists including Cezanne, Kandinsky, Monet, Canaletto, Rembrandt and Klimt.
Twist Museum of Illusions
The illusions at Twist Museum are perfect for a rainy day during May half-term in London with kids – or a sunny one for that matter.
With over 60 exhibits showing different illusions and displays to trick all your different senses, the interactive experience is fun for all ages.
Check out our review of a visit to Twist Museum London with kids.
Paradox Museum
There still chance to defy gravity and play with the boundaries of space at Paradox Museum London, with tickets currently available to the end of June.
The museum promises to take you into an inexplicable and extraordinary world, where nothing seems logical – expect everything from optical illusions to challenging paradoxes.
Perfect for kids who are curious about the world – and a lot of fun for the whole family. Visits last around 90 minutes, and Paradox Museum is based at 90 Brompton Road. Free for kids under four.
For ideas of more things to do nearby in South Kensington, check out my top picks
Bubble Planet
Head to Wembley for one of the most fun activities in London this May half-term, at Bubble Planet.
In the immersive experience, now extended to the end of June, you’ll pass through themed rooms, fantastical landscapes and even try a hot air balloon flight simulator, as well as using VR technology to take you to another planet – with all 10 rooms having the common theme of bubbles.
For more things to do at Wembley Park with kids, check out my top picks
Cruise along the Thames
See some of the biggest sights in London from the water, with a great deal on City Cruises boat tours including sightseeing tours and themed cruises.
Check out the complete set of Thames cruises and experiences to book.
Terrible Thames boat tour
What do you get when you cross the creators of Horrible Histories with 2,000 years of drama along London’s riverbanks? The Terrible Thames cruise, which is running again during May half-term.
With tales of revolution, beheadings and pirates (and the stomach-turning reason why Queen Victoria’s pleasure cruise lasted only minutes), you sail from Tower Bridge to Westminster and back via Execution Dock, while prizewinning school-child Billy (or Billie) and their teacher perform and provide the commentary.
Check out what we thought of the Horrible Histories boat tour
Escape from the Golden Hinde
Head aboard The Golden Hinde – the replica of Sir Francis Drake’s ship on the Thames near London Bridge – for an escape room with a difference.
Escape from The Golden Hinde introduces you to the two histories of the ship – the original one which sailed in 1577, and the reconstruction built in the 1970s. Players have an hour to solve the puzzles, with half-term sessions on May 24 and 29. Aimed at kids aged 10+ although younger ages can also take part.
Check out my review of Escape from the Golden Hinde
The Tower Bridge Cat book trail
The Tower Bridge cat interactive trail through the Tower Bridge exhibition will be running daily during May half-term, letting you wander in the pawprints of Tower Bridge Cat Bella.
There’s also the chance to walk on the famous glass floor of the upper level as you soak up the views, and head into the engine room of London’s most famous bridge. Keep an eye out for the special family craft sessions which often take place during school holidays too.
Prebooking tickets is recommended, and you can also buy all the Tower Bridge Cat books here, including an ABC adventure that’s perfect for toddlers and pre-schoolers and stories for primary school age kids to enjoy.
For more things to do around Tower Bridge with kids, check out my top picks
CBeebies Rainbow Adventure
Head to Westfield London in White City for one of the most fun days out with younger kids this May in London with the CBeebies Rainbow Adventure.
The 55-minute immersive theatrical event mixes puppet, music, roleplay, problem solving and lots of fun for kids aged 0-6, with rooms themed around Hey Duggee, Bluey, Jojo and Gran Gran and Mr Tumble and Friends, as they search for the missing colours of the magical CBeebies Rainbow. There’s the chance to meet Bluey and Duggee as well.
If you’ve got babies and toddlers, there are also two sessions every Saturday and Sunday, which are only for children aged under 3 and their adults. Babes in arms are free.
Follow a Treasure Map Trail
These lovely colourful treasure hunt-style maps include three routes in central London – and there’s 10% off is you use the code MUMMYTRAVELS.
A fun way to explore London with kids, the hunts challenge you to spot all kinds of quirky sights, from signs and statues to carvings, all enlivened with a fun fantasy design to transform the real life streets.
There’s also plenty more to entertain kids during May half-term in London at the usual family attractions – check out my pick of the best things to do in London with kids including everything from Shrek’s Adventure and the Sea Life aquarium to HMS Belfast, the Sky Garden to the London Dungeon as well as ideas for a rainy day in London and free things to do in London,
*Updated 2025*
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission
Main image/National Maritime Museum/The Globe/Golden Hinde/South Bank courtesy of Depositphotos, City Cruises courtesy City Cruises, all others copyright MummyTravels
