You don’t have to travel far for things to do with the kids this half-term – from craft sessions to historical fun.
Crafts for Chinese New Year in Walworth
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with craft-making at Walworth’s new library.
Visit the newly opened Una Marson Library for this session – suitable for children aged 5 and over.
When? 10 February 2.30 pm to 4 pm
Where? Una Marson Library, 62 Thurlow Street, SE17 2GN
Admission: Free. (Open to all, no need to book)
Imagine Children’s Festival at Southbank Centre
Britain’s biggest children’s festival is returning to Southbank for ten days – and nearly half the shows are free.
Taking place across all Southbank Centre venues, the rich and diverse festival programme includes events for all ages ranging from children’s theatre to storytelling, comedy and poetry, dance theatre, interactive installations, DJ parties, book readings, puppetry and classical music.
There are more than 130 shows and activities on the programme – 40 per cent of which are free of charge.
View this year’s full programme here.
When? 7–17 February
Where? Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
Admission: Free
Learn about the ‘superwomen’ in science at this museum
The Florence Nightingale Museum is hosting a special exhibition this half-term.
Super Women in Stem will celebrate four trailblazing Victorian heroes; Ada Lovelace, Mary Anning, Mary Somerville and Florence Nightingale.
Kids can learn about these women’s inspiring work in statistics, astronomy, computer programming and palaeontology through hands-on activities, make-and-take crafts and interactive museum trails.
When? 10–18 February (closed Mon)
Where? Florence Nightingale Museum, 2 Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7EP
Admission: Kids £6; Adults £12
Chicken Run Funday at BFI Southbank
Free Chicken-Run-themed workshop for anyone who buys a ticket to the special family screening.
Bringing half term to a close is Aardman Animation’s latest feature film – Chicken Run: Return of the Nugget at at BFI Southbank.
Ahead of the screening, there’s a free drop-in arts and crafts workshop for kids in the foyer – with a Q&A by director Sam Fell.
When: Sunday 11 February (from 11:15 am, film starts at 12:30 pm)
Where? BFI Southbank,
Admission: £3.00 – £8.00 (workshop is free to ticket holders)
Take part in these ’70s-inspired family games
A free interactive game for families and young people – featuring dance-offs, quizzes and more.
The Intergenerational Game: Lunar New Year Edition is an interactive game for families and kids being hosted at the Southbank Centre.
Riffing on the 1970s TV show Generation Game, cross-disciplinary arts collective Orang Collectif presents this fun interactive family celebration full of games, dance-offs, quiz rounds and mass participatory fun.
Where? The Clore Ballroom, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
When? Saturday 10 February, 10.30 am & 1.30 pm
Admission: Free
Part of the Imagine Children’s Festival
Three Billy Goats Gruff in SE1
Following a successful run last Easter, Stiles and Drewe’s joyful hit musical returns to the Unicorn for a limited run.
“Baby, Middle and Big are three very hungry goats, and there is no grass left to eat on their side of the valley. Come on their adventure as together with Little Bo-Frilly they hatch a plan to cross the bridge to the lush green grass on the other side, they just need to outwit that horrible tricksy troll first.”
Directed by Justin Audibert and featuring music and lyrics by Olivier award-winning composers Stiles and Drewe (Mary Poppins, Honk!), this magical, fairy-tale show is the perfect first musical for young families.
Where? Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley St, SE1 2HZ
When? Sat 20 Jan – Sun 18 Feb
Admission: Under 18s £11 – £18.50 / Adults £16.50 – £27.50
The Kid’s Table
Drop the kids off for an afternoon of creating at Peckham Levels whilst you have some you-time.
The Kid’s Table is a pop-up children’s corner service that provides children 3 to 10 years old with crafts, games and creative tabletop fun (all supervised).
Where? Peckham Levels, 95a Rye Lane, SE15 4ST
When? Select Sundays from January – May, 12 pm – 4 pm
Admission: Free (for customers visiting Peckham Levels)
Let the kids let off steam at these local playgrounds
Sometimes a good old-fashioned run around is all kids need – and where better than these parks on your doorstep?
- Jubilee Gardens, Belvedere Rd, SE1 7PG
- Archbishop’s Park (behind Lambeth Palace and Evelina Children’s Hospital)
- Bankside Open Spaces Trust, SE1 1HA
- Bethwin Road Adventure Playground, SE5 0HF
- Mint Street Adventure Playground, SE1 0AS
- Peckham Rye Adventure Playground, SE22 0SB
- Peckham Rye Common, SE15 3UH
- Spa Gardens Adventure Playground, SE1 3EB
- Surrey Docks Adventure Playground, SE16 2LN