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Home / Type of trip / City / Things to do in London with kids: February

Things to do in London with kids: February

February 6, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 21 Comments

Red phone boxes. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Red phone boxes. Copyright Gretta Schifano

London is a great place for a family day out at any time of year. Here are just some of the family-friendly things to do in the capital this month.

Chinese New Year

London’s Chinese New Year Celebrations are the biggest outside of Asia. In 2015 Chinese New Year is on Thursday February 19th and is the Year of the Sheep. On Saturday 21st February the National Gallery is hosting a range of free family activities to celebrate Chinese New Year.

On Sunday 22nd February there will be celebrations in Chinatown and Trafalgar Square from 10am until 6pm. A New Year’s Parade starts at 10am in Trafalgar Square and will make its way through the West End before reaching Chinatown. There will also be celebrations in Trafalgar Square from midday including acrobatics, traditional dances and a lion dance on high poles. Chinatown itself will be busy with traditional craft and food stalls and a lion dance snaking it’s way through the streets. Find out more here.

Cost: Free

Imagine Children’s Festival

The Southbank Centre’s annual two-week children’s festival is running from Monday February 9th until Sunday February 22nd. There will be readings by top authors such as Judith Kerr, Lauren Child and Anthony Horowitz as well as world-class orchestras giving child-friendly performances and the London premiere of a children’s opera which was first performed by the children of Theresienstadt concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. There will also be a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. There are free and ticketed events on offer for young people of all ages. For more details click here.

Cost: Varies

Out of This World Activity Mornings

The Royal Observatory at Greenwich is offering the over-5s the chance to join astronomers for a morning of fun activities on Monday February 16th and Tuesday February 17th from 10.00am until 12.30pm. Tickets include a planetarium show, workshops to learn about dwarf planets and asteroids and entry to the Royal Observatory’s North Site and the Meridian Line. For more information and to book go to the Royal Observatory website.

Cost: £5 per child.

The Shard

If you’ve been putting off going up The Shard because it’s too pricey then this February halt term could be the perfect time for you to brave the skyscraper’s 800ft high viewing area. The iconic London Bridge landmark is offering two free children’s tickets for each full-paying adult from Monday 16th until Sunday 22nd February. There are more details here.

Cost: Adults from £24.95 and under-16s from £18.95 (or free with an adult during half term) if booked at least the day before.

The Shard. Copyright Gretta Schifano

The Shard. Copyright Gretta Schifano

National Portrait Gallery

From 12th February until  25th May there’s a major John Singer Sargent exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery called Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends. There are a couple of Sargent-inspired events for kids on 17th February at 11.30am and at 2.30pm. Children of five years-old and above can learn how to create an animation about friends using post-it notes. Tickets are free and are available an hour before each event. There are 20 places for each event. The details are here.

Cost: Free

Museum of London Docklands

There’s a free programme of family events at the Museum of London Docklands during the half term week including workshops, art drop-ins as well as events for the under-5s. There’s also a special family day for Chinese New Year on Thursday February 19th. The details are here.

Cost: Free

Museum of Childhood

There are some fantastic workshops on offer at the V&A’s Museum of Childhood from Monday 16th to Friday 20th February. The Miniature Worlds workshops are inspired by the museum’s current exhibition Small Stories: At Home In A Dolls’ House. Children can create tiny tea-time treats, a mini match-box room and try on costumes inspired by the dolls house exhibition characters. Full information here.

Cost: Free

LEGO Bricks in the Sky

The ArcelorMittal Orbit has an exhibition of London landmarks made entirely from LEGO® bricks from 15th to 22nd February. Iconic London landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben and The O2 have been recreated inside the UK’s tallest sculpture. The ArcelorMittal Orbit offers wonderful views across London from its 80m high viewing platform in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Professional LEGO artist Warren Elsmore will ‘live build’ a 2m tall scale model of the ArcelorMittal Orbit using 100,000 tiny bricks. There will also be a stash of bricks for visitors to play with. Full details here.

Cost: From £11.95 for adults, from £5.95 for under-16s.

ArcelorMittal Orbit from below. Image courtesy of ArcelorMittal Orbit

ArcelorMittal Orbit from below. Image courtesy of ArcelorMittal Orbit

HMS Belfast

If your kids would like to design their own T-shirts inspired by traditional Navy tattoos then take them on board HMS Belfast. The WWII warship is now a museum ship and is permanently moored on the Thames. From Saturday 14th until Sunday 22nd February there will be free tattoo T-shirt workshops running every day on the ship from 11am until 12.30pm and from 2pm until 4pm. During the workshops you’ll learn about the history of Navy tattoos as well as the vital role played by HMS Belfast in Operation Overlord, the largest naval, air and land operation in history. There are more details here.

Cost: HMS Belfast entrance is £16.00 for adults and £8.00 for under-16s. The T-shirt workshop is free.

Roald Dahl Picture Book Week

The focus is on Roald Dahl’s picture books at the Discover Children’s Story Centre in Stratford from Saturday 14th to Sunday 22nd February. There will be story time, mask-making and author-illustrator visits from Christopher William Hill (Tales from Schwartzgarten), Guy Bass (Frog the Barbarian) and Chloe Inkpen (Zoe and Beans). Details of the event are here.

Cost: £5 per person, free for under-2s.

Plantastic

A new family-friendly exhibition opens at the Horniman Museum on February 14th. Plantastic brings the miniature world of plants to life on a giant scale. From how a bee sees the world to how a plant can move even though it’s rooted to the ground Plantastic uses interactive exhibits and games to help you to learn about the world of plants and how essential they are to our survival. Details of the exhibition are here.

Cost: From £6.50 for adults, from £3.50 for children.

The Art of the Brick

This is another one for LEGO fans: Artist Nathan Sawaya has used more than a million LEGO bricks to create the sculptures on display in an amazing exhibition called The Art of the Brick. Ther exhibition includes more than 80 sculptures ranging from replicas of well-known works of art, such as the Mona Lisa, to more conceptual pieces, such as a torso splitting in two. There’s also an interactive area where you can have a go at building LEGO sculptures yourself. The Art of the Brick exhibition has been extended until April 12th, 2015 and is at the Old Truman Brewery.

Cost: From £14.50 for adults, from £8.00 for children age 3-12 years.

THE ART OF THE BRICK by Nathan Sawaya. Image courtesy of Jane Hobson

THE ART OF THE BRICK by Nathan Sawaya. Image courtesy of Jane Hobson

Discounts

If you travel to London by train you can get two-for-one entry via the Days Out Guide website at a host of attractions including HMS Belfast, the ArcelorMittal Orbit and many more. Simply download vouchers from the website and then show them with your valid train ticket to receive the discount before you pay for entrance to the attraction.

Travel and accommodation

Children travel for free or at discounted rates on public transport in London. Full details here. If you’re looking for family-friendly places to stay in London you can read my round-up here.

Over to you

Do you have plans for family days out in London this month? What are your favourite things to do in London with kids at this time of year?

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Related

Categories: City, Seasonal, Things to do in London with kids
Tags: Chinese New Year, February half term, Imagine Children's Festival

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

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Comments

  1. Amreen Ahmed says

    February 16, 2015 at 3:31 pm

    I would like to take my kids (5,7 and 13 years old boys) on Sunday for Chinese new year, I am just wondering is it going to be too packed or is it good fun day for kids?

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      February 16, 2015 at 5:47 pm

      I haven’t actually been but it sounds like it’s a fun day and there will be loads of things for them to see.

      Reply
  2. Kirstie says

    February 15, 2015 at 6:29 pm

    The Lego exhibition looks good! Hoping to catch Chinese New Year celebrations in Manchester this week.

    Reply
  3. Fritha says

    February 14, 2015 at 7:55 pm

    I really love London, there is so much to do. I imagine it would be such a great place to be a child too. We are going next month x
    Fritha recently posted…My VillageMy Profile

    Reply
  4. Sylvia @ Happiness is homemade says

    February 9, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    London is great, there is always something happening around for every age 🙂 I love coming down now and then to wander around 🙂
    Sylvia @ Happiness is homemade recently posted…How to connect Instagram with your blog Facebook page (on Iphone).My Profile

    Reply
  5. Charlotte Braithwaite says

    February 9, 2015 at 10:21 am

    You’re a SUPERSTAR – I need places to take Hayden not just for half term but in general around London. These are brilliant, I will add these to my list.
    Thanks for sharing sugar!
    Charlotte x
    Charlotte Braithwaite recently posted…Bluestone Wales National Park UK BreaksMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      February 9, 2015 at 12:41 pm

      You’re very welcome – let me know how you get on if you go to any of them!

      Reply
  6. Ryan Costello says

    February 8, 2015 at 9:50 pm

    Forget the kids… I need to go and see the Art of the Brick ASAP!
    Ryan Costello recently posted…Bluestone Wales ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Michelle says

    February 8, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    There really are so many things to do! I’m looking forward to when my boy is a bit older so we can take him for London days out 🙂 xx

    Reply
  8. oana79 says

    February 8, 2015 at 4:38 pm

    I wish we lived closer, such a wonderful array of activities! I would love to take Emma to the LEGO exhibition and to celebrate the Chinese New Year with her there, she loves everything Chinese this year!xx
    oana79 recently posted…Emma’s January ReviewsMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Ness says

    February 8, 2015 at 1:18 pm

    We’re back in London next week so I’ll have to check some of these out.
    Ness recently posted…Sunday Snap – The Royal ParkMy Profile

    Reply
  10. The Diary Of A Jewellery Lover says

    February 8, 2015 at 11:59 am

    Some brilliant things to do here. I have yet to go to the Shard so this would be on my list when I go to London next.
    The Diary Of A Jewellery Lover recently posted…Seriously Sexy Kitchens And AccessoriesMy Profile

    Reply
  11. Rachel @ Parenthood Highs and Lows says

    February 8, 2015 at 11:27 am

    Some great things to do!! I’ve never been to London!
    Rachel @ Parenthood Highs and Lows recently posted…Project 365: Week 6My Profile

    Reply
  12. Kara says

    February 8, 2015 at 7:17 am

    I am desperate to do the Shard – thanks for the tip off
    Kara recently posted…Project 365 2015 – Week 6My Profile

    Reply
  13. Otilia says

    February 8, 2015 at 7:10 am

    You are so right London is a great place! One of the best in the whole world and i miss it so much!
    Otilia recently posted…Home Spring Inspiration – Shades of BlueMy Profile

    Reply
  14. Mina Joshi says

    February 7, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    So many things to do in London. A visit to the Shard sounds great.
    Mina Joshi recently posted…Review: Salicylic Acid 2% Daily Gentle PeelMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Phoebe @ Lou Messugo says

    February 7, 2015 at 4:38 pm

    Oh you’ve made me want to go to London so much. I try and take my kids about once a year as it’s just such a great place and I want them to know and love it like I do. So many great things. I love the sound of the lego bricks in the sky, the Sargent exhibition, the Roald Dahl week, the art of the brick and Chinese new year. We’re very spoilt where I live in the south of France with natural wonders, weather and outdoor life but don’t have nearly as much choice as this for indoor stuff and cultural exhibitions etc with kids. A really fab list Greta!
    Phoebe @ Lou Messugo recently posted…Valentine’s Day in FranceMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      February 7, 2015 at 11:13 pm

      Thank you Phoebe, I’m glad that you like it. It’s great that you manage to visit once a year and that where you live is lovely too.

      Reply
  16. Jen aka Muminthemadhouse says

    February 7, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    We loved the Art of Brick and it is worth visiting before it closes
    Jen aka Muminthemadhouse recently posted…40 Amazing pancake toppings and Win a pancake packMy Profile

    Reply
  17. Ninjakillercat.co.uk says

    February 7, 2015 at 2:06 pm

    Not going London this half term but we do want to go up the Shard

    Reply
  18. Polka Dot Family says

    February 7, 2015 at 1:17 pm

    Such a variety of things to do in London this half term, I’m hoping that I’ll be able to take the children into the capital for a day.
    Polka Dot Family recently posted…Harry Potter Book NightMy Profile

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. World First Travel Insurance Blog » Blog Archive The World First Wander – the Internet’s best travel blogs says:
    February 13, 2015 at 9:07 am

    […] If you are in the London area then Mums Do travel has a few ideas for you in their latest post, Things to do in London with Kids: February. The Art of the Brick exhibition at the Old Truman Brewery on brick Lane looks amazing. If your […]

    Reply

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