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Home / Tips & ideas / Seasonal / Things to do in London with kids: April

Things to do in London with kids: April

March 31, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 20 Comments

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Beefeaters at the Tower of London. Copyright Gretta Schifano

London is a great place to visit at any time of year. Here’s my pick of the top things to do with kids in the capital this month.

Easter egg trails

There are Easter egg trails on offer all over the place, including at National Trust properties  from April 3rd – 6th, 2015. More than a quarter of a million chocolate goodies have been delivered to National Trust properties in time for Easter. There are Easter Egg Trails at Sutton House in Hackney, Fenton House in Hampstead, Ham House and Garden in Richmond and at many other places – to find your nearest trail click here.

Cost: Normal admission fees apply and the trails cost between £1.50 and £4.00 per person.

There's chocolate hidden a;; over the place for the National Trust Easter Egg Trails. Image courtesy of National Trust.

There’s chocolate hidden all over the place for the National Trust Easter Egg Trails. Image courtesy of National Trust.

In with the Lemurs

There’s a new lemur enclosure at London Zoo housing a troop of 16 lemurs. Visitors can walk through the enclosure and get close to the resident 15 ring-tail lemurs and one black and white ruffled lemur, both of which are endangered species. It’s best to pre-book for In with the Lemurs and entry is included in the price of your ticket for the zoo.

Cost: Online bookings for London Zoo cost from £22.50 for adults and from £16.65 for 3 to 15 year-olds.

All Aboard

All Aboard is a new play area at Covent Garden’s excellent London Transport Museum and it sounds brilliant. The play area is designed for children from 0-7 years old and includes an interactive wall for babies, a mini fleet of London vehicles to engage with and a busking spot with musical instruments. Kids can even make driver announcements and help at the mini information desk.

Cost: Free for 0 -17 year olds, £16 for adults – but your ticket is valid for a year.

London Transport Museum. Copyright Gretta Schifano

London Transport Museum. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Sea Dragons

I was entranced when I saw my first sea dragon at Florida’s SeaWorld, especially as I’d just been reading the How to Train Your Dragon books with my son. This month there’s a new Sea Dragon Kingdom at SEA LIFE London Aquarium where visitors can learn all about these amazing creatures.

Cost: You can save 10% by booking online. Online standard tickets cost from £19.98 for adults and from £14.41 for 3 to 15 year-olds. Under-3s can enter for free.

Cinderella

Disney’s new Cinderella film has just been released in the UK and London’s Leicester Square is hosting a free Cinderella exhibition about the making of the film. Exhibits include more than 100 props and more than 30 costumes from the film. You need to book in advance and the exhibition runs from March 21st until April 10th 2015.

Cost: Free

Coral reefs

Coral Reefs: Secret Cities of the Sea is a new temporary exhibition at the Natural History Museum. The exhibition runs from now until September 13th, 2015 and gives visitors the chance to learn about why coral reefs are so important and what lives on them: apparently they are home to almost a quarter of all marine species.

Cost: £10.00 for adults, £4.50 for children.

Shaun in the City

Following the release of the Shaun the Sheep Movie you can find Shaun around London. From now until 25th May, 2015 there are fifty individual sculptures of Shaun in iconic locations around the city centre (we spotted one at the Tower of London yesterday). The sculptures have all been decorated by artists, designers and celebrities. Once the Shaun in the City trail has ended the flock will be auctioned to raise money for children in hospital in the UK.

Cost: Free

Shaun the Sheep at the Tower of London. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Shaun the Sheep at the Tower of London. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Udderbelly

The Udderbelly Festival is back at the Southbank Centre for its sixth year from 9th April until to 19th July 2015. The temporary venue next to the Thames centres on a giant, purple, upturned cow and is host to a comedy and cabaret festival. There’s a kids’ comedy club, circus performances, theatre shows, food stalls and much more on offer.

Cost: Varies

St George’s Day

St George is the patron saint of England and St George’s day is April 23rd. You can celebrate the Feast of St George at a free event at Trafalgar Square on Saturday April 25th from midday until 6pm. There will be live performances from musicians and entertainers, traditional English food stalls and workshops, arts and crafts stalls, a banqueting area and a marquee with family activities.

Cost: Free

Magna Carta

This year is the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta, one of the most famous documents in the world. The Magna Carta established the principle that everyone is subject to the rule of law – even the monarch. Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy is an exhibition at the British Library which is running until September 1st, 2015. There’s a free audio guide for children at the exhibition.

Cost: free for under-18s, £12 for adults.

Quotation from the Magna Carta.

Quotation from the Magna Carta.

Swan Lake

The English National Ballet is presenting Swan Lake at the Peacock Theatre as part of its My First Ballet series. These performances are created specifically for children from three years-old. The dancers are second year students from the English National Ballet School and the ballet is showing from April 2nd – 12th, 2015.

Cost: Varies but family tickets (for four people) cost from £65.

This one isn’t quite London but it’s very nearby and it’s very exciting….

Hogwarts Express

The Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio is just outside London. There’s a new 20,000ft² expansion at the studios to house the 78 year-old steam engine which was used as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films as well as a recreation of Platform 9 ¾.

Cost: You have to book online in advance and the cost depends on when you’re going. Children under 5 years-old go free but still need to have a ticket booked.

Travel and accommodation

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

How about you?

Do you have any plans for a family trip to London this April? What are your favourite things to do in London with kids?

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Related

Categories: Seasonal, Things to do in London with kids
Tags: family-friendly London, London days out

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. Kara says

    April 7, 2015 at 8:49 am

    I really want to take Eliza to do the Cinderella exhibition
    Kara recently posted…A Day out at Stonebarrow Hill and climbing Golden CapMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Ryan Costello says

    April 6, 2015 at 8:00 pm

    We used to spend so much time in London as a couple and haven’t once been since we had our first child 2 years ago. Not once. We just haven’t taken the plunge. We get free rail travel too so I don’t know why. Seeing your tips keeps encouraging us and I think we will this summer.
    Ryan Costello recently posted…Easter Red Velvet Cupcakes RecipeMy Profile

    Reply
  3. Sylvia @ Happiness is homemade says

    April 5, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    I love London! There is always something to do there with or without kids and often for free! 🙂
    Sylvia @ Happiness is homemade recently posted…Where to eat in London? INITO – Indian Restaurant (Spitalfields) #reviewMy Profile

    Reply
  4. Nell@PigeonPairandMe.com says

    April 4, 2015 at 4:09 pm

    What a fantastic list – we’d have a super month if we only made it to a fraction of these. I do like the sound of the beginners’ ballet.
    Nell@PigeonPairandMe.com recently posted…Viva La Dad – SS15 menswearMy Profile

    Reply
  5. Agata says

    April 3, 2015 at 1:22 pm

    Cinderella exhibition sounds like something for me. I would love to see it; good job we still have three weeks to pop by.
    Agata recently posted…The one about the cow cupMy Profile

    Reply
  6. Jen aka Muminthemadhouse says

    April 2, 2015 at 8:30 pm

    So many fab ideas,. I wish we lived more local to LONDON
    Jen aka Muminthemadhouse recently posted…Maxi turns tenMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Globalmouse says

    April 2, 2015 at 6:57 pm

    I love all your ideas – so much inspiration. I hope to get up to find a few Shauns!!
    Globalmouse recently posted…A day trip to Leeds Castle, KentMy Profile

    Reply
  8. VaiChin @RamblingThroughParenthood says

    April 1, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    Fantastic list! Thanks so much for sharing. My son will love the buses at the Transport museum.
    VaiChin @RamblingThroughParenthood recently posted…School Run Colours 01/04/15 – Think ThingsMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Jaime Oliver says

    April 1, 2015 at 8:28 am

    oh my goodness my little guy just saw the Shaun in the city and got so excited! … we are big Shaun fans so this we would love to do!
    Jaime Oliver recently posted…Is Learning To Drive Harder Today?My Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      April 2, 2015 at 11:00 am

      Brilliant – I’m sure he’d love finding Shaun!

      Reply
  10. Cathy (MummyTravels) says

    April 1, 2015 at 6:25 am

    Oh that’s interesting about the transport museum – hadn’t been sure my two-year-old would enjoy it otherwise. And I love the sound of the lemur enclosure.

    Reply
  11. Rebecca Smith says

    March 31, 2015 at 9:16 pm

    Looks like so much to do! Definitely considering the Shaun The Sheep activity!
    Rebecca Smith recently posted…How To Make Extra Money Via Side HustlesMy Profile

    Reply
  12. Michelle says

    March 31, 2015 at 7:32 pm

    So many fantastic ideas! I wish I was closer to London! xx

    Reply
  13. Hannah Staveley says

    March 31, 2015 at 7:31 pm

    Love London but will not take my kids yet as too young

    Reply
  14. lisa prince says

    March 31, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    some amazing ideas there i just wish i could take my family to london , its a lovely place

    Reply
  15. Boo Roo and Tigger Too says

    March 31, 2015 at 5:29 pm

    So much to do this month, my daughter would love the Cinderella exhibition
    Boo Roo and Tigger Too recently posted…Family Finances #MoneyConfidentMy Profile

    Reply
  16. Sarah Bailey says

    March 31, 2015 at 4:50 pm

    It sounds like there is so much to do – I would love to make it down to London again soon and start an adventure.
    Sarah Bailey recently posted…Win £20 to spend at Amazon with OptimaxMy Profile

    Reply
  17. The Diary Of A Jewellery Lover says

    March 31, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    There is so much to do in London for children (and adults) over Easter. The London Transport Museum is fab and I would love to go to the Warner Bros Studios. Thanks for a great post.
    The Diary Of A Jewellery Lover recently posted…Degustabox For MarchMy Profile

    Reply
  18. Lucy Dorrington says

    March 31, 2015 at 11:51 am

    I like the idea of the All Aboard play area. It always seems to be harder to find things to keep boys amused, so this would be perfect!
    Lucy Dorrington recently posted…Shared Parental LeaveMy Profile

    Reply
  19. angela hamilton says

    March 31, 2015 at 11:47 am

    oh wow I wish i was closer to London now after reading this. Fab ideas xx
    angela hamilton recently posted…How To Live For FreeMy Profile

    Reply

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