Mums do travel

Travel with and without teens

  • Home
  • Destination
    • UK
      • London
      • Kent
      • Northern Ireland
      • Wales
      • Elsewhere
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Croatia
      • France
      • Gibraltar
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Italy
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • USA
      • Canada
      • Carribean
      • Costa Rica
    • Africa
      • South Africa
      • Tunisia
    • Asia
      • Thailand
      • Bali
      • Singapore
    • Australia
  • Inspiration
    • Things to do in…
    • Things to do in London…
    • Where to stay
    • Language learning
    • Family travel interviews
    • The journey
    • Recipes
  • Published in
  • About
  • Contact
  • Travel shop
Home / Destination / Europe / UK / London / Things to do in London with kids / Things to do in London with kids: February

Things to do in London with kids: February

January 20, 2020 by Gretta Schifano 12 Comments

London’s a great place for a family day out at any time of year. This month, as ever, there are loads of fun things happening in the capital, plus spring’s nearly here, the kids have a week’s half-term holiday and it’s Pancake Day. Marvellous.

Pancakes

Here’s my pick of the excellent things to do in London in February 2020.

Ideas and inspiration for the best things to do in London on a family day out in February. Ideas for events, activities, exhibitions, festivals and more for children and teenagers. Includes free events. Click through for full details of the top things to do in the capital.

Southbank: Imagine Children’s Festival

Imagine Children’s Festival is the Southbank Centre’s annual children’s arts festival, and this year it runs from 12th – 23rd February. The festival features the best in children’s literature, theatre and music and there are plenty of workshops and activities for kids up to the age of 12 years old. Highlights for 2020 include an Earth Activity Trail, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and appearances by Michael Rosen, Dermot O’Leary, Cressida Cowell and Konnie Huq. Many of the festival’s events and activities are free.

Cost: Varies according to activity.

National Maritime Museum: Rainbow Week

Each February the National Maritime Museum celebrates LGBT history month. This year the museum’s hosting a week of free LGBT themed workshops and events for families during Rainbow Week, from 15th – 23rd February

Cost: Free.

London Zoo: Vets in Action

London Zoo is run by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) charity, which works for the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. The zoo is home to more than 16,000 animals, from lions, penguins and giraffes to seahorses, butterflies and komodo dragons. You can read about our family trip to London Zoo here.

From 15th -23rd February 2020 visitors to the zoo can step into the shoes of the vets, nurses and zookeepers who treat the patients of the zoo’s animal hospital at Vets in Action role-play events. It’s free to take part in this activity once you’ve paid to enter the zoo.

Cost: Ticket prices for ZSL vary according to date, so it’s hard to work out how much they are, but adult tickets seem to start from £20.45, children from £15.95, if booked online in advance. Under-threes are free.

Penguin Beach Live, London Zoo. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Penguin Beach Live, London Zoo. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Horniman Museum: Permiam Monsters

Permian Monsters: Life Before the Dinosaurs is a new exhibition at the Horniman Museum and Gardens from 15th February – Sunday 1st November 2020. The exhibition brings the amazing animals of the Permian period back to life through fossil skeletons, full-size models and animatronics. Visitors can also sift through interactive dig pits, get creative in an art area, and see a collection of artwork offering a glimpse back in time through the eyes of award-winning palaeoartist Julius Csotonyi.

Cost: Adults £9.00, children from £5.00, under-threes free.

Postal Museum

The interactive galleries at the Postal Museum cover 500 years of postal history. A highlight is the miniature train which carries you through the narrow tunnels of the historical Post Office underground railway. Inspired by its temporary exhibition The Great Train Robbery: Crime and The Post, from 17th – 22nd February 2020 the Postal Museum is offering a programme of fun and interactive activities to inspire curious minded kids. Highlights include making a wax sealed letter, sensory storytelling and a detective training trail.

Cost: Adult from £16.00, child from £9.00.

New Mail Rail passenger train © The Postal Museum, London

New Mail Rail passenger train © The Postal Museum, London

Pancake Day

Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is always the day before Lent begins – in 2020 it’s on February 25th. In the western Christian tradition Lent is a time to give things up and so the day before Lent is a time to indulge. Some countries (such as Brazil and Italy) celebrate with a carnival at this time but here in the UK we generally just eat pancakes and, in some places, have pancake races to raise money for charity. If you’d like to take part in or watch a race, you can find details of this year’s London charity pancake races on the Visit London website.

London International Mime Festival

The London International Mime Festival showcases the best contemporary visual theatre, including cutting edge circus-theatre, animation and puppetry, mask, physical and object theatre. The festival runs until 2nd February 2020, and there are performances at various venues across the city. Artists from around the world and some of Britain’s emerging talents are taking part, as well as established names.

Cost: Varies according to performance.

London International Mime Festival artists: Ockham's Razor - Tipping Point 2 Image © Nik Mackey

London International Mime Festival artists: Ockham’s Razor – Tipping Point 2 Image © Nik Mackey

Somerset House 24/7

Somerset House’s major winter exhibition 24/7 explores our inability to switch off from our 24/7 culture. The exhibition features a host of immersive works which explore the unrelenting pressure to consume and produce. One of the works allows you to be wrapped in a copper blanket, to block any electro-magnetic signal getting to you, and you can also learn about the experience of an artist who went for six months with no internet access. Until 23rd February 2020.

Cost: Adults £14, students £11.00 under-12s free.

Somerset House 24/7 exhibition, London. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Somerset House 24/7 exhibition, London. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Royal Opera House

Live at Lunch is a series of free lunchtime performances inspired by the Royal Opera House’s heritage and its operas and ballets. Artists from the ROH as well as guest artists perform from 1pm on specific dates until 28th February, 2020. Performances take place in newly opened-up spaces of the Royal Opera House.

Cost: Free.

Lightopia

Chiswick House and Gardens is hosting Lightopia, a new immersive lantern and light trail, until March 1st 2020 from Wednesday to Sunday. The spectacle includes acrobats, musicians and three-storey high lanterns, and has previously been staged in Manchester and Edinburgh.

Cost: Adult from £20, child from £13, if booked online in advance.

Sculpture in the City

Sculpture in the City is an annual event featuring contemporary works by internationally renowned artists. The works are displayed in public areas in the City of London. The art works from the 9th edition of the event are in place until April 2020. You can find out more about the pieces on display here.

Cost: Free.

More on London

If you’d like a moneysaving sightseeing pass for your trip to the city, The London Pass includes a one-day hop-on hop-off bus tour, as well as free entry to more than 80 attractions, tours and museums, such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and The View from The Shard. The pass also gives you fast-track entry at some of the most popular attractions, so you don’t have to waste time queueing.

If you’d like a London guide book, I recommend both the Lonely Planet London Travel Guide and the London Marco Polo Travel Guide. If you need accommodation, check out my post about family-friendly places to stay in the capital.

Each month I publish a round-up of great things to do in London, so do pop back to see it, or you can subscribe to my blog (by entering your email address in the box on the right, where it says ‘YOU’D LIKE MY POSTS BY EMAIL?’) and it will be emailed to you automatically. You can read my March round-up of top things to do in the city here:

Things to do in London with kids: March

Here’s a post with loads of ideas for fantastic free stuff to do in London for families with a teen in tow:

60 free things to do in London with a teenager

Over to you

Do you have any tips to share for great things to see or do in London this month or any other month? Do share so that I can include your recommendations.

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links, which means that if you clicked through and made a purchase I may receive a small commission. All opinions and words are my own, as ever.

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related

Categories: Things to do in London with kids
Tags: Horniman Museum, Imagine Children's Festival, London Zoo, National Maritime Museum, Postal Museum, Science Museum, Somerset House

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.

Facebook - Twitter - Google+

Subscribe to posts by email?

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Comments

  1. Fernando says

    January 24, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    Thank you for the tips.
    About the Chinese New Year, it is a big event in London or just a local festival that usually isn’t “full of tourists”?

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 25, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      It’s a big event for the local community and is also popular with visitors.

      Reply
  2. Stella Wilson says

    January 24, 2019 at 2:10 pm

    thanks Gretta, love your list.. specially I will use london pass as recommended by you

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 25, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      That’s good to hear, thank you.

      Reply
  3. Nell (Pigeon Pair & Me) says

    January 24, 2019 at 9:50 am

    The Science Museum exhibition sounds terrific. I’m still waiting to hear if we’ll be away over half term, but if not, that’s definitely going into the diary.
    Nell (Pigeon Pair & Me) recently posted…Places to stay in Brittany, France: Villa Les Hydrangéas, in Perros Guirec on the Pink Granite CoastMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 25, 2019 at 12:32 pm

      It does sound excellent – let me know what you think about it, if you go.

      Reply
  4. Annabel says

    February 8, 2018 at 9:27 pm

    Thanks for the tip on wearing something red for Chinese New Year, can’t wait to take my boys there, although slightly apprehensive about the crowds!

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      February 9, 2018 at 11:26 am

      I think it’s all quite spread out, so hopefully you can avoid parts which are too crowded.

      Reply
  5. Anwar Hussain says

    June 2, 2017 at 10:00 am

    I will visit your website. So nice.

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      June 2, 2017 at 2:18 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  6. Siobhan says

    January 31, 2017 at 6:10 am

    Hi Greta. Great list. I’m looking forward to taking Kitty and a friend to the ZSL ‘vet training’ at Whipsnade. Have a great Feb. Siobhan
    Siobhan recently posted…Fun for kids this FebruaryMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 31, 2017 at 11:13 am

      Thanks Siobahn – have fun!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Blogs to banish winter blues – Anna Whitehouse writing says:
    February 10, 2017 at 3:38 pm

    […] my hubby and teen in a week, I immediately spotted  Family friendly places to stay in London and Things to do in London with kids. Perfect. The rest of her blog is  equally family friendly, so I’ll be […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Search site

Follow me!

Email: gretta at mumsdotravel dot com
Follow me on FacebookFollow me on Google+Follow me on TwitterFollow me on InstagramFollow me on YouTubeFollow me on PinterestFollow me on Bloglovin

You'd like posts by email?

Booking.com

Most popular posts:

  • How to pack for an 8 kg luggage allowance
    How to pack for an 8 kg luggage allowance
  • Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
    Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
  • Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
    Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
  • 5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
    5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
  • Itinerary for a three-night Berlin sightseeing trip with a teenager
    Itinerary for a three-night Berlin sightseeing trip with a teenager
  • 5 of the best: UK castles for family stays
    5 of the best: UK castles for family stays
  • What to do when your teenager doesn't want to go on your family holiday
    What to do when your teenager doesn't want to go on your family holiday
  • 17 places to find the world of Harry Potter in London
    17 places to find the world of Harry Potter in London
  • Jane Austen tour: the places where she lived and wrote
    Jane Austen tour: the places where she lived and wrote
  • A weekend in Kraków, Poland
    A weekend in Kraków, Poland

Recent Posts

  • How to apply for Italian citizenship: everything we’ve done so far
  • How to explore London’s top attractions from home
  • Amsterdam virtual museum & gallery tours
  • Introducing Armchair Travels
  • How to explore Florence, Italy, from home

About

  • About
  • Published in
  • Contact

Disclosure

This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

Copyright © Mums do travel 2019
Header by Suzanne Barton
Website by
Callia Web

Sign up for my free newsletter:
Subscribe to the Mums do travel mailing list... it's FREE!
You'll receive family travel news, offers and competitions. Once you sign up you can download my tips for saving money on family travel.
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
Sign up for my free newsletter: