15 Things to Do in London With Kids in June

June’s perfect for London family adventures with extended daylight and warm weather. You’ll find magical experiences at Dulwich Park’s Fairy & Pixie Land, hands-on creativity at the LEGO Play Pavilion in Kensington Gardens, and mesmerizing views from the London Eye. Don’t miss the free animal puppet performances crossing Tower Bridge or exploring ancient treasures at the British Museum. Add royal tradition with the Changing of the King’s Life Guard ceremony for unforgettable memories that’ll spark your children’s curiosity about countless other possibilities.

Explore the London Festival of Architecture With Family Events

Looking for an adventure that combines creativity, play, and city exploration? The London Festival of Architecture runs throughout June with 55 exhibitions, 80+ workshops, and 20 installations—many designed specifically for families.

Head to Leicester Square Gardens for Play Place, a giant puzzle-style playground by Delve Architects that encourages climbing and imaginative games. While you’re there, explore the Scenes in the Square statue trail featuring Harry Potter and Paddington characters.

Join hands-on workshops like “Voice your world with Lego” at Barnet libraries, where kids aged 3+ can build and tell stories without booking ahead. Don’t miss the storytelling session Rhyme Time – Straw, Sticks and Bricks at New Barnet Library, which connects classic tales to the architecture festival theme.

Pi Park offers timber structures and 3D-printed sculptures with family workshops exploring math and engineering.

Most events are free or low-cost, making them perfect for budget-friendly half-term adventures.

Join the Great Exhibition Road Festival’s Interactive Activities

Where else can your kids paint alongside live artists while scientists explain quantum physics through dance moves? The Great Exhibition Road Festival transforms South Kensington into a free science playground every June weekend.

Your little ones can enjoy real research projects in the Be a Scientist Zone, while teens explore mosquito biology in the NextGen Zone designed specifically for ages 13-25.

Don’t miss the design workshops where kids create butterfly wings before joining the Butterfly Carnival Parade. The Family Fun Zone caters perfectly to under-12s with age-appropriate experiments and live shows.

Watch your children’s faces light up during the Quantum Disco, where movement interprets subatomic behaviors. The festival brings together Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, and V&A for this collaborative celebration. The Royal College of Art‘s “Building memories” workshop lets families create wax rubbings and contribute to a collective mosaic of hope.

Step Back in Time at Barnet Medieval Festival

Why settle for reading about medieval history when your kids can live it? The Barnet Medieval Festival transforms early June weekends into an immersive Wars of the Roses experience. Your children can watch hundreds of armoured soldiers recreate the pivotal 1471 Battle of Barnet, complete with cannon fire and mounted knights.

Knight School lets kids aged 6-14 handle replica weapons and train as squires for a small fee. While younger ones love the supervised “Kiddie Battle” with soft weapons. Between full-scale battle re-enactments, you’ll catch archery demonstrations and medieval craft shows. Visitors can also enjoy a captivating medieval fashion show that showcases authentic period costumes and historical clothing styles.

Located at Lewis of London Ice Cream Farm in Barnet, adult tickets cost around £6 with free entry for under-12s. Pack sturdy shoes and weather-appropriate clothes for the outdoor fields.

Experience Farm Life at Lambeth Country Show

From medieval battles to modern farm fun, London’s biggest free community festival brings countryside experiences right to the heart of the city. You’ll find real farm animals at Vauxhall City Farm‘s area, where kids can cuddle rabbits and meet alpacas in supervised encounters. Watch over 100 sheep compete across 25 breeds, then catch sheep shearing demonstrations that explain wool production.

Your children will love Diggerland’s construction-themed play zone and Knights of the North’s stunt jousting shows with eight horses. Don’t miss CJ’s Birds of Prey displays featuring owls and hawks.

The Lambeth Horticultural Society Flower Show offers 83 competition classes, including fun contests like vegetable sculptures and scarecrow competitions. This free festival runs June 7-8, 2025, in Brockwell Park, attracting 120,000 visitors annually. The event runs from noon to 8pm with last entry at 6:30pm both days.

Discover Hidden Gardens During London Open Gardens Weekend

When London’s most exclusive gardens open their gates for one weekend each June, you’ll discover secret worlds hidden behind railings and secured doors across the city. London Open Gardens Weekend transforms normally private spaces into family adventures, from rooftop gardens with panoramic views to historic walled courtyards.

Your kids will love Lincoln’s Inn‘s lawn games, face painting, and trying on barrister wigs. Pack picnics for private residential squares where children can run freely on lawns usually glimpsed only through iron gates.

The weekend ticket (£24 adults, £11 under-18s) grants access to 100+ participating gardens, with tea stops and live music keeping everyone energized. This 26th year celebration continues to offer access to typically private green spaces across London’s diverse neighborhoods.

Use the free printed guide to plan kid-friendly routes between riverside plots, community allotments, and Tudor-era spaces that reveal London’s hidden green treasures.

Celebrate Moomin’s 80th Birthday at Southbank Centre

How do you introduce children to timeless stories about friendship, acceptance, and belonging? Head to Southbank Centre’s Moomin 80 celebrations from May 27 to June 1, 2025, marking eight decades since Tove Jansson’s first Moomin story.

Your family can enjoy free afternoon parties featuring games, singing, storytelling, dancing, and music on the Riverside Terrace. The “Play, Make, Dream” sessions invite children and parents to explore themes of kindness and inclusiveness together.

You’ll discover a specially commissioned Moomin artwork by Woodland Tribe and Nabil Amini, showcasing the famous Moominhouse’s message that “The Door is Always Open.” This Refugee Week partnership emphasizes universal needs for welcome and security, making it perfect for teaching kids about community and acceptance while having fun. The celebrations are part of a global anniversary featuring exhibitions across Finland, Sweden, Poland, China, and South Korea.

Get Creative With Messy Play at Priory Park

While your little ones might love neat and tidy activities, there’s something magical about letting them enjoy gloriously messy sensory play at Priory Park’s cozy pavilion in Crouch End. Your toddlers aged 1-4 can explore rice, pasta, water beads, and washable gloop through multiple themed stations. They’ll develop fine motor skills while scooping, pouring, and squishing different textures.

Little Buds Messy Play runs structured 45-minute sessions on Mondays and Thursdays at 10:30, while Friday summer sessions offer additional opportunities. You’ll need to book in advance since places are limited. Pack old clothes, wipes, and spare outfits – trust us, they’ll need them! Each session costs £12.00 per child and focuses on different weekly themes to keep the experience fresh and engaging.

The pavilion’s location near the main playground means you can extend your visit with outdoor adventures afterward.

Build and Play at the LEGO Play Pavilion in Kensington Gardens

Although LEGO enthusiasts might visit the brand’s flagship store on Oxford Street, your kids will discover something far more extraordinary at the temporary LEGO Play Pavilion in Kensington Gardens. This vibrant orange structure, designed by Sir Peter Cook and covered in millions of LEGO bricks, creates an immersive playground where creativity runs wild.

You’ll find multi-coloured LEGO columns, movable yellow furniture, and wall-mounted LEGO boards for designing with stick-on bricks.

Free workshops include abstract art classes, nature walks with LEGO builds, and Nike collaboration sessions mixing football and streetwear. Running from 11 June to 10 August, it’s perfectly timed for school holidays. The pavilion’s opening date coincides with World Play Day on 11 June, celebrating the power of play in childhood development.

Remember that all children need adult supervision, shoes are mandatory, and LEGO’s recommended for ages six and older.

Enter a Magical World at Whippersnappers’ Fairy and Pixie Land

When summer arrives in London, Whippersnappers transforms their Victorian Park Keepers Lodge in Dulwich Park into an enchanting domain where fairies, pixies, and mythical creatures come alive. Your kids aged three to eight will step into this magical world where they can meet these mystical beings face-to-face during special baby and toddler meet-and-greet sessions.

You’ll find craft activities like making fairy garlands that’ll keep little hands busy while sparking creativity. The historic lodge’s interior becomes completely immersive, turning ordinary rooms into fairy tale settings your children can explore freely.

Located in Southwark Council’s Dulwich Park, you can easily access this summer wonderland through the main park entrance. The annual event typically runs from June through July, creating perfect outdoor family entertainment during London’s warmest months. This year’s Fairy & Pixie Land runs specifically from 9th June to 28th July 2024.

Watch Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Ballet at Royal Opera House

Since your children are already enchanted by fairy tales, they’ll absolutely love experiencing Lewis Carroll’s beloved story through the Royal Ballet’s stunning production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at the prestigious Royal Opera House.

This mesmerizing ballet runs from 13 June to 6 July 2025, featuring Christopher Wheeldon’s imaginative choreography and Joby Talbot’s enthralling score.

You’ll watch Alice tumble down the rabbit hole into a colorful world filled with the Cheshire Cat, tap-dancing tea parties, and magical size-changing potions.

The 2 hour 50 minute show includes two intervals, perfect for restless little ones.

This production draws on 19th-century classical ballet techniques while incorporating influences from musical theatre and pantomime for a truly unique experience.

Book tickets early for this family-friendly production suitable for children 5 and up.

The Royal Opera House is just a 3-minute walk from the tube station.

Meet Animal Puppets at THE HERDS Pop-Up Performances

After experiencing the magic of live theater, your children will be thrilled to encounter life-size animal puppets roaming London’s streets during THE HERDS Pop-Up Performances from 27-29 June 2025.

Watch elephants, giraffes, and lions cross Tower Bridge before stampeding through central London in this free outdoor spectacle. Your kids will witness advanced puppetry techniques up close, seeing visible puppeteers control these magnificent creatures “War Horse” style.

Head to Somerset House around 4:45 pm to catch the herd’s dramatic arrival, or join the Sunday stampede from Westfield Stratford City into Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The installation is part of an epic 20,000km journey from Central Africa to the Arctic Circle, making London just one stop on this remarkable global migration.

These recycled-material puppets tell a powerful story about climate change and animal migration, sparking meaningful family conversations while delivering pure visual wonder for children of all ages.

Explore Ancient Civilizations at the British Museum

Step into 5,000 years of human history at the British Museum, where your kids can come face-to-face with real mummies, ancient treasures, and colossal statues that’ll make them feel like tiny explorers.

Head straight to Rooms 61-66 to see Egyptian mummies and the naturally preserved Gebelein Man with his reddish hair. Your children will be amazed by the cat mummies and the bronze cat statue with its gold nose ring. Don’t miss Room 3’s colossal sculptures from 3000 BC that tower overhead.

In Room 10, dramatic Assyrian reliefs show King Ashurbanipal’s royal lion hunts with horses, dogs, and arrows. Look for the impressive Lamassu, a winged lion with a human head that once guarded an ancient Assyrian palace.

Room 56 displays 6,000-year-old Mesopotamian artifacts including pottery and musical instruments from royal tombs.

The famous Rosetta Stone, discovered in 1799, discovered the secrets of hieroglyphics.

Take in Panoramic Views From the London Eye

When you’re ready to see London spread out like a giant map beneath your feet, the London Eye offers the perfect bird’s-eye adventure that’ll have your kids pressing their faces against the glass in wonder.

This 135-meter giant wheel provides breathtaking panoramic views spanning 40 kilometers on clear days.

The 30-minute rotation moves slowly enough that even nervous kids feel comfortable, while spacious capsules accommodate up to 25 people with plenty of room to move around.

Your children will spot famous landmarks like Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace spread below.

On exceptionally clear days, you might even glimpse Windsor Castle in the distance.

Book tickets online to avoid queues, especially during peak summer months when over 3 million annual visitors flock to this top-rated attraction. The attraction features 32 capsules with accessibility options for disabled guests, ensuring every family can enjoy this iconic London experience.

Watch the Changing of the King’s Life Guard at Horse Guards

While your children’s eyes are still sparkling from the London Eye’s aerial views, head to Horse Guards Parade where they’ll witness one of Britain’s most spectacular military traditions unfold at ground level. The Changing of the King’s Life Guard happens Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11:00, with smaller inspections other days.

Arrive early to secure prime viewing spots—kids love watching the mounted soldiers in their brilliant red and blue uniforms. The New Guard departs Hyde Park Barracks at 10:28, giving you time to position yourselves. Look for the white horse in front, which signals the King’s residence at Buckingham Palace.

This free thirty-minute ceremony features real operational troops, not actors. Mounted sentries remain posted until 16:00, extending your viewing opportunities throughout the day. At 4:00 pm, witness the Dismounting Ceremony that officially ends the guard duty for the day.

Set out on a Greenwich Adventure by Boat

Thirty minutes on the Thames transforms your London adventure into a floating history lesson that’ll captivate kids from takeoff to Greenwich’s historic docks. Choose City Cruises for frequent departures every 30 minutes, or grab Thames River Sightseeing’s hop-on hop-off passes with live commentary that brings landmarks to life. Uber Boat offers excellent family value with free travel for kids up to 15.

Your floating classroom passes iconic sights like Tower Bridge, London Eye, and HMS Belfast while crew members share Thames tales. Head to the open-air upper deck for panoramic photos, or retreat to indoor saloons when needed. Baby-changing facilities and onboard toilets handle practical needs.

Greenwich’s World Heritage Site awaits with Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, and bustling markets—perfect for extending your river adventure into a full day’s exploration. The Family River Pass offers excellent value at £49 for two adults and up to three children, including unlimited travel for two consecutive days.

The Sum Up

Pack comfortable walking shoes and layer clothing since June weather can be unpredictable. You’ll want to book popular attractions like the London Eye in advance to avoid disappointment. Bring snacks and water bottles—kids get hungry exploring. Don’t try to cram everything into one day; choose 2-3 activities that match your children’s interests and energy levels. Most importantly, let your kids lead the way when something captures their imagination unexpectedly.