London is super fun at Easter.
From Easter egg hunts to petting zoos, adorable afternoon teas to stunning stage productions, we’ve rounded up the 16 best things to do with the kids this holiday season. Expect copious amounts of chocolate, themed activities and a whole lot of fun.
Kids Easter Icing Classes
Put your icing skills to the test with a Biscuiteers class. This Easter they’ve got plenty of kid friendly activities happening on various dates across April. They’ll be running special hour-long sessions allowing your little ones to get stuck in and ice biscuits with adorable Easter decorations. Plus, each class will have its very own Easter egg hunt around the cafe too.
There’s also the Easter DIY Icing sessions, where you’ll have a quick five minute tutorial and then you’re let loose to create your own Easter creations. Available every day throughout April.
WHEN: VARIOUS DATES THROUGHOUT APRIL
WHERE: BELGRAVIA & NOTTING HILL
WEBSITE: WWW.BISCUITEERS.COM
The Very Hungry Caterpillar at Kew Gardens
Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar as they embark on their transformational journey to becoming a beautiful butterfly. Kew Gardens has launched a very special trail inspired by Eric Carle’s childhood classic.
Weave your way through the Gardens, winding through sculptures of juicy fruits, a cosy chrysalis and uncover fascinating facts about plants and insect life on Earth.
WHEN: UNTIL 18.04.2022
WHERE: KEW GARDENS, KEW, RICHMOND, TW9 3AE
WEBSITE: WWW.KEW.ORG
Battersea Power Station
From petting zoos to Easter egg hunts, outdoor games to giant mazes, Battersea Power Station is putting on a show this Easter half term. Head down to take part in their exciting line-up of free, family-friendly activities.
Lose yourself in the maze on their Grade-II listed Coaling Jetty or let the little ones pet some cute farm animals, from rabbits to Pygmy goats and lambs at The Mini Farms’ Petting Zoo.
There’s also an Easter egg hunt that you can take part in to see if you can find where the little eggs and bunny rabbits are hiding. Or, just grab a bat and play a round of ping pong with friends.
Activities will take place on weekends from 9th – 10th April and 15th – 18th April.
WHEN: 09.04.2022 – 18.04.2022
WHERE: BATTERSEA POWER STATION
WEBSITE: WWW.BATTERSEAPOWERSTATION.CO.UK
Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature
Rediscover Beatrix Potter’s loveable characters this February at the V&A’s family-friendly exhibition, Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature. Open to fans from 12th February, the exhibition will guide you on a journey through Potter’s life as a scientist and conservationist, spanning the places and animals that inspired her famous characters.
Created in collaboration with the National Trust, the exhibition features drawings and detailed illustrations, studies and paintings created by the children’s author. Fall back in love with Peter Rabbit and all of his friends in this fun and detailed exhibition.
WHEN: UNTIL 23.06.2023
WHERE: THE PORTER GALLERY AT V&A, CROMWELL ROAD, SW7 2RL
WEBSITE: WWW.VAM.AC.UK
The Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt at Hampton Court Palace
Who doesn’t love an Easter hunt? Let your kid’s dreams come true this Easter holiday and book in for Hampton Court Palace’s legendary Lindt GOLD BUNNY hunt.
Use the trail map to explore the gardens and see how many Lindt bunnies you can spot hiding in the grass. Match up the name of the important palace character on the trail to the red ribbon on the bunny statue at each location.
Can you find them all? Collect a Lindt GOLD BUNNY chocolate at the finish line…
WHEN: 02.04.2022 – 18.04.2022
WHERE: HAMPTON COURT PALACE, HAMPTON COURT WAY, MOLESEY, EAST MOLESEY, KT8 9AU
WEBSITE: WWW.HRP.ORG.UK
Easter Afternoon Tea at The Kensington
The Kensington has launched an afternoon tea that even little bunnies won’t want to miss. Located in the hotel’s beautiful drawing rooms, the Easter themed tea is filled with adorable bunny rabbits, chocolate eggs and savoury treats.
The feast begins with traditional sandwiches, followed by warm scones lathered with clotted cream and jam. Save room for sweets of an Easter bunny sprayed with white chocolate on a sable Briton base with green icing grass; a yellow macaroon filled with pea flower vanilla cream and elderflower jelly; Easter egg praline and roasted hazelnut decorated with Easter banner icing sprayed with milk chocolate and honey lemon crushed raspberry beehive shaped mousse.
WHEN: AVAILABLE 15.04.2022 – 18.04.2022
WHERE: THE KENSINGTON, 109-113 QUEEN’S GATE, SOUTH KENSINGTON, SW7 5LP
WEBSITE: WWW.DOYLECOLLECTION.COM
Little Treasures Short Programme from LIAF at Barbican Cinema
The Barbican is switching up their usual weekly family film club this Easter. This Saturday 16th April, they’ll be screening a selection of kid-friendly shorts from the London International Animation Festival.
Enjoy seeing screenings of Yulia Aronova’s My Mum Is An Aeroplane; Edmunds Jansons’ Choir Tour; Andy Martin’s The Planets; and Will Rose’s The Goatherder and his lots and lots and lots of Goats.
WHEN: 16.04.2022
WHERE: BARBICAN CINEMA 2, BEECH STREET, BARBICAN, EC1Y 8AA
WEBSITE: WWW.BARBICAN.ORG.UK
Zog and the Flying Doctors
Based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, let the kids fall in love with their favourite characters on stage.
Taking over the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre, the production sees Zog and his Flying Doctor crew take on the challenge of trying to rescue a sunburnt mermaid, a unicorn with too many horns and a lion who comes down with the flu.
WHEN: 08.04.2022 – 10.04.2022
WHERE: QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL AT SOUTHBANK CENTRE, BELVEDERE ROAD, SE1 8XX
WEBSITE: WWW.SOUTHBANKCENTRE.CO.UK
Frozen the Musical
Whether you’re seeing it for the first time or the umpteenth time, Frozen the Musical brings Disney’s most loved princesses to life on the big stage. Now on stage at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, let your imagination run wild as you see Elsa and Anna’s story unfold through beautiful costumes, special effects and stunning scenery.
Before you head onto the adventure, why not stop by The Grand Saloon at The Lane to try Lily Vanilli’s Easter afternoon tea, complete with Easter eggs and yellow piped cakes.
WHERE: THE LANE, CATHERINE STREET, COVENT GARDEN, WC2B 5JF
WEBSITE: WWW.THELANE.CO.UK
Puttshack
Not your typical family outing, Puttshack is the perfect place to let off some steam and allow your friendly competitive side loose. It’s the world’s first tech-infused mini gold, inspired by arcade games and fairground games.
They’ve got four London locations and serve up kid-friendly food too. Think stonebaked pizzas, dirty burgers and chocolate churros.
WHERE: BANK, WHITE CITY, WATFORD & LAKESIDE
WEBSITE: WWW.PUTTSHACK.COM
Cutty Sark
It wouldn’t be a half term guide without a mention to our favourite little ship: Cutty Sark. Now around 200 years old, kiddies can uncover all about the history of the Cutty Sark, the fastest clipper, discover its weird and wonderful characters, and explore the incredible naval college buildings.
This Easter they’ve got plenty of themed activities going on too, from egg hunts to meeting Cutty Sark’s colourful characters.
WHERE: KING WILLIAM WALK, GREENWICH, SE10 9HT
WEBSITE: WWW.RMG.CO.UK
Weird & Wonderful Museums
There’s no denying London is abrim with museums galore, whether you’re running around the Natural History Museum escaping the dinosaurs to discovering the latest science discoveries at the Science Museum. But, if you’re looking a little weirder, we’ve rounded up a few of the lesser known beauties for you to explore this half term.
Cats and Dogs at Horniman Museum & Gardens
Know your pet pooch pretty well? Think again. Horniman Museum & Gardens presents a brand new exhibition designed to teach kids and adults alike more about their furry friends.
Cats and Dogs is an interactive offering, exploring everything from animal behaviour to examining human relationships with our feline friends and doggos.
WHEN: UNTIL 30.10.2022
WHERE: 100 LONDON ROAD, FOREST HILL, SE23 3PQ
WEBSITE: WWW.HORNIMAN.AC.UK
House of Bounce x Truman’s Social Club
A beer hall might not be the first place that springs to mind when you’re looking for Easter activities with the kids but Truman’s Social Club isn’t just any place. This Easter sees them team up with House of Bounce, an inflatable playground, to offer kids the space to run around and unleash their inner adventurer.
Only available until 8th April, the space will be transformed with inflatables, including a bouncy castle, dino slide, bouncers and ball pits to jump around on. As well as cinema screenings on show too, from Shrek to Despicable Me, Inside Out to Frozen Singalong.
WHEN: 04.04.2022 – 08.04.2022
WHERE: TRUMAN’S SOCIAL CLUB, 1 PRIESTLEY WAY, E17 6AL
WEBSITE: WWW.TRUMANSSOCIALCLUB.CO.UK
London’s Petting Zoos
There’s no denying London is short of a field or two, but it is littered with petting zoos a’plenty! Pop on your wellies and get stroking a few sheep, patting a couple of pigs and cuddling your fluffy favourites. We’ve rustled together a few of our favourite zoos and farms that’ll see you doing just so here.
Now Play This
One for the older kids, Now Play This is a festival dedicated to experimental game design. Running at Somerset House each spring, it showcases interactive and playful work hosted through a series of one-site and virtual events, exhibitions and even a design camp.
Explore everything from The Other Way Works’ ‘A Rainbow for Amala’; GameTheory’s ‘GerryMander’; Ling Tan’s ‘Playing Democracy’; and MechBird’s ‘Pourparlers’.
WHEN: 08.04.2022 – 10.04.2022
WHERE: SOMERSET HOUSE, STRAND, WC2R 1LA
By The Handbook
London is super fun at Easter.
