South Bank’s world-famous tourist attractions, wide-open car-free spaces and child-friendly restaurants all come together to make this one of London’s most popular destinations for a family day out.
From magical stage shows to free events, hands-on museum visits and child-friendly immersive experiences, this Easter there are plenty of fun activities to join in for all the family.
This brilliant interactive experience (an official collaboration with Lionsgate films) at County Hall is an exciting immersive adventure through some of the most memorable locations from the Paddington stories. After boarding the train at Paddington Station, you'll be whisked away to Windsor Gardens where there are numerous themed rooms to explore, characters to meet and adventures to embark on. Open daily.
Disappear into the world of Far Far Away as you encounter an array of characters from the iconic Shrek film franchise at this beloved walk-through immersive experience for families. Amaze the little ones with captivating storytelling, dramatic special effects, extraordinary DreamWorks animations and an amazing 3D ride, plus of course photo opportunities with everyone’s favourite ogre. Open daily.
Hop over to the dark side at the London Dungeon this Easter, where the hunt for thrills takes on a sinister spin. Take the plunge on the Drop Dead: Drop Ride and come face-to-face with spine-chilling historic characters including Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovett herself… who may just have a few hot cross buns of her own to share. Open daily.
Break out of prison and avoid the hangman's noose in this exciting Guy Fawkes-themed escape room. Locked in, you and your crew have just 60 minutes to escape the cell by solving fiendish clues and puzzles, including some tricky physical elements. Taking things up another level, this is the UK’s only escape room that also has a ride! The experience is recommended for players aged 12+.
WHEN: Open Tue–Sun until 12 April at Southbank Centre
Part installation, part adventure playground, REPLAY is a space built entirely out of waste materials, repurposed for fun by The Herd Theatre. It features a design that reignites imaginations, a score composed from recycled sounds and a crowdsourced play generator. Children and their grown-ups are invited to play side-by-side in this space full of things you can move, change, combine, wear and reimagine. REPLAY is suitable for ages 6 months–11 years. Booking is essential!
London’s original board games bar Draughts, located inside the famous Leake Street graffiti tunnel, is the ideal spot to wile away a rainy afternoon in South Bank. There are more than 1,000 different board games to choose from, covering every possible interest, meaning even the fussiest kids will never be bored! Admission for families is allowed until 9pm (kids under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). Open daily.
London’s favourite karaoke bar brand Lucky Voice has a branch at The Sidings next to Waterloo Station. If you have teens and tweens who are big pop music fans, then booking a karaoke room for the family can be a super fun way to pass an afternoon. During the afternoon Sunday to Friday you can book out the venue for a two-hour kid's party package with soft drinks and snacks, or you can upgrade to add in pizzas for the kids too. The Lucky Voice Kids party is generally recommended for kids aged 11+.
If the kids need to let off some steam you can find one of the best playgrounds in central London inside the pretty Jubilee Gardens directly behind the London Eye. There's plenty for kids to clamber under and over, and sensory sound, vision and touch experiences that are designed to delight children of differing abilities. There's also lots of space to sit and enjoy a packed lunch on the grass.
You don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy a great day out sightseeing in South Bank.
