South Bank’s world-famous tourist attractions, wide-open car-free spaces and abundant child-friendly restaurants all come together to make this one of London’s most popular destinations for a family day out.
Here's a look at where to take the kids for a fun day out in South Bank this half-term.
Muggle-Wump brownies, Jam Roly-Poly sponge and Trick or Twit scones - enter into the story of The Twits with this brand-new themed Afternoon Tea at the Marriott County Hall inspired by the iconic Roald Dahl book. A celebration of The Twits story and characters and their eccentric and tricksy ways. > FIND OUT MORE & BOOK
WHEN & WHERE: Marriott Hotel County Hall. Served daily 12pm–5pm until 30 December
The enchanting and colourful world of Elmer the patchwork elephant is brought to life through songs, storytelling and puppetry in this musical stage adaptation. Join Elma and his three friends for a joyful jungle adventure that will delight young audiences. Suitable for kids aged 3 and up, dressing up in colourful clothing is positively encouraged!
WHEN & WHERE: Wed 30 Oct to Sun 3 Nov at Southbank Centre
Meet Stan and Mabel, a city-dwelling, music-loving dog and cat, at an interactive family concert from the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre. With exciting orchestral pieces and plenty of audience interaction throughout this is sure to be an unforgettable first concert experience for young music lovers aged 5+. Tickets from £16.
WHEN & WHERE: Sat 26 Oct at 12pm at Southbank Centre
Let your little ones’ imaginations take flight in an interactive music workshop with musicians from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Running alongside the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s FUNharmonics Family Concerts, these workshops provide younger family members (aged 2 to 5) with the opportunity to join in the musical fun.
WHERE & WHERE: Sat 26 Oct at Southbank Centre
Come for a spin with the word warriors of Apples and Snakes, including Joseph Coelho, as they share a fun-filled performance with raps, poems and stories. Featuring performers Jan Blake, Joseph Coelho and Belinda Zhawi and taking place in the Purcell Roms at Queen Elizabeth Hall, this is an energetic and interactive performance suitable for kids aged 7-11. Tickets from £10.
WHEN: Fri 1 Nov at 2.30pm at Southbank Centre
The latest animated feature film from DreamWorks is the critically acclaimed Wild Robot. Sentient robot Roz is marooned on an island and must learn from its animal inhabitants how to survive. Funny, sweet and subtle in its messaging, this adaptation of Peter Brown’s book series is a treat for the whole family. The film lasts 102 minutes. Book your tickets here.
WHEN: Showing Fri 25 Oct at 6pm, Sat 26 and Sun 27 Oct at 11:30am, 1:45pm and 4pm
Celebrate Diwali with stories, art, community and colour in the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden before it closes for the winter. There are crafting activities including crafting your own clay hand diyas and at 12pm, 1.30pm and 3pm, storyteller Niall Moorjani performs a relaxed retelling of the Ramayana, the Diwali story. Entrance is free, suitable for ages 3+.
WHEN: Thu 31 Oct from 11.30am
The annual London Literature Festival brings more than 60 different literary-focused events to Southbank Centre this month. The festival programme includes loads of events that specifically have kids in mind, including:
Fri 25 Oct 2024, at 11am London Literature Festival: Rug Rhymes Come along to a special, free London Literature Festival edition of Rug Rhymes, the National Poetry Library’s song and rhyme session for under-5s.
Sat 26 Oct 2024, at 12pm Robert Macfarlane: The World to Come Take a lyrical journey through nature as the author introduces his new children’s book with live music, storytelling and projection at a family-friendly event. Tickets from £15
Wed 30 Oct 2024, at 11am Russell Kane: Pet Selector! Join pet-obsessed comedian Russell Kane for a high-energy children’s comedy show based on his hilarious new children’s animal guide. Tickets from £10
As Halloween coincides with half-term this year BrewDog Waterloo presents a week packed with fun Halloween activities for all the family. Throughout the week for £10 the kids get 30 minutes of bowling, a Halloween-themed ice cream treat, and a scavenger hunt. From 30 October kids can also get their face painted and join in Halloween-themed arts and crafts at no extra cost. Plus, to top it all off, pre-book a table and kids eat for free!
WHEN: Mon 28 Oct – Fri 1 Nov
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.
Tucked away in the St Thomas Hospital complex the Florence Nightingale Museum is devoted to the life and work of the ‘Lady with the Lamp’. From 26 Oct to 3 Nov the museum hosts A Tortoise Guide family trail and crafting activities themed around Jimmy, a tortoise that was kept as a pet on the ward of the Scutari Hospital, as encouraged by the animal-loving Florence Nightingale. Also look out for guided walks of the museum by the Lady with the Lamp herself!
WHEN: Open Tue–Sun 10am–5pm, A Tortoise Guide trail from 26 Oct-3 Nov
Artist and illustrator Jennie Webber leads this special edition of Florence Nightingale Museum's regular Wildlife Drawing classes with six delightful therapy dogs and their dedicated volunteers from Therapy Dogs Nationwide. Children aged 7 and over are welcome to attend along with an adult taking part in the class. All materials are provided, booking is essential and museum entrance is included in the cost. Find out more and book here.
WHEN & WHERE: Mon 28 Oct 10:30am-12pm and 1pm-2:30pm at Florence Nightingale Museum
Disappear into the world of Far Far Away as you encounter an array of characters from the iconic Shrek film franchise at Shrek's Adventure! at this famous 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.
London’s original board games bar Draughts, located inside the famous Leake Street graffiti tunnel, is the ideal spot to while 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+.
A visit to the impressive London Aquarium at County Hall is a brilliant day out for all the family. Come face-to-face with sharks, be dazzled by the vast tropical fish tanks and learn about the many endangered species that the aquarium cares for as part of its conservation projects. Make sure to pick up one of the activity trail sheets at the entrance for the kids to follow and look out for the regular keepers' talks happening throughout the day. Open daily.
See, hear, feel and smell the chillingly amusing characters of ye olde London as they come to life through 19 interactive shows and two underground rides at this wildly entertaining walk-through experience. This one's a fun day out for teenagers with a stomach for gruesome tales and stomach-churning rides, all themed around the darker moments of London's colourful history. For an even more interactive family day out, The London Dungeon also has a brilliant Escape Room experience! Open daily.
You don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy a great day out sightseeing in South Bank.
