What’s on in South Bank this half-term

Jeppe Hein's Appearing Rooms fountains

Every summer as part of their annual summer festival, the Southbank Centre presents one of their most popular installations: Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms. The dancing fountain installation sees different sections of the fountain switched on at unpredictable intervals, creating watery ‘rooms’ that kids (and adults) love to explore - especially on a hot day. Make sure to bring some dry clothes with you as your kids will inevitably get drenched! 

WHEN: The fountains are back from Wed 28 May (weather dependent), open Wed-Sun from 10am.

Kids karaoke parties at Lucky Voice karaoke

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. From Sunday to Friday during the early afternoon, you can book out the venue for a two-hour kids' party package with soft drinks and snacks, or you can upgrade to add in pizzas too. The Lucky Voice Kids party is generally recommended for kids aged 11+.

Board games at Draughts

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.

Half-term fun at BrewDog Waterloo

WHEN: Mon 26 May – Fri 30 May

BrewDog Waterloo in The Sidings adjoining Waterloo Station presents a half-term week packed with fun activities for all the family, plus free meals for the kids. The ever-popular duckpin bowling lanes are open from the morning with kids under 12 playing for just £5 (adults bowling from £8). They've also got kids' entertainment on the lineup on Tue 27 May with a Minecraft party starting at 11am followed by a Frozen-themed Princess Party at 12:30pm.  Find out more and book a table here.

Jubilee Gardens adventure playground

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.

Celebrate 80 years of the Moomins

WHEN: Tue 27 May – Sun 1 Jun

To celebrate 80 years of the Moomins, Counterpoints Arts and Moomin Characters Ltd have joined forces to build a very special Moominhouse on the Southbank Centre's Riverside Terrace. There's a variety of Moomin-related activity to take party in throughout the week including Play, Make Dream sessions (at 10:30am, 11:30am and 12:30pm) where kids can help construct the house, and an art workshop (Wed, Thu and Fri at 11am) where kids can create decorations for the house led by Nabil Amini from the Bristol Refugee Artists Collective.

Replay: A limitless Recycled Playground

WHEN: Open Tue-Sun until 1 June 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!

LEGO Replay Workshops

WHEN: Tue 27 May at 10:30 & 11:30, Wed 28 May at 10:30 & 10:50am

LEGO are currently running a LEGO drive at Southbank Centre where you can donate your pre-loved bricks to be transformed into learning tools for schools and community centres. As part of the drive, this half-term Southbank Centre is hosting free LEGO workshops, presenting an opportunity for kids aged 6-12 to join in some creative and inventive play. Entrance is free but online booking is required as space is limited.

The Vanishing Elephant at Southbank Centre

WHEN: Thu 29 May – Sun 1 Jun

Join an elephant and a boy in a story of friendship, belonging and an incredible journey from Bengal to Broadway, told through theatre and puppetry. Exploring themes of home and migration, family and the ties that hold us together, Cahoots theatre company brings this beautiful, original story to life with a nine-strong ensemble cast and spectacular puppetry. Takes place at Queen Elizabeth Hall. Suitable for kids aged 8+. Tickets cost from £16.

HENGE at Southbank Centre

WHEN: Thu 29 May – Sat 31 May

Trace the steps of our ancestors on an epic journey told with a thrilling mix of dance, gravity-defying acrobatic tricks and dynamic parkour in this dynamic and acrobatic stage show. There are two performances per day (at 11am and 2pm) at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets cost from £14. The show is suitable for kids aged 3+.

Fairytale fun at Shrek’s Adventure!

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.

The Paddington Bear Experience

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.

The London Dungeon

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.

SEA LIFE London Aquarium

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.

Florence Nightingale Museum

WHEN: Open Tue–Sun 10am–5pm

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 24 May to 1 June, visits to the museum will also include the opportunity to join in half-term crafting activities themed around the world of therapy animals and the museum's latest Caring Companions. Also, look out for guided walks of the museum led by Florence herself!