Rainy day activities in London

AIRE Ancient Baths London

London · adults only (18+)

An adults-only thermal baths experience in London, so this one is for date night, not the kids.

Booking requiredLockers

Alexandra Palace

London

Ice skating, Go Ape ropes, a boating lake and a skatepark all on one hilltop site in north London.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBirthday parties+13 more

Alexandra Palace Ice Rink

London · ages 3-90

A proper full-size ice rink where three-year-olds wobble round with penguin aids and grown-ups actually get a decent skate too.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+7 more

Apollo Theatre

London

A West End stage with tickets from £20, a proper night out for kids who love a big show.

Accessible toiletDog friendlyToiletsWheelchair accessible

Apollo Victoria Theatre

London

A big West End stage best known for Wicked, with drinks and food you can order straight to your seat.

Appletown London- Indoor Kids Soft Play & Family Venue

Edgware · ages 2-12

Two hours in a multi-level soft play maze, and yes, you'll be paying to get in too - £10 for adults at the Halloween party.

Birthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking requiredCafé+10 more

Art Craft Studios

London

Clay workshops where kids hand-build and paint pottery, with a wheel session for the over-tens and food from Layers Bakery thrown in.

Group bookingsFood on siteParking

Art Hub LDN

London · ages 9+

Exclusive-use art parties for 15 kids from £495, with spray paint, tie dye and resin sessions aimed at ages 9 and up.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsIndoor play+1 more

artsdepot

London

A free soft play corner and a café to sit in while the little one potters about.

CaféIndoor play

Avora London: A New-World Cocktail Experience

London · adults only (18+)

A three-course cocktail story where actors send you on a fake research mission to another planet, no kids allowed.

Booking requiredGroup bookingsToilets

Badger Badger West Norwood

London

Saturday Pokémon club for a fiver, plus a games library and staff who'll pick the right board game for you.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsMembership scheme+3 more

Barbican Centre

London

A vast City arts building you can wander into free, with a café and restaurant to fall back on between whatever's on.

Accessible toiletCaféHearing loopRestaurant+2 more

Beckenham Fliers Trampolining Club

Beckenham

A trampolining club where kids can try a free session before deciding if the sport's for them.

BFI IMAX

London

A giant screen and a proper sound system for blockbusters that feel bigger than life, right on the South Bank.

BFI Southbank

London

Free access to a huge film archive at the Mediatheque, plus four cinema screens under one roof by the Thames.

CaféGift shopRestaurant

Bike Shed Moto Co.

London

A big motorbike hangout in London with galleries of bikes and art, a shop to browse and a 160-seat restaurant to sit down in.

Bike parkingGift shopFood on siteRestaurant

Bloomsbury Lanes

London

Eight lanes, a diner menu and karaoke rooms, but the clock's against kids after early evening.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings+2 more

Bocketts Farm Park

Leatherhead · ages 1-17

Pig racing twice a day, a woodland pony ride and two play barns to fall back on if the sky turns.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBaby changeBirthday parties+16 more

BrewDog Waterloo

London

Duckpin bowling, darts and ping pong at a dog-friendly BrewDog, with a kids' menu and free kids' bowling in half-term.

Baby changeBirthday partiesDog friendlyIndoor play+3 more

Bubble Planet London

Wembley · ages 0-17

Eleven bubble-themed rooms, a ball pit you wade through and a VR room for over-eights, in about 90 minutes.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyGift shop+10 more

Ceramics Café - West Ealing

London · up to age 16

Pick a ceramic shape off the shelf, paint it, and leave it for firing. Two-hour sessions for 7s and up, 90 minutes for the little ones.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsParty rooms

Chislehurst Caves

Chislehurst · ages 3-15

A lamp-lit guided walk through man-made tunnels, with a guide spinning spooky stories along the way.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+6 more

Climbing District | Bermondsey — Arch Climbing Wall

London

Bouldering walls, circuit boards and a Rockers Club drop-in for kids from 4, with NICAS courses if they get keen.

CaféGroup bookingsIndoor playWi-Fi

Clowntown

London · ages 0-11

One of London's biggest soft play frames with giant ball pools, a toddler zone and sensory rooms for quieter heads.

Baby changeBirthday partiesCaféIndoor play+5 more

clueQuest - The Live Escape Game

London · ages 2-99

A one-hour puzzle mission for teams, with a game host feeding you clues as the clock runs down.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGift shopGroup bookings+5 more

Colindale Clip 'n Climb

London · ages 4+

33 climbing walls with auto belays, an 85-minute session that's mostly climbing, and a four-tier soft play bit for the under-nines.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+9 more

Control Room B

London · ages 0-16

A Power Station bar with an escape room twist, kids' drinks and colouring before the 21+ crowd take over after 5pm.

Gift shopGroup bookingsIndoor seatingFood on site+2 more

Coral Reef Waterworld

Bracknell

Five water slides, an erupting volcano and a pirate ship in the pool, plus a spa for the grown-ups if you can prise yourself away.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking required+5 more

Creekside Discovery Centre

London

Wellies on, down the sloped bank into Deptford Creek to dip for animals and read the mud like a history book.

Booking requiredPublic transport nearbyToiletsWheelchair accessible

Crouch End Picturehouse

London

A local independent cinema in Crouch End with a proper café-bar, dog friendly and step-free throughout.

Accessible toiletCaféDog friendlyRestaurant+2 more

Dana Research Centre and Library

London

Free hands-on science galleries with experiments, retro video games and a space section, though you'll need to book tickets in advance.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBaby changeBooking required+12 more

Discover Children's Story Centre

London · ages 0-11

Two floors of play worlds to climb through and act out stories in, plus a garden, all built around books rather than screens.

Baby changeBike parkingBlue badge parkingBooking required+7 more

Dominion Theatre

London · ages 5+

A West End stage for musicals and big theatrical shows, but under 5s aren't let in at all.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingBooking requiredToilets+1 more

Draughts - Waterloo

London · ages 0-12

A café where kids play free from a wall of over 1,000 board games while food comes to the table.

Allergy awareBaby changeBirthday partiesBooking required+10 more

Duchess Theatre

London · ages 14+

A West End stage for teenagers, with a farcical comedy and an unscripted one-off show that leans hard into dark themes.

Escape Hunt Oxford Street

London · ages 8+

Locked-room puzzle games near Tottenham Court Road, with an hour to crack the clues before the door opens.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings+3 more

Escape London - Shepherds Bush Escape Room

London · ages 9+

Sixty minutes locked in a themed room together, cracking codes and clues as a private team with no strangers thrown in.

Booking requiredGroup bookingsFood on siteParty rooms+1 more

Everyman Canary Wharf

London · ages 0-18

Sofa seats, food brought to you, and baby and toddler screenings where nobody minds if your one-year-old kicks off.

Allergy awareRestaurantSensory friendlyWheelchair accessible

F1® Arcade London

London · ages 7+

Full-motion F1 racing simulators in central London, with a bar and restaurant attached, but under-18s have to be out by 6pm.

Birthday partiesCaféGroup bookingsIndoor seating+4 more

Flight Club Shoreditch

London · ages 12+

Interactive darts with a scoreboard doing the maths, open to families with kids from 12 until mid afternoon.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesGroup bookingsIndoor seating+3 more

Flip Out London E6

London

An hour or two of trampolines, drop slides and dark caving tunnels, with toddler sessions and family passes to soften the price.

Birthday partiesCaféFirst aidFree parking+5 more

Frameless

London · ages 0+

Four galleries of projections and spatial sound you wander through at your own pace, with a bubbles-and-music class for tots.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCaféGift shop+8 more

Freemasons Hall, London

London

A 55-minute guided tour round an Art Deco Masonic hall and its museum of odd ritual objects.

Accessible toiletToiletsWheelchair accessible

Freud Museum London

London

Step into the room where Freud actually worked, couch and all, with an audio guide included in the ticket.

Card onlyGift shopWheelchair accessibleWi-Fi

Garrick Theatre

London

A West End stage with acrobatics, comedy and musical shows, with under-15 tickets from £17.50.

Accessible toiletDog friendlyToiletsWheelchair accessible

Geckos Climbing Ltd

London · ages 9+

Bouldering and top-rope climbing on 8m walls at The Castle, plus outdoor rock climbing, for kids aged 9 and up.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBooking requiredCafé+4 more

Genesis Cinema

London

An old-school East End cinema with a giant main screen and sofa-seated studios, plus a cheap-as-chips Parent and Baby show.

CaféCard onlyGift shopFood on site+4 more

Gielgud Theatre

London · ages 7+

Oliver! at full West End length, with a proper interval, for kids old enough to sit through nearly three hours of it.

Booking required

Goals Beckenham

Beckenham · ages 5-12

Five and seven-a-side football on all-weather pitches, junior coaching for 5 to 12s, and parties with a host who runs the games.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingGroup bookings+8 more

Hard Rock Cafe

London

A burger and memorabilia stop where kids wander a free rock and roll museum before the food even arrives.

Allergy awareGift shopFood on siteRestaurant+1 more

HarroWall Climbing Centre

Harrow · ages 0-17

Indoor bouldering for kids and teens, with an auto belay wall and no minimum age for supervised climbers.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféCard only+6 more

Hart Galleries

Edgware

Browse original and limited edition artwork at a relaxed Edgware gallery, with a framing desk if you've got a print at home waiting for a mount.

ParkingPublic transport nearby

Henry Street Garden Centre

Reading

A free-to-wander garden centre in Reading with a Christmas trail for kids and a proper restaurant for the grown-ups.

CaféRestaurant

Hobbledown Adventure Farm Park and Zoo

Epsom · ages 0+

Forts, dragons and tunnels to climb, a proper zoo to wander round, and jumping pillows to finish the day off.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesCaféGroup bookings+9 more

Hobbledown Heath

Hounslow

Over a hundred animals, four themed villages to climb through and a treetop net park, all on card-only parking.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings+7 more

Horniman Museum and Gardens

London

Forest Hill museum with aquarium and free gardens - Soft Play N never.

CaféGift shopPicnic areaToilets

Hunterian Museum

London · ages 5+

Free anatomy museum with real specimens from John Hunter's collection, better suited to older kids than toddlers.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingDog friendly+3 more

Immersive Gamebox - Southbank, London

London · ages 3+

Locked-off game boxes where your crew competes as a private team, no strangers, no shared screens.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredLockersFood on site+1 more

Jack The Ripper Museum

London

A walk through the murder rooms, victim histories and suspect theories of Whitechapel's most notorious cold case.

Jolly Rocker

Windsor · ages 1+

A LEGO-built theme park with over 55 rides, from a swinging pirate galleon to a 30mph coaster and a splash park in summer.

Birthday partiesCaféGift shopGroup bookings+6 more

JOMBA LONDON - JUMP! BURN! SMILE!

North Finchley

A trampoline fitness class built around choreographed jumping and dancing routines, not free bounce.

Booking requiredIndoor play

Jump In by AirHop Adventure & Trampoline Park Esher

Esher · ages 1+

Trampoline arena, a toddler zone and a 25-activity climbing centre under one roof, with grip socks bought at the door.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingGroup bookings+2 more

K1 Speed Canary Wharf

London · ages 7+

Indoor electric go-karting for kids seven and up, with junior karts hitting 20mph and races timed to the minute.

Birthday partiesCaféGroup bookingsIndoor play+4 more

KidsArt!

London · ages 4-16

Art parties that come to your home or venue from £25 a child, plus weekly classes and holiday camps for ages 4 to 16.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsParty roomsSchool visits

Kingsfield Concrete Skatepark

Kingston upon Thames · up to age 13

A concrete skatepark where under-10s get their own 10am to noon session, with a £10.70 pass you buy online in advance.

Booking requiredCaféOutdoor playToilets

Knockout Escape Rooms

Reading · ages 10+

Three themed puzzle rooms in Reading, an hour on the clock to crack codes and get evidence, a scientist or a sci-fi machine sorted before time runs out.

Booking requiredGroup bookings

Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park

Waltham Abbey · ages 0-12

Farm animals to feed, swan and teacup rides, a giant bouncy pillow and adventure play, all outdoors near Waltham Abbey.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+8 more

Leighton House

London

A Victorian artist's house with a jaw-dropping tiled Arab Hall, a new family trail, and a café you can visit without a ticket.

CaféToiletsWheelchair accessible

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens

Horsham

Grade I listed gardens with seven lakes, wallaby feeding and a Dolls' House Museum to explore over a good three to four hours.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBirthday partiesBlue badge parking+14 more

Lightroom

London · ages 0+

Big projected shows on 11-metre walls that you wander round rather than sit and watch, near King's Cross.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCaféCard only+2 more

Loading Bar

London

A board game and arcade bar with dozens of games to pick from, plus retro and modern consoles.

London Bus Museum

Weybridge · ages 4-17

Climb aboard rows of historic double-deckers and, at weekends and holidays, actually ride one on the road.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCard only+3 more

London Museum Docklands

London

Free museum with a soft-play family gallery for building tunnels, role-play and trails, right by Canary Wharf.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBottle warmingBreastfeeding friendly+11 more

Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

London

A Hammersmith theatre with panto and family shows, wheelchair access sorted and a £2 levy tucked onto every ticket.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBreastfeeding friendlyToilets+1 more

Lyric Theatre

London

A West End stage for Room on the Broom and other family shows, with the ticket price hinging on which production is on.

Accessible toiletToilets

Mad Science London

London

A science party that comes to you, with slime, bouncy balls and a big final experiment to send everyone home buzzing.

Maiwand Lion

Reading

Free galleries of Roman finds, a Bayeux Tapestry copy and biscuit tins to hunt through, right by Reading station.

Accessible toiletCaféGift shopGroup bookings+4 more

Miart Gallery London

London

An indoor art gallery in London open six days a week, if you fancy a quiet browse with the kids in tow.

MISSION: BREAKOUT

London · ages 9+

Three underground escape rooms with 60 minutes to crack puzzles, from spy-hunting with Churchill to a post-apocalyptic London.

Monopoly Lifesized

London · ages 9+

A supersized, escape-room take on Monopoly where teams race round a giant board to buy up property and bank the most cash.

Booking requiredGift shopLockersParty rooms+3 more

Moss End Garden Village

Bracknell

A garden village with reef aquariums, reptiles, birds of prey and a pottery studio all under one roof, plus free parking all day.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+5 more

Museum of Brands

London

A walk through 200 years of adverts, packaging and toys, from Victorian shop shelves to today's digital brands.

Accessible toiletCaféGift shopPublic transport nearby+5 more

Museum of the Home

London

Free period rooms, a playhouse and a sensory den to explore, with no booking needed and no minimum time limit on your visit.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingDog friendly+7 more

Myllet Arms Wacky Corner

Greenford

Soft play tucked inside a pub, with an outdoor play area, a TotSpot for the smallest, and free craft templates to download before you go.

Dog friendlyFree parkingIndoor playFood on site+4 more

Nathan's Farm

Chalfont St. Giles

Feed the animals, hold a baby chick and go egg collecting at a small petting farm with its own café.

Birthday partiesCaféGift shopIndoor play+1 more

National Army Museum

London · ages 0-8

Free galleries about army history plus a soft-play zone, Play Base, built for the under-8s.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+7 more

National Maritime Museum

London

Free galleries where kids land a Mars rover, climb through a sea-themed playground and walk into a galaxy box.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+8 more

Natural History Museum

London

Dinosaurs, a blue whale and rainy-day halls in South Kensington - free entry, book timed tickets.

Booking requiredGift shopFood on siteWheelchair accessible+3 more

No Escape

London · ages 10+

A 60-minute escape room where teams crack clues and secrets to break out, built for ages 10 and up.

NQ64 Arcade Bar - Soho

London

An 18+ retro arcade bar in Soho with UV pool and AR darts, worth knowing about for a childfree night rather than a family day out.

Accessible toiletCard onlyWheelchair accessible

Palace Theatre

London · ages 8+

A West End theatre show for £25 a ticket, though under-15s need an adult with them and under-5s can't come in at all.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCaféToilets+1 more

Paradox Museum London

London · ages 0+

A walkthrough of 50-plus optical illusions in South Kensington, including a Zero Gravity room made for photos.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGift shopGroup bookings+5 more

Park Theatre

London

Two stages near Finsbury Park with comedy nights, drag storytelling and relaxed shows built for families, not just West End transfers.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBreastfeeding friendlyCafé+5 more

Parliament Hill Bowling Club

London

A proper grass green to try lawn bowls on, with guest rinks you can book for an after school session.

Accessible toiletLockersPublic transport nearbyWheelchair accessible

Peckhamplex

London · ages 0+

Every ticket is £7.59, and there are weekly screenings built for parents with babies or autistic kids.

ToiletsWheelchair accessible

Platform Shoreditch

London · ages 6+

A gaming lounge in Shoreditch with PS5, Switch and PC set-ups, plus a proper Pixel Party package for kids aged 6 to 15.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsIndoor playFood on site

Pope's Grotto

Twickenham

A quirky underground grotto you explore yourself with a printed plan, open just a handful of days a year.

Booking required

Prime Meridian

London · ages 4+

Stand with a foot in each hemisphere on the actual Prime Meridian line, then try landing a Mars rover in the gallery next door.

Bike parkingBlue badge parkingCaféPublic transport nearby+3 more

Prince Charles Cinema

London

A classic Leicester Square cinema where babies on laps go free at U, PG and 12A screenings, but 15s and 18s are off limits for little ones.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCard onlyFood on site+2 more

Prince Edward Theatre

London · ages 12+

Beetlejuice on stage in the West End, aimed at teens and adults rather than young kids, with a strict 12+ recommendation.

Booking requiredFood on site

Puttshack Bank

London

Indoor tech mini golf at Bank - bookable 9-hole courses with food, near Bank Underground.

ToiletsWheelchair accessibleFood on siteRestaurant+6 more

Puttshack White City

London

Indoor tech mini golf at Westfield White City - bookable 9-hole courses with food and party rooms.

ToiletsWheelchair accessibleFood on siteRestaurant+7 more

Raphael Park

Romford

A free 44-acre park with a big fenced play area, twelve tennis courts and a lake to walk round until dusk.

CaféFood on siteParkingRestaurant+1 more

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

London

Watching a show under the sky in Regent's Park, with the plot only as gripping as the weather holds out.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingDog friendlyGroup bookings+6 more

Rowans Tenpin Bowl

London · ages 0-21

Ten-pin bowling with bumpers and ramps for the little ones, plus DJ disco parties with synced lighting.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyFood on site+1 more

Royal Air Force Museum London

London · ages 4+

Free entry to over 100 real aircraft, plus a Spitfire cockpit to sit in and an outdoor playground shaped like mini planes.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+15 more

Royal Observatory Greenwich

London

Prime Meridian, planetarium and telescopes above Greenwich Park - book ahead for school holidays.

Booking requiredGift shopFood on sitePublic transport nearby+2 more

Science Museum

South Kensington, London

South Kensington free science galleries plus ticketed Wonderlab - Soft Play N never.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGift shopGroup bookings+1 more

SEA LIFE London Aquarium

London

South Bank aquarium by the London Eye - sharks, penguins, turtles and an ocean tunnel indoors.

ToiletsAccessible toiletBaby changeGift shop+6 more

Serpentine South Gallery

London

Free contemporary art exhibitions in Kensington Gardens, with a digital guide that does a lot of the explaining for you.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+9 more

Shakespeare's Globe

London · ages 0+

Open-air Tudor theatre where kids can try on costumes, get their faces painted and watch a proper Shakespeare production.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Shrek's Adventure London

London · ages 6-15

A 70-minute walk-through with a 4D flying bus ride, DreamWorks characters and nine live shows along the way.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCard onlyGift shop+2 more

SilverTime

London · adults only (18+)

An adults-only slot machine arcade, strictly 18 plus with ID checks on the door, so this one's not for a family day out.

Cash onlyFood on site

Snakes & Ladders

Brentford · ages 0-12

A big indoor-outdoor play centre with a climbing wall, electric motorbikes and a role play village, plus an outdoor jumping pillow and zipwire.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking required+11 more

Sondheim Theatre

London · ages 7+

A full West End staging of Les Misérables, nearly three hours long, best suited to kids seven and up who can sit still.

Booking required

Southwark Playhouse Borough

London

A theatre near Elephant and Castle with a bar for the grown-ups while the family show is on.

Splatter Room Studio

London · ages 5+

Sixty minutes in a glow-in-the-dark room where you're meant to paint the walls, the floor and each other, and take the canvas home.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+6 more

Squire's Garden Centre

Stanmore

A free-to-enter garden centre with an aquatics room of tanks and reptiles, plus pottery painting and a café that stops hot food at 3.30pm.

CaféDog friendlyFree parkingIndoor seating+4 more

St. Martin's Theatre

London · ages 7+

Take your seven-plus-year-old to see if they can spot the killer in the world's longest-running play, The Mousetrap.

Card onlyGift shopFood on siteWi-Fi

St. Paul's Cathedral

London

Climb 528 steps to the top of the Dome for a proper view over London, then explore the Crypt and a family history trail below.

Bike parkingBlue badge parkingPublic transport nearbyWheelchair accessible

Stratford East

London

A proper panto stage in Stratford, with Surinderella putting an Indian spin on Cinderella for kids five and up.

Booking requiredCaféWheelchair accessible

Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre - Active Lambeth

London

Olympic-sized ice rink, two pools and a soft play area under one roof, with free swimming for Lambeth kids under 11.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféStep-free access+2 more

Tate Britain

London

Free wander through five centuries of British art, with the world's biggest Turner collection and free tours four times a day.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+9 more

TeamSport Go Karting Docklands East London

London · ages 4-99

Indoor electric go-karting with a proper Mini Racer setup for 4 to 7 year olds and a motorsport-themed mini golf course too.

Birthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking requiredCafé+9 more

TeamSport Go Karting Harlow Essex

Harlow · ages 4+

Indoor karting on a 500m multi-level track, with proper racing from age 8 and a Mini Racer session for the 4 to 7s.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredCard only+5 more

TeamSport Go Karting Mitcham South London

Mitcham · ages 8+

Indoor electric go-karting on an 800m multi-level track, with a Mini Racers option for younger kids who aren't tall enough for the real thing yet.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFood on site+2 more

TeamSport Go Karting North London Edmonton

London · ages 4-16

Indoor karting on a nine-corner circuit, with a Mini Racers option for kids from age four and crazy golf if racing isn't enough.

Birthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Tenpin Acton

London · ages 4+

32 lanes of bumper-friendly bowling in Acton, plus laser tag, karaoke and escape rooms if one game isn't enough.

Birthday partiesFree parkingHalal optionsFood on site+2 more

The British Library

London · adults only (18+)

Free gallery of genuinely famous manuscripts, but the Reading Rooms themselves are an over-18s, pencils-only affair.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBlue badge parkingCafé+8 more

The Clink Prison Museum

London · ages 0-16

A small, dimly lit prison museum where kids can handle real torture devices and hear grim tales of former inmates.

The Courtauld Gallery

London

A townhouse gallery of Impressionist paintings where under-18s get in free and a phone doubles as the guidebook.

Bike parkingCaféCard onlyGift shop+2 more

The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience

London · ages 9+

A live, physical version of the TV game show, tackling zones and puzzles for about 75 minutes before the Crystal Dome finale.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookings+1 more

the Design Museum

London

Free permanent collection on Level 2 covering how everyday objects get designed and made, plus school-holiday design camps for the older kids.

CaféGift shopLockers

The Festival Theatre at Hever Castle

Edenbridge

Open-air shows on the grounds of Hever Castle, with your own picnic and drinks allowed in before the show and at the interval.

Accessible toiletFree parkingPicnics allowedWheelchair accessible

The Hellfire Caves

High Wycombe

A guided walk through real tunnels and chambers cut into the Chiltern hills, with an underground river and a banqueting hall to gawp at.

Birthday partiesCaféGift shopIndoor play+1 more

The Heroes Guild

London

A games café in Walthamstow where you book a table, pick from a big board game library, and play D&D or Warhammer until 7pm with the kids.

Booking requiredDog friendlyGroup bookingsIndoor play+3 more

The Kiln Rooms

London

A working pottery studio that only takes kids by arranging a private one-off session, not walk-in classes.

The London Dungeon

London · ages 5+

A 75-minute walkthrough of London's grislier history with live actors, jump scares and one drop ride, best saved for kids who like being spooked.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCard onlyGift shop+2 more

The O2

London

A whole complex of things to do under one roof, from climbing the roof itself to bowling, battle games and indoor skydiving.

Bike parkingFree parkingFood on siteParking+1 more

The Old Vic

London · ages 0+

A proper West End style theatre near Waterloo with e-tickets, a script library and a cafe that's open to anyone, ticket or not.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBooking requiredCafé+6 more

The Paddington Bear Experience

London · ages 0-15

A 70-minute walk-through where kids meet Paddington, help Mrs Bird tidy her kitchen and dance to a Calypso band in Windsor Gardens.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+11 more

The Punch Bowl

London

A British restaurant with proper booked-table dining and party rooms, useful if you want a sit-down meal out rather than a soft-play scramble.

Booking requiredGroup bookingsIndoor seatingParty rooms+1 more

The Royal Institution

London · ages 4+

Free entry to a museum of 200 years of scientific history, tucked in a Mayfair townhouse with family talks laid on too.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+5 more

The Shaftesbury Theatre

London · ages 3-99

A big West End stage for a proper musical, plus daytime tours round a Grade II* listed theatre.

Accessible toiletBike parkingHearing loopStep-free access+1 more

The Thieves

London

Retro arcade games, VR racing, darts and private karaoke booths, with a restaurant serving burgers and Sunday roasts.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsParty roomsRestaurant

Theatre Royal Haymarket

London

Peppa Pig's Big Family Show lands here for around 80 minutes including an interval, tickets from £10.

CaféFood on siteToilets

Theatre Royal Windsor

Windsor

Pantomimes, musicals and behind-the-scenes tours in a proper old theatre, with bars open before curtain up.

Food on site

TOCA Social, The O2

London · ages 0+

Private boxes for interactive football games, with foosball and screenings on the side at The O2.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsHalal optionsFood on site+2 more

Topsy Turvy World

London · ages 0-11

Slides, ball pools and laser tag under one roof, with a baby-only corner for the under-twos.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+5 more

Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

Wembley · ages 3+

A proper theatre trip for kids from age three, with a restaurant and bar on site if you want to make an evening of it.

Accessible toiletLockersRestaurantToilets+1 more

Two Temple Place

London

A grand riverside building near the Strand you can only get into on select dates, with an hour-long tour that actually goes somewhere interesting.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+3 more

V&A South Kensington

London

Free design museum in South Kensington - fashion, courtyard picnic and rainy-day galleries.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféGift shop+5 more

Vaudeville Theatre

London · ages 10+

A West End matinee-or-evening trip for older kids and teens, built around shows like Six that actually suit a 10-plus crowd.

Accessible toiletDog friendlyToiletsWheelchair accessible

Victoria Palace Theatre

London · ages 10+

A big West End show, currently Hamilton, running just under three hours with a proper interval.

Booking requiredFood on siteWheelchair accessible

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Watford · ages 5+

Walk through Diagon Alley and the Great Hall, stand under a 30ft Basilisk, and have a go on the green screen broomstick.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingBooking required+8 more

Well & Bucket

London

A Sunday roast pub with party rooms tucked away, open late most days if lunch turns into an afternoon.

Indoor seatingParty roomsRestaurant

Wellcome Collection

London

Free galleries exploring health and the human body, with a library and daily tours thrown in.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféChanging Places+7 more

White Spider Climbing

Surbiton

Indoor bouldering and roped climbing with kids sessions, termly clubs and birthday parties on the wall.

Booking requiredGift shop

Whitechapel Gallery

London

Free displays and artist-led activities in an east London gallery where under 16s never pay for the ticketed show.

Baby changeBlue badge parkingCaféCard only+9 more

Wicked The Musical

London · ages 7-5

A two-and-three-quarter-hour West End musical at the Apollo Victoria, best for kids who can sit through flashing lights and a proper story.

Booking requiredCard onlyGift shopIndoor seating+1 more

World of Dinosaurs

Broxbourne

Over 30 animatronic dinosaurs to walk among, plus a train ride, crazy golf and soft play if the rain sets in.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCard only+9 more

Zebra Skate - Skateboarding and Rollerblading for all ages

London · ages 5-12

Week-long or single-day skate camps in Kensington Gardens teaching kids to rollerblade and skateboard, kit included.

Booking required