Things to Do with Kids in London This October

The new school term has barely settled in, and somehow half term is already on the horizon. Before it arrives, the capital has a packed few weeks lined up for families, with this first weekend of the month especially busy. Whether you have a baby in the sling, a pre-schooler who loves a puppet show or a tween who would rather be anywhere than a soft play, there is something here worth putting in the diary.

We have grouped everything by type and noted suggested ages, so you can quickly find what suits your crew. Many events need booking ahead, so it is always worth checking details with the venue before you set off.

On all month

No need to rush for these. Each runs for several weeks, which makes them handy for a rainy weekend or an easy half term plan.

A centenary trail for Pooh Bear. Winnie-the-Pooh turns 100 this year, and London Zoo is marking the occasion with a new illustrated story trail. Children can follow Pooh and Eeyore around the zoo from 2 October to 1 November, and the trail comes as part of standard entry. Suitable for all ages.

Pumpkin picking in Hounslow. The newly opened pumpkin patch at Hobbledown Heath welcomes families from 2 to 4 October, then on selected dates until 1 November. Choose your pumpkin, have a go at seasonal games and toast marshmallows. Worth knowing before you go: pumpkins and fairground rides are extras. All ages.

A show that puts children in charge. At the Unicorn Theatre near London Bridge, Pocket Money lets young audiences vote on how the story unfolds. It is an interactive show about money, complete with a live DJ and a mischievous clown, and could be a gentle way into those conversations about spending and saving. Selected dates until 1 November, for ages 7 to 12.

A first theatre trip for babies. Also at the Unicorn, Home Song opens on Friday 2 October and runs until 8 November. Made especially for babies aged 6 to 18 months, it follows a soft musical journey from Ghana to London with puppets, a cappella singing and sensory play.

Scaling Everest without the packing. Eclipso in Camden has just opened a 40-minute virtual reality adventure that retraces Hillary and Tenzing's historic first ascent. Best for ages 8 and up.

A wolf-proof retelling. The Three Little Pigs is on at Polka Theatre in Wimbledon until Sunday 4 October. Expect puppets, physical comedy and plenty of audience participation as the pigs try to build a home the wolf cannot blow down. Ages 3 to 7.

This weekend: shows, puppets and plenty of giggles

The first weekend of October (Friday 2 to Sunday 4) is a busy one for family theatre, with something for almost every age.

For the littlest audiences. On Saturday 3 October, Mr Sleepybum's Dream Machine at the Lyric Hammersmith sends a homemade contraption haywire, unleashing dinosaurs, robots and all manner of silliness in an interactive comedy (ages 3 and up). Over in Twickenham the same day, Mr Bubbles brings The Bubble Show to The Exchange, blending magic, storytelling and science with a bubble volcano and a fire tornado (3+). On Sunday, the bumbling clown Baffo attempts bicycles and daring stunts with live music in On Your Bike Baffo at Jacksons Lane in Highgate (ages 3 to 9).

Toilet humour, guaranteed. The much-loved picture books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter become a musical in The Dinosaur That Pooped, at New Wimbledon Theatre on Sunday 4 October. New songs and plenty of laughs for ages 3 and up.

Puppets with personality. Dermot O'Leary's books come to life at artsdepot in North Finchley on 3 and 4 October, where Toto the Ninja Cat races to catch an escaped cobra in a musical puppet adventure (5+). At Little Angel Studios in Islington, the Pied Piper Puppet Workshop on Saturday invites children aged 5 to 9 to make their own cheeky rat puppet and set it loose on a mini stage. Note that the workshop and the show are booked separately.

Comedy and acrobatics. Comedy duo Rachel and Ruby are back with Shelf: The Kids Show 2 at Blackheath Halls on Saturday, packed with silly sketches and slapstick, with audience participation entirely optional (ages 5 to 11). At the Southbank Centre the same day, Mimbre's acrobats perform before inviting families to try some balancing tricks together, and you can stay on for a family disco from Ballroom Boogie at 2.30pm.

For older children. Jacksons Lane has two good options for ages 8 and up. Mixed Doubles (Friday and Saturday evenings) is a double bill pairing juggling with ballet, followed by an acrobatic duet about relationships. On Saturday, storyteller Nell Phoenix shares Arctic myths full of tricksters and strange creatures in That's How the World Was Made!, with a pleasingly dark sense of humour. Meanwhile at Polka Theatre on 3 and 4 October, A Class of Your Own uses physical theatre and video projection to explore growing up, big feelings and the labels others give us, and why they need not stick. A thoughtful pick for ages 8 to 12.

Screen and stage. The Barbican is showing The Songbird's Secret on Saturday, a paper-cut animated tale of friendship and family secrets, followed by a short film on how it was made (6+). And at Shakespeare's Globe, the theatre's fight team demonstrates Shakespearean sword fighting, after which everyone can hold the weapons for a photo.

This weekend: harvest fairs, festivals and days out

If you would rather spend the weekend outdoors or wandering between stalls, the city is full of community celebrations.

Autumn harvest. Morden Hall Park hosts a Harvest Festival on Saturday 3 October, with apple pressing, autumn crafts, Morris dancing and a nature-themed Punch and Judy show. On Sunday, Fulham Palace celebrates its orchard with Apple Day, featuring garden games, themed activities, market stalls and lots of apple-inspired food. Further south, Croydon Harvest fills the town centre across both days with farm animals, circus acts, crafts, folk music and, rather wonderfully, a fortune-telling pig.

All about bees. At Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield, the Bee and Honey Show (3 and 4 October) lets children peer into a live observation hive, chat to beekeepers and try some crafts. You can take home local honey too.

Fun Palaces in Hoxton. Hoxton is joining the annual Fun Palaces celebration of creativity on Saturday. Hoxton Hall has dance, crafts and a music jam, plus resin workshops for ages 8 and up that need booking. Nearby, St Anne's Church Hoxton is hosting an afternoon Bread Festival with creative activities for everyone.

More neighbourhood favourites. Half Moon Theatre in Limehouse throws open its doors on Saturday for a Family Fun Day of drop-in storytelling, music, movement and crafts. On Sunday, the West Norwood Feast street festival brings food stalls, live music and children's activities, so lunch and entertainment are sorted in one go. Trafalgar Square, meanwhile, hosts Japan Matsuri, a day of Japanese music, dance, martial arts and food stalls.

A ride back in time. Bus-mad children will love the Route 106 Heritage Day on Saturday, when vintage Routemaster and RT buses run between Finsbury Park and Hackney, complete with real conductors. Simply flag one down and hop on.

A walk with a mission. On Wimbledon Common on Saturday, the Waggy Walk and Family Fun Trail follows a new 4km route where families crack a secret message and collect a prize, all in aid of Wimbledon Guild. Bringing a dog is optional.

For pop culture fans. AnimeCon UK takes over Olympia London on 3 and 4 October with anime, manga, cosplay, J-Pop and K-Pop, special guests and an Artist Alley of fan-made work. One for the Pokémon generation. Younger K-pop fans might prefer the Children's K-Pop Party at Foyles on Charing Cross Road on Saturday, where they can meet K-Pop Witch Academy author Fiona Scoble and learn a routine with professional choreographers.

Trying something new. Festival of the Girl at the Business Design Centre in Islington (3 and 4 October) offers hands-on activities in engineering, sport, gaming and more, designed to encourage girls to give new things a go. It is best suited to ages 7 to 11, and Saturday morning has a quieter session for children with SEND.

This weekend: museums, art and curious minds

For families who like their days out with a little learning mixed in, there are some lovely hands-on options.

A Chelsea triple. Three Chelsea venues make it easy to fill a whole weekend in one postcode. The Royal Hospital Chelsea hosts a family weekend for the Chelsea History Festival on 3 and 4 October, with characters from history, printmaking on Saturday, collage on Sunday and wartime objects to explore in its historic grounds. Just down the road, Chelsea Physic Garden, London's oldest botanical garden, opens up for pond dipping, crafts, storytelling and historical characters (book an entry slot in advance). And at the National Army Museum, children aged 6 and up can try out sketching techniques inspired by an artist who recorded everyday life during the First World War.

Drawing on a grand scale. The Big Draw Festival launches at the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration in Clerkenwell on Saturday 3 October. Expect artist-led activities, collage, colour play and the chance to help create a giant garden artwork.

Museum detectives. The Culture Quest Treasure Hunt at the British Museum on Saturday sends teams hunting for treasures, solving clues and gathering photo evidence, with scores tallied and prizes handed out at the end.

A quieter start. The Horniman Museum in Forest Hill is running Bright and Early on Saturday morning, a relaxed opening for neurodivergent families with access to Voyage to the Deep, the aquarium and hands-on objects. Advance booking is required.

The science of light. At the Royal Institution in Mayfair, Prism Break uses bubbles, flames and, yes, chocolate to explain how rainbows form and why the sky is blue. Saturday 3 October, for ages 7 to 13.

Later in the month

Meet the orchestra. On Saturday 17 October, Aurora Orchestra hosts Meet the Instruments at Kings Place in King's Cross. It is a lively, interactive concert where children aged 3 to 7 can sing, dance, play games and discover how each orchestral instrument sounds. A brilliant first concert for small music lovers.

Stand-up for the school run crowd. Comedian James Campbell brings The Funny Life of Teachers to the Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury on 24 and 25 October. Aimed at ages 6 and up, it is full of ridiculous stories, with plenty to make the grown-ups laugh too.

One to watch at Kew. A rare agave at Kew Gardens is about to flower for the very first time, which, sadly, will also be the end of it. Staff are hunting for a pollen partner so it can set seed before its finale. It makes for a fascinating conversation with children about how some plants live and grow.

Planning ahead for half term

October half term begins the week of 26 October, so now is a good moment to get childcare and plans in place.

A musical, spooky holiday camp. For working parents, The Strings Club runs music-led holiday camps for 4 to 11 year olds across London, and this half term the theme is a Halloween one. Alongside the chance to try guitar, violin or ukulele, the Spooktacular Celebrations week mixes arts and crafts, games and time outdoors. Highlights include a Monster Mash singalong with moves to learn, spooky mask making, small groups composing their own Halloween music and a game of Zombie Kickball. The week finishes with a Grand Concert. You can book a single day or the whole week, and parents receive daily updates and photos.

Camps run in Balham, Blackheath, Brockley, Bow, Clapton, Crouch End, Dulwich, Ealing, Fulham, Greenwich, Hackney Dalston, Hampstead, Islington, Kingston upon Thames, Nunhead, Richmond, Walthamstow and Wimbledon.

A calmer Oxford Street. From 26 October, a stretch of Oxford Street close to a kilometre long starts going pedestrian-only, with buses, taxis and bikes no longer allowed. Good news for anyone tackling an early Christmas shop with a buggy or little ones in tow.

And looking towards Christmas. A large immersive Alice in Wonderland experience is on its way to Dock X in Canada Water for the festive season, inviting visitors down the rabbit hole into Lewis Carroll's gloriously topsy-turvy world. One to keep an eye on.

Ollēdi © 2026

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