Things To Do In London In The Easter Holidays: 28 March-12 April 2015

By Londonist Last edited 96 months ago
Things To Do In London In The Easter Holidays: 28 March-12 April 2015

****Looking for things to do in the Easter holidays 2016? Click here.****

This edition of Things To Do In London In The Easter Holidays is sponsored by Wingit.

Looking for ways to keep kids and teenagers entertained during school holidays? There's plenty to do in London over Easter, whatever your budget. We'll be adding to this list as more events are announced, so keep checking back for more ideas.

Ongoing

Art of the Brick


FAMILY DAYS OUT: Bored of trudging round the same old museums and parks? Try one of these 7 alternative family days out in London, featuring caves, windmills and more.

WHERE TO EAT: Finding somewhere to eat out with kids can be tricky, but these child-friendly restaurants in London offer more options that just pizza and chips.

CULTURE VULTURES: You may think art galleries and theatres are a no-go when you've got little ones in tow, but these London theatres are great for kids' shows, and these family-friendly art galleries will keep children happy, and have plenty for mum and dad too.

CINDERELLA: To mark the release of the new live action Cinderella film, there's an exhibition about the making of the film in Leicester Square, displaying costumes and props. Free, prebook, 21 March-10 April

LEMUR WALKTHROUGH: London Zoo opens a new lemur enclosure, which the public can walk through to get up close to the animals. Included in zoo entrance fee, prebooking recommended during school holidays, opens 28 March

ALL ABOARD: The London Transport Museum in Covent Garden opens a new family gallery and activity area. Children can play on a mini fleet of vehicles and dress up in uniforms to become drivers, mechanics, cleaners, station announcers and even river captains. From 28 March

EGG HUNT: Battersea Park Zoo has give Easter eggs to some of its animals. Use the clues to work out where the eggs are and fill in your quiz sheet as you go. £1+entry fee, just turn up, 28 March-5 April

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE: Miss Edmunds, a charming young lady with a poisonous nature, sets up her toxic sweet shop at London Dungeons for the duration of the holidays. Guests who take up her challenge to play chocolate roulette could end up with a mouthful of chilli, mustard powder... or even strychnine (we assume this isn't real). Dungeon entry £25.95/£20.95, prebooking recommended, 28 March-12 April

CHEEKY CHICKENS: Strawberry Hill House in Richmond has a treasure hunt. Find the chickens hidden around the house. Included in admission, just turn up, 28 March-15 April

LEGO BRICKS: Believe it or not, The Art of the Brick is still on at Truman Brewery. See Lego recreations of ancient Greek sculpture, famous canvasses, and, er, One Direction. £8-£16.50, prebook, until 12 April

HOGWART'S EXPRESS: The Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios in Watford is unveiling a permanent 20,000ft² expansion, including the original Hogwarts Express steam engine and a recreation of Platform 9 ¾. Various prices, prebook, from 19 March

VELVETEEN RABBIT: Favourite kids' book The Velveteen Rabbit comes to the stage at Unicorn Theatre in Southwark, telling the story of a very shy toy rabbit who longs for nothing more than to become real. £10-£16, prebook, 28 March-26 April

SEA DRAGONS: Who knew that there was such a creature as a sea dragon? Not us. But this Easter, the Sea Life London Aquarium opens a new themed zone, Sea Dragon Kingdom. See creatures such as weedy sea dragons, the curious alligator pipefish and colourful yellow seahorses. From £18.36 per adult/£13.52 per child, prebooking recommended, from 29 March

BOOT CAMP: Firepower Royal Artillery Museum's Junior Gunners Boot Camp is a chance for kids to have a go at military style physical training, a Challenger Troop assault course and target practice, and a bungee run. £4.50 plus admission, 31 March-10 April

GOLDEN HINDE II: The reproduction of Sir Francis Drake's ship in Borough regularly has family events, such as pirate days, Tudor days and family sleepovers. Prebooking essential.

MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD: Several events are going on at the Bethnal Green museum, including the chance to explore what can be made from paper, a picture-book making workshop, a paper lighthouse workshop, and pop-up performances.

Saturday 28 March

IMAGINARY MENAGERIE: The Grant Museum of Zoology runs a drop-in family afternoon with a museum artist on hand to help children create artwork inspired by the unusual animals in the collection. Free, just turn up, 1pm-4pm

CHICKEN LICKEN:  Food, puppets and music all meet in performances of Chicken Licken at Canada Water Culture Space. Age 3+.  £7, prebook, 1pm/3pm

BOUNCING BUNNIES: Kids can make their own bunny ears and have a go at being a bunny, hopping round the gardens at Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham. Should be a good one for wearing them out! £2, just turn up, 12.30pm

AIRFIX: Head to the RAF Museum to create the Red Baron's Albatros or a British Sopwith Pup from an Airfix kit, then take it home with you. All materials provided. Age 7+.  £3, until 3 April

Sunday 29 March

Captain Flinn & the Pirate Dinosaurs


PUPPET SHOW: Natural History Museum performs a marine invertebrate themed puppet show. Find out how Billy Bob's dream of meeting the animals from the sea comes true. It's followed by the lighthearted tale of The Little Mermaid. Free, prebook at information desk on the day, 12pm/1.30pm, repeated several dates

PIRATE DINOSAURS: Two words that are bound to get kids excited. Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs at artsdepot in North Finchley is a theatrical experience with live music, puppetry and physical performance. Age 4+.  £10, prebook, 2pm/4pm

Monday 30 March

SINGING COURSE: Starting today, Southbank Centre runs a five day children's singing course, culminating in a free concert on the Friday. No auditions/experience necessary. Age 8-12. £35, prebook, 30 March- 3 April

Tuesday 31 March

EASTER CARDS: Kids can have a go at making their own rabbit-themed Easter cards at Battersea Park Zoo. £1 (plus entry fee), drop in, 11am/1.30pm

SAILING SHIPS: Hear the stories of storms on board the Cutty Sark and make and decorate a special ship puppet complete with its own big blue sea to sail on. Free with admission, Until 1 April

BUBBLE MAN: artsdepot in North Finchley hosts performances of The Amazing Bubble Man with bubble art, magic and science led by the world's leading bubbleologist. Age 4+. £10-£12, prebook, 11.30am/2pm/4.30pm


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Things To Do In London In The Easter Holidays is sponsored by Wingit.


Wednesday 1 April

FUN FAIR: The annual Fun Fair returns to Alexandra Palace today. From carousels to slightly more hair-raising rides, there are also stalls where you can win prizes, and plenty of traditional food and drink. Until 6 April

19TH CENTURY ART: The Ragged School Museum in Mile End explores the world of art and design in the 19th century, from the Gothic Revival to William Morris. Kids have the chance to become artists themselves, plus there will be free face painting. Free, just turn up, 1oam-5pm (also 2, 8 and 9 April)

Thursday 2 April

SHIP SLEEPOVER: Book well ahead for a family sleepover on the Cutty Sark. Explore the ship at night-time, and learn how to hoist the flags, coil the ropes and tie knots. An astronomer from the Royal Observatory will point out the stars and planets in the sky above the ship. Age 7-11, but must be accompanied by an adult. From £45, prebook, 7pm

Friday 3 April — Good Friday

BUNNY DAY: Make you own set of rabbit ears, get whiskers painted on your face, take part in rabbit story time and meet a real rabbit at Battersea Park Zoo. Included in entry fee, just turn up, 11am-3.30pm

SOOTY SHOW: Everyone's favourite puppet bear is back at Churchill Theatre in Bromley with his loyal sidekicks. It's Sooty's birthday party and things aren't going to plan. Sooty and Sweep get messy baking the birthday cake and will Soo ever decide which dress to wear? £16.90, prebook, 11am/2.30pm

EASTER EGG HUNT: Visitors to the Cutty Sark over Easter weekend can try to spot the eggs that the ship's chickens have been laying. Free with admission, just turn up, until 6 April. Morden Hall Park also has an Easter egg trail. £4, 11am-4pm, 3-6 April

Sooty, Sweep and Soo are at Churchill Theatre

Saturday 4 April

STORM SHAKERS: Make your own musical instrument to recreate the sounds of rain and the sea at Cutty Sark's family fun weekend. Free with entry, just turn up, until 5 April

EGG HUNT: Head to Gabriel's Wharf to take part in an Easter egg hunt in and around the designer and artisan shops. Free, just turn up, 11am-6pm

CRAFTY SATURDAYS: Head to Stepney City Farm for Crafty Saturdays. Open to everyone of all ages, have a go at making pottery-clay sheep and wood-drop spindles. Free, just turn up, 11am-3pm

Sunday 5 April

Keep an eye on our weekend section for things to do today.

Monday 6 April — Easter Monday

FARM FESTIVAL: Forty Hall Farm in Enfield hosts an Easter Family Festival with craft activities, live music, craft stalls, and circus skills and games, plus food stalls and a bar. In aid of local charity Art Start. £6.50/£3.50, 12pm-6pm

Tuesday 7 April

THEATRE WORKSHOP: Chickenshed Theatre Company runs theatre and performance workshops for 5-12 year olds and 14-18 years olds. £100/£105, prebook, 7-10 April

CHOCOLATE TUESDAY: If they haven't had enough chocolate over Easter weekend, head to Chelsea Physic Garden to learn about the history, geography and science of chocolate. Includes craft activities, a garden tour, chocolate tasting and the chance to create your own mixtures. Age 7+, 10.30am-2.30pm

Wednesday 8 April

PLANTASTIC: Tying in with the family-friendly Plantastic exhibition at the Horniman Museum, Big Wednesday is a chance to watch the museum's gardeners rebuilding minibeast habitats, take a storytelling tour of the gardens, do art and craft activities and more. Free, just turn up, 11am-3.30pm

GARDENING: Green-fingered little Londoners will enjoy Chelsea Physic Garden's introduction to gardening day. Learn how to grow and care for plants, take cuttings, plant seeds, use containers and more. 6+. 10.30am-2.30pm

FLOWER POWER: The Isis Education Centre in Hyde Park runs a plant discovery day. Take part in a nature trail, make a daisy bookmark, and take part in colouring and painting. Just turn up, 11am-3pm, repeated 9 April

Thursday 9 April

Learn about hedgehogs at Battersea Park Zoo


HEDGEHOG DAY: Now that the Easter bunny's out of the way, hedgehogs take centre stage at Battersea Park Zoo, in collaboration with The People's Trust for Endangered Species. Try hedgehog arts and crafts, story time, a chance to chat with a hedgehog rescuer and meet a real hedgehog. Prebook, various sessions, 11am-2.30pm

Friday 10 April

Know of any great activities for children or teenagers going on today? Let us know in the comments below.

Saturday 11 April

Keep an eye on our weekend section for things to do today.

Sunday 12 April

SHH....BANG!: Let your kids explore the concepts of quiet and loud at artsdepot in North Finchley. Shh...Bang! is a theatre dance show in which next door neighbours Quiet and Loud have to find a way of getting along with each other. Age 3+. £7, prebook, 11am/2pm

TEA PARTY: Watermans Theatre in Brentford hosts a performance of  Mrs McMoon's Tea Party, featuring singing flowers, scrumulumptious biscuits and a Scottish jig. £6.50, prebook, 3pm

****Looking for things to do in the Easter holidays 2016? Click here.****

Last Updated 22 March 2016