Morning, London! Happy Thursday. Last week we asked whether you'd rather have 30 degrees and chaos or 10 degrees and a light drizzle. The result? 53% voted for the heatwave. 47% chose drizzle. Which means London remains deeply confused about what it actually wants.

The heatwave lasted just long enough for everyone to buy a paddling pool. Now the temperature has dropped 10 degrees and parents are staring at a large inflatable object wondering whether to pack it away or leave it out.

The World Cup starts next week. England. Argentina. Brazil. South Korea. Morocco. Football shirts are about to be everywhere. Any readers from Curaçao by any chance? Cool shirt.

Quite a few late kick-offs too. Good luck negotiating bedtimes for the next month.

Oh, and if you're reading this on a delayed train somewhere, tube strike day. Our thoughts are with you.

🌿 London’s Secret Gardens Are Opening Their Gates. For one weekend only, more than 120 private and hidden gardens across London will open to the public, including some normally reserved for very lucky postcode holders. A rare chance to peek behind those mysterious gates and finally find out what the neighbours are hiding. Full story

📱 London Backs Social Media Ban for Under-16s. The Mayor of London is now supporting a ban on social media for under-16s, arguing that platforms should have to prove they're safe for children before being allowed to use them. One topic guaranteed to spark debate at dinner tables, school gates and family WhatsApp groups. Full story

💷 Which Animal Should Be on the £20 Note? The Bank of England is asking the public to help choose which creatures could appear on future banknotes, with bumblebees, dolphins, puffins and hedgehogs all in the running. Full story

Most venues seem to be taking a breather after half term. Fair enough.

🐦 Take Flight @ Half Moon Theatre
Date & Loc: Jun 5–6, Limehouse E1
A gentle aerial theatre show created especially for babies, following a mother bird and her chick as they grow, play and prepare for their first flight.
Age: 0–2 | Price: £18 | Info

🎨 Allen Jones: Taking Shape @ Camden Arts Projects
Date & Loc: Jun 5-Aug 30, Camden NW1
Six decades of work by one of Britain's most influential Pop Artists come together in this free exhibition of paintings, sculptures and a major new piece created especially for the show.
Age: Older kids & teens | Price: No cost | Info

🍦 The Ice Cream Project @ Anya Hindmarch
Date & Loc: Jun 5-Aug 16, Belgravia SW1
The cult summer pop-up returns with a fresh batch of ice creams inspired by everyday cupboard staples.
Age: All | Price: TBC | Info

🏺 Young Archaeologists’ Club: Foreshore Walk @ Fulham Palace
Date & Loc: Jun 6 (Sat), Fulham SW6
Young history detectives can explore the Thames foreshore between Fulham Palace and Putney Bridge, searching for clues and hidden fragments left behind by centuries of London life.
Age: 8–16 | Price: £16 | Info

🎬 Tiddler + The Snail and the Whale @ Barbican Centre
Date & Loc: Jun 6 (Sat), Barbican EC2
Celebrate World Ocean Day with two charming Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler adaptations on the big screen.
Age: 3+ | Price: £5 | Info

🌊 World Ocean Day @ National Maritime Museum
Date & Loc: Jun 6 (Sat), Greenwich SE10
A big family celebration of all things ocean, with science shows, live music, crafts, games and plenty of hands-on activities. Ocean experts will be on hand too.
Age: Everyone| Price: No cost | Info

🎨 Spaghetti Club Kids Workshop @ Somerset House
Date & Loc: Jun 6 (Sat), Somerset House WC2
Part of The Artists' Fair, this small-group workshop invites children to explore art, storytelling and big ideas through drawing, discussion and creative play.
Age: 7-10 | Price: £7.50 | Info

🎨 The Artists' Fair 2026 @ Somerset House
Date & Loc: Jun 6 (Sat), Strand WC2R
A one-day artist-led fair where families can browse stalls, meet artists, dip into workshops and catch live talks throughout the day.
Age: Everyone | Price: Pay what you can | Info

📚 Family Art Fun Day: Make a Sneaky Bookmark @ Turf Projects
Date & Loc: Jun 6 (Sat), Croydon CR0
Inspired by artist Becky Lyon's Muntjac project, this free workshop invites children to create their own "sneaky" bookmark while exploring playful ideas about books, nature and creativity.
Age: 5+ | Price: No cost | Info

🧸 Teddy Bear’s Picnic @ Greenwich Theatre
Date & Loc: Jun 6 (Sat), Greenwich SE10
Bring your favourite teddy along for a musical adventure packed with songs, dancing and plenty of chances to join in.
Age: 2-6 | Price: from £9.50 | Info

🌿 London Open Gardens 2026 @ Across London
Date & Loc: Jun 6–7, across London
For one weekend only, more than 100 private gardens, hidden squares, rooftop oases and normally locked green spaces throw open their gates to the public.
Age: All ages | Price: from £10, under 12s free | Info

🦖 Dinos vs Sharks Show @ Natural History Museum
Date & Loc: Jun 6-7 (Sat-Sun), South Kensington SW7
Dinosaurs versus sharks. The debate humanity didn't know it needed. Meet some of history's fiercest predators and then help decide who deserves the crown.
Age: 5+ | Price: from £12 | Info

🎪 Great Exhibition Road Festival @ South Kensington
Date & Loc: Jun 6–7, South Kensington SW7
South Kensington basically turns into one giant science-and-arts playground for the weekend. Free workshops, live experiments, creative installations, talks, performances and hands-on activities spread across Exhibition Road, with the V&A, Science Museum, Imperial and more all joining in. One of London’s best free family weekends.
Age: All ages | Price: no cost | Info

🧠 Maths Exploratorium @ Great Exhibition Road Festival
Date & Loc: Jun 6–7, South Kensington SW7
An interactive maths playground packed with puzzles, games, chess challenges and hands-on experiments.
Age: All ages | Price: no cost | Info

🚀 Rocket Mice @ Great Exhibition Road Festival
Date & Loc: Jun 6–7, South Kensington SW7
Sometimes it really is rocket science. Join the Science Museum team to build and launch your own mouse-powered rocket using nothing more than a squeeze of air.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🤖 RoboFootball @ Great Exhibition Road Festival
Date & Loc: Jun 6–7, Kensington SW7
Watch tiny AI-powered robots battle it out in fast-paced football matches with no joysticks, no remote controls and no human help. Built by Imperial College students.
Age: All | Price: No cost | Info

📚 The Story, Song, Wriggle and Rhyme Tent @ Great Exhibition Road Festival
Date & Loc: Jun 6–7, Kensington Gardens SW7
A lovely little drop-in zone for under-5s with songs, stories, rhymes and wriggling about.
Age: Under 5s | Price: no cost | Info

🐴 Shire Horse Carriage Rides @ Hampton Court Palace
Date & Loc: Jun 6-28 (weekends), Hampton Court KT8
Clip-clop through the palace gardens behind a team of magnificent Shire horses on a 20-minute carriage ride through 500 years of history.
Age: All | Price: £5 per ride (under 2s free) | Info

🦁 Disney’s The Lion King Exhibition @ London Zoo
Date & Loc: Jun 6–Aug 31, Regent’s Park NW1
The masks, puppets and costumes from Disney’s The Lion King have taken over London Zoo for the summer. Get a close-up look at the craftsmanship behind the West End hit and spot iconic characters.
Age: All | Price: incl. w. adm. | Info

🧸 Teddy Bear Picnic @ Fulham Palace
Date & Loc: Jun 7, Fulham SW6
Pack the picnic blanket, grab the fluffiest member of the family and head to Fulham Palace for a teddy-themed day in the gardens. Outdoor theatre, games, crafts and small humans taking their teddy’s social calendar very seriously.
Age: All | Price: from £12 | Info

🎨 Kids & Caregivers Marbling Workshop @ Big Penny Social
Date & Loc: Jun 7 (Sun), Walthamstow E17
Create colourful swirling patterns on paper in this hands-on marbling workshop for children and their grown-ups.
Age: 8+ | Price: £25 (1 adult + 1 child) | Info

🕵️ Sherlock Holmes @ Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Date & Loc: until Jun 6, Regent’s Park NW1
A brand new Sherlock Holmes mystery set in Victorian London, performed outdoors in Regent’s Park. Fog, conspiracies and a bit of Baker Street.
Age: 12+ | Price: from £15 | Info

🎵 Luke Jerram: Stepping Out @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Jun 10-Sep 30, South Bank SE1
Turn a walk into a musical adventure at this interactive artwork where your footsteps trigger changing sounds and melodies.
Age: All | Price: No cost | Info

🎈 International Day of Play @ Young V&A
Date & Loc: Jun 11 (Thu), Bethnal Green E2
A full day dedicated to the serious business of having fun. Young V&A's Play Champions are taking over the museum with free creative activities, games and hands-on experiences celebrating the UN's International Day of Play.
Age: Various | Price: No cost | Info

🏺 Young Explorer’s Day: Exploring Ancient Egypt for Children @ Egypt Exploration Society
Date & Loc: Jun 13 (Sat), Bloomsbury WC1N
A full afternoon of hands-on Ancient Egypt fun with storytelling, games, crafts, replica artefacts and even Egyptian-themed henna. Kids can handle objects, make things and immerse themselves in a world of pharaohs, pyramids and gods with animal heads.
Age: Everyone | Price: £5.25 adults, children free | Info

🎉 Wanna Play? Festival @ Alexandra Palace Park
Date & Loc: Jun 13 (Sat), Alexandra Palace N22
A free family festival packed with music, food, skating, dance, creative workshops and performances as part of the London Festival of Architecture.
Age: All | Price: No cost | Info

🎵 BASSTONE PLAYGROUND @ Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Date & Loc: Jun 13-14, Stratford E20
Part playground, part art installation, part giant musical experiment. Kids can explore interactive sound and light artworks.
Age: All | Price: No cost | Info

🛹 Skate 50 @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: until Jun 21, Southbank SE1
A celebration of London’s legendary skate scene with photography, video and stories from the Undercroft over the last 50 years. Cool enough that even non-skaters will suddenly want Vans.
Age: All | Price: Pay What You Can | Info

🍔 Clissold Park FEASTival @ Clissold Park
Date & Loc: Jun 12–14, Stoke Newington N16
Three days of food, drink and family fun in one of north London's favourite parks. Street food, live music, a mini funfair, a land train, etc.
Age: All | Price: free entry | Info

🦆 The Duck With No Luck @ Wigmore Hall
Date & Loc: Jun 13 (Sat), Marylebone W1
A musical retelling of the much-loved picture book about a duck who just can't seem to catch a break. Storytelling, live music and audience participation.
Age: 3–7 | Price: from £10 | Info

🌿 Family Wild Walk @ St Jude’s Street Garden
Date & Loc: Jun 13 (Sat), Dalston E8
A guided family walk through some of Hackney’s green corners, from St Jude’s Street Garden to the award-winning Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground.
Age: All | Price: No cost | Info

🫧 Bubble Explorers @ Science Museum
Date & Loc: until Jul 12, South Kensington SW7
A live bubble show for younger kids at the Science Museum, featuring experiments and giant bubbles.
Age: 7 and under | Price: £4.50 | Info

🛁 The Flying Bath @ Little Angel Theatre
Date & Loc: until Jul 12, Islington N1
Julia Donaldson and David Roberts' story about a bath that flies off into the night, with catchy songs, rubber ducks and everyday heroes.
Age: 2–5 | Price: £13.50 | Info

🎨 Art Workshop: Design the New Mural at the Library! @ Swiss Cottage Library
Date & Loc: Jun 13 (Sat), Swiss Cottage NW3
Young artists can help shape a brand-new mural for the children's library in this creative workshop led by artist Rachel.
Age: 7–10 | Price: No cost | Info

🎭 Hansel and Gretel Family Puppetry & Opera Workshop @ Opera Holland Park
Date & Loc: Jun 13 (Sat), Holland Park W8
Opera meets puppet theatre in this family workshop inspired by Hansel and Gretel. Children can enjoy magical puppetry, live singing from Opera Holland Park performers, and have a go at singing and conducting themselves.
Age: 4–9 | Price: TBC | Info

🌟 West End Live @ Trafalgar Square
Date & Loc: Jun 20–21, Westminster WC2N
Outdoor performances from the biggest West End shows at Trafalgar Square. Two days of casts performing live in the open air, no tickets needed.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🎪 Greenwich Village Summer Fair @ St Alfege Church Community Hall
Date & Loc: Jun 27 (Sat), Greenwich SE10
A community summer fair packed with free fun, including a bouncy castle, face painting, balloons, crafts, music, a fire truck and even Boppin' Bunnies.
Age: 0-8 | Price: No cost | Info

🐕 Dog Man: The Musical @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Jul 30–Aug 16, Southbank SE1
Based on Dav Pilkey's bestselling books, hilarious and heartfelt in equal measure, with a dog for a hero. Tickets on sale now for the summer holidays.
Age: 5+ | Price: £27 | Info

🧚 Fairy Tales @ British Library
Date & Loc: until Aug 23, King's Cross N1C
The British Library opens a fairy tales exhibition with books, original illustrations, theatre costumes, puppets and pop-ups.
Age: 3-10yo | Price: £11.50 | Info

🦕 Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep @ Natural History Museum
Date & Loc: ongoing, South Kensington SW7
New exhibition at the Natural History Museum. Giant prehistoric sea monsters, huge fossils and the sort of creatures that make sharks look quite manageable.
Age: 5+ | Price: from £7.50 | Info

🙏 If this makes your week a bit easier, pls think of two parents who'd love it, or drop it in a WhatsApp group. Takes 20 seconds. Please don’t ignore me 😂.
Appreciated, kind Londoner!

Got any comments or suggestions? Feel free to reply; I’d love to hear from you.

Also, if you enjoyed this, pls share it with friends!