🦊 Half Term Kids

Morning, London! Happy Thursday. I’ll keep this one short as already a few minutes late! The list below is long enough to do the heavy lifting. Half term… good luck. Hopefully this helps a bit.

Sunday is Valentine’s Day, which in London usually means one of three things: overbooked restaurants, pretending you forgot, or negotiating babysitting like it’s a hostage exchange.

And next week London shifts into Lunar New Year mode. Chinatown will be buzzing, dragons dancing, drums echoing. Have fun!

..LONDON SNIPPETS..

Bits that caught our eye

🪐 Six Planets to Line Up in the Night Sky. 28 February, jot it down. Proper planetary parade. Six planets lined up. Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Uranus, Neptune. Four visible to the naked eye. Put it in the diary. All of this assuming the clouds cooperate. It has apparently rained somewhere in the UK every single day of 2026 so far. Full story

🩰 Billy Elliot Is Back After More Than a Decade. Billy Elliot the Musical is returning to the West End, with a limited run at the Adelphi Theatre from 12 February to 31 July 2027. Plenty of your kids were not even born the last time it was on, so this might be their chance to discover why grown adults still get emotional about ballet shoes and mining towns. Full story

🚆 Liverpool Street’s £1.2 Billion Glow-Up Gets the Green Light. The £1.2 billion redevelopment of Liverpool Street Station has officially been approved. Plans include building a huge new office block above the Victorian station. For all the commuters out there! Full story

..TRIVIA..

Know your London?

..BRAIN BITES..

Wow your kid, and outsmart the other parents

London Fact: The City of London’s smallest statue is two mice fighting over a piece of cheese. 🐭🧀 You’ll find them high up on a building on Philpot Lane. The sculpture is said to commemorate two workers who died after accusing each other of stealing their lunch. The real culprit? Mice.

Fun Fact: A comet’s tail always points away from the sun, even if it’s flying toward it. ☄️🌞 It’s not a speed thing, it’s solar wind. The sun blasts out charged particles that push the tail backward like cosmic hair in a gale.

..EVENTS SCOOP..

What’s on this week?

I hear you on not enough events in SW. If you know any good venues or spots I should keep an eye on, send them through.

🎸 The Strings Club @ Various locations
Date & Loc: Feb 16-20, across London
Five-star rated holiday camps that make half-term easy. Expect music-making, creativity and genuinely screen-free fun, all led by expert tutors.
Age: 4–11yrs | Info

💜 Fields of Tender @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Feb 12 (Thu), Royal Festival Hall SE1
A gentle, immersive dance experience with music, movement and visuals, created for disabled and neurodivergent children in a relaxed, sensory-friendly space.
Age: 5–10 | Price: From £22 | Info

🦕 That’s Not My… Dinosaur @ Discover Children’s Story Centre
Date & Loc: Feb 12 (Thu), Stratford E15
A cosy, sensory storytelling session for babies and toddlers, inspired by the much-loved That’s Not My… books, with textures, puppets and gentle interaction.
Age: 0–3yrs | Price: £3.50 | Info

🎭 The Boy at the Back of the Class @ Rose Theatre
Date & Loc: Feb 12–22, Kingston KT1
A funny and moving stage adaptation of Onjali Q. Raúf’s bestselling novel. Follow Ahmet, a young refugee, and his classmates’ wild plan to reunite him with his family.
Age: 7+ | Price: From £16.50 | Info

✨ UCL Illuminated @ UCL Quad
Date & Loc: Feb 12–13, Bloomsbury WC1E
A striking after-dark light installation transforming UCL’s historic quad with projections, colour and sound. Expect a short evening wander that feels a bit magical and very London, plus indoor exhibitions and activities to explore along the way.
Age: All ages | Price: £5 | Info

🎭 Ruby’s Worry @ Polka Theatre
Date & Loc: Feb 12–22, Wimbledon SW19
A gentle, beautifully made stage adaptation of Tom Percival’s much-loved book, using music, puppetry and storytelling to help kids explore worries and feelings in a reassuring way.
Age: 3–7 | Price: £14 | Info

🎨 Imagine Festival @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Feb 12–21, Southbank SE1
Southbank Centre’s much-loved half-term festival returns, turning the whole site into a giant playground of creativity. Expect hands-on workshops, performances, installations and plenty of chances for kids to make, move and imagine.
Age: All ages | Price: Various (many free events) | Info

🩰 Chicos Mambo: TUTU @ Sadler’s Wells
Date & Loc: Feb 12-21, Holborn EC1
A laugh-out-loud, high-energy dance show where six male dancers parody ballet classics in flamboyant tutus.
Age: Everyone | Price: £18 | Info

🍦 Cinderella Ice Cream Seller @ Half Moon Theatre
Date & Loc: Feb 14 (Sat), Limehouse E14
A musical twist on Cinderella, packed with live music, storytelling and theatrical magic. Expect princes, palace balls and plenty of ice cream in this sweet, high-energy retelling.
Age: 5+ | Price: £9 | Info

🎨 Family Days @ Saatchi Gallery
Date & Loc: Feb 14 (Sat), Chelsea SW3
Hands-on art workshops inspired by The Long Now. Design and decorate handmade Valentine’s cards.
Age: All ages | Price: No cost | Info

🌸 Orchid Festival @ Kew Gardens
Date & Loc: until Mar 8, Princess of Wales Conservatory
Kew’s annual orchid takeover returns with dazzling displays inside the tropical conservatory, a proper winter mood-lifter.
Age: All ages | Price: incl. with adm | Info

🎨 Mundo Pixar @ Wembley Park
Date & Loc: opens Feb 13, Wembley
Step inside the worlds of Toy Story, Coco, Cars and more in this large-scale immersive Pixar experience, packed with life-size sets.
Age: All ages | Price: from £22 | Info

🐙 Octonauts @ Horniman Museum and Gardens
Date & Loc: Feb 13 onwards, Horniman SE23
Pick up a free trail and join the Octonauts crew on mini-missions around the museum. Hunt for shells, discover Octofacts and head to the Sound Garden for a bonus outdoor adventure.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🕵️ Sherlock Holmes: The Hunt for Moriarty @ Arts Depot
Date & Loc: Feb 14 (Sat), North Finchley N12
A fast-paced thriller as Sherlock faces his ultimate nemesis. Steam trains, shadowy plots and classic detective drama on stage.
Age: 11+ | Price: From £20 | Info

🐝 The Very Busy Bumblebee: The Ballet @ Woolwich Works
Date & Loc: Feb 14 (Sat), Woolwich SE18
A sweet, funny intro to ballet for little ones, following Beatrice the bumblebee on a buzzy adventure about friendship and caring for nature. Short, colourful and gently interactive.
Age: 0–8yrs | Price: £11.50 | Info

🎨 Family Day: Peace, Love & Unity @ William Morris Gallery
Date & Loc: Feb 14 (Sat), Walthamstow E17
Design your own colourful bandana inspired by the Peace, Love & Liberty scarf on display in Women in Print.
Age: Families | Price: no cost | Info

🧵 Meet the Designer @ Young V&A
Date & Loc: Feb 14 (Sat), Bethnal Green E2
Drop in to meet textile designer Amanda Vesthardt in The Shed and explore sustainable making, recycled materials, and experimental techniques in action.
Age: Families | Price: No cost | Info

🎖️ Half Term @ Imperial War Museum
Date & Loc: Feb 14–22 (Daily), Lambeth SE1
Creative, hands-on sessions exploring identity, storytelling and history. Drop in for tote-bag design, meet veterans and eyewitnesses, or try colourful raffia embroidery inspired by Caribbean craft.
Age: 5+ (some 8+) | Price: No cost | Info

🏺 Half Term @ London Museum Docklands
Date & Loc: Feb 14–20, Canary Wharf E14
A week of free, hands-on history for families. Make a clay Roman pot, craft Viking brooches and uncover muddy secrets from London’s past,
Age: Families | Price: no cost | Info

🌧️ Mudfest 2026 @ London Wetland Centre
Date & Loc: Feb 14–22 (Sat–Sun), Barnes SW13
Stomp, splash and squelch your way through half-term with muddy, hands-on activities celebrating all things gloriously messy. Wellies very much encouraged.
Age: All ages | Price: Incl. with entry | Info

🌙 The Sleepover Club @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Feb 15 (Sun), Royal Festival Hall SE1
Lights out, adventure on. Explore hidden corners of the building after dark, meet special guests including Jacqueline Wilson, then camp overnight in the Royal Festival Hall with breakfast in the morning.
Age: 7–11yrs | Price: £82 | Info

🩰 Sleeping Beauty Ballet @ Blackheath Halls
Date & Loc: Feb 16 (Mon), Blackheath SE3
A family-friendly take on the classic ballet, with dazzling dancers, colourful costumes and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score. Short, magical and ideal for younger audiences.
Age: 2–14 | Price: From £10 | Info

🧜‍♀️ The Singing Mermaid @ artsdepot
Date & Loc: Feb 16–17 (Mon–Tue), North Finchley N12
Julia Donaldson’s seaside star swims onto stage in this lively musical adventure. Expect catchy songs, bright sets and plenty of giggles.
Age: 3–8yrs | Price: From £15 | Info

⚔️ Samurai Festival @ British Museum
Date & Loc: Feb 16–18 (Mon–Wed), Great Court WC1
A three-day half-term festival inspired by the Samurai exhibition, with origami helmets, banner-making, storytelling and live drumming. Hands-on, cultural and genuinely fun.
Age: 6+ | Price: No cost | Info

🎪 Half Term Circus Club @ St Margaret's House
Date & Loc: Feb 16-17 & 19, Bethnal Green E2
Circus skills sessions with juggling, balancing and confidence-building fun. A great way for kids to try something new and build resilience.
Age: 5–8 (up to 11 welcome) | Price: no cost| Info

🎨 Spring Crafternoon 2026 @ Woolwich Works
Date & Loc: Feb 16–19 (Mon–Thu), Woolwich SE18
Drop in for relaxed, nature-inspired crafts celebrating the start of spring. All materials provided, dress for mess.
Age: All ages | Price: donations | Info

🎩 Uniform Thinking @ Bank of England Museum
Date & Loc: Feb 16–20, City EC2R
Design and colour your own Bank of England uniform in this free drop-in crafting session. Along the way, explore historic outfits, accessories and the Bank’s fashion past.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

👶 Design Baby Drop-in @ V&A
Date & Loc: Feb 16–20 (Mon–Fri), South Ken SW7
A relaxed sensory play session for little ones to explore sculpture through shape, texture and movement. Think soft pom-poms, twisty tubes and hands-on discovery, all child-led and free to drop in.
Age: 0–3 | Price: no cost | Info

🧧 Lunar New Year Family Day 2026 @ Museum of the Home
Date & Loc: Feb 17 (Tue), Hoxton E2
Celebrate the Year of the Horse with crafts, stories and hands-on activities inspired by Lunar New Year and Tết. Prebook sold out but walk ins welcome!
Age: All ages | Price: no cost | Info

🚀 Zoom! @ Lyric Theatre
Date & Loc: Feb 17–21 (Tue–Sat), Hammersmith W6
Space-mad Molly is determined to be an astronaut, until a surprise visitor from outer space helps her see Earth in a new light. A lively, music-filled adventure with heart.
Age: 3–8 | Price: £14 | Info

🎭 Shadow Puppets @ Museum of the Order of St John
Date & Loc: Feb 18 (Wed), Clerkenwell EC1
Step into 900 years of history, from medieval knights to modern first-aid heroes, then create your own shadow-puppet story.
Age: 3-10yo | Price: no cost | Info

🌿 Family Nature and Art Adventure @ Islington Ecology Centre
Date & Loc: Feb 19 (Thu), Islington N4
Head outdoors to explore local wildlife, then turn what you spot into drawings and nature-inspired art.
Age: All ages | Price: no cost | Info

🛠️ Design Camp: Sustainable Prop Making @ Design Museum
Date & Loc: Feb 19 (Thu), Kensington W8
A full-day creative workshop where young designers learn prop-making using sustainable materials, inspired by film and storytelling (think Wes Anderson vibes). Hands-on, practical and very cool.
Age: 11–14 | Price: £75 | Info

🎭 Lost Atoms @ Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Date & Loc: until Feb 28, Hammersmith W6
A bold, emotional love story from Frantic Assembly, following two people across memory, loss and the moments that shape a relationship. Funny, intense and heart-breaking in turns.
Age: 14+ | Price: £10 | Info

🧺 Little Red Riding Hood @ Discover Children’s Story Centre
Date & Loc: Until Feb 22, Stratford E15
An immersive, interactive play space inspired by the classic fairytale, where little ones explore Grandma’s cottage, dress up and follow the trail of the Big Bad Wolf.
Age: 0–8yrs | Price: from £5 | Info

🐿️ Squirrel @ Unicorn Theatre
Date & Loc: Until Feb 22, London Bridge SE1
A thoughtful, visually rich theatre show about friendship, change and finding your place.
Age: 6mo–4yrs | Price: from £10 | Info

🎼 Family Sundays @ Royal Opera House
Date & Loc: Various dates, Covent Garden WC2E
These go fast but still some dates available. A relaxed family day with creative activities, short performances and chances to explore music, dance and storytelling inside the Royal Opera House.
Age: Families | Price: £20 | Info

🦖🕺 Dino Disco for Kids @ Natural History Museum
Date & Loc: Various, South Kensington SW7
Jan dates sold out but availability for other dates. A family-friendly silent disco inside the museum, complete with headphones, dancing dinosaurs and multiple DJs to choose from. Big energy, big smiles.
Age: 6–12yrs | Price: £20 | Info

🦸 Superhero City Adventure @ Kensington Gardens
Date & Loc: Ongoing, Kensington Gardens SW7
A self-guided outdoor adventure where kids follow clues around the park, solving puzzles and completing missions to become city superheroes. Easy to start anytime.
Age: 4–8yrs | Price: £6 | Info

📸 Water Pantanal: Fire @ Science Museum
Date & Loc: until May 31, The Studio, Level 2
A powerful photography exhibition exploring the beauty of the Pantanal wetlands and the devastating impact of wildfires and climate change.
Age: 12+ | Price: No cost | Info

🖼️ Art On Your Doorstep (National Gallery) @ Croydon
Date & Loc: Ongoing, Croydon
The National Gallery takes art outdoors, with full-scale reproductions of famous masterpieces popping up across public spaces. Croydon becomes the first London borough to host this free, walk-up exhibition.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

..PARTNER UP..

..SPREAD THE LOVE..

Thank you for reading ❤️

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