This guide covers fun things to do with kids in London in October 2026. Loopla reviewed over 100 activities to find the best family outings, free events and experiences for children of all ages.
Updated 30 September 2026
London begins October with 6:40pm sunsets, but by half term it starts to get dark by 4:46pm.
But do shorter days mean fewer fun things to do with kids in London? As a team of London parents with kids ranging from teens to one tiny 10-month-old, this was a hot topic in the Loopla office last week.
In the end, we decided October has a few secret weapons: Halloween, cosy autumn activities and half term. All of these bump up the number of things to do with kids in London, even though (or in some cases because) the evenings get darker.
We also have some numbers to back this up. Every week, we track what’s coming up for our newsletter (sign up here and you’ll be the first to hear about them, plus special offers and pop-ups).
Right now, we count 147 upcoming things to do with kids in London this October. That’s actually quite a few more family-friendly events than we found in September.
From those 147 events, we’ve picked nearly 50 favourites for this October. They range from children’s Halloween events to family days out in London.
We’ve split them into free and paid events. Click below to jump ahead to either section.
We have a separate page for October half-term holiday camps for kids in London.
Or you can see our up-to-date guide to theatre for toddlers in London if that’s what you’re looking for.
Otherwise, keep scrolling for all 45 of our favourite things to do with kids in London this month.
Free things to do with kids in London during October 2026
Free things to do with kids in London this October include the Science Museum’s Pokémon Space Trail and an immersive Halloween experience in Holland Park. This section also covers free trails, festivals and drop-in fun, from Regent’s Park to Bloomsbury.
| Best for? | Loopla’s pick | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Toddlers | Royal Parks Discovery Days | The Hyde Park drop-in event features feely boxes, a nature trail and spooky stories, plus sensory activities for under-3s. |
| Kids | Pokémon Space Trail | Across 9 galleries, kids learn about space through Pokémon. Gamers can also catch Astronaut Pikachu in Pokémon GO raids around the museum. |
| Teens | Frieze Sculpture 2026 | It’s one of London’s largest outdoor art displays, with works by 11 international sculptors. |
| The whole family | Kensington’s Playful Park of Peculiar | Families will encounter a giant talking frog, a Circus of the Strange and huge bubbles. Early sessions are more suitable for little ones. |
| An unusual day out | Bloomsbury Festival: CSI + bouncy castle | Kids test their forensic skills as they learn about a real 1800s miscarriage of justice. There’s also a bouncy castle. |
Frieze Sculpture 2026
Frieze Sculpture turns the English Gardens of The Regent’s Park into a free outdoor gallery this autumn. Now in its 14th year, it’s one of London’s largest outdoor art displays.
This year’s edition features works by 11 international sculptors. One, by artist Angel Otero, is a doorway that leads down beneath the lawn.
We’d recommend it for older kids and teens. They can wander at their own pace, with a digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app. London Zoo is also in the park, if younger siblings need a change of scene.
Event details
Dates: Until Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: The Regent’s Park, NW1
Ages: All ages
Pokémon Space Trail
Earlier this year, a Pikachu toy spent 67 days aboard the International Space Station. Now the Science Museum has launched a free trail that teaches kids about space using Pokémon.
Kids can explore the Pokémon Space Trail by grabbing a map in the Energy Hall, which will lead them to stops across nine galleries. Along the way, they learn about European Space Agency (ESA) missions and how some Pokémon connect to space. Pokémon GO players also have Astronaut Pikachu to catch in raids at the museum. If you go during World Space Week (4 to 10 October), you may encounter more space-themed Pokémon nearby.
Event details
Dates: Friday 2 October 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027
Where: Science Museum, SW7
Ages: All ages
Bloomsbury Festival 2026
Bloomsbury Festival turns 20 this year, with events running throughout October. Several of its family events are free, and some need no booking at all. This includes one of the more unusual things to do with kids in London this October. On the 24th, St George the Martyr church will host a free forensic science day. Kids get to test their CSI skills while learning about Eliza Fenning, the victim of a real 1800s miscarriage of justice. As an added bonus, there will also be a bouncy castle.
For younger kids, Holborn Library hosts a free Gruffalo Granny story time on 29 October. It celebrates the latest Gruffalo book, which came out in September. Another free drop-in event for ages 2 to 10 is The Science of Growing Minds. Kids can get hands-on with cutting-edge technology that tracks eye movements and brain activity.
Event details
Dates: Thursday 1 to Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Various venues, WC1
Ages: All ages
Royal Parks Discovery Days: Hair-raising Halloween
The Royal Parks Discovery Days are free drop-in events that take place during school holidays at Hyde Park. The October half-term activities will be Halloween-themed. Kids will get to reach into feely boxes in a Witches’ Den, then set off on a hair-raising nature trail.
Most of the fun is aimed at ages 3 to 11. However, they aim to include sensory activities for under-3s and more challenging things to do for older kids. Spooky stories run at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm, and dressing up is encouraged.
Event details
Dates: Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 October 2026
Where: Hyde Park, W2
Ages: Best for 3 to 11 years
Kensington’s Playful Park of Peculiar
Holland Park hosts what is probably the best free Halloween event for kids in London that we know of: Playful Park of Peculiar. For one night only, the Kensington park transforms into a walk-through experience. While exploring you’ll meet the Peculiar Sisters, the Wandering Eyes and perhaps also a talking frog. There are also short performances and other illuminated creatures.
You’ll need to book a free timed slot. We’d suggest picking an early one for under-5s, as later sessions get darker with a little extra mischief.
Event details
Dates: Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Holland Park, W8
Ages: All ages
More free things to do with kids in London this October
Mermaid Parade + Build A Bug at the BFI London Film Festival
Dates: Saturday 10 October 2026
Where: BFI Southbank, SE1
Ages: All ages
National Portrait Gallery Little Explorers
Dates: Wednesday 14 October 2026
Where: National Portrait Gallery, WC2H
Ages: 2 years and up
Family Festival: Stories, Sign and Shine
Dates: Saturday 17 October 2026
Where: British Library, NW1
Ages: All ages
Diwali on the Square
Dates: Sunday 25 October 2026
Where: Trafalgar Square, WC2N
Ages: All ages
Big Story Festival
Dates: Sunday 25 to Monday 26 October 2026
Where: Imperial War Museum, SE1
Ages: All ages
Search for a Story
Dates: Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: Southbank Centre, SE1
Ages: 5 years+
Paid things to do with kids in London during October 2026
Paid things to do with kids in London this October include the ever-popular Halloween at Kew trail and a new Wallace & Gromit show at Lightroom. This section also covers Halloween activities, theatre shows, immersive experiences and half-term holiday camps.
| Best for? | Loopla’s pick | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Toddlers | The Smeds and the Smoos | An Olivier Award-nominated show at the biggest venue hosting a toddler theatre show this autumn. |
| Kids | New Scientist Live | The multi-award-winning science show features robots, dinosaurs and a brand-new Family Stage. |
| Teens | Everest: The First Ascent | You get to relive the first ascent of Mount Everest through VR in this 40-minute experience. |
| The whole family | Wallace & Gromit at Lightroom | Aardman’s 50th anniversary show covers four 36-foot walls with new stop-motion made just for Lightroom. |
| An unusual day out | Wake the Tiger: Absurd City | You get to explore secret passageways and hidden rooms in a surreal “city” bigger than the pitch at Wembley. |
Everest: The First Ascent
Everest: The First Ascent is a VR experience where you relive a historic expedition to the top of the world’s highest mountain.
The story follows Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who became the first people to reach the top of Mount Everest in 1953. Beyond the excitement of climbing 29,000 feet and battling freezing cold, kids will also learn about Sherpa culture and traditions.
Event details
Dates: Thursday 1 October to Thursday 31 December 2026
Where: Eclipso, NW1
Ages: 8 years+
Price: From £21
New Scientist Live
New Scientist Live is a multi-award-winning science festival packed with hands-on activities and fascinating things to see. Some of the most notable among these are humanoid robots and a chance to step aboard an RAF helicopter.
This year, New Scientist Live also has a brand-new Family Stage, with talks aimed at all ages. Kids might recognise a few of the speakers, too. The line-up includes BAFTA-winning presenter Maddie Moate and TV doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken.
Event details
Dates: Saturday 10 to Sunday 11 October 2026
Where: ExCeL London, E16
Ages: Best for 6 years+
Price: From £20
Candlelight: Disney Love Songs
Candlelight: Disney Love Songs is a string quartet concert of Disney’s most romantic songs, performed by candlelight in Southwark Cathedral.
The playlist spans more than 80 years of films, from Snow White to Encanto. Younger fans will perhaps be most excited to hear Love Is an Open Door from Frozen and Remember Me from Coco.
Event details
Dates: Saturday 10, Friday 23, Saturday 24 + Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Southwark Cathedral, SE1
Ages: 5 years+
Price: From £25.50
The Mystery Of…artsdepot
Murder mysteries for kids are rare, which is a puzzle in itself considering the popularity of this award-winning show. In The Mystery Of…artsdepot, the audience becomes the detective team. Kids get to inspect video footage, grill suspects and roll giant dice during an hour of interactive fun. Can your trainee detective help crack the case?
Event details
Dates: Sunday 11 October 2026
Where: artsdepot, N12
Ages: 7 years+
Price: From £13.75
Wallace & Gromit at Lightroom
Lightroom’s new Larger Than Life show celebrates 50 years of Aardman, the studio behind Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. It starts at the kitchen table where Aardman’s founders first experimented. From there, you’re swept into scenes like the train chase in The Wrong Trousers.
The whole show plays across the space’s 36-foot walls and the floor on a loop, so you can join at any point during your time slot.
Event details
Dates: Wednesday 14 October 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027
Where: Lightroom, N1C
Ages: All ages
Price: Kids’ tickets from £15 (under-3s free in selected slots)
Wake the Tiger: Absurd City
Billed as Europe’s biggest immersive art experience, Absurd City finally opens in London this month. The “Amazement Park” will cover 80,000 square feet, almost as much as St Paul’s Cathedral.
This new post-apocalyptic storyworld will have a very different feel, though. Sneak peeks have revealed jungles of part-machine plants, telephone box mazes and a cute AI dog overlord.
Event details
Dates: From Thursday 15 October 2026
Where: Westfield London, W12
Ages: All ages
Price: From £31.95
Halloween at Kew
Now in its third year, Halloween at Kew turns London’s biggest gardens into an illuminated trail after dark. Along the way, you might bump into Dracula, watch fire performers and dodge the Headless Horseman. This year there’s a brand-new cursed tomb to explore.
If you’re taking a little one, we suggest booking an early slot before it gets too dark (and too scary).
Event details
Dates: Friday 16 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: Kew Gardens, TW9
Ages: All ages
Price: Kids’ tickets from £17 (under-4s free)
Curse of the Mummy at the London Dungeon
The London Dungeon‘s Halloween experience is based on the legend of the “Unlucky Mummy”, involving a cursed artefact.
The story begins with a group of Victorian friends who drew lots to take a coffin’s mummy-board home from Egypt. Things did not go well for them. The mummy-board is real and has belonged to the British Museum since 1889. We’d save this one for older kids, as the Dungeon ramps up the scares for Halloween.
Event details
Dates: Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: London Dungeon, SE1
Ages: Best for 12 years+
Price: Included with entry (from £27)
Cirque Berserk
Cirque Berserk is a rare chance to see a full-blown circus in the West End this half term. The show features more than 30 acrobats, aerialists and daredevil stunt riders. Its headline act is the motorcycle Globe of Death, performed live on stage.
At 1 hour 45 minutes with an interval, it’s longer than most family shows and so best suited to older kids who can sit through a full theatre performance.
Event details
Dates: Wednesday 21 to Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Garrick Theatre, WC2H
Ages: 5 years+
Price: From £30 (half price for kids aged 15 and under)
Halloween crafts at Chelsea Physic Garden
Chelsea Physic Garden, London’s oldest botanic garden, is hosting lots of Halloween workshops for kids this half term.
Little ghouls can carve a pumpkin, make slime or create leaf fairies and spooky hedgehogs from natural materials. Each session lasts about an hour, and kids take home whatever they make. There’s also a storytelling event where younger kids from 2 years up can explore magical plants and secret paths leading to an Enchanted Cottage.
Event details
Dates: Thursday 22 to Friday 30 October 2026
Where: Chelsea Physic Garden, SW3
Ages: 2 to 11 years
Price: From £10
Halloween coding camps with Blueshift Education
Blueshift Education‘s half-term coding camps are all Halloween-themed.
Each week-long course is pitched at a different age group. Younger kids build creepy-cute games in Scratch Jr, while 10 to 14s design haunted arcade games in Python. In between, kids use Minecraft to code haunted mansions and pumpkin-lit paths.
The camps run for a full school day, making them handy half-term childcare. For more options, see our dedicated page for kids holiday camps in London this October.
Event details
Dates: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026
Where: Colville Primary School, W11
Ages: 5 to 14 years
Price: From £100
The Smeds and the Smoos
Full of laughs, catchy music, bright colours and an important message, The Smeds and the Smoos is a great first big theatre outing for little ones. It’s the biggest stage show for toddlers we’ve seen playing in London this autumn, in fact.
For those unfamiliar with Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s story, think Romeo and Juliet but with aliens. Smeds and Smoos aren’t allowed to be friends. So when two of them fall in love, they decide to zoom off into space together. Can their families work together to bring Bill and Janet home?
The Olivier Award-nominated show was created by Tall Stories, who have brought other Julia Donaldson stories to the stage (including The Gruffalo, of course).
Event details
Dates: Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: Southbank Centre, SE1
Ages: 3 years+
Price: From £22
Day of the Dead Family Festival
We recommend the Horniman’s Day of the Dead Family Festival if you’re keen to do something different for Halloween this year. The event celebrates Día de Muertos, one of Mexico’s best-loved traditions. This year, the gardens are decorated to look like three Mexico City neighbourhoods, with marigold paths and giant skulls.
The festival begins with a parade of Aztec dancers. Mariachi music and stilt walkers will also perform throughout the day. As for kids’ activities, they get to make masks, have their faces painted and follow a discovery trail.
Event details
Dates: Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Horniman Museum and Gardens, SE23
Ages: All ages
Price: From £6 (under-2s free)
Little Monsters Breakfast Banquet at The Ivy
Not every Halloween treat takes place after dark. At Ivy restaurants across London this year, you can book your family in for a Little Monsters Breakfast Banquet with spooky surprises.
Kids share a plate of mini pastries, then choose from pancakes with berries, a mini full breakfast and more. Fancy dress is encouraged and every child also gets a Halloween toy and treats to take home.
Event details
Dates: Saturday 31 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: Various Ivy restaurants
Ages: All ages
Price: Kids £27.50 (adults £32.50)
Halloween Trick or Treat Trail in Covent Garden
The Halloween Trick or Treat Trail leads families through parts of Covent Garden and Seven Dials you may never have explored. Along the way, kids get to test their observation skills and pick up fun facts.
You’ll eventually find your way to Halloween HQ for the party with treats, outdoor games and spooky songs to dance to. Unlimited hot and cold drinks are included for grown-ups, too.
Event details
Dates: Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: The Phoenix Garden, WC2H
Ages: Under 16s
Price: £12 per child (adults free)
More paid things to do with kids in London this October
The Pied Piper: A Rat’s Tale
Dates: Until Saturday 7 November 2026
Where: Little Angel Theatre, N1
Ages: 5 years+
Price: From £14
Pip + Posy Live on Stage
Dates: Until Sunday 22 November 2026
Where: Little Angel Theatre, N1
Ages: 2 to 5 years
Price: From £14
Tulleys Pumpkin Festival
Dates: Until Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: Tulleys Farm, RH10
Ages: All ages
Price: From £12.95
Pocket Money
Dates: Until Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: Unicorn Theatre, SE1
Ages: 7 to 12 years
Price: From £3
House of Dreamers
Dates: Until Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Immerse LDN, E16
Ages: All ages
Price: From £17.90
Titanic: Echoes from the Past
Dates: Until Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Eclipso, NW1
Ages: 8 years+
Price: From £19.50
Winnie the Pooh at London Zoo
Dates: Friday 2 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: London Zoo, NW1
Ages: All ages
Price: Included with zoo entry (from £19.40)
Brick or Treat at Legoland
Dates: Saturday 3 to Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Legoland Windsor Resort, SL4
Ages: All ages
Price: From £32
Treasure Hunts at the British Museum
Dates: Saturday 3, Friday 9, Friday 23 + Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: British Museum, WC1B
Ages: 7 years+
Price: From £8
Toto
Dates: Saturday 10 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: Polka Theatre, SW19
Ages: 3 to 8 years
Price: From £10
Mini Marvels: Early Years Sensory Play
Dates: Wednesday 14 October 2026
Where: Estorick Collection, N1
Ages: Under 5s
Price: £9.50
Boppin’ Bunnies Interactive Music Show
Dates: Saturday 17 October 2026
Where: Blackheath Halls, SE3
Ages: 0 to 5 years
Price: £10
The Lost Property Library
Dates: Monday 19 October to Sunday 8 November 2026
Where: Discover Children’s Story Centre, E15
Ages: 2 to 9 years
Price: £4
You’ll See: Family theatre inspired by James Joyce’s Ulysses
Dates: Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026
Where: Polka Theatre, SW19
Ages: 8 to 12 years
Price: £14
Dear Zoo
Dates: Friday 23 to Tuesday 27 October 2026
Where: artsdepot, N12
Ages: 1 year+
Price: From £15
Crowns and Carriages Quest
Dates: Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, SW1W
Ages: Best for 5 to 10 years
Price: Free with entry (from £9)
Halloween at the Tower of London
Dates: Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November 2026
Where: Tower of London, EC3N
Ages: All ages
Price: Included with entry (from £19)
London Brick Festival
Dates: Sunday 25 October 2026
Where: The Royal National Hotel, WC1H
Ages: All ages
Price: From £6
FRANKY
Dates: Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 October 2026
Where: Lyric Hammersmith, W6
Ages: 3 years+
Price: From £12
Common questions about things to do with kids in London
What free things can I do with kids in London in October 2026?
Free things to do with kids in London in October 2026 include the Science Museum’s Pokémon Space Trail. Frieze Sculpture is also free, with works by 11 international sculptors across Regent’s Park.
For Halloween, Kensington’s Playful Park of Peculiar takes over Holland Park on 31 October. It’s free, but you’ll need to book a timed slot.
Royal Parks Discovery Days run from 27 to 29 October in Hyde Park, with no booking needed. Bloomsbury Festival’s free family events include forensic science activities and a bouncy castle on 24 October.
What can I do with a 4 year old in London in October?
In London this October, a 4 year old can see The Smeds and the Smoos at the Southbank Centre. The Julia Donaldson musical is for ages 3 and up, and runs from 28 October to 1 November.
Pip + Posy Live on Stage suits 4 year olds too, and plays at Little Angel Theatre until 22 November. Toto at Polka Theatre and FRANKY at Lyric Hammersmith are also for ages 3 and up.
For something free, try Royal Parks Discovery Days in Hyde Park. Activities are aimed at kids aged roughly 3 to 11. Kensington’s Playful Park of Peculiar works well too, as early sessions are gentler for little ones.
What’s on in London for October half term 2026?
Things to do with kids in London during October half term 2026 include The Smeds and the Smoos at the Southbank Centre. Families can also catch Cirque Berserk in the West End. Halloween at Kew runs all week too, with trail sessions starting from 4pm.
For free family fun during the 2026 October half term, Royal Parks Discovery Days take place in Hyde Park from 27 to 29 October. If you need childcare, Blueshift Education runs coding holiday camps in Notting Hill that week.
October half term 2026 runs from 26 to 30 October for most London schools. Academies and independent schools can set their own dates, so check with your child’s school.
What are some unusual things to do with kids in London?
One fun, unusual thing to do with kids in London is to ride Mail Rail at the Postal Museum. The ride takes you through old tunnels once used to carry post beneath the city.
Older kids can also visit the Old Operating Theatre near London Bridge. It’s Europe’s oldest surviving surgical theatre, hidden in the attic of a church.
This October in London, Wake the Tiger opens a surreal city filled with secret passageways and hidden rooms. For an unusual free kids event, Bloomsbury Festival pairs forensic science with a bouncy castle on 24 October.
For more ideas, see our guide to quirky and unusual museums in London.
Which part of London is best for kids?
Greenwich is one of the best areas for things to do with kids in London. It has Greenwich Park, the Cutty Sark and the National Maritime Museum all close together.
The South Bank is the best part of London for kids if you want lots of major attractions in one area. Within a short riverside walk you have the London Eye, Big Ben and the Southbank Centre.
The Tower of London was the most visited paid attraction in the UK in 2025. (1) You can pair a family trip there with a show at the Unicorn Theatre, just across the bridge.
What are some free museums in London?
One of the best free London museums for kids is the Young V&A in Bethnal Green. It won the Council of Europe Museum Prize 2026. (2)
The Natural History Museum is free too, and was the UK’s most visited attraction in 2025. (1) The Science Museum and British Museum are also free to enter, though some special exhibitions are ticketed.
This October, the Science Museum hosts a free Pokémon Space Trail across nine of its galleries.
How do I find more things to do with kids in London?
To find more things to do with kids in London, search Loopla by date, age and location. New classes, shows and events are added all the time. You can also sign up to our weekly newsletter for parents, where we round up what’s on, plus flash discounts and free family pop-ups.
References
- ALVA (Association of Leading Visitor Attractions), 2025 Visitor Figures. View source
- Museums Association, “Young V&A wins European museum prize”, 3 December 2025. View source
How to save time and money, without missing magical family experiences
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