Rainy day ideas for kids in London

The Novelty Automation Arcade

An eccentric arcade packed with satirical, hand-built mechanical machines by artist Tim Hunkin. Kids buy copper tokens to operate contraptions like a machine that walks a mechanical dog or an auto-frisking booth.

Disney's The Lion King

The ultimate 'first West End show' experience... Kids and adults alike love this music-filled spectacle: the opening sequence with the animals coming down the aisles is guaranteed to give you goosebumps - look out for deals on 'Disney Mondays' but book when you can - the Lion King is worth every penny.

Under 13£30+

Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

We loved this vintage double-decker tour of the landmarks with Paddington-themed treats, games and marmalade sandwiches on board. It's an ideal birthday present (as not cheap!) - but the tea food quality was really high, tour fun, and kids loved it.

13+£30+

The Traitors: Live Experience

If your family - like mine - spent the winter shouting accusations at the TV screen, this live Covent Garden theatrical event lets you step right into the velvet-draped drama. Guided by deliciously West End actor hosts, you take your place around a giant physical Round Table before secret roles are assigned. You will compete in hands-on mental and physical team challenges to build a prize pot, interspersed with hushed corridor side-chats, backstabbing, and explosive banishment votes. It's never the ones you expect who'll win - even if that's your own son or daughter! Family-friendly afternoon slots cater specifically to kids aged 12 and up, making it an absolutely perfect day out for teenagers who love a good poker face.

Museums & galleries · West

V&A Museum (South Kensington)

Not an obviously child-friendly museum, but a stunning collection of art, jewellery, performance and fashion, with giant statues, digital family backpacks and hands-on activity trails.

Arty stuff · East

God's Own Junkyard

A dazzling, neon-drenched warehouse packed wall to wall with thousands of vintage film props, retro signs and flashing lights. Older kids love it for photos, younger ones just love the lights.

13+£15-£30

Wicked

Got a drama-loving tween in the family? This Wizard of Oz prequel is a spectacular, belt-it-out musical extravaganza that will absolutely blow their socks off.

The Wallace Collection

Behind the grand townhouse façade lies one of Europe's greatest collections of arms and armour - there's kids trails and some mesmerising suits of armour, ornate swords and dagger displays. Start off on the basement level where you pick up the free family trail maps and interactive activity backpacks. The courtyard café inside is covered with a glass roof, making it a bright spot for lunch or tea after exploring.

Wellcome Collection

A quirky museum exploring medicine, health and human life through bizarre historical objects, art and a wonderfully comfy Reading Room.

Under 13£15-£30

The Paddington Bear Experience

An immersive love letter to London's favourite marmalade-loving bear. This is pricey - no doubt, but take advantage of cheaper mid-week deals if you can, as our four and six year olds totally loved the Paddington Experience. It's very interactive, beautifully designed, and ends with a cute mini festival. It's definitely not a thrill-seeking adventure, but a charming 60-70 minute treat with lots of perfect details, as you board a train, travel to Windsor Gardens and become part of Paddington's London story, meeting his friends and family and having a wonderful time! (Just shut your kids' eyes at the gift shop: it's PRICEY!)

8–12 yrs£15-£30

Matilda The Musical

Witty, slightly dark (it is Roald Dahl, after all!), and incredibly clever - with a brilliant score that'll stick in your head forever - Matilda is a brilliant first West End experience. Kids will be mesmerised by the staging and adults will actually enjoy the jokes. A West End triumph... I've been three times with each of my kids and loved it every time.

The Langham Children's Afternoon Tea

Can this seriously five-star luxury hotel really welcome kids? Absolutely yes. When ours visited they were welcomed with a beaming smile, with the live pianist even doing the occasional segue into the Peppa Pig or Traitors theme tune, to make the kids smile. Expect jigsaw-cut sandwiches, popping candy delicate treats, and an adult menu that's equally spectacular. Eats are unlimited and everyone leaves with a going-home goodie bag. This is a once-in-a-lifetime luxury afternoon tea. Themes change seasonally, but have included Hamleys-themed teas with kids taking a very huggable bear home with them.

Under 13Free

Tate Modern

Housed in a dramatic former power station on the Thames, this is one of the world's biggest modern art museums - and free to get into for the permanent collection, with tickets only needed for the big temporary shows. Kids gravitate to the vast, cathedral-like Turbine Hall, which regularly hosts huge, playful art installations perfect for running around in. Pick up a free drawing kit or sound-based family trail from the family desk at weekends, or join the daily free guided tours if the little ones can sit still that long. UNIQLO Tate Play runs family-friendly art activities every weekend, and there's a Baby Care Room if you're travelling with very young children. Cross via the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's for the most dramatic approach.

MathsWorld London

Don't laugh - maths really can be fun and this really different and fun activity proves it! Tucked into a set of industrial railway arches just behind Tate Modern, this newly opened interactive space proves maths is far more than boring school worksheets. Spread across two floors, kids can scramble inside a giant soap bubble, face off against an AI chess master, test their logic on an elliptical pool table, and crack secret ciphers on the Codebreaker wall. It is brilliantly geared toward problem-solvers of all ages - there are definitely no textbooks here. And your day ticket turns into a 12-month annual pass, making it the ultimate South Bank rainy-day fallback whenever you are in the area. Keep in mind term-time weekdays often host school groups, so grab an afternoon slot or go on weekends for calmer vibes. The only disappointment we had were the loos: not brilliant!

Treats & eats · West

The Ampersand Jurassic Afternoon Tea

Dino-obsessed kids will lose their minds over this delicious afternoon tea. Cakes emerge from a dry-ice 'volcano', and kids are given paintbrushes to 'excavate' chocolate fossils hidden in biscuit crumb soil. Brilliantly interactive and ridiculously fun - tasty, too.

Word on the Water - Floating Bookshop

A 100-year-old Dutch barge on Regent's Canal turned into a moored floating bookshop, with children's books, cosy nooks and rooftop live music on sunny afternoons.

The British Library (Family Trails)

Book-loving kids will enjoy an hour here among the world's most famous manuscripts, from the Magna Carta to Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and Beatles lyrics, mostly in one ground-floor exhibition hall. There are free weekend family workshops too.

London Canal Museum & Boat Trip

Housed in a Victorian ice warehouse built for ice cream pioneer Carlo Gatti, this interactive museum lets kids sit inside a replica narrowboat cabin and learn how canal families lived. Try to book your visit to align with one of the museum's seasonal narrowboat trips through the 878-yard-long Islington Tunnel - it's a lovely ride. If not, walk outside to Battlebridge Basin to catch a public London Waterbus down the canal to Camden Market.

Lightroom London

This four-storey immersive digital art space is a sensory feast - a purpose-built projection space in King's Cross with frequently-changing immersive shows from major artists and creative names - past programmes have included David Hockney's 60-year retrospective, Prehistoric Planet's life-sized dinosaurs, and a journey through David Bowie's world narrated by the man himself. Floor-to-ceiling laser projection and a powerful spatial sound system wrap around you as you wander freely through the space, with each show running on a loop of around 45-60 minutes so you can stay as long as you like. It's welcoming for children of all ages, and there's a St John-run café bar for snacks and drinks afterwards.

Museums & galleries · South

Imperial War Museum (IWM London)

Fascinating history museum packed with real Spitfires, tanks and submarine models, plus great interactive family trails. A must for history or transport-loving kids.

Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4 & Foundling Museum

Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4 & Foundling Museum

Pair a pop-culture photo opp with rich London history. Start at King's Cross Station for the iconic Platform 9 ¾ luggage trolley photo and shop (there might be a queue but it moves fast). Then walk seven minutes south to the Foundling Museum, which tells the moving story of Britain's first home for abandoned children, founded in 1739 with support from artist William Hogarth and composer George Frideric Handel. The Granary Square fountains are nearby if it's a warm day - its 1,080 choreographed jets are a huge hit with younger kids in summer (bring a spare set of clothes). Coal Drops Yard next door has shops and food for older kids/teens who've outgrown splashing about.

Aqua Shard Peter Pan Afternoon Tea

Served 31 floors up with jaw-dropping views of London, teens to tots will love this afternoon tea. The Peter Pan theme features a Jolly Roger ship stand which is presented with the wow factor of dry-ice smoke, then there are Tinkerbell cookies, and Captain Hook croquettes... It's a really spectacular high-altitude treat that we all enjoyed - and didn't even need colouring/entertainment because watching tiny people, trains and boats on the streets far below was fun for all the family! If you can go on a wintery later afternoon, you get to see London in daytime and twinkling in the evening.

Swingers Crazy Golf (City)

The City branch of Swingers, a 1920s-themed indoor crazy golf venue with street food and bars. Children are welcome at family sessions only, so check the venue website before booking.

Museum of Illusions London

Rooms that tip you sideways, a vortex tunnel that scrambles your balance and a whole wall of holograms — an hour of proper "how did they do that?" fun just off Covent Garden. Endlessly photogenic, and small enough not to melt anyone down.

Arty stuff · East

ABBA Voyage

Forget everything you know about holograms: this bespoke arena built in East London delivers a concert experience that feels 100% real.... even though your brain keeps telling you it's not. We went with a ten and 16 year old, and all enjoyed it: the digital "Abbatars" perform alongside a live ten-piece band, surrounded by arena lighting that bleeds into the crowd. The energy is electric from start to finish - go dressed up if you can! It's packed with non-stop Abba hits that really got every generation in the crowd dancing. Kids aged 6 and up are allowed in the seated sections (strictly no under-3s anywhere in the arena), making it a rare multi-generational hit where kids, parents, and grandparents will be able to boogie and sing along together.

5–8 yrs£30+

Shrek's Adventure! London

An immersive walk-through fairy-tale adventure with live actors, a 4D bus ride and DreamWorks characters.

Rosewood London Art Afternoon Tea

A stunning, sophisticated option for older kids. The pastries are edible masterpieces inspired by famous artists like Hockney or Dali - currently, it's Monet. Kids get their own painter's palette with squeezy tubes of jam and curd, and the cakes are serious works of art - as you'd expect for the price! There's no minimum age, but the set-up is smart and sophisticated and I got the feeling that screaming toddlers wouldn't be overly welcome.

Frameless Immersive Art Experience

Four galleries of interactive, giant projection-mapped art, where masterpieces by Van Gogh and Monet move across the walls and beneath your feet.

8+£30+

Monopoly Lifesized

Immersive 80-minute walkthrough on a giant Monopoly board, guided by actors through dice-rolling, property buying and escape-room style challenge rooms.

8+£15-£30

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Britain's only permanent open-air theatre sits right in the middle of Regent's Park, staging a summer season of musicals, Shakespeare and family shows beneath the sky (bring a coat or sunscreen depending on the day - performances go ahead rain or shine). Family-friendly productions and a dedicated Family Takeover Day feature among the summer's line-up alongside bigger name shows, and you can bring a picnic to eat on the lawn or in Queen Mary's Gardens beforehand. Leave plenty of time to find the thearte - it's a walk from the nearest tube through the park with limited signposting.

Twist Museum

This Oxford Street attraction claims to explore how our brains interpret the world through over eighty interactive exhibits - we found it more of an Instagram/Snap hub, full of kids and teens snapping mind-bending photos. But they enjoy doing so - and so will your older kids: you step inside illusion rooms, test sound and perspective tricks, and walk through colour-shifting corridors, everything’s heavily interactive and there are loads of photo opportunities.

8+£5-£15

Swingers Crazy Golf (West End)

The West End branch of Swingers, a 1920s-themed indoor crazy golf venue with street food and bars. Children are welcome at family sessions only, so check the venue website before booking.

Arty stuff · North

WeJam - The Family Rockband Experience

Head down the stairs beneath Camden Guitars into a real recording studio for what might be one of the coolest family music bonding experiences in London. You do not need a single ounce of musical talent: smart tech and color-coded instruments mean even total beginners can pick up real electric guitars, bass, drums, and keys instantly. A live session musician guides your family as you jam along to bangers by Queen, Billie Eilish, or Harry Styles, with software dynamically adjusting difficulty levels for each player. At the end, you walk away with professionally mixed audio tracks of your actual performance to brag about ... forever. Or at least make people listen to!

Wizard Exploratorium Afternoon Tea

Not officially a Harry Potter tea, but magic fans will love this experience. Set in a multi-storey converted Soho house, you use wands to brew colour-changing teas and unlock puzzle boxes to get your cakes. It's hands-on, highly interactive, and tasty too - but not accessible for buggies or wheelchairs.

Madame Tussauds London

You'll either love it or hate it... but kids love to take selfies with wax celebrities, the Marvel 4D cinema and a Star Wars zone. There are replicas of the Royal Family and celebs including Harry and Taylor... Plus access to the interactive Marvel Super Heroes 4D Exhibition, Spirit of London Ride, and Chamber of Horrors. Don't waste time in the long queue! Prebook below.

Anya Hindmarsh's Ice Cream Project

Cool off in these fountains and splashpads - always check direct on websites to ensure they're up and running!

See details★ 4

Treats & eats · East

Toca Social interactive football

An interactive, high-tech football entertainment and decent food, featuring private playing boxes and digital target games.

See details★ 4.8

Wonderlab at the Science Museum

A packed floor with experiments, interactive models, slides, and frequent presenter-led shows with fire, flashes and bangs.

Tate Britain

This art gallery on the Thames showcases five centuries of iconic British art, including the world's largest collection of works by Turner.. but you'll be here for the free, hands-on family play activities and children's explorer trail map you can pick up at the Clore Learning Centre.

See details★ 4.7

Natural History Museum

A massive, world-class museum filled with dinosaur skeletons, minerals, and interactive natural science exhibits. Pack a lunch to eat on the East Lawn on nice days, and make sure to pre-book a free timed ticket online to skip the main queue.

Science Museum

Packed with hands-on space rockets, steam engines, and interactive technology zones. Head straight to the basement's Pattern Pod for toddlers or the Garden play area to burn off early energy before the crowds peak - older kids will enjoy Wonderlab (see separate listing) and Power Up (paid for).

British Museum

Houses millions of historic artifacts, including ancient Egyptian mummies and the Rosetta Stone. Grab a free family activity trail map at the Information Desk in the Great Court to turn your visit into an engaging scavenger hunt. Book your (free) ticket online first, you'll probably still have to face a short queue but it moves quickly.

See details★ 4.2

Postal Museum & Mail Rail

London's best rainy-day secret. Ride the Mail Rail — the world's first driverless electric railway — through the original tunnels 70 feet below the streets, which once whisked four million letters a day between Paddington and Whitechapel from 1927 to 2003. The 15-minute ride runs through open-top miniature carriages with audio-visual storytelling along the way, then it's up to the museum galleries for interactive exhibits spanning five centuries of postal history. The current family exhibition, The Jolly Postman, runs into January 2027, bringing the classic picture book to life through an interactive story world. There's also Sorted!, a separate-ticket play space for ages 1–8, if little ones need to burn energy after the ride. The museum and Mail Rail sit in two separate buildings across Phoenix Place from each other, so head to Mail Rail first and check in ahead of your printed time slot. Book online in advance — timed Mail Rail slots regularly sell out on weekends and school holidays.

Young V&A (Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood)

Young V&A (Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood)

A museum completely redesigned for children, with interactive design, building toys, display cabinets of toys from parents' own childhood (way to feel old), performance spaces, and creative play zones. Large cafe on the ground floor and a temporary exhibit space as well as a large theatre area where kids can act.

See details★ 4.4

Grant Museum of Zoology

A 19th-century cabinet of curiosities packed floor to ceiling with over 68,000 animal specimens: a jar of preserved moles, dodo bones, a quagga skeleton and a brain collection. Weird, slightly spooky and compact enough to see in 45 minutes.

See details★ 4.8

Museums & galleries · South

London Mithraeum

An immersive underground archaeological site displaying the ruins of a Roman Temple of Mithras beneath Bloomberg's headquarters. Download their free interactive iPad guide on arrival - older kids can unlock the digital mysteries of ancient Roman London, younger ones will need to stay off the ancient ruins though!

See details★ 4.5

Under 13Free

Horniman Museum and Gardens

This eclectic museum in Forest Hill ostensibly covers natural history - the kids will love the musical instruments, aquarium, and famous overstuffed walrus. The huge gardens and animal walk are free, making it ideal for a low-cost family picnic with London skyline views. There is a fee to enter the aquarium and butterfly house.

National Maritime Museum

The world's largest maritime museum features boat displays, naval art, and a massive world map floor grids. But as a family, you need to head straight to the Ahoy! gallery (for ages 0–7) or AHOY! Children's Gallery for interactive pirate-themed ship play. Ever-changing exhibitions are often child-friendly too. Cove playground is fab too - there's a solid morning or afternoon to be spent here. Combine with a Greenwich wander round its parks, cafes and shops. Museum is free, play slots cost £4.50 on weekends plus school and bank holidays.

Mudlarks at the London Museum, Docklands

Under 13Under £5

Mudlarks at the London Museum, Docklands

This London museum features a fantastic kids' area with water play, building blocks, and a climbing zone that's kept clean and tiny and packed with fun. It’s a great free indoor option that's perfect for toddlers up to kids aged 8 - you can find out what the docks were used for and what life would've been like for sailors many years ago, 'drive' a DLR train in the soft play area, move ships along the docks on the water play station and help the workers move their cargo using wheelbarrows. Sessions last 45m and cost from £4 - book ahead online. The rest of the (excellent) museum is free.

Under 13Free

Ikea

Hear me out for a second here... DO NOT GO ON A WEEKEND OR BUSY PERIOD. But for an easy morning out with a toddler, there's lots to recommend about Ikea. Surprisingly fun for kids who love exploring the miniature room setups, playing in the toy section, and picking out plants or new room decor. And you can conclude the extravaganza with a decent, cheap children's meal that you don't have to make (or clear up).

See details★ 4

RAF Museum, Hendon

This recently-updated museum is a must for airplane fans: its massive hangars are filled with real planes, chinooks, helicopters, and ride-on replicas; there's a new soft play area, a fun outdoor aviation-themed playground, simulators and more. There's a cafe so you can make a day of it. Free tickets can be booked ahead of time; there's scant local parking so you'll need to pay for the car park. Frequently-changed exhibitions are child-friendly and fascinating.

See details★ 4.8

The Southbank

This vibrant, pedestrian-only stretch along the Thames is filled with street food, buskers, and cultural venues like the Southbank Centre, BFI and Tate Modern which always have child-friendly exhibitions and space to run around in. The Southbank is buggy bliss for parents because there are no stairs to navigate, and plenty of child-friendly chain restaurants to warm up (or cool down) in. There are mini Thames-side beaches to explore too - just don't go for a dip in the not-so-clean river.

See details★ 4.5

Under 9£5-£15

Discover Children's Story Centre

One of my favourite London museums for under 7s, this imaginative centre includes indoor and outdoor playgrounds, storytelling rooms, exhibitions crafted around authors and books, and creative arts activities. It is wonderful for inspiring creativity in toddlers and younger children - I like to tire mine out with a morning here, then enjoy their buggy nap as I stroll around neighbouring Westfield. Discounts are available for Newham residents - everyone should remember to book a storytelling session while booking entry tickets.

See details★ 4.3

Under 13£5-£15

London Transport Museum

This super-interactive museum lets children truly explore. It gets very busy (go early) but kids of all ages can experience what it's like to drive a train, learn about London's changing transport, go on old buses, follow an informative trail, get involved in workshops and more - it's an in-depth day out for kids who are obsessed with how things move. There's a cafe, and tickets are valid for a year so you can revisit as much as you like. It's in Covent Garden with lots of entertainers, shops and cafes to visit too.

See details★ 4.4

Lewis of London Ice Cream Farm

This popular spot serves up dozens of handmade ice cream and gelato flavours, made directly from farm-fresh milk. Every year they're also expanding the entertainment options: playgrounds, hay bales, pony rides, sand pits, tractors to climb on, and mazes can often be found here. Expect a queue on warm weekend afternoons, but it moves quickly. Free entry, large car park, but you'll want to buy an ice or two.

See details★ 4.1