Sandbox VR Covent Garden
Full-body virtual reality where your group moves around a room together and becomes the heroes of the game. Players wear a headset, haptic vest and motion trackers, then team up to fight pirates, survive zombies or face dinosaurs, with your real movements tracked in the game.
It is a brilliant treat for older kids, teens and birthday groups, and parents tend to love it just as much. Every game ends with a replay video of your group in action to watch back.
- Book ahead online — sessions are for private groups of up to six
- Check the minimum age for each game before booking, as some are for older teens
- Allow about an hour including kit-up and the replay video
- Wear comfy clothes and closed shoes as you move around a lot
Times change seasonally — always check before you set off.
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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.
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Somerset House Courtyard & Fountains
Iconic neoclassical courtyard where 55 dancing water fountains shoot straight out of the cobblestones all summer. Kit tip: pack a [puddle suit](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=kids+puddle+suit) and a [wet bag](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=wet+bag+for+swimming) — both earn their place on a splashy day out. More ideas in our [family kit list](https://kidsfun.london/guides/what-to-pack-family-day-out-london).
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The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience
The TV show, for real. We loved battling the puzzles and challenges - they really are just like the show, with the countdown clock and fear of getting locked in bringing back nostalgic memories! The setting itself looks a bit run down in some areas, but that didn't stop us having a really fun evening, especially when the golf rains down inside the snowglobe and you try to snatch as much as possible. A Maze Master leads your team through Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and Futuristic zones grabbing crystals, before that confetti storm of the Crystal Dome. Older kids and teens love it - be aware that you may be mixed in with other people if your group isn't large enough to run solo.
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Lee Valley Ice Centre
A big, bright twin-rink centre with TWO Olympic size skating venues, on the edge of Hackney Marshes with public skating sessions all week, penguin skate aids for little ones and lessons if anyone catches the bug and wants to go twirl-pro. And if they're old enough for drop-off, there's a gym plus studios with body conditioning, Pilates, yoga, group cycle, HIIT and dance fitness classes every week.
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QUEENS: Skate, Dine, Bowl
This massive indoor entertainment hub features an ice-skating rink, curling on ice, retro ten-pin bowling lanes, arcade games, and a pizza restaurant - it's a one-stop rainy-day centre where kids can skate on ice, bowl a strike, and eat slices under one roof, but we haven't visited yet so send us your opinions!
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Apple Town Soft Play
We like this bright, well-run indoor soft play, with multi-storey play, slides and a toddler zone. A decent rainy-day escape valve when the walls start closing in! Under-5s get the most out of it, but there's enough climbing, jumping and slides to keep older kids going too. There's lots of parent seating with easy supervision, and VR plus trampolines too. Insider tip: book the first session of the day; it's calmer, cleaner and you'll actually get a table with a plug socket and a coffee.
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