40 THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS THIS SEPTEMBER
Best Family Events in London this September 2026
You survived the Summer Holidays. Two thumbs up, five gold stars and a litre of gin.
September welcomes more easy-going, child-flavoured fun, the type that allows us a five-day breather while they’re at school, and less frantic restocking of the snack cupboard.
It includes four FREE festivals plus dream worlds, dinosaurs, Disney princesses, Egyptian adventures and Pixar fun.
Read our guide below to turbo-charge your September.
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Greenwich+Docklands International Festival
From death-defying vertical dances on St Paul’s Cathedral, to engulfing the streets with technicolour foam and sinking a house for a rooftop dance, the FREE and UNTICKETED Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) never disappoints.
And this year is no exception with a gaggle of companies from 25 countries, encompassing outdoor theatre, circus, dance and art installations inspired by the theme ‘WE MOVE’.
Highlights include 360, a large scale dance ritual on a towering circular stage in Woolwich; an immersive experience behind-the-scenes of an action film set in Greenwich Peninsula; and Nature Speaks, open-air audio-visual installations that gives voice to nature itself in an extraordinary Thamesmead hidden landscape.
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival. Multiple locations across Royal Borough of Greenwich, Newham and Thamesmead. Until 6 September
London Design Festival
The annual design festival returns for its 24th year, with a programme brimming with family-friendly experiences.
These include a dazzling audiovisual light sculpture inside St Paul's Cathedral, and works at the V&A featuring playful, interactive elements to engage curious kids.
London Design Festival. Multiple locations from 12 - 20 September. Many events are free.
Totally Thames Festival
The annual festival celebrating the River Thames returns this September, with a month-long program of art, theatre, music, film, tours and cruises along the 42-mile stretch of the river.
It includes over 100 events from art installations, soundscapes, riverside walks, to open-water swims, and family friendly workshops across 20 London boroughs
Totally Thames Festival. 1-30 September. Multiple locations along the River Thames
celebrASIA
celebrASIA returns to Battersea Power Station for a three-day, family-friendly celebration of South East Asian performances, street food, artisans and more – and this year, it’s even bigger.
As well as amazing food, there are kid's workshops, from Hibiscus Sand Art, to crafting inspired by the art, culture and traditions of South East Asia.
Young explorers can also take on the Grand Tour of South East Asia - a trail around the Power Station discovering facts about 11 South East Asian countries, completing their own celebrASIA passport and claiming an explorer sticker and stamp at the end.
Battersea Power Station, Circus Road West, Nine Elms, London, SW11 8EZ. 11 -13 September
House of Dreamers
The pastel-hued immersive experience built around the emotional and motivational power of dreams hits London this month.
After welcoming more than 2 million visitors worldwide, brings its magical world to the capital, with 16 interactive installations that blend design, colour and technology, with the goal of reconnecting people with their imagination, inner child and aspirations.
Expect a giant pink ball pit, a ‘Dream Machine’ that creates an image of you in your dream job; fairy paths, waterfalls, a digital scanner that brings your animal drawings to life so they can roam in a fantastical forest, and interactive projection that conjure up starlight in response to touch.
House of Dreamers, Immerse LDN, Excel Waterfront, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL
Pocket Money
Featuring big ideas, an interactive voting system and a live DJ set, this world premiere for 7 to 12-year-olds explores financial literacy in the digital age, empowering children to think critically about money, their choices and their future.
Created by experimental theatre-makers Nigel Barrett and Louise Mari in consultation with the Unicorn’s Creative Associates, a mischievous clown, a cutting-edge DJ and financial experts - this high-energy and revelatory show is packed full of surprises and anarchic fun.
Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley St, London SE1 2HZ. 26 September - 1 November
Disney Moana Afternoon Tea
Sail off on a tropical island adventure at London Hilton Park Lane, for a magical new Moana-inspired afternoon tea, made in collaboration with Disney.
Ahead of the release of the live-action film on 10 July, Park Corner Brasserie has created a whimsical family dining experience, brimming with tropical colours, flavours and inventive storytelling.
Glass slippers stuffed with chocolates arrive on velvet cushions and tropical treasure chests are theatrically opened to reveal Wayfinder Canoes with edible passengers, and dazzling, themed desserts.
The most iconic Disney moments are also brought to life at the five star hotel, in the creative and delicious savouries.
Park Corner Brasserie, London Hilton on Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 1BE
Dinosaur World Live
This Olivier Award-winning, interactive show invites the audience into a pre-historic world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs.
Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child's favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus.
London Troubadour, Wembley Park Theatre, 3 Fulton Rd, Wembley Park, Wembley HA9 0SP. 28 July - 6 September
Mundo Pixar Experience
Set in a purpose-built venue in Wembley Park, this exhibition spans more than 3,500 square metres, and features 14 Pixar universes including over 25 sculptures, inviting guests to explore meticulously recreated environments from “Toy Story”, “Monsters, Inc.”, “Cars”, “Finding Nemo”, “Inside Out”, “Coco”, “Up”, and many more fan favourites. Each space combines detailed set design, ambient music, and specially crafted scents to immerse visitors in Pixar’s most beloved stories.
It has arrived in London, following record-breaking success in Brazil, Mexico, Belgium and Spain, where it welcomed over 3.2 million visitors.
Mundo Pixar Experience, Wembley Park, London. Until November. Open daily except Tuesdays. Tickets from £19
Dalloway Terrace Secret Garden Afternoon Tea
Inspired by the classic children’s book, Dalloway Terrace has launched a blooming brilliant children's afternoon tea, celebrating its stunning botanical setting.
Artfully wrapped around the outer edge of The Bloomsbury hotel, the stunning terrace is festooned with seasonal florals, putting the bloom into Bloomsbury.
The menu includes a chocolate flower pot, a shortbread key and Mary’s Victoria sponge.
Savouries include classic finger sandwiches, with cucumber, free-range egg mayonnaise and Emmental served on soft white bread, followed by sultana and vanilla scones with Cornish clotted cream and seasonal preserve.
Children also receive an activity book on arrival.
Dalloway Terrace,16-22 Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3NN. £30/child
Ramses and the Pharaoh’s Gold: The Exhibition
For the first and only time, 180 priceless treasures from Cairo’s Egyptian Museum - each one more than 3,000 years old - are in the UK.
This dazzling exhibition is a rare opportunity to witness the power, vision and enduring legacy of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh, via priceless treasures, immersive VR, and a multimedia scavenger hunt for young explorers.
Highlights include the actual coffin of Ramses II, royal treasures, real animal mummies, sacred amulets, giant sculptures, statues and stone heads.
NEON at Battersea Power Station, 2 Circus Rd E, Nine Elms, London SW11 8DQ. Tickets from £24.55/adult, £19.55/child over five. Until 31 October
Luke Jerram - Stepping Out
The staircase by the Royal Festival Hall becomes a playground of sonic exploration in Stepping Out, an interactive musical artwork commissioned for Southbank Centre's 75th anniversary.
The piece is a collaborative work from the creative minds of Luke Jerram, known for his large-scale environmental installations; the BAFTA- and Ivor Novello Award-winning composer and sound designer Dan Jones; and orchestral musicians from the National Theatre.
Hop between the round ‘islands’ of colour to trigger the bespoke music. Programmed to change each week, you can pass through the site again and again – it’s an ever-changing artwork sure to put a spring in everyone’s step.
Southbank Centre, Riverside Terrace, Level 2, London SE1 8XX Until 30 September. FREE
The Jolly Postman at the Postal Museum
Celebrate 40 years of much loved children’s book, The Jolly Postman in this interactive exhibition, at the Postal Museum.
Join the Jolly Postman on his rounds with letters for some very familiar faces, from Goldilocks to the Big Bad Wolf.
Wander through the woods to the Three Bears’ cottage, deliver ‘royal mail’ to Cinderella at the palace, or dare to peek inside the Wicked Witch’s gingerbread bungalow – there are magical surprises to discover at every stop.
The Postal Museum, 15-20 Phoenix Place, London, WC1X 0DA. From £18.50/adult, £11/child (2-15) Until Jan 2027
Matilda the Musical
This year marks 15 years of Royal Shakespeare Company's Matilda The Musical in the West End.
The iconic production is one of our favourite West End shows and it’s easy to see why it’s the 10th longest running musical in West End history, bagging more than 101 awards, and delighting more than 12 million people in over 100 cities.
It’s an electrifying and magical masterclass in storytelling, transforming the OG of kid’s literature, Roald Dahl’s classic from page to stage with Tim Minchin’s clever and unforgettable lyrics and music, plus stunning staging, special effects, puppetry and a stellar cast.
Matilda the Musical, Cambridge Theatre, Earlham St, London WC2H 9HU. Tickets from £26
Vintry & Mercer - Circus Afternoon Tea
Roll up, Roll up and experience this Circus Afternoon Tea, bringing the colour and magic of the big top to the heart of the City.
The theatrical kid’s afternoon tea includes Big Top, Carousel and Bobo the Clown pastries; popping candy cherry apples, scones, ringmaster’s chocolate drinks and savouries.
Grown ups enjoy the sweet treats above, plus dreamy roast beef in Yorkshire pudding, truffled egg mayonnaise brioche, coronation chicken with mango chutney, and smoked salmon blinis.
Step right up for this delicious adventure.
Vintry & Mercer, 19-20 Garlick Hill, London EC4V 2AU. £54.50/adult; £39.50/child
Crystal Maze
Start the fans and leap inside Shaftesbury Avenue’s Crystal Maze LIVE Experience, for the perfect family day out for older kids.
Experience a breathless, hilarious and surprisingly tense 75-minute adventure through the iconic Industrial, Ocean, Futuristic, Medieval and Aztec Zones, collecting crystals and points in a succession of mental, mystery, skill, and physical challenges.
The Crystal Maze Live Experience, 22 - 32 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 7EU. From £79pp or £71pp family tickets, with 50% off over half-term
Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends
To celebrate Aardman’s 50th anniversary, peek behind the scenes of stop-motion animation and explore how iconic characters ar brought to life - from Wallace & Gromit to Shaun the Sheep and Morph.
Young V&A Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green, London E2 9PA. From £11/pp. Until 15 November
Voyage to the Deep - Underwater Adventures
Inspired by Jules Verne’s ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Seas’, board the legendary ‘Nautilus’ submarine and embark on an extraordinary underwater adventure.
Crawl through shipwrecks, decode ancient secrets in Atlantis, and weave through towering kelp forests.
Meet a giant squid and spot camouflaged reef creatures as you explore vibrant underwater worlds.
Then dive into interactive challenges, collecting deep-sea specimens, and testing your skills as a submariner, exploring the unknown.
Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Rd, London SE23 3PQ. £19.80/adult, £7/child. Until 1 November
Thames Rockets Rocket Rebel
Take the family aboard the Rocket Rebel, Thames Rockets’ biggest, fastest and most eco-friendly sightseeing speedboat to tear up the Thames.
The capital’s first ever 26-seater speedboat is half rollercoaster, half tour and features a medley of singalong anthems during the 60-minute adventure, and fun facts.
The big sell for kids is when the 880 horsepower engines rev up to catapult them up to speeds of 35 miles per hour.
Thames Rockets, Rocket Rebel, The London Eye Pier, Boarding Gate 1, SE1 7PB. Adults £69.95 pp. Kids £59.95 pp
Ninja Warrior UK
The hit ITV show is brought to life in this family experience, which combines safe, supervised fitness with fun, for wide age and ability ranges.
Test your Ninja skills while climbing, balancing and swinging across obstacles or bouncing across inflatables.
They even have the famous Mount Sasuke to clamber up and Warped Wall for you to conquer.
Ninja Warrior UK, Chelmsford. Tickets from £10.95/pp
Kedi Studio
This unique, splatter paint experience is the perfect way to entertain and inspire Jackson Pollock Jrs.
The innovative art studio welcomes all ages and skill levels to enjoy the thrill and freedom of creative expression in their colourful Splat Room.
They provide the protective smock and shoes, stretched canvas and paints and kids provide the creativity - splashing, splattering, spraying, and throwing paint - in exactly the way they’re not allowed at home - to create their masterpiece, ready to take home in a custom box.
Kedi Studio, Arch 91 Tiverton St, London SE1 6FX. Every Thursday-Monday. From £45.
Ride the UK’s Longest Toboggan Run
Take on the country’s epic, 740 metre toboggan run through pretty scenery for under a tenner.
Chatham Snowboard Centre’s toboggan run invites everybody aged four up to whizz around its metal course, for an adrenaline-packed experience with low skills and big thrills.
And the cheeky bonus is that if your child is under 7, you get two rides together for £9.
Chatham Snowsports Centre, John Nike Leisuresport Alpine Park, Capstone Rd, Chatham ME7 3JH. £9 for two toboggan rides (adults ride free with kids under 7) £17.50 for five rides.
Bella the Tower Bridge Cat Trail
Two and four legged guests can go on a feline trail at the London landmark, meeting character from the popular Bella the Tower Bridge Cat books and tottering across its astonishing glass walkways, 42 metres above the Thames.
The cat trail is open all year, for people (as well as pets) and is a fabulous adventure for little ones, filled with fascinating history, as they get their Apprenticeship Records stamped by characters along the way.
And keep your eyes peeled for the famous feline's birthday celebrations, when they turn up the meowsic and get the pawty started.
Tower Bridge, Tower Bridge Rd, London SE1 2UP. Daily, 9.30am - 6pm. Included with your ticket - £6.70 kids, £13.40 adults.
Young Driver
Kids from just 4 to 17 can get behind the wheel of a car and drive themselves around the bend, instead of their parents.
Under 9s drive specially created (and impossibly cute) mini electric sports cars, and over 9s drive real dual-controlled cars with fully qualified instructors.
Lessons are fun, safe and help develop road skills that last a lifetime. The emphasis is on creating a safer next generation of drivers, and reducing the number of accidents newly qualified drivers have - for those taking part it's just lots of fun and a great confidence boost.
Young Driver. 70 Venues across the country, including Kent and the South East, like Bluewater and the South of England Showground
F1 Driving, Skywalks and Tours at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Little adrenaline junkies can get their kicks at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a hat trick of high octane tours, from The Dare Skywalk - climbing to the top of the stadium, 46.8m above the pitch - to the UK’s first controlled descent from a stadium, once at the top. Plus a Stadium Tour for those who want to keep their feet on the ground. They can also experience a high tech Formula 1 driving experience, with an exciting track layout and LED steering wheels.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 782 High Rd, London N17 0BX
Science Museum Astronights Sleepover
Budding scientists (aged 7-11) can spend the night at The Science Museum, exploring the museum out-of-hours, sleeping among space rockets, a Moon rock or in the world’s largest medical galleries. Young campers will experience the ultimate sleepover, with an evening full of activities, including science shows and interactive workshops.
This year’s Astronights programme is supported by official sponsor TEMPUR®, who will gift all campers a travel pillow to help budding scientists get some rest during this exciting night.The following morning, campers can refuel at breakfast, before exploring Wonderlab, their interactive gallery, with hands-on exhibits and immersive experiences, and catch a 3D documentary on their giant IMAX screen.
Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD. Dates vary, £70pp standard, £100 VIP.
Art in the Docks - FREE
There are FREE art classes every Saturday morning at Art in the Docks, which can be booked online, with 30 spots for each class. Children are encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by ceramic artist Mariana Alemany. The classes are suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.
Art in the Docks, 25 Shackleton Way, London, E16 2XJ. Every Saturday. 10am-12pm. FREE.
iFly Childrens’ Skydive
Anybody from the age of 3 to 103 can experience the superpower of flight at iFly, as long as they can comfortably wear a helmet.
The instructors allow children to safely feel the sensation of an exhilarating, 12,000 ft free-fall and flight, without jumping out of a plane.
Along with watching the instructor perform a mesmerising dance on air inside the vertical wind tunnel, your family can enjoy the extraordinary sensation of weightlessness, soaring around the glass tube and unlocking a core memory of their newfound super powers.
iFLY London at The O2, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX. Tickets and vouchers to fly can be purchased by clicking here and are available from £69.99 per person
Slimy Gootopia Sessions
Slime is a gloopy rite of passage for every child - parents quickly learn the art of removing it from hair and unwitting pets and it’s up there with ice cream in the kiddie delight department. Enter stage left: Gootopia, which brings its gloopy joy to Brixton and Lewisham. The venues have shelves of ready-made slime, slime ingredients, activator, and their ‘goo-to-go’ slime vending machine. They also offer a range of activities and experiences for kids of all ages, including slime workshops, birthday parties, school science workshops, drop-in slime-making sessions and live slime-making demonstrations by goo alchemists
Gootopia. Brixton and Lewisham locations.
Power Up at the Science Museum
Following five successful runs, Power Up will make its permanent home at the Science Museum from July, allowing visitors to try over 160 consoles and hundreds of the very best video games, all year long. With the new Power Up annual passes, visitors can return whenever they fancy, to journey through the world of gaming. Experience the evolution of gaming – from classics such as Pong and Street Fighter to the latest PlayStation and Xbox – while discovering the science and history behind gaming’s most iconic developments.
Power Up Ticketed, daily passes: £10, annual passes: £15 . Age: 5+. Science Museum, Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
Play Captain on a GoBoat River Picnic
If you’re looking for somewhere to spend a genuinely relaxing few hours for parents and children (plus dogs, if you have one) we recommend a GoBoat trip.
You can enjoy a picnic as captain of your own, electric boat through Canary Wharf, Paddington, Kingston, Thames Ditton or Birmingham.
GoBoat UK, Open 7 days a week from 9am - dusk. Prices start from £85 for 1 hour and £125 for two hours on the 8-person boats. GoBoat Canary Wharf, 22 Churchill Place, London, E14 5RE
Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
Brigit's Bakery official Paddington Bear afternoon tea bus tour has built-in screens, so that Paddington and Mrs Bird can provide an animated guide to the tour, which includes some of Paddington's favourite landmarks, like Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Nelson’s Column, Downing Street, St. Paul's Cathedral, Borough Market, Green Park and Piccadilly Circus. The tour takes just under two hours, while you scoff treats including glittering shortbreads, designed to look like nibbled marmalade sandwiches, mini pizzas, smoked salmon and cucumber pretzels, turkey ham and cheddar or cream cheese and cucumber finger sandwiches and naturally, marmalade sandwiches. And for those who share the bear’s sweet tooth, the homemade sweet treats included a rice pudding studded with chocolate honeycomb, chocolate cupcakes crowned with Paddington’s chocolate paws, lemon meringue tarts, chocolate macarons and freshly baked scones with cream and jam. Brigit’s Bakery also provide vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal afternoon teas.
Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus tour Departs from Trafalgar Square, Wednesdays to Sundays. Prices from £45 adult, £35 child.
Whizz Down Zip World London's ArcelorMittal Orbit
How about hurling your children down the world’s tallest slide? The 178m long ArcelorMittal Orbit was the iconic landmark of the 2012 London Olympics and is now an attraction with three adventure experiences. Families can speed down the winding slide, abseil, or walk around the glass orbit at the top. You can also pretend it's a high-brow, cultural experience, because the orbit is also a sculpture by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond. And it beats the usual views of grubby swings and bins, because here you can check out the stunning views of Queen Elizabeth Park. To ride the slide, children must be at least eight years old and over 1.3m.
Zip World London, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 5 Thornton St, London E20 2AD. From £10.75.
Cutty Sark Rig Climb Experience
Originally climbed when the ship first arrived to Greenwich in 1954, visitors can now recreate this, by clambering up the famous masts of the Cutty Sark.The Rig Climb Experience invites kids and brave parents to step up from the main deck onto the ship’s ratlines and climb up its top mast, as hundreds of sailors did during the Cutty Sark’s heyday. Once at the top, climbers will experience a controlled descent from the rigging. Participants will be rewarded with some of the best views in London, overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard and Tower Bridge.
Cutty Sark King William Walk, London SE10 9H
Snot, Sick and Scabs at the Centre of the Cell
Deliciously disgusting and sneakily educational centre in a futuristic, light-studded pod suspended above the laboratories of the Blizard Institute in Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Children can learn about the heart, teeth or senses, see scientists at work and enjoy their delightfully vile ‘Snot, Sick and Scabs’ session.
Centre of the Cell, 4 Newark St, London E1 2AT
Out-of-Hours at the British Museum
Your little ones can walk in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks, Pharoahs or journey through the cultures of China at The British Museum's family-friendly, out-of-hours tours. Taking place between 8.50 – 10am, before the galleries are open to the public, you can beat the unsavoury crowds. And from 4 - 25 March, children can explore Roman history through Minecraft, create a Japan-themed family photo (11 March) and make mosaic masks inspired by the Aztec gods on 18 March.
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG. Under fives go free. £16.50 for 5-15 year olds. £33 Adults
Monopoly Lifesized
Go big or go home… or straight to jail at Monopoly Lifesized, an immersive, on-your-feet version of the classic, family game, played on a 15m x 15m lifesized Monopoly board. Enter the 4D experience and compete in challenges for your chance to buy properties. Stage a heist in Mayfair, compete against a clock to build some of London’s iconic buildings, solve a baffling murder mystery or step into the world of codebreakers. The 80-minute experience is suitable for kids from 9 and older and is open every day except Mondays.
Monopoly Lifesized, 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7PS. Tickets £49 pp
Holiday to Space at Royal Observatory Greenwich
Join Ted and Plant as they explore the Solar System in search of the best place to take a holiday in an intergalactic morning adventure, including a planetarium show and interactive workshop. Recommended Age: 3 - 6 yrs. Open 10am-5pm daily
Royal Observatory Greenwich Park, Blackheath Avenue SE10 8XJ
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