Looking for things to do during May half term in London with kids? In this guide, you’ll find a list of 2023 events and activities for kids in London coming up during the school holidays.
When are the May half term school holidays?
This year the May half term school holidays in London are from Monday, 29 May to Friday, 2 June 2023. Monday, 29 May is the spring bank holiday.
What’s On May Half Term in London with Kids
Plan your May half term break with this list of things to do with kids in London during May half term 2023. I will continue to add to this list as more events and activities are announced, so do check back for more updates over the coming weeks.
Dodger: A Family Adventure at Museum of London Docklands
27 May – 4 June 2023
Go on a journey around the collections at the Museum of London Docklands as part of their new family trail based on the BAFTA-winning BBC TV series, Dodger.
Help Dodger, Fagin and the gang stay one step ahead of the police in an immersive, self-paced experience, set against a converted 19th-century sugar warehouse.
Recommended for ages 7+. Pick up a free trail map on arrival or download the digital PDF map in advance.
Plan your visit to the Museum of London Docklands
Families Drawn Together at National Maritime Museum
3 June 2023
Join in on free drop-in workshops at the National Maritime Museum this summer half term as past of the SEAson of Drawing.
Discover the collaborative process between father and son that defines the work of the Van de Veldes, and create your own family piece of artwork! Suitable for all ages and abilities.
Plan your visit to the National Maritime Museum
Giffords Circus: ‘Les Enfants du Paris’ at Chiswick House
2 – 19 June 2023
Giffords Circus will return for an extended three-week run at Chiswick House and Gardens this summer, starting at the end of May half term. The brand-new show ‘Les Enfants du Paris’ will take inspiration from French Romanticism in the mid-19th century.
Tickets cost from £20 for adults and £10 for children. Children under 3 enter free.
Book tickets for Giffords Circus at Chiswick House
Kids Rule at Eltham Palace and Gardens
27 May – 4 June 2023
Celebrate King Charles III’s coronation at Eltham Palace and Gardens this May half-term, with their Kid Rule events, hands-on activities and fresh-air family fun.
Book tickets to visit Eltham Palace and Gardens
St George’s Quest at Morden Hall Park
30 May – 1 June 2023
Join in on an exciting adventure through the Rose Garden at Morden Hall Park. St George’s Quest is an interactive play, where challengers will be interacting with several characters, solving puzzles and defeating a dragon to be Knighted by St George himself!
The one hour interactive play starts every half hour between 11am to 3:30pm. Tickets cost £2.50 for adults and £12.50 for children. Suitable for ages 4+. Booking in advance is required.
Book tickets for St George’s Quest at Morden Hall Park
Discovery Day: Time Travellers at LookOut Hyde Park
30 May – 1 June 2023
Take part in a variety of free family activities and travel back in time through the Royal Park’s history at the LookOut Centre in Hyde Park. Activities include creating a plant print with Hapa zome, trying your hand at calligraphy and a meet and greet with Queen Victoria.
Drop in anytime between 11am to 3pm. Activities are suitable for the whole family to enjoy.
Register your interest for the Discovery Days at LookOut Hyde Park
London Museum Exhibitions
Here’s a list of the exhibitions that are on at the top London museums for kids during the May half term break;
Brick Dinos at the Horniman Museum
10 February – 29 October 2023
Step back in time with Brick Dinos, the new family-friendly exhibition at the Horniman Museum and Gardens. See dinosaurs and other prehistoric giants – including the raptor-like Masiakasaurus and a life-sized flying pterosaur – recreated in miniature form by artist Warren Elsmore and his team.
The Brick Dinos exhibition will also feature rarely seen specimens from the Horniman’s stores, and a range of hands-on activities for children to enjoy including build your own dinosaur and digging for fossils.
Tickets cost £9 for adults, £4.50 for children. Free for under 3s.
Book exhibition tickets at the Horniman Museum
Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur at the Natural History Museum
31 March 2023 – 7 January 2024
Step into the world of the colossal titanosaur Patagotitan mayorum, one of the the largest known creatures to have ever walked our planet, at an exciting new, interactive exhibition at the NHM. This is the first time the Patagotitan mayorum has been on display in Europe; don’t miss your chance to see this extraordinary dinosaur up close!
Follow the life of a titanosaur around a gallery, where you can handle specimens, explore interactives and learn how a creature of this colossal size could have survived on Earth. After discovering what life was like as the biggest dinosaur, get to know the giants we share our planet with today, learn about their lives, the challenges they face and how we can protect them.
Tickets cost £16 for adults and £9 for children. Advance bookings are recommended especially for visits during the school holidays and weekends. Recommended for ages 5+.
Book tickets at the Natural History Museum
May Half Term in London for Kids 2023 Map
I am also pinning the top places in London for things to do during the summer half term in my “May Half Term in London with Kids 2023” Google Map Guide. For a direct link to the map to bookmark, click here. To explore the map, click on the door sign with an arrow just before the map title.
This post was updated on 27 March 2023 with more London family events and activities coming up over May half term break.
