The festive season is well and truly upon us, and with Santa’s visit on the cards and the school holidays fast approaching, the kids in your life are probably buzzing with excitement. Make the most of some quality family time and check out some of the fantastic things to do with kids in London this Christmas.
Whether it’s stepping into a bewitching new world, meeting a jolly man in a red suit, or getting their happiness fix at a dopamine-boosting museum, you can cram their days with festive fun and adventure. We’ve pulled together a few ideas to get you started…
Pay Santa a visit at his grotto
Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to see the big man himself. London is spoiling families for choice this year, with Santa’s grottos popping up everywhere.
Whether your little ones want a classic meet-and-greet, a festive story session, a gift to take home or a full immersive adventure, there’s a grotto to suit.
🎅🏻 Hamleys
⛄️ Winter Wonderland
🎅🏻 Eltham Palace
⛄️ Kenwood
🎅🏻 Vauxhall City Farm
⛄️ London Transport Museum
🎅🏻 Camden Market
⛄️ St Pancras International
🎅🏻 Natural History Museum
Hear some carols
One of the loveliest parts of Christmas in London with kids is hearing carols sung while you’re out and about but to guarantee a rendition of a few favourites, there are organised events to check out too.
Trafalgar Square hosts carol groups fundraising for different charities in the run-up to Christmas, singing by the huge tree gifted by Norway every year since 1947.
You can also catch carols at St Paul’s Cathedral, which runs a series of free events through December (arrive early to queue for a seat), plus festive family carols at St Martin-in-the-Fields and sell-out performances as part of Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall.
If you’re looking for a free, kid-friendly activity in London this winter, check out The Dennis and Gnasher Mega Mischief Trail. Twelve uniquely designed Dennis the Menace sculptures, created by different artists, will pop up around the Fleet Street Quarter from 18 November to 15 January.
The free trail marks 75 years of Dennis, and also features themed light projections of Dennis and Gnasher, plus a programme of festive goings-on—making it an easy, budget-friendly addition to any Christmas itinerary.
Ice skating season is nearly upon us, and if you’re looking for festive things to do with kids at Christmas, London’s rinks are gearing up to open for the winter. From flagship outdoor rinks to smaller neighbourhood options, there’s no shortage of places to don a pair of skates this festive season.
If you’re looking for festive things to do with kids at Christmas, London’s first-ever Elf on the Shelf trail is landing this winter, with 12 giant Scout Elves hidden around some of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
Expect to spot them everywhere from Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square to Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.
The free public art trail runs from November into December, with each elf uniquely designed by a different artist. It’s a fun, low-cost way to turn a festive walk into a proper scavenger hunt.
For a properly old-school festive outing, hop on the Santa Steam Express as it returns to London with 90-minute steam train journeys departing from Victoria.
This year’s rides run on 12 and 19 December aboard heritage locomotives Britannia and Duke of Gloucester, both dating back to the 1950s.
If you’re up for a festive day trip, the historic Luton Hoo Estate (just under two hours from London) becomes a full festive wonderland from 4 December.
Wander a light trail through the walled garden, complete with projections and soundscapes, then take to the ice on the estate’s skating rink.
There’s also a Father Christmas grotto with a story-led woodland mission for little ones, plus optional VIP packages featuring a heated lounge, fire pit, unlimited hot chocolate and mulled wine.
For a festive day out with a difference, add Walthamstow Wetlands to your Christmas to-do list.
Here, London Wildlife Trust’s Winter at the Wetlands – Operation Redwing transforms the nature reserve into a Christmas adventure.
The 45-minute interactive experience blends storytelling, imaginative play and hands-on wildlife discovery, ending with a meeting with Santa.
See a pantomime or Christmas theatre
It’s not Christmas without a pantomime (oh no, it’s not!), and London’s festive theatre line-up is packed with family-friendly options.
This year’s picks include Cinderella at the London Palladium and the Lyric Hammersmith, plus Jack and the Beanstalk at the Hackney Empire, alongside classics like The Nutcracker at the London Coliseum and The Snowman at the Peacock Theatre.
If you’re after a festive (and free) activity to do with kids, Covent Garden is bringing back its daily snowfall this Christmas, with flurries falling every hour on the hour from midday to 9pm from 4 December.
It all happens beside the piazza’s legendary Christmas tree, making it one of the most reliably magical free festive photo ops in the city.
The snow is part of a wider Theatre of Christmas programme running from 12 November, featuring a 50-foot tree, more than 300,000 lights, West End-inspired installations and surprise performances on Festive Thursdays.
