Fun family days out for half-term

Robot Zoo giraffe, Horniman Museum and Gardens.

Robot Zoo: interactive robots made from household items explain the wonders of the animal world

(Image credit: Horniman Museum and Gardens)

published 13 February 2025

The spring half-term break is a great time to take the kids on a fun-filled trip to some of the UK's most child-friendly attractions. From interactive exhibitions to a circus cabaret, here are some of our favourite days out for the whole family.

Making Egypt, Young V&A

At the Young V&A in Bethnal Green, east London, the exhibition about ancient Egypt has "plenty to keep young visitors occupied", said The Telegraph. Over 200 artefacts are on display, from a Lego set of the Great Pyramid to the inner sarcophagus of Princess Sopdet-em-haawt. The curators provide "fun, themed displays about, say, the animals of the Nile", and there are interactive games for kids to learn about hieroglyphs, as well as various zones for drawing and reading storybooks. "Making history for schoolchildren isn't easy – but all the work that's gone into this imaginative, effective show pays off."

From February 15, vam.ac.uk

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Robot Zoo, Horniman Museum and Gardens

This "delightful" exhibition at Horniman Museum and Gardens in south London's Forest Hill "explains the wonders of the animal world" using "robots made from household items", said Time Out. The interactive show is back, eight years after its popular debut, with a new set of robo-animals. Kids will be kept busy with an array of activities, from shooting a chameleon's "tongue-gun" to trying out jet-propelled squid racing.

From February 14, horniman.ac.uk

Imagine Festival, Southbank Centre

The Imagine Festival is back at London's Southbank Centre this February half-term to "spark creativity with world-class performances, art and free fun for children and their grown-ups", said Stylist. Be sure to book tickets for "There's a Bear on My Chair", the first-ever stage adaptation of Ross Collins' beloved rhyming picture book. Other highlights include an afternoon drawing with the children's book illustrator Rob Biddulph, and the CBeebies Wildlife Jamboree with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

From February 18, southbankcentre.co.uk

Orchid Festival at Kew Gardens

The annual "mind-bending orchid display" at London's Kew Gardens is back, and, this year, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is getting a "Peruvian makeover", said Time Out. "You never need an excuse to take the kids to Kew" but the stunning flower festival is "really a sight to behold": "a blaze of astonishing colour to light up the February gloom". Celebrating Peru's wonderfully diverse landscapes, the festival will feature a series of displays, including an alpaca structure crafted entirely from "tropic blooms".

From 1 February, kew.org

Jacksons Lane Circus Cabaret For Kids

Jacksons Lane's "unmissable" circus cabaret for kids will leave the whole family "grinning from ear to ear", said Stylist. The show, at one of north London's most youth-friendly cultural hubs, features a "thrilling mix of acrobatics, jaw-dropping aerial feats, mind-bending juggling and tricks".

From 18 February, jacksonslane.org.uk

Zoo Detectives at Bristol Zoo Project

The Zoo Detectives interactive family trail at Bristol Zoo Project is a great way to keep two to 12-year-olds entertained. You can "join the eco guards on a secret mission" to collect case notes and start "piecing together clues" to find the secret hideout, said Bristol Live. Along the way you'll "send commands through a walkie talkie", "navigate with a compass" and "study animal tracks" – all while hiding from the illegal hunters.

From 15 February, bristolzoo.org.uk

Half-term History Makers at Dover Castle

Dover Castle will be "teeming with characters from the past", as the historic site transports half-term visitors back to the Victorian era, said Kent Online. "Cheeky street performers" will be singing and dancing "in the hopes of earning a shilling or two", and there will be a "glowing lantern show".

From 15 February, english-heritage.org.uk

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Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.