Easter activities for kids

Sensational Butterflies

The Natural History Museum's butterfly house returns. Visitors can come face-to-face with tropical butterflies and take part in games, activities and challenges that teach more about the sensory world of the fluttering creatures.

Tower Bridge

Illustrations from Miroslav Sasek's classic children's book 'This is London' are on show.

V&A Museum of Childhood

• Critics choice
• Free

Part of the V&A museum, the museum has been amassing childhood-related objects since 1872 and continues to do so, with 'Incredibles' figures complementing bonkers 1970s puppets, Barbie Dolls and Victorian praxinoscopes. There are regular exhibitions upstairs and the V&A Museum of Childhood has plenty of hands-on activities for kids and special events at weekends and during school holidays, while the café helps to revive flagging grown-ups.

London Transport Museum

• Critics choice

For children, the London Transport Museum has an under-fives play area decorated with Steven Appleby illustrations and the chance to sit in the driver's cab of a red bus and guide a Northern Line simulator through tunnels and up to platforms – (truth be told, it's fun for adults, too).

London Zoo

• Critics choice

 At 'Gorilla Kingdom' you can get surprisingly close to the zoo's colony of western lowland gorillas. 2011 saw the opening of a new penguin habitat where you can experience feeding time for the colony of Macaroni and Humboldt penguins. There are plenty of cafés and picnic spots and the zoo offers educational and craft activities as well as an ongoing programme of exhibitions and events exploring science and conservation.

Natural History Museum

• Critics choice
• Free

The handsome Alfred Waterhouse building houses a collection that contains some 70 million plant, animal, fossil, rock and mineral specimens. The Natural History Museum’s Life Galleries are devoted to displays on animal life, from creepy crawlies to the plaster cast of a Diplodocus that lords it over the Central Hall.

Museum of London

• Critics choice
• Free

The history of London, from prehistoric times to the present is told in the Museum of London through reconstructed interiors and street scenes, alongside displays of original artefacts found during the museum's archaeological digs. Check the website before your visit as a packed programme of temporary exhibitions, talks, walks and children's events is central to the life of the Museum of London.

Science Museum

• Critics choice
• Free

The Science Museum features seven floors of educational and entertaining exhibits, including the Apollo 10 command module and a flight simulator. The Wellcome Wing showcases developments in contemporary science, medicine and technology. The Medical History Gallery in the museum's attic contains a substantial collection of medical history treasures. The shop is worth checking out for its wacky toys.

Household Cavalry Museum

This museum within the historic Horse Guards building affords a behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into the ceremonial duties and operational role of the Household Cavalry regiments which make up the Queen's official guards. Their story is told through a collection of ceremonial uniforms, royal standards, gallantry awards, musical instruments, horse furniture and silverware amassed over 350 years of serving the Royal family. Family activities take place during school holidays.

Battersea Park Children's Zoo

In the meerkats’ enclosure children can make their way down a tunnel to pop out on a level with the creatures. Battersea Park Children's Zoo also has indoor and outdoor play areas, picnic tables, a coffee shop and nappy-changing facilities. Birthday parties can be booked.