Thanks to some frankly pretty wacky decisions made at the Council of Nicea in the year 325AD, the Easter weekend famously jumps around crazily from year to year, making the Easter holiday undoubedly the most erratic of all school breaks.
For 2026, the school Easter hols stretch from Monday March 30 to Friday April 10, with the Easter weekend tucked away snugly in the middle of that (Good Friday is April 3; Easter Monday is April 6). Theoretically, then, the holiday should be precisely two weeks long with the bank holidays neatly contained therein, although doubtless some schools will tack on a cheeky Monday teacher training day at the end.
Easter is a funny old holiday that be perfect outdoor weather and can be bloody awful. But hopefully spring will have fully sprung, and if not don’t worry – there’s absolutely loads to do in London this Easter holiday, and we’ve rounded up teh best option below.
Stuck for ideas on how to fill all this free time? That’s where we come in. Below is a list of ideas for things you can get up to in London with the kids this Easter holidays.
RECOMMENDED: Crack open our full guide to the Easter weekend.
What is it? It’s a regular trip to London Zoo except a delicious chocolate egg will be gifted to children who tracking down all six giant eggs on the zoo grounds and crack the code written on them. There’s also a new exhibition on the lawn celebrating 200 years of the ZSL.
Where is it? London Zoo.
Why go? London Zoo is always a delight, but it’s just a great time of year in which you can reasonably expect ever heritage attraction in the country to offer an egg on top of the usual fun.
What is it? Following in the footsteps of immersive exhibtions dedicated to Tutankhamun, the Titanic and the destruction of Pompeii, here comes a fairly self-explanatory new show that sticks to a tried and true formula of a worthy handful of artefacts augmented by splashy AR, VR and immersive video, plus giant insta-friendly sets.
Where is it? Dock X.
Why go? Because kids love Vikings – at least as an idea – and here they can both actually learn about them while also enjoying the usual fun digital silliness and delve into more lurid mythology. Lest the subject seem intrinsically a bit laddish, it’s actually emphasised that there’s a big focus on ‘the wise Queen Kraka’, who probably didn’t exist but sounds cool anyway.
What is it? The very welcome return of Sam Wilde and Ian Nicholson’s cardboard puppet adaptation of Jon Klassen’s wondrously droll I Want My Hat Back Trilogy of picturebooks about animals scrapping over headwear.
Where is it? Little Angel Studios.
Why go? It’s funny and weird and – as with the books – operates on two extremely different levels depending on what your age is. Because it’s all three books, it also reaches a respectable runtime without needing to be padded out with songs or audience interection (which is fine for some shows but would kill the weird buzz here).
What is it? It’s an immersive, family-friendly celebration of our galaxy and all things space, but the undoubted highlight is the pop-up planetarium that will show a variety of films for kids of all ages, ranging from Animals in Space! for the little ones to the more sober The Night Sky for those looking for something a bit more stats heavy.
Where is it? National Maritime Museum.
Why go? Greenwich without a planetarium is like Greenwich without Meantime: against the natural order of things. Fortunately, while the iconic one at the Observatory is closed for a massive makeover for a couple of years, the good old Maritime Museum has stepped into the gap – a valuable service and a fun looking exhibtion.
What is it? The Unicorn Theatre joins forces with the RSC for a 90 minute version of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, aimed at ages seven plus. To what extent it’ll feel different to a ‘regular’ production is TBC: you still get a good chunk of Bard in 90 minutes,and the plot synopsis suggests the fairies, lovers and Mechanicals are all present and correct.
Where is it? Unicorn Theatre.
Why go? The magical larks of the Dream definitely make it child friendly, but a proper kids’ version made by the mighty RSC and our very own Unicorn is a rare gateway into the Bard’s works for little ’uns.
What is it? Gabby’s Dollhouse – the mildy surreal Netflix kids show about a now teenage girl and her somewhat psychedelic menagerie of animated toy cats – recently spawned a film version and now gets a stage spin-off.
Where is it? Eventim Apollo Hammersmith.
Why go? Clearly a love of Gabby’s Dollhouse helps – this officially licensed new story should delight fans (although it’s worth stressing none of the TV actors will be present).
What is it? The names change a bit but you basically know what you’re getting with Disney on Ice: top notch ice skating by performers dressed as a mix of Disney stars old and new. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse host the whole thing – where else do you see Mickey and Minnie these days? – while performers evoke everything from Moana to Frozen to Coco to Beauty and the Beast. Naturally the iconic songs from these films are present and correct.
Where is it? OVO Arena Wembley.
Why go? You love Disney, you love the songs of Disney, and the idea of relocating it all to a giant ice rink fill you with unimaginable joy.
What is it? After a five-year-long world tour, this blockbuster exhibition on the ancient Egyptians is finally arriving in London. Ramses and the Pharaoh’s Gold will display 180 priceless treasures on loan from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, of which the pinnacle is the coffin of Ramses II, giving Londoners the chance to see an original sarcophagus here in the Big Smoke.
Where is it? NEON at Battersea Power Station.
Why go? In a fine holiday for Egyptologists, this isn’t another gimmicky immersive happening but a collectioon of actual millinnea old awe-inspiring artefacts from the zenith of the Old Kingdom.
What is it? This massive new immersive exhibition is inspired by the legendary beauty Cleopatra, and will bring the world of Ancient Egypt to digital life. The show feels like a bit of a follow-up to last year’s Tutankhamun exhibition (which is by the same people), but it'll focus on the end of the Egyptian empire rather than its heyday.
Where is it? ImmerseLDN.
Why go? Because the Tutankhamun exhbition was a lot of fun and Cleopatra is a great subject being one of teh single most famous people to have ever lived. Although she’s the focal point, it’s more about her dynasty than her specifically – it won’t be just nine rooms on her beauty regime.
What is it? Awaken your inner child by delving into enchanted lands, magical creatures and timeless tales at the British Library’s interactive family-friendly exhibition. All the bangers from your childhood will be explored – from Goldilocks, to Aladdin – through books, artworks, interactive displays, theatrical design, story sharing spaces, costumes and activities.
Where is it? British Libary.
Why go? The British Library’s exhbitions make thoughtful and surpisinghly lively use of its mindboggling collections. Plus: it’s free!
Get set for family fun with our round-up of exciting events and activities for children in London.
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