Yes, nobody – apart from possibly children – looks forward to the February half-term, but at least it’s invariably blessed with the Southbank Centre’s Imagine festival, a mix of family-oriented shows and workshops, play experiences and exhibitions, music, art and literature that’ll keep youngsters diverted February 11-21. There are events for kids of all ages (from babies to pre-teens) with many of them free, ranging from communal singalong sessions to dance workshops.
Highlights of the 2026 edition include the self-explanatory An Evening with Jaqueline Wilson and Rachael Dean (Feb 15) where the legendary childen’s author and her illustrator will discuss their works; Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage on Wheels (Feb 18-21) is a new puppet-based musical based on Blake’s book; the Unicorn’s fun The Princess and the Pea (pictured) will be calling in Feb 14-20; The Show for Young Men (Feb 13-15) is a funny, heartfelt physical theatre show for older children about contemporary masculinity; and for young ’uns there’s a day of musical performances from CBeebies stalwarts Andy and the Odd Socks (Feb 15).
There’s plenty more besides including a significant number of free shows – check the Southbank Centre website for full listings.
