What to do with the kids on the South Bank this August

If spending the day on London’s South Bank appeals to you, then there’s plenty to do in the area – here’s a selection of our favourite summer activities for all the family.

Free activities

Cooling off

If the weather’s hot, the kids will definitely appreciate the art installation Appearing Rooms, which is located outside Queen Elizabeth Hall (nearest pier: Festival). The installation is made up of unpredictable jets of water that create ‘rooms’ with ‘walls’ (water jets) that appear and disappear, enabling you to walk from room to room… but remember, you never know when the next ‘room’ will materialise, so you might get soaked as you try and guess! If you’re taking young kids, a towel and a change of clothes might be a good idea…

Disco Loco

If your kids love to boogie, go Disco Loco on the Riverside Terrace on Level 2 of the Royal Festival Hall (nearest pier: Festival). Held on Sunday 14th, 21st and 8th July, Sunday 18th August and Monday 26th August, the fun begins at midday and is suitable for all the family.

Skate Skool

If your over-5s fancy learning skateboarding, sign them up for a free Skate Skool lesson underneath the arches at the South Bank (nearest pier: Festival). The one-hour lessons are being held every Saturday at 10am and 11am and every Sunday at 12pm and 1pm. Places are limited so book now!

Modern art

The Tate Modern art gallery (nearest pier: Bankside) has lots of family-friendly activities to keep the kids busy (and possibly the grown-ups too!), including digital drawing, an introduction to modern art for kids in the Start Display and a sonic trail. You can also get great 360o views across London from the top of the building. All this and some of the world’s best modern art too!

Take the kids to the theatre

Kids Week at the theatre

For every adult theatre ticket you buy, you can take one kid under 16 for free during Kids Week. You’ll also have the option of buying an extra two children’s tickets for half price. The ‘Week’, which actually lasts for the whole of August, is an incredible opportunity to introduce the kids to the theatre for less. Unsurprisingly popular, Kids Week has become an annual event during the long summer holidays. From Twirlywoos to dinosaurs via underpants-loving aliens, there are plenty of choices for all ages.

Kids theatre on the South Bank

Theatre is at the heart of the South Bank, and there are many kids shows being staged over the summer:

• As part of the Underbelly Festival (nearest pier: Festival), you could take any CBeebies fans to see the Twirlywoos Live (part of Kids Week), which is on every day from 3rd to 31st of August excluding Mondays.
• For kids aged 7+, Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear – The Musical! is on at the National Theatre (nearest pier: Festival). It’s staged Tuesdays to Saturdays throughout August with matinee and evening performances, and there will be free family activities in the foyer from 1pm on matinee days.
• The Falcon’s Malteser is a fun show for all the family chronicling the adventures of the world’s worst private detective, featuring music, silliness and even a car chase. It runs Tuesdays to Sundays until 25th August at the Vaults in Waterloo (nearest pier: Westminster or Festival).

Historical London

London attracts people from all over the world who are keen to find out more about this amazing city. There are plenty of historical places to explore along the Circular Cruise route- here’s our pick of the family-friendly activities available this summer:

• a family guided tour, aimed at kids aged 7-12, of the Houses of Parliament (nearest pier: Westminster)
• tours of the Globe Theatre (nearest pier: Bankside)
• find out what life was like at sea in the Second World War on HMS Belfast (nearest pier: Tower Bridge Quay)
• experience Tower Bridge from the inside (nearest pier: St Katharine’s)
• a day at the iconic Tower of London (nearest pier: St Katharine’s), taking advantage of our special offers.

A cruise on the river

What could be finer than sitting on a sunny deck watching London glide slowly by? Well, we can’t guarantee the weather, but we can offer you the chance to soak up the atmosphere (whether you are soaking up the sunshine or are soaking in the rain!) onboard a Thames River Sightseeing boat. Use it to hop on and hop off at any of the piers along the route to explore what’s going on, or stay on board all the time in order to sit and rest for a while as you take a leisurely trip with us between Westminster and Tower Bridge. Click here to book and find out about all our offers.