Need things to do in London with Kids in January? Here are some family friendly events and activities to brighten up the deep winter. Be sure to subscribe to our FREE newsletter for more exciting updates.
New Years day Parade
FREE
London’s New Year’s Day Parade takes place every year on 1 January, with the parade usually starting around 1pm from Piccadilly near Green Park and winding its way through central London past landmarks including Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall, finishing near Westminster later in the afternoon. Families can expect a lively, colourful spectacle featuring marching bands, dancers, performers and impressive floats from around the world. Free to watch along the route and packed with energy and music, it’s a brilliant way for families to kick off the new year together while soaking up London’s festive atmosphere.
Winter Lights Festival
FREE
For the tenth year Canary Wharf presents a dazzling journey of light and sound with this years theme being DREAMSCAPES. Explore portals, black holes, and mirages created by world-class artists. Grab a hot drink and combine with the Canary Wharf Ice Rink for a wonderful family night out.
Replay: A limitless recycled Playground
Tickets from £7.50
The Southbank Centre presents an interactive playground built entirely from recycled materials by The Herd Theatre. This imaginative space invites children and adults to play, build, and invent together. With a playful soundscape and a unique “play generator,” REPLAY encourages creativity and collaboration. Designed for all ages, there are designated sessions grouped by age.
Design Baby
FREE (Booking Required)
Design Baby at the V&A Museum in South Kensington is a free, sensory-rich workshop for children aged 0–3 and their guardians that invites little ones to explore unusual materials, textures and shapes through open-ended play. Sessions are child-led and unstructured, letting babies and toddlers move at their own pace as they interact with space, patterns and objects, all while bonding with a grown-up in a playful, creative setting. Booking in advance is essential.
Cirque Du Soleil’s ‘Ovo’
Tickets from £44
If you’re not quite ready to let the magic of Christmas fade, Cirque du Soleil’s OVO is a fantastic final family splurge before the new year really gets going. Set in the colourful world of bugs and creepy crawlies, this high-energy show is packed with jaw-dropping acrobatics that will especially delight children who love insects and all things weird and wonderful. Add in the spectacular, cinematic setting of the Royal Albert Hall, and you’ve got an unforgettable January treat
The long Now
From £11.50 (Family tickets available)
Amidst the chaos of Christmas you may have missed this exhibition which opened late 2025 at the Saatchi gallery. Highlights include a huge, interactive tyre installation with a revolving car overhead, which children can climb and play in, making the exhibition feel hands-on and immersive rather than hands-off. There’s also Richard Wilson’s famous oil-slick installation 20:50, a mesmerising, mirror-like space that surrounds visitors completely. Together, the works create a sensory, curiosity-fuelled experience that offers plenty for art-loving kids (and adults) to explore. Be sure to check out free exhibit PRIEST: Papercut on your way out on the ground floor (also a massive hit with my own kids)
Family Fun Day at ROH
Tickets £20 pp
The Family Fun Day at the Royal Opera House on 18 January is a relaxed, creative event for families with children aged around 3–10, offering interactive workshops, informal performances and hands-on activities inspired by opera and ballet. It’s a fun, welcoming way for kids to explore music, dance and theatre inside one of London’s most iconic venues.
Story Festival
The Story Festival at Young V&A on 24 January 2026 is a free, family-friendly celebration of storytelling that runs from 11 am–3 pm and invites kids and adults to dive into stories through music, dance, puppetry and hands-on creative activities across the museum. Expect pop-up performances, interactive workshops and sensory storytelling that encourages children to make, move and imagine together — making it a perfect event for families to enjoy creative play and discover new tales together.
planetarium go
Tickets from £15| Family Packages available
Planetarium Go, opening at Battersea Power Station on 30 January 2026, is an immersive pop-up planetarium where visitors can experience 360° high‑resolution films of planets, galaxies and cosmic phenomena. Perfect for families and curious kids, it offers a captivating, hands-on journey through the universe that combines education with wonder.
Labyrinth 40th Anniversary Screening X RIBA Amazing Mazes
Tickets £5
I can’t tell you how many times I watched this cult classic as a child. On 31 January 2026 at the Barbican Centre, there’s a special 40th Anniversary Family Film Club screening of the beloved fantasy classic Labyrinth. Before the film, families can join a fun “Amazing Mazes” activity in the Cinema Café to design and craft their own mini‑mazes. The screening starts at 11 am, offering a nostalgic but kid‑friendly cinema experience that’s perfect for fans of storytelling, magic and of course David Bowie!
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