Best Things to Do With Kids in London This Week: 29 June to 5 July 2026

London in early July is a brilliant city for a family day out. The days are long, the parks are warm, and there is a real sense of occasion in the air with Wimbledon under way and a festival weekend on the calendar. Most schools are still in term until later in July, so this week is all about the weekend, and the good news is there is plenty to fill it. From open-air Shakespeare made for younger audiences to dinosaurs, double-decker history and the city's best family attractions, here is our guide to the best things to do with kids in London this week, from 29 June to 5 July 2026, with the live prices we verified on Monday so you can plan the budget properly.

Open-air Shakespeare, made for younger audiences

The standout family theatre this week is at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, where a re-imagined A Midsummer Night's Dream for everyone aged six and over is playing through to 18 July 2026. It is funny, fast and full of magic, staged outdoors among the trees on a summer evening, which is an experience in itself for a child. Bring a picnic, layer up for when the sun drops, and you have a first taste of Shakespeare that lands as pure fun rather than homework. This is exactly the kind of show that turns a child into a theatregoer.

The free family museums are unbeatable

London's great museums are free to enter, and several of them are practically designed for children. The Natural History Museum in South Kensington is the obvious winner, with its dinosaur galleries, the giant blue whale skeleton in Hintze Hall and hands-on zones that keep all ages busy. Next door, the Science Museum is a temple to buttons, levers and big ideas, and the British Museum gives you Egyptian mummies and Greek heroes for nothing.

For younger children specifically, the Young V&A in Bethnal Green is one of the best free days out in the city, a museum built entirely around play, design and making, and it tends to be calmer than the South Kensington giants. None of these charge for general admission, so they are the natural anchor for a value-led family weekend, with only the occasional special exhibition carrying a ticket.

The family attractions worth booking

When you do want a marquee attraction, this is where our Monday price check helps you plan. London Zoo in Regent's Park is the classic, on sale from £30.50 and rated 4.5, an easy full day with the gorillas, penguins and the new arrivals always a hit. The SEA LIFE London Aquarium on the South Bank is from £24.50 and rated 4.5, perfect for younger children and conveniently right next to the river.

For something a little different, the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden, from £27, lets kids climb aboard vintage buses and Tube trains, and your ticket gives unlimited return visits for a whole year, so it can be brilliant value if you are local. To get high above it all in comfort, the London Eye is from £25.38 in its air-conditioned capsules, and The View from the Shard, from £19, is the highest viewpoint in the city and rated a remarkable 4.8.

Family shows in the West End

If the weather turns or you fancy an indoor treat, the West End has the best family musicals in the world. The Lion King at the Lyceum is the great family spectacle, on sale from £43.75 and rated 4.8 across more than 8,000 reviews, with its unforgettable opening that has children and grown-ups gasping alike. For something with a bit more mischief, Matilda the Musical is the best value of the big family shows on our verified Monday prices at £25, a sharp, joyful adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic that older children especially love.

Beyond those two, Wicked from £31.25 is a wonderful choice for tweens and teens, and SIX the Musical from £55.63 is a high-energy pop concert that doubles as a history lesson on the wives of Henry VIII. Before you book, it is worth a quick look at our guides to the best London shows for families with kids and the age guide to every West End show, so you pick something pitched right for your children.

Free outdoor fun and the summer parks

Some of the best family time this week costs nothing at all. The Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, with its giant wooden pirate ship, is free and endlessly popular with younger children. London's city farms, including Mudchute on the Isle of Dogs and Hackney City Farm, are free to visit and a lovely, low-key way to spend a morning meeting animals. And the royal parks are at their best right now, from the fountains and playgrounds of Hyde Park to the wide green slopes of Greenwich Park with its view back over the river.

The Pride in London parade on Saturday 4 July is also a wonderfully family-friendly spectacle of colour and music through the centre, though do plan around the road closures if you are travelling with a buggy. For the rest of the week's no-cost ideas, our companion guide to the best free things to do in London this week has the full list.

A relaxed family weekend, mapped out

Here is how we would shape a great weekend with children this week. On Saturday, start with the free Natural History Museum first thing while energy is high and the queues are short, then picnic in nearby Hyde Park with the BST music drifting over. In the afternoon, head to the South Bank for the SEA LIFE aquarium and a riverside walk. On Sunday, make for Regent's Park: a morning at London Zoo, then, if the children are old enough, the early-evening A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre to round off the weekend under the trees. It is a weekend that mixes free and paid, indoors and out, and never asks too much of little legs.

Keeping the family budget sensible

Family days out add up, so a quick honest word on cost. Our prices are the live, all-in prices we verified on Monday, with no inflated before-figure to make a discount look bigger than it is. The free museums above do the heavy lifting on value. When you are booking several paid attractions or a show, the consistent way to bring the total down is tickadoo+, our membership that unlocks member pricing across the catalogue, which is most worthwhile for a family ticking off two or three big attractions in one trip.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best family show in London this week?

For something special, the re-imagined A Midsummer Night's Dream for ages six and over at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre runs to 18 July. Indoors, The Lion King and Matilda the Musical are the standout family musicals.

What free things can I do with kids this week?

The Natural History Museum, Science Museum, British Museum and Young V&A are all free, as are the Diana Memorial Playground, London's city farms and the royal parks.

What is the best-value family attraction?

On our verified Monday prices, SEA LIFE London Aquarium from £24.50 and The View from the Shard from £19 are strong value, while London Zoo from £30.50 is the classic full-day option.

Is the Pride parade suitable for children?

Yes, the Pride in London parade on Saturday 4 July is a colourful, family-friendly celebration, though you should plan around central road closures if you are travelling with young children.

Which West End show is best for younger children?

The Lion King suits all ages, while Matilda is a favourite with older children. Our age guide to every West End show helps you match a show to your child's age.

How do families save on attractions and shows?

Across several paid attractions or a show, the reliable saving is tickadoo+ member pricing rather than one-off provider discounts.

That is our pick of family London this week. Lean on the free museums and parks, add one or two booked highlights, and finish with open-air Shakespeare if the children are old enough, and you have a weekend they will remember. For more, see our guides to what is on in London this week, the West End this week, and the best free things to do, or browse every family attraction on the London hub.