Family-friendly things to do in London this Easter

This Easter, London is packed with family-friendly activities for all ages. From a Paddington-themed toy egg hunt to the largest ever Pixar takeover at Wembley Park, there’s no shortage of ways to fill the holidays. Whether you’re after theatre shows, chocolate indulgence or immersive learning experiences, here are some of the capital’s best options. Let the Easter fun begin.

Tissues at the ready: The Boy at the Back of the Class, the stage adaptation of Onjali Q. Raüf’s bestselling novel, is back at Southbank Centre. A quiet new boy named Ahmet arrives in class, never smiling or talking and hiding the truth that he has fled a war-torn country. His classmates hatch The Greatest Idea in the World to reunite him with his family. Told from a child’s perspective, it’s funny, heartwarming and perfect for ages seven and up. Also at Southbank Centre is The Koala Who Could, a puppet-filled alternative for the three-plus crowd.

The nation’s favourite bear is doing Easter properly. At the Southbank Centre, visitors can wander through recreations of the Browns’ house, Windsor Gardens in full spring bloom and a full-scale Paddington Station, while following a treasure map to track down toy eggs along the way. Every Easter special ticket comes with the full Paddington treatment — a basket, bear ears, stickers and a paw-shaped biscuit, with Mrs Brown and Mrs Bird on hand to dish out treats. It’s delightful and occasionally moving — and yes, the marmalade sandwiches at the café are excellent.

Kew Gardens is the perfect spot for a spring walk. Add an Octonauts trail, designed for children aged three to six, and you have an outing that requires very little persuasion. Young visitors are recruited as nature explorers on a mission to find lost bees, build them a new hive and transport them safely home, while learning about pollination and why insects matter. It’s a drop-in experience, free with standard entry.

March 28-April 12, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3AB, kew.org

Immerse your little ones in new worlds this Easter at Sea Life. London‘s aquarium, set within the historic County Hall beside the Thames, is teeming with interactive experiences, feeding demos, VR add-ons and more. Alongside hundreds of species of marine life to oogle (including adorable Gentoo penguins), the attraction also boasts premium experiences such as shark snorkelling which may appeal to daredevil kids — or exasperated parents. For young kids, the attraction has launched the Sea Life Discovery Tour, an educational story-led, listen-along audio adventure created with children’s audio platform Yoto, available in four languages. Priced at £5, a portion of profits go towards supporting Sea Life Trust’s work to protect oceans and marine life.

Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB, visitsealife.com

Looking for a London staycation spot? The Stafford London’s White Mouse Detective Hunt is a family-friendly scavenger adventure inspired by Nancy Wake — nurse, French Resistance fighter and a former hotel resident. Children can don deerstalkers and grab magnifying glasses before following clues through the American Bar, the grand main house and the wartime bunkers tucked beneath the 400-year-old wine cellars. At the end, they are given a collectible Moulin Roty white mouse toy to take home. It’s history, mystery and a touch of adventure rolled into one. The hunt comes as part of the Family Getaway Package, which includes complimentary dining for under-12s, welcome cupcakes, breakfast and fluffy robes.

The largest Pixar exhibition ever created has taken over a 3,500-square-metre space at Wembley Park. Walk into film set recreations from beloved movies, like the Monsters Inc scare floor to the undersea world of Finding Nemo. There are also life-sized character sculptures and bespoke scents — from the incense in Mama Coco’s house to the freshly cut grass of Paradise Falls. During the hour-long walkthrough, you can meet Lightning McQueen in Flo’s Café from Cars and explore the world-first Sunnyside Daycare from Toy Story 3, complete with Jessie, Lotso and the Aliens. Children can also take part in the Pixar Ball Treasure Hunt, searching for yellow Luxo balls hidden throughout the exhibition.

Easter at London Zoo gets a playful twist this year with a wildlife-themed mystery trail. The Zoo-normous Egg Hunt, included with entry, marks ZSL’s 200th anniversary, with six oversized, animal-inspired eggs dotted around the grounds. Each one hides a letter, and young explorers will need to track them all down to piece together the final answer (and earn a prize). Make time for ZooTown, too —the zoo’s indoor role-play spot, where kids can pretend to be zookeepers, vets or baristas. There are 13 different set-ups and several toys to enjoy, including hundreds of zebra poo balls.

One hundred and eighty artefacts on loan from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo have arrived at Neon at Battersea Power Station. Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold: The Exhibition (until May 31) features items never before seen in the UK, including animal mummies, royal masks and the original wooden coffin of Ramses. Children can explore a digital scavenger hunt, while an immersive VR experience (for ages 8+) transports you into the heart of ancient Egypt with temples, tombs and towering monuments. Those who want to delve deeper into Egyptian history should head to Cleopatra: The Experience at Immerse LDN. Opening March 26, this interactive exhibition brings the queen’s world to life with holograms, VR and immersive projections, from Alexander the Great’s arrival to Cleopatra’s coronation.

This Easter outing begins at London Waterloo, where the Lost Boys have scattered their clues. Families set off across the city on a trail of puzzles, before the final ascent up 31 floors of The Shard. Here, you’ll be served a chocolate crocodile egg and the lavish Peter Pan afternoon tea, presented on a Jolly Roger stand stacked with Neverland-inspired treats. It’s theatrical, delicious, and £2 from every tea goes to Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.

The British Library’s new Fairy Tales exhibition kicks off on March 27 with a special opening conversation with Philip Pullman and Sam Leith, literary editor of the Spectator. The exhibition allows children to step inside classic stories — starting in a cosy storytelling cottage before moving through an enchanted forest, a gingerbread house and into a royal palace. Along the way, expect rare illustrations and encounters with iconic heroes and villains, plus original works linked to favourites like Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. It’s interactive too, with a magic mirror, genie’s lamp, potion-making stations and a dress-up zone.

The Swiss chocolatier is celebrating two milestones — the first birthday of its Piccadilly flagship and the opening of its 28th UK chocolate haven at Westfield Stratford. The new 1,800-square-foot store features a huge pick & mix station with 35 different varieties, including exclusives like cherry blossom, which kids can fill into a Gold Bunny tin. The chocolate bar serves gelato, decadent hot chocolate and milkshakes. Keep an eye out for the 1kg gold bunny, which is the ultimate egg hunt showstopper, alongside a new crispy biscuit variety and a personalisation station where you can watch master chocolatiers in action.

The world’s most-watched kids’ show on Netflix makes its live UK stage debut this Easter. Gabby and her cat friends must restore the rainbow after CatRat causes a colour cat-astrophe, a plot that works very well in a large venue with hundreds of excited toddlers. Featuring original songs and surprises, it’s a sensory feast for little ones (parents might want to bring earplugs). The 10.30am performance on April 1 is BSL interpreted.

If you’ve ever wondered how Gromit acquired his long-suffering expression, this is the exhibition for you. Inside Aardman at the V&A goes behind the scenes of stop-motion animation, with original sets, models and much-loved characters —Wallace, Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and more all making an appearance. It’s beautifully put together and genuinely revealing about the craft involved.

Until November 15, V&A, Cromwell Rd, SW7 2RL, vam.ac.uk