20 awesome things to do with kids in London: October 2023

Little Feet: Visit the Qing Court is on at the British Museum on the 2nd. Inspired by the Museum’s China’s Hidden century exhibition, this under-5s session will offer creative and multi-sensory experiences inspired by the opera, theatre and drama of the court. Free.
toooB for ages 6-24 months will be showing at The Albany on the 4th. Designed to be a perfect introduction to theatre and dance for the very young, this gentle sensory adventure will include a stay-and-play session with the performer after the show. Paid.
Daisy Collingridge’s solo show, Splanchnic, opens at TJ Boulting from the 6th. The exhibition will include new work in the form of wall-based sculptures, as well as a giant head that viewers are invited to crawl inside, enveloping them in a habitat of colour and tactility. Free.
There’s loads going on at the RA this month, including a fun-packed Look, Hear, Touch Family Day on the 8th, a colour-themed Early Years Studio with the brilliant Amy Leung on the 18th and a Catherine Opie-inspired Hand Portraits Family Studio on the 29th. Free.
El Anatsui’s Hyundai Commission arrives at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall from the 10th. Pushing the boundaries of sculpture in new and exciting ways, Anatsui’s metal hangings are monumental in scale and flexible in structure. Free.
There’s lots of great theatre at Polka in October, including Nest for 3-7s from the 11th-15th, Under the Little Red Moon for ages 6-18 months on the 18th-22nd, Oh No, George! for ages 3+ from the 19th-29th and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for ages 6+ from the 25th-29th. Paid.
There are two shows opening at 180 Studios this month. Gucci Cosmos opens from the 11th and will feature design by Es Devlin, while from the 12th UVA’s Synchronicity exhibition will feature large-scale immersive works designed to challenge our perception of reality. Paid.
Disney100: The Exhibition opens at the Excel Centre from the 13th. Embark on a journey through Disney’s 100-year history with 10 imaginatively themed galleries, with moving stories, interactive installations and exciting background information. Paid.
Delight: Media Art Exhibition opens in Borough Yards from the 13th. This immersive exhibition will explore Seoul’s heritage and culture, comprising 25 digital art installations designed to convey the legends, dreams and realities of the bustling Korean city. Paid.
Japan: Myths to Manga opens at the Young V&A from the 14th. Take a trip through Japanese history and explore how landscape and folklore have influenced Japan’s culture.There will also be a Japan-themed half-term programme from the 25th-27th. Paid/free.
Turn it Up: The Power of Music opens at the Science Museum from the 19th. In this fun, family-friendly experience you’ll get a chance to hear, interact with and even make your own music, with chances to explore a musical playground and meet a musical robot. Paid.
The Design Museum’s Skateboard exhibition opens from the 20th. Mapping the design evolution of the skateboard from the 1950s to today, the exhibition will showcase innovative boards and track how skateboarders have taken over sidewalks, pools and skate parks. Paid.
One Click Away is on at Half Moon on the 21st. This visually engaging immersive dance show invites families to actively participate by building new structures and learning about waste production, inspiring a new generation of eco-consciousness. Paid.
Barbican’s Family Film Week runs from the 21st-28th, and will include showings of Dutch stop-motion picture Oink and a preview of Chicken Run: the Dawn of the Nugget, as well as free workshops with Aardman and a Spiderman draw-along. Paid/free.
Flute Theatre’s Pericles for Autistic Individuals is at Riverside Studios from the 23rd-27th. With two performances designed for 0-10s and ages 11+ respectively, this totally interactive theatrical experience is designed to put the sense of play back into Shakespeare. Paid.
Foundling Museum is running a series of half-term workshops inspired by its Mother & The Weaver: Art from the Ursula Hauser Collection exhibition from the 23rd, including a Louise Bourgeois-inspired soft-sculpture workshop with Christina Rose Brown. Paid.
Museum of the Home will host its Playhouse & Puppetry: On Railton Road Family Day on the 24th. Make puppets inspired by the real-life stories of queer activism, and build your own squat-inspired den and stage before performing to each other. Free.
The Cult of Beauty opens at The Wellcome Collection from the 24th. The exhibition will explore notions of beauty across time and cultures, and feature more than 200 items, including historical objects, artworks, films and new commissions. Free.
The Soane Museum will host a Beastly Board Games workshop on the 26th. Taking inspiration from the curious creatures in the museum collection, this drop-in session will encourage children aged 4+ and their families to invent spooky games together. Free.
Fantasy: Realms of Imagination opens at the British Library from the 27th. Journey from fairy tales and folklore to the fantastical worlds of Studio Ghibli, and discover how the oldest forms of literature continue to inspire fantasy authors today. Paid.