This month, explore the new Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, go on a journey to The Sun and The Moon at the Saatchi Gallery, immerse yourself in Julio le Parc’s op-art installations at Tate Modern, and sample an unexpected ice cream flavour at London’s favourite pop-up parlour.

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1. Entries for the inaugural Walworth Kids Xmas Lights 2026 will be displayed at Walworth Town Hall Community Space from 4-7th. Help select the 21 designs that will be transformed into full-scale Christmas lights this winter, and take part in drop-in RIBA workshops to design mini streetlights on 6-7th. Free.
2. Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration opens from the 5th. Set across three galleries in a former waterworks, this new gallery will feature public gardens, an illustration library, a cafe and a shop. Head down on the 27th for All Join In: Family Celebration and explore the gallery’s family-friendly offering. Free/paid.
3. Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project parlour returns from 5th June to the end of August. The full line-up of flavours is currently under wraps, but with Heinz Baked Beans, Garner’s Pickled Onions, Flying Goose Sriracha and Bisto Gravy on previous years’ menus, who knows what they’ll come up with this time. Paid.
4. Camden Arts Projects’ new exhibition, Allen Jones: Taking Shape runs from 5th June to 30th August. This exhibition brings together six decades of work by one of the most influential figures in British Pop Art, including painting, sculpture and a major piece created specifically for this presentation. Free.
5. M.C. Escher. The Exhibition will be at Somerset House from 5th June to 6th September, featuring fun, interactive displays designed for both adults and children. Then on the 6th, kids aged 7-10 are invited to explore DIY zine-making as a form of self-expression at the Spaghetti Club Kids Workshop. Paid.
6. The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial will be at the Saatchi Gallery from 5th June to 8th September. Occupying two floors of the gallery and spanning nine major exhibition spaces, the show presents artworks, installations and objects that reveal how artists have responded to the Sun and the Moon. Paid.
7. Half Moon has theatre for all ages this month, from multi-sensory aerial show Take Flight for 0-2s (5-6th) to Hopeful Monsters, a story of evolution for ages 5+ told entirely with hands (19-20th), and Rapunzel, a bold and funny adaptation of the much-loved storybook by Bethan Woollvin for ages 3+ (25-27th). Paid.
8. Turf Projects in Croydon will host Family Art Fun Day: Make a Sneaky Bookmark on the 6th.
   Attendees will draw inspiration from English-Jamaican artist Becky Lyon’s Muntjac project, exploring rebellious ideas, and make their own bookmarks to sneak into books at home and beyond. Free.
9. This month, Barbican Family Film Club’s unmissable offerings include Tiddler + The Snail and the Whale (6th), Discovery Festival: Shorts for Wee Ones (13th), silent-comedy classic Safety Last, featuring a live musical accompaniment, (20th) and The Magic Faraway Tree (27th). Paid.
10. London Open Gardens runs from 6-7th. Family-friendly activites will be running at Cable Street, King Henry’s Walk, Core Arts, Lincoln’s Inn and Pearl and Mizanur’s Memorial Gardens, while Cleveland Square, Montagu Square and Queen’s Gate Gardens will all be opening their usually private playgrounds to the public. Free.
11. Head to Tufnell Park’s Down to Earth yoga studio on the 7th for Parent and Child Yoga with children’s yoga teacher Fred Butler. Designed for ages 2-5 and their adults, this immersive, story-themed session encourages little ones to develop strength and flexibility while exploring mindfulness. Paid.
12. Join Daunton Marbling Studio at Big Penny Social on the 7th for a Kids and Caregivers Marbling Workshop. Designed for children aged 8+ and their adults, this 1.5-hour workshop will teach the basics of paper marbling, with plenty of chance to experiment and take home your own unique, hand-marbled papers. Paid.
13. Luke Jerram: Stepping Out will be at the Southbank Centre from 10th June to 30th September. Commissioned for the centre’s 75th anniversary, this interactive musical artwork by Jerram and composer/sound designer Dan Jones will transform the staircase by the Royal Festival Hall into a playground of sonic exploration. Free.
14. Celebrate International Day of Play 2026 at the Young V&A on the 11th, joining the museum’s Play Champions for a day of creative play activities. As well as a Sound Explorers workshop for 0-2s and a Pattern by Pattern drop-in for 0-5s, there will be a Play After School session for older children in the afternoon. Free.
15. Julio le Parc: Light. Colour. Action. is at Tate Modern from 11th June to 3rd May. Expect striking interactive installations that turn visitors into active participants, along with shimmering light sculptures and large-scale geometric paintings, all spanning an extraordinary career from the late 1950s to the 2020s. Paid.
16. Head to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from 13-14th to discover Basstone Playground, an interactive family art installation by Linett Kamala. Split into three areas offering Performance, Play and Peace, the playground will feature hidden speakers, the world’s first LED and sound maypole, and opportunites for dance. Free.
17. There’s loads on at Woolwich Works this month, including the Boppin’ Bunnies interactive music show for babies and toddlers on the 13th, The Bubble Show for ages 3+ on the 14th and Drag Queen Storytime featuring drag princess Topsie Redfern and suitable for all ages on the 28th. Paid.
18. Hayward Gallery is staging a major Anish Kapoor showcase from 16th June to 18th October. The exhibition will fill the entire gallery with a series of immersive works, many of which press against the gallery walls and floors or descend from the ceiling to create an uncanny sensation of awe and wonder. Paid.
19. Head to Battersea Arts Centre from 17th June to 26th July for The Art of Mini Golf, a playable exhibition by RISING Melbourne. Play your way through nine adventurous mini golf holes, each designed by a leading woman artist, exploring the game’s subversive history (aimed at adults but ages 9+ welcome). Paid.
20. Mini Morris: Icelandic Ponies will be at William Morris Gallery on the 18th. Children aged 2-5 and their adults will explore textures, colours and imaginative movement as they craft a playful pony friend perfect for galloping games and adventurous storytelling. Free.
21. Folk Family Day at Museum of the Home is on the 21st. Mark the Summer Solstice with a whole day of storytelling, songs, screenings and more for families. The event is part of the museum’s nine-day What the Folk? Fest, with a full programme of events due to be announced shortly. Free.
22. Dulwich Picture Gallery’s Summer Family Festival is on the 21st. Bring the whole family for a day exploring nature, imagination and hands-on creativity across the gallery, from art adventures and crafty workshops to garden discoveries and playful experiences. Free.
23. Leighton House is hosting an Animating the Arab Hall workshop on the 27th. Young people aged 11 to 16vwill learn how to make splitpin puppets inspired by the Arab Hall’s mosaic animals, and then work together to create one big, collaborative animation, bringing the iconic room to life. Paid.
24. House of Dreamers will be at Immerse LDN from the 27th. Expect 16 immersive dreamscapes, including pastel-drenched installations, a giant pink ball pit, a fairytale forest complete with kaleidoscopic toadstools, light-projected waterfalls and cloud swings, as well as an AI-powered dream machine. Paid.