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The best things to do at Christmas in London with kids
It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas… And from sparkly lights to markets, festive events and ice rinks, there are some magical things to do for Christmas in London with kids. Updated for 2025
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And Christmas 2025 is pulling out the stops to get everyone feeling festive, from light trails to Christmas markets and midwinter attractions in London.
There’s are Christmas shows and traditional pantomimes, some free things to do in London at Christmas, and plenty of places to make unforgettable memories – if you’re wondering ho ho how to choose, check out my pick of the best this Christmas in London with kids.
With some events still to be announced, I’ll also be updating this post so keep an eye out for new Christmas events too
See the London Christmas lights
London’s festive lights start appearing around the city during November, so you’re almost guaranteed to spot some twinkling decorations wherever you go.
Check the switch-on dates for some of the biggest and best here, as well as my London Christmas lights walking route
Previous years have seen everything from crownds in Bond Street to the cosmos glowing over Carnaby Street, as well as angels in Regent Street, shooting stars along Oxford Street and bells in Covent Garden, so you’re guaranteed some gorgeous displays to see.
A lot of the department stores get in on the action too, with festive facelifts for shops like Fortnum & Mason, which has transformed itself into a huge advent calendar, or this eagerly awaited window displays at Selfridges to see what will replace last year’s rock’n’roll-inspired display.
And if you don’t fancy wandering aimlessly to spot the best, there are some great Christmas tours as well as my own self-guided Christmas lights walking tour – one of the most festively fun has to be the Christmas Silent Disco walk (for age 6+).
The tour starts near Marble Arch and Hyde Park before taking you past some of the city’s Christmas lights, with a playlist of Christmas classics, fun commentary and other hits – dancing technically optional, but let’s face it, who can resist?
Or save your feet and go for a bus tour instead. The Christmas lights tour from Tootbus lasts around 60 minutes, and starts from November 15 (until January 5, 2026 – except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve), or you can hop aboard this slightly longer open-top doubledecker tour as well.
Book the Tootbus London Christmas lights bus tour here
Follow a light trail
You’ll find more lights than just those over London’s shopping streets, with a string of festive light trails, some running into the New Year.
Check out my pick of the best illuminated trails in London with kids for more details
One of the newest light trails in the capital will be coming to Kenwood this year, with Neverland at Kenwood from November 21, along with the new Chelsea Winter Village & Illuminations. The ever-popular Christmas at Kew Gardens is back from November 13 as well.
Quite a few favourites have stopped running over the past few years, including Hampton Court Palace, Eltham Palace and Syon Park, so there is rather less choice after a few years where you couldn’t move for festive light trails.
The free lights at Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station are due to return but don’t normally light up until after the New Year.
Visit a Christmas market
Whether you’re looking for traditional gifts, Santa’s grotto, workshops or rides, there’s a string of great Christmas markets in London with kids to choose from – most have their own twist rather than the sort of traditional Christmas market you’ll find in Europe, but it also means you can visit several without getting bored.
Some of my own favourites are on the banks of the Thames, including the lovely Southbank Centre Christmas market and winter festival, with some fabulous pop-up food stalls, illuminations on the Queen’s Walk and a traditional carousel.
For more things to do on the South Bank with kids, as well as the Southbank Centre winter market, check out my tips
Further east, there’s Christmas by the River near London Bridge; quieter and smaller than some of the other markets, there are often workshops as well as stalls.
At the other end of the scale, the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is a blaze of colour, fun and noise: there are rides for all ages, including an ice slide, Santa’s grotto in Santa Land, an ice rink, circus and plenty more chances to spent your money, including at wooden chalets selling food and gifts.
Back from November 14, entry is ticketed so it’s not free to enter except for a few off-peak slots, although if you book £25 worth of attractions, your entry fee is included
Or in the heart of London, you can find a traditional Bavarian-style market at Leicester Square Christmas market, with a new ice rink joining the stalls for 2025.
And you’ll also find a small market in Trafalgar Square with around 20 stalls selling gifts, Christmas ornaments, jewellery and food.
For more Christmas markets, including Greenwich, Battersea Power Station and Kingston, check out my post on the best Christmas markets in London with kids for more details.
See Santa
If you want to see Santa in London, you need to move early, especially for some of the big name events like Hamleys as many get booked up fast.
But that’s not the only place to find Santa’s Grotto in London: many of the Christmas markets have a chance to meet the man in red (scroll up for more suggestions) although bear in mind you may need a separate timed ticket for some.
Santa also makes an appearance at several of London’s museums and galleries too. We saw him at the London Transport Museum, which is a lovely relaxed event for kids who might get shy or overwhelmed, and he’s heading back again for 2025, in a Routemaster bus inspired by a sleigh.
Or listen to Father Christmas telling some of his favourite festive tales around the Christmas tree at Kenwood, with a present for every child. Must be prebooked.
You can often find Santa at London Zoo in December, as well as a Santa with a distinct difference at Shrek the Halls, where the big green ogre gets a festive makeover – venture inside Shrek’s grotto between November 30 and December 24, and enjoy a treat from the elves as well as the usual fun of Far Far Away. Or head out to Alexandra Palace where there’s a lovely grotto.
For other places to meet Father Christmas, keep an eye out for the Victorian grotto at the Museum of London Docklands, as well as storytime at Marble Hill House, while he’s even to be found on board a speedboat on the river too, with the Jingle Bell Blast from Thames Rockets.
For more places to see Santa in London with kids, check out my top picks
Board a Santa Steam train
Find Santa taking a day off from the sleigh, with one of the two Santa steam trains running in London this year.
For several years, the Steam Dreams Santa Steam Express trains were London’s only Santa steam train, but it’s being joined by the Polar Express again this year.
The Santa Steam Express will be departing from Victoria on December 20 and 22, with four trains per day chuffing out of the city on a 75-minute journey around London, with Santa and his merry helpers also boarding the festively decorated 1970s carriages.
There’s a gift from Father Christmas as he passes through the train – you can upgrade for mulled wine (adults only!) and snacks, plus more spacious seats, if you fancy giving yourself an early Christmas present.
Check out our review of a trip on the Santa Steam Express
Or the Polar Express will be steaming out of London, departing from Euston station for a journey lasting between an hour and 90 minutes, on a magical journey which will transport you from north London to the North Pole.
Dressed in your cosiest pyjamas (you can even get your own personalised Polar Express pair), you’ll meet well-known characters from the movie as well as the man in red himself, Santa. Runs on select dates from November 29-December 23, 2025.
Board a Christmas cruise
In London on Christmas Day itself and wondering what to do when everything else is closed? Hop on board one of the special City Cruises Christmas Day sightseeing cruises for an hour-long jaunt along the river.
With nine cruises throughout the day from Westminster Pier, there’s commentary provided live by the crew and plenty of drinks and snacks to enjoy, including mulled wine and mince pies.
Under-fives travel free and the inside cabin is heated, although you can brave the weather for the best views and head out onto the open upper deck as well.
Take a Christmas walking tour
Do you know why turkeys wore boots on their way to market? Or who invented the Christmas card? There are some great Christmas walking tours of London to share the trivia and traditions of the season, such as this Victorian Christmas walk.
Or there’s more choice if you fancy a Dickensian Christmas walk – this Christmas Carol tour transports you back through time to Victorian London, while this private Christmas Carol walking tour is another option for families. Running for two to three hours, it’s better with older kids, although tailored to your group, and will show you the city that Ebeneezer Scrooge might have recognised.
This family-friendly two-hour Christmas walk takes in some of the city’s Christmas lights as well as promising some festive anecdotes.
Enjoy a themed afternoon tea
Whether you’re Grinch or go all out for Christmas, there are some fantastically fun festival afternoon teas in London for families.
Some of the B-Bakery tours get a Christmas makeover, including Paw Patrol Christmas Lights, Paddington Christmas Lights and Peppa Pig Christmas bus tour – and as a festive bonus, I’ve got a discount of 5% on standard seats when you use my code MumTravels5.
Or hop aboard the Grinchmas Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Bus Tour which runs from November 1 to January 31, 2026, with a themed menu that’s big on green (plus an ‘I Hate Xmas’ Chocolate Cupcake).
Get 5% off standard seats on B-Bakery afternoon tea bus tours if you book using my code MumTravels5
Go ice skating
The appearance of London’s pop-up ice skating rinks always signals the start of Christmas for me – set in some of the city’s most iconic locations, it’s always tempting to pull on some skates before warming up with hot chocolate and mulled wine.
If you can’t wait, the Canary Wharf Ice rink is the first to open on October 25, while the new Skate Leicester Square is opening on November 1.
Skate at Somerset House will be back from November 12, with the courtyard transforming for winter, while the ice rink at Hampton Court Palace also returns from November 21, with the grand facade of the palace lit up in the background, and the Queen’s House ice rink in Greenwich is also back on the same date.
Or ice skate by the river on three connected rinks at Glide at Battersea Power Station for a backdrop with a difference.
You’ll also find an ice rink at Winter Wonderland from November 14-January 1, 2026, if you’re visiting the Christmas market or Santaland (or enjoying the rides) there.
For more details and ideas of where to ice skate in London with kids, including year-round options, check out my top picks
See a pantomime or Christmas theatre
It’s not Christmas without a pantomime (oh no, it’s not!) plus you can also find some wonderful London theatre shows including traditional Christmas productions and other family-friendly performances.
For my complete list of the best Christmas theatre in London with kids, check out this post
It’s worth checking what ages are allowed before you book: despite being aimed at families, some theatres won’t accept children under five (take a passport or some form of ID if your kids are five plus but look younger than their age).
This year’s selection includes Sleeping Beauty at the London Palladium and Jack and the Beanstalk at the Lyric Hammersmith, plus Cinderella at the Hackney Empire.
Look out for classics too including the Nutcracker, on at the London Coliseum as well as the Snowman at the Peacock Theatre. Or head to the Old Vic to see A Christmas Carol, also aimed at age 8+.
There’s another classic tale with Pinocchio at the Globe Theatre – aimed at age 5+, it runs from November 29-January 4, 2026. Or for younger theatregoers, there’s another witch in , Gruffalo’s Child at the Lyric Theatre, from November 28-January 11 2025.
For a Christmas show with a difference, check out Sleeping Beauty on Ice at Alexandra Palace this December, where you’ll also find a deliciously funny alternative to all things merry and bright with Christmas Carol Goes Wrong from December 6, from the people behind the smash hit The Play That Goes Wrong.
Hear some carols
One of my favourites parts of Christmas in London with kids is hearing carols sung while you’re out and about – but to guarantee a rendition of a few favourites, there are some organised events to check out too.
Trafalgar Square has carol groups fundraising for different charities in the weeks running up to Christmas, singing by the huge Christmas tree – a gift from Norway every year since 1947.
Or there are carol performances among the sell-out events for Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall.
You can also hear carols at St Paul’s Cathedral which usually has a series of free events during December – unsurprisingly popular, be prepared to get there early and queue to get a seat.
And St Martin in the Fields has some festive family carols events among its Christmas programme – do prebook these too, as they sell out fast.
Christmas with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Wembley
There’s a special one night only concert at Boxpark Wembley this year, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing on November 27.
The orchestra, which recently moved to its new headquarters on Allegro Lane (apt!) in Wembley Park, will be playing a string of festive favourites from the Overture to Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker to Taylor Swift’s Christmas Tree Farm, as well as imeless classics such as White Christmas, Winter Wonderland and All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Tickets cost from £5 and under-18s are free. EDIT: CURRENTLY SOLD OUT BUT ADDITIONAL TICKETS MAY BE RELEASED AHEAD OF THE CONCERT
Bach to Baby Christmas concerts
Bach to Baby has made a name for its family-friendly classical music performances, aimed especially at babies up to school age children, whether you’re a classical music aficionado or looking to learn.
And they get a festive twist from November 15-December 23, with a whole series of magical music from different periods and places, some popular festive tales, singalong carols and a sprinkling of sleigh bells.
Two children go free for every adult, and dressing up is encouraged. Prebooking is strongly recommended, with venues in locations around London.
Winter Adventure at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Get ready for 24 free festive events across 24 venues over 24 days as part of the new Winter Adventure at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which promises to be the start of a new festive London tradition.
Starting on December 1 and running until December 24, the park will open a different door each evening at 6pm to reveal a surprise festive moment – almost as if it were a life-size advent calendar – at different locations around the park, from Olympic and Paralympic sporting venues to restaurants and cultural sites.
The final door opens at 12pm with a musical finale, and you can expect more live music, performance, installations and other activities throughout the 24-day adventure.
Battersea Arts Centre festive experience
For one of the most interactive theatrical experiences this Christmas, head to Battersea Arts Centre where Wild Rumpus are back again with a new festive experience.
After the success of The Holly King and the Oak King last year, it’s time for a new family adventure with A Merry Misrule, as Yuletide traditions run riot, and you have to save winter from chaos. For ages 3+, from November 29 to December 24.
Visit the Tower of London
One of my favourite places to visit in London with kids, the Tower of London gets dressed up for Christmas as well, with a chance to see how the rich and powerful would have celebrated the festive season in centuries gone by.
Look out for specially created displays that show how kings and queens enjoyed Christmas, from medieval feasts to Tudor entertainments, plus you can pose on a throne for your own regal family portrait.
From November 28-January 4, 2025. Evens are included in admission (free for members) – there’s a discount if you buy via tiqets using my discount code ‘MUMMYTRAVELS6‘.
Seaside Christmas Escape at Kensington Palace
Step inside Kensington Palace this Christmas and discover what the royal festivities would have been like when Princess Victoria and her family headed to the seaside in 1835.
The young princess visited Ramsgate in Kent, and the palace will be transformed with decorations and displays designed to capture the magic of her Christmas at the coast, including personal stories behind the special royal getaway and a chance to experience Christmas through the eyes of a future queen.
Runs from December 3-January 4, included in entry, plus the shop will also have some tempting Christmas souvenirs if you’d like a royal flavour to your own celebrations.
Christmas at Windsor Castle
Get a taste of a royal Christmas at Windsor Castle, with a towering 20ft high fir tree on display in St George’s Hall. Grown in Windsor Great Park, it’s decked with thousands of sparkling lights and shimmering green and gold ornaments.
Or in the Crimson Drawing Room – only open during the winter months – there’s another giant tree, this one 16ft high, against the backdrop of red silk walls. Even Queen Mary’s Doll’s House gets the festival treatment, although this tree is definitely on the tiny side, with ornaments made from glass beads taken from vintage necklaces.
You can even join an Advent service at St George’s Chapel, open to visitors on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, plus there are some festive arts and crafts activities for kids. From November 25-January 5, 2026.
If you head to the Royal Mews shop between November 14 and January 5, 2026, there’s also a pop-up Christmas shop selling official royal gifts and decorations, plus more than a few festive treats
Follow a festive trail at the London Transport Museum
There’s more festive fun at the London Transport Museum than just spotting Santa, with a festive trail running from November 29-January 4 (excluding December 24-26).
Along the way, there’s a chance to meet costumed characters from London’s past, all with a unique Christmas connection to the city’s transport. There’ll be two characters sharing their stories every day, ranging from a Victorian lady to a tram passenger, an Auxiliary Fire Service wartime volunteer, and a 1970s Caribbean conductor.
The characters will be making an appearance on term-time weekends from November 29-December 19, as well as every day from December 20-January 4 (apart from Christmas Eve-Boxing Day).
Discover Christmas past at the Museum of the Home
If you’re looking to find out how Christmas has been celebrated over the centuries – not to mention winter festivals from other cultures and religions, head to the Museum of the Home.
The homes from Winter Past transform the rooms through time displays with a makeover to show various festive scenes from through history (and rather less festive scenes in the case of a Puritan Christmas) – usually from late November to early December.
Free to enter, you can also discover how Boxing Day got its name, plus there are usually celebrations of other winter festivals including Diwali and Hanukkah, as well as workshops taking place. TBC for 2025.
See the first Christmas card at the Postal Museum
See the world’s first Christmas card on display with the usual winter makeover at the Postal Museum, which includes a display of magical letters exchanged between children and Santa since 1964 (and some of his replies).
The Mail Rail – the underground train once used for transporting post – will also be getting its own festive makeover, with the very first King’s Speech as part of the audio played during the ride.
Plus there are normally a string of other family activities taking place – previous years have included everything from interactive storytelling for younger kids to the chance to make a special festive cookery book. There are also usually festive tunnel walks for those aged 12+, exploring a route not normally visited by the standard tunnel walks.
Events dates tbc, included in your ticket (tunnel walks need to be prebooked separately).
Add some magic at Hogwarts in the snow
A visit to the Warner Bros Studio Tour is enchanting at any time of year for Harry Potter fans, but head there in the winter and you get the added magic of Hogwarts in the snow.
The sets from the movies get a festive transformation – expect snow in the Forbidden Forest again, as well as on the cobbled stones of Diagon Alley, over Hagrid’s Hut and on the Hogwarts Castle Model.
This year the Great Hall will be bedecked in the gold decorations from the first film, plus a blanket of filmmaking snow over the Forbidden Forest and Diagon Alley.
Previous winter touches have included wreaths and garlands in the Great Hall – and a tree topped with witches on miniature broomsticks – while the table is ready for the Christmas feast, including flaming Christmas puddings and prop food.
December dates get booked very quickly so it’s one to snap up early. You can also book tickets including transport from central London on the tiqets site – there’s a discount using my code MUMMYTRAVELS6 if you book using my link. Hogwarts in the Snow runs from November 15 to January 18, 2026.
For more Harry Potter locations in London, check out my top picks for fans
Christmas on High Street Kensington
Christmas is kicking off in November around High Street Kensington, with plenty of fun festive touches running through December.
Look out for a seasonal version of the usual flea market, with the Big Kensington Vintage Flea Market (Christmas Edition) on November 29, featuring vintage baubles and opera singers serenading browsers with classic carols. Don’t miss Santa among the stalls either – the market takes place on Phillimore Walk from 10am-4.30pm, just a couple of walks from the tube.
Or add a Japanese twist to Christmas with a window display at Japan House created from furoshiki, the centuries-old Japanese art of fabric wrapping, and learn how to do it yourself with workshops on the technique.
Magic of Christmas at London Zoo
London Zoo’s Magic of Christmas event features Christmas-themed animal talks, animal crafts, cookie decorating, and more. There’s also the opportunity for kids to meet Santa in his Grotto in the middle of the zoo and receive a special gift to take home.
While most seasonal activities are included with entry throughout December, the Zoo’s “Meet Santa” sessions only take place on certain dates and need to be booked in advance and paid for separately.
Runs from November 22-January 4, 2026, with Meet Santa on select dates from November 29-December 24. Visit the site to book tickets to Meet Santa at London Zoo (priced £18.50 per child).
Club Curling at Kings’s Cross
Club Curling is returning to King’s Cross again from November 7, with bookings live from October 17. This year, the emphasis is on exploring how we use our senses to experience this most magical time of year.
So as well as testing out your curling skills, you can explore festive traditions in the Club Curling Lounge, with a string of interactive experiments blending sight, sound, scent, taste and touch, using everything from illusionary art to sensory tastings.
Under 12s go free when accompanied by an adult, and it continues into the New Year if you just can’t get enough wintery fun.
Drink hot chocolate
When there’s a nip in the air, especially if you’re out on ice rinks or wandering around Christmas markets, you’ve got the perfect excuse for hot chocolate (though I’m first in the queue as soon as autumn rolls around).
And forget the ordinary everyday hot chocolate, because London specialises in some indulgently extravagant drinks to try.
For classic versions with added treat factor, head to traditional favourites like Venchi as well as Hotel Chocolat, which both have branches across the city including in Covent Garden.
Look out for more extravagant creations at Chin Chin Labs in Camden and Soho – better known for its ice cream, when temperatures drop, they switch to hot chocolate with charred marshmallow fluff on top.
For more of the best hot chocolate in London with kids, check out my picks
Rococo has a string of unusual flavours to add to its high quality chocolate – think white chocolate and cardamom, for example, as well as ultra-dark chocolate and child-friendly milk chocolate.
Or Knoops promises a choice of 22 different levels, from creamy white right up to 100% dark chocolate. Started in Rye, where it’s a favourite of ours, there are six branches in London now too.
And if you’re in east London – or happy to travel for the ultimate hot chocolate – head to Dark Sugars on Brick Lane or Nelson Road in Greenwich, which also has some fantastic flavours and chocolate shavings galore to top your drink.
Explore the Gingerbread City
If you’ve ever made a gingerbread house for Christmas with your kids, it pales by comparison to the astonishing Gingerbread City from the Museum of Architecture, which will have a theme of The Playful City this year.
Rather than a few bits of biscuit glued together with icing and splodged with Smarties, this annual exhibition sees architects, designers and engineers create an intricate and creative display, with a whole city of gingerbread.
The Gingerbread City has moved locations again this year, so it’s now at Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross from November 29-January 4 (excluding Christms Day). Tickets cost £13.50 for adults and children aged 12+, £8.50 for kids aged 3-12.
If you’re feeling inspired, there are also gingerbread-making workshops for families – not included with tickets to the exhibition, you have to book these separately and must be prebooked as they get snapped up fast. £79 for a group of 2-4, must have at least one adult in the group.
Winter Funland at Olympia
There’s a brand new indoor fairground coming to The Grand Hall at Olympia, recreating a magical winter wonderland.
Winter Funland includes unlimited funfair rides, an ice rink and a festive circus show in the ticket price, as well as the chance to meet elves and other festive characters as you explore. From December 12-January 4, 2026.
Follow the Snoopy trail
There’s a fun new trail coming to the Fleet Street Quarter this winter – not quite as obviously festive as the penguins and snowmen of previous years, but there’s a chance to celebrate 75 years of the Peanuts cartoons.
Arriving on November 19 until January 16, 2026, there’ll be a dozen scattered around the Fleet Street Quarter, between Fleet Street, New Street Square and Chancery Lane, in partnership with Wild In Art.
There’ll be a map released closer to the time so you can check where to find them all, as well as other activities.
Winter’s Tail at Chessington World of Adventures
There’s some special festive fun coming to Chessington World of Adventures this winter at the Christmas Village, complete with Father Christmas’ grotto, a silent disco and the elves’ toy workshop in the Enchanted Hollow.
There are also the usual rides and attractions, plus more than 1,000 animals to spot in the zoo and aquarium.
Winter’s Tail takes place on selected dates from November 22-December 31, with early booking prices from £22 per person and festive short breaks from £53 per person.
Festive fun with the National Trust
There are plenty of festive touches at the National Trust properties in London, including a chance to meet Santa.
While Father Christmas won’t be making an appearance at Morden Hall Park in 2025, you can get the next best thing with Santa’s Head Elf, Tinsel McSprinkle turning up.
This year, Elf’s Cosy Storytime will include 45-minute sessions sharing Christmas tales, with every child receiving a brand new, beautifully-wrapped book straight from the main in red. Suitable for age 3-7, priced £10, on December 6 and 13.
Or head to Ham House, which also has its own wonderful traditional Christmas tree, and crafts for kids to enjoy. This year, there’s a trail and activities themed around Stars of Wonder too.
For more things to do in London with kids, including unusual things to do with kids in London and the best places to stay in London with kids, check out some of my other posts
PIN FOR LATER: THE BEST THINGS TO DO AT CHRISTMAS IN LONDON WITH KIDS
Disclosure: This post contains review content and affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission. All opinions remain my own.
Images: Kew at Christmas: Jeff Eden/RBG Kew; Trafalgar Square/gingerbread/hot chocolate images courtesy of Depositphotos; Santa Steam Express courtesy Steam Dreams; Grinchmas afternoon tea courtesy B-Bakery; Tessa Jowell Boulevard copyright Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park; all others copyright MummyTravels
