Happy Valentine’s, Galentine’s, Palentine’s - whether you’re celebrating or not, I hope you’re feeling the love today. But let’s be real - if you’ve got kids, the only date that matters is half term.

No need to panic - London is bursting with brilliant (and totally free!) things to do next week. I’ve pulled together five solid picks per day, all drop-in or still bookable. Scroll down, make a plan, and keep half term stress to a minimum.

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FREE February Half Term 2025 Activities in London

Here’s your five a day to keep boredom at bay. Each event is either drop-in or still available to book. Click through for times and details - but be quick, spaces won’t last!

Need more inspo? Check out my full February Half Term guide for 75+ free and paid activities across London.

Monday 17 February 2025

1. Uniqlo Tate Play Holiday Make Studio: The Joy of Feeling at Tate Modern, SE1: Spin, slide, and sway in a reimagined playground that encourages rest and play. Created by HoLD Art Collective and inspired by artist Dorothea Tanning. Runs 15–23 February 2025. Drop in. All ages.

2. LEGO® Biodiversity Super Builders at Natural History Museum, SW7: Construct your own solution to one of the biggest challenges facing nature in this brick building workshop. 15-21 February 2025. Book museum entry. Part of February Half Term festival. Best ages 6+.

3. Battersea Power Station, SW11: See iconic masks, puppets, and costumes from Disney’s The Lion King up close (17-23 February 2025). Check here for last-minute spots in free singing workshops, and don’t miss the dazzling Light Festival 2025 before it ends on 23 February 2025! Drop in.

4. Tourmaline and the Museum of Marvels Trail: Find hidden characters and magical objects to earn a sticker, plus the chance to win prizes in this trail inspired by the fun, feminist children’s adventure book series. Free London venues are Hackney Museum, E8 (15-22 February 2025) and Valence House Museum, RM8 (18 February-1 March 2025). Drop in.

5. Unsung Heroes at Kingswood Arts, SE21: Celebrate black pioneers, innovators and change-makers through art in this week-long, creative journey. 17-21 February 2025. Book. Ages 7-16.

Tuesday 18 February 2025

1. Imagine Festival at Southbank Centre, SE1: Doodle on the Giant Chalkboard, sing with global choirs, learn hip-hop moves with ZooNation, or bring an entire book to life in a day! Free events run on select dates 18-23 February 2025. Book/drop in.

2. Family Day - Picture Yourself at National Portrait Gallery, WC2: Explore photography, sculpting and collage to make your own artworks inspired by self-portraits on display. Drop in on a first come, first served basis.

3. Musical Lute Tour at The National Gallery, WC2: Join a musical walking tour that brings paintings to life with stories, tunes, and history. Places are allocated on first-come, first-served basis. Ages 5+.

4. Craft Your Own Textile Art! at London Mithraeum, EC4: Design your own mini-banner then use felts and fabrics to bring your textile art to life, perfect for hanging on the wall at home. Book. Best ages 5-11, all welcome.

5. Eastbrookend Apple Orchard Wassail at Eastbrookend Discovery Centre, RM7: Awaken apple trees from their winter slumber with music, song, and noise-making. With hot wassail drinks, colourful characters, and crafts. Drop in.

• Bonus! Lunar New Year Family Day 2025 at Museum of the Home, E2.

Wednesday 19 February 2025

1. Gorgeous Gargoyles: Family Drop-In at Sir John Soane’s Museum, WC2: Mould your own mischievous gargoyle from clay, inspired by Soane’s quirky collection. With artist Caroline Dorset. Drop in. Best ages 4+, younger siblings welcome.

2. Stained Glass Lanterns with Storytelling at Museum of the Order of St John, EC1: Craft your own stained glass lantern and enjoy tales from storyteller Margaret Bateson-Hill at this super-friendly hidden gem. Drop in. Best ages 3-10.

3. Healing Hearts Pomanders Family Workshop at Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret, SE1: Channel centuries-old wisdom by crafting a fragrant, heart-shaped pomander - once a must-have for dodging nasty smells. Includes museum visit and broken hearts Valentines trail. Book. Ages 5+. Plus SEN session on 17 February and Stick Skeletons on 18 February 2025.

4. February Half Term Family Day at Guildhall Art Gallery, EC2: Create stained glass inspired banners and floating window roundels with female glass artists. Plus immersive storytelling in the Roman Amphitheatre and a story corner. Book/drop in. Best ages 3-10.

5. Making Graphic Novels! at Catford Library, SE6: From a blank script to a fully illustrated book, learn how to create comics with artist Vivian Truong. Book. Ages 12-18. Part of Deptford Literature Festival.

• Under 5s: Early Years Studio Paint at the Royal Academy of Arts, W1.

• Bonus! Up Close and Medical at Royal College of Physicians, NW1.

Thursday 20 February 2025

1. ZooLab: Meet Amazing Animals at National Army Museum, SW3: Discover how animals survive in the dark and how soldiers can take inspiration from them. Places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Also 18 February 2025. Ages 5+.

2. Exploring the Silk Roads at British Museum, WC1: Create a special bracelet with fabric and wrapping techniques, take a Chinese paper-folding trail, hear stories and add to a collaborative art installation. Pre-book free museum entry. Best ages 5+.

3. February Half Term: Making Egypt at Young V&A, E2: Step into ancient Egypt! Hear stories from Wendy Shearer, craft paper bead jewellery, and meet designers in the DIY print studio. Other event combinations run 19-21 February 2025. Drop in on a first-come, first-served basis.

4. Half term family activities at Hunterian Museum, WC2: Meet a surgeon, test your skills with surgical knots, get hands-on with historic tools, and explore human anatomy through interactive models and an activity booklet. Runs 15, 18 & 20 February 2025. Drop in. Ages 5+.

5. Space Week Family Fun Days at Geological Society of London, W1: Hold rocks from space, learn about space exploration, save the Earth from incoming asteroids, and explore the Moon and other planetary bodies! Runs 20-21 February 2025. Drop in.

• Under 5s: Family Freestyle at Sadler’s Wells East, E20.

Friday 21 February 2025

1. February Half Term: How Food Shapes Us at V&A Museum, SW7: Korean-inspired fruit preserve making and food label design workshop (best ages 6+), seed exchange, vegetable sculpting, poster designing, and digital Listening Garden workshops. Runs 19-21 February 2025. Drop in/spaces allocated on arrival.

2. Family Event: Dr You's Case Notes - The Starling and the Echidna at Grant Museum of Zoology, WC1: Help Research Assistant Alex Vector complete Dr You's case notes through storytelling, tasks, and creative exploration. Developed by Moulded Theatre Company. Drop in/book. Best ages 5+.

3. Paws, Claws and Tiger Tales at London Museum Docklands, E14: Escaped tigers, mummified cats, and more! Join this wild storytelling adventure inspired by Docklands’ beastly past. 18-21 February 2025. Places allocated on arrival. Part of February half term.

4. Marching Orders – Duty in the Dark at National Army Museum, SW3: Explore the Army’s nighttime secrets! Discover spy tricks, sleep hacks, and soldier stories. 19, 21 & 22 February 2025. Drop in on a first-come, first-served basis. Ages 5+.

5. Stomp and Stamp: Interactive Family Trail at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20: Follow the trail map, visit different buildings around the Park and collect fun stamps at each stop. Created in collaboration with Discover Children's Story Centre. 15-23 February 2025. Drop in. Ages 2-8.

• Under 5s: Relaxed screenings of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Tiger Who Came to Tea at the V&A South Kensington, SW7.

Tried something from the list? Let me know! Tag me in your pics or send me a DM on Instagram. I love seeing these ideas in action.

What’s FREE this weekend: 15-16 February 2025

Weekend plans still up in the air? These free finds should do the trick - tap the links for everything you need to know.

1. Bags of Fun at William Morris Gallery, E17. 15 February 2025.

2. Crafting the Silk Roads at the British Museum, WC2. 15 February 2025. Ages 14+.

3. Drag Aerobics and Drag Queen Storytime at National Maritime Museum, SE10. 15 February 2025. Part of Out at Sea event series.

4. Inflato-city with GET IT DONE at Whitgift Centre, CR9. 15 February 2025.

5. Love is in the Air Craft Session and Sensory Stories at Angel Central, N1. 15-16 February 2025. Ages 3-9.

I hope this newsletter helps you have a great February half term!

See you in a few weeks for the March what’s on guide.

Until then,

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Please check listings before heading out. Events can change or be cancelled at short notice; and, despite my best efforts, sometimes I make mistakes.