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- 🧆 35 things to do in London this weekend with the kids (21–22 March)
🧆 35 things to do in London this weekend with the kids (21–22 March)
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Jeff – Dads in London
March 18, 2026
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Hi DILFs!
For years, the British Museum held the unofficial title of “institution responsible for the most contentious acquisition of an object”, thanks to its long-running disagreement with Greece over the Elgin Marbles. But the V&A may now have taken the title, because as of about a month ago it has acquired… YouTube.
More specifically, the earliest available watch page of the very first video ever uploaded to the platform – a short clip titled Me at the zoo, in which a man stands in front of some elephants and makes a brief observation about their trunks. What you'll see in the museum is a reconstruction of the YouTube watch page as it appeared in December 2006, with a chunky Flash video player, comments underneath, banner ads and a column of related videos down the side – a neat snapshot of the moment the internet started revolving around user-generated video and social interaction.
It might sound like one of the easier objects a museum has ever had to display. After all, it’s just a webpage. Not so: the V&A explains that reconstructing it involved obsolete video technology, collaboration with YouTube engineers and a fair amount of digital conservation work. In other words, if you’re picturing this as the museum equivalent of propping a laptop on a pedestal and pressing play, think again.
And if contemplating the museumification of YouTube isn’t your idea of a weekend adventure, don’t worry: there are plenty of other things to get up to.
Enjoy!
Jeff xx
PS Don’t miss the HUGE discount (taking you from “£21 per person” to “FREE”) for all DIL readers below!
Beauty and Destruction: Wartime London in Art
Daily until 1 November, 10:00–18:00
Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ
FREE
Age guidance: suitable for all
It’s hard to imagine the meeting where someone first proposed hiring painters to document World War II. Not because it’s a bad idea – just that it feels like the sort of suggestion that would get lost among panicked discussions about doodlebugs, infantry tanks and the small matter of having trusted Hitler not to invade anyone else.
And yet the plan “to draw up a list of artists qualified to record the war at home and abroad” went ahead. The War Artists’ Advisory Committee (WAAC), as it was officially known, was set up at the outbreak of WWII in 1939 and founded and led by Sir Kenneth Clark (no, not any of these Kenneth Clarks), who was director of the National Gallery at the time.
There were two official purposes of the WAAC: 1) to compile a comprehensive artistic record of Britain throughout the war, 2) and to convince an educated art audience in Britain (who, after WWI, were suspicious of any overt propaganda) that their country valued liberal culture values as opposed to the controlled and centralised approach of the Nazis.
A third purpose was to persuade the US to provide economic and military support at a time of American neutrality – so exhibitions of British war art were prepared and sent on tour across the United States.
And a fourth purpose – one that Clark only discussed privately – was to protect a new generation of British artists. The deaths of artists and writers during the First World War were still fresh in his mind, and serving as an official war artist was a non-combat role. In other words: if you were painting the war, you weren’t fighting in it.
Looking through the paintings, you’re reminded how much of London took a proper battering during the Blitz. St Paul’s Cathedral turns up more than once, showing off each time as the nation’s most determined building, while other works show neighbourhoods that have had less successful disagreements with bombs. The Docklands had a particularly difficult time of it.
Even though the scenes are a little grittier than, say, a painting of a peaceful English river where a cart is being pulled slowly through the water while a dog wanders about and hardly anything happens at all, there’s nothing here that will alarm little eyes. The museum has also created a “stamper” trail and activity sheet encouraging children to hunt for details in the paintings and generally stay interested while you look around.
While you’re there…
👍️ If you have more time to spare at the Imperial War Museum, the Second World War Galleries and Turning Points: 1934 to 1945 gallery are fantastic in how they showcase both historical artefacts and personal stories from the time.
👍️ Just across the river, Victoria Tower Gardens is a charming park that provides fantastic views of both the Houses of Parliament and the Thames. It’s known for “The Burghers of Calais” – a sculpture celebrating freedom by August Rodin. Equally famous is the statue of suffragette Emmeline Parkhurst, which stands in the shadow of Victoria Tower. You’ll also be pleased to know there’s an award-winning playground at one end, which comes with a stream of water you can pump yourself, a sandpit, a shaky bridge, wobbly boat and swings.
Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show
Sunday 22 March, 14:00
artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, N12 0GA
ÂŁ13.75 per person
Age guidance: 5+
Back in the day, we had no shortage of polymaths – such as Aristotle (philosophy, biology, logic, ethics, politics, physics), Leonardo da Vinci (art, engineering, anatomy, mechanics, architecture, botany) and Benjamin Franklin (politics, diplomacy, physics, writing, engineering).
These days, no one comes close to having such a broad range of expertise. (And no, Brian May doesn’t count because two subjects does not a polymath make.) Still, there’s one modern figure doing his best to keep the tradition alive.
Olaf Falafel (real name: Derek Chickpeas) is a “comedian, illustrator, author and idiot” – which means he’s only one or so subjects behind Franklin et al., but considerably more enjoyable to read and watch because he’s so bloomin’ funny.
For comparison:
Aristotle: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Leonardo da Vinci: “Learning never exhausts the mind.”
Benjamin Franklin: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Olaf Falafel: “I spent the whole morning building a time machine – that’s four hours of my life I’m definitely getting back.”
At this event, Mr Falafel will be performing one of his famously silly, child-friendly comedy shows – the sort comedians bring their own kids to. On the agenda: jokes, drawings, poos on pogo sticks, truth-telling cheese, a live draw-along, and a time-travelling portal to the future. In other words: a perfectly sensible hour of children’s entertainment.
👉 Brief interruption in a horrible colour: if this newsletter has earned its keep, you can buy me a coffee. (Completely optional, of course.)
Family Day: Cosy Critters
Saturday 21 March, 13:00–16:00
William Morris Gallery, Lloyd Park, Forest Road, E17 4PP
FREE
Age guidance: 5+
March is many things. It’s National Nutrition Month in Canada, Women’s History Month in the UK, the US and Australia, Women’s Role in History Month in the Philippines (which suggests no one there compared notes with the other countries), Endometriosis Awareness Month throughout the world, and the Month of Saint Joseph in Catholicism.
March is also Morris Month – not due to the appealing alliteration, but because that’s when William Morris and his wife May (confusingly enough) had their birthdays. And I’ll tell you this now: looking at everything the William Morris Gallery has planned to celebrate the legacy of the Morrises, good luck finding any time to appreciate Saint Joseph or women. The gallery’s calendar is absolutely packed – which feels appropriate, given that Morris himself (speaking of polymaths) seemed to spend his life juggling about a dozen different pursuits.
On the agenda for Saturday is a Family Day called Cosy Critters, where you’ll take inspiration from William Morris’s fondness for the sleepiest members of the natural world – which feature heavily in his designs. After learning about the traditional art of textile weaving, you’ll get to weave a cosy bed for a sleepy animal – “a dozing dragon, a slumbering songbird or a bedtime bunny” – using a simple cardboard loom.
All materials will be provided, along with plenty of help from the gallery team if your weaving ambitions start to unravel. Which is one less thing to worry about during what is clearly an extremely competitive month for historical appreciation.
Find out more: https://www.wmgallery.org.uk/event/family-day-morris-month/
While you’re there…
👍️ Nose around the rest of the William Morris Gallery: it’s free, and you’ll find it in the Georgian house where Morris grew up. It’s packed with his designs as well as a few changing exhibitions, and it backs straight onto Lloyd Park if you fancy a stroll.
Family Traveller Live
Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00
Allianz Stadium, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham, TW2 7BA
FREE when you use the code DADSLDN at checkout (normally it’s £21 for adults and £10.50 for children)
Age guidance: suitable for all
Have you ever dragged your kids to exhibitions like the Ideal Home Show or Grand Designs Live? And, while you were measuring jacuzzis and smart fridges for your dream WC1 mansion, did your children a) moan about being bored, b) treat an exhibitor’s bamboo natural latex pocket sprung mattress like a trampoline, c) try to smash the windows of a conservatory display with a plastic lightsaber, or d) all of the above?
This is the problem with exhibitions: they’re rarely fun for the whole family. Unless, that is, you get tickets for an exhibition that’s essentially not an exhibition at all.
Family Traveller Live is, apparently, about “sharing the world with our kids and your kids, travelling as a family, exploring, adventuring and making memories together”. There “you’ll meet experts to help you discover new destinations, fresh ideas and different ways to explore the world”... but there’s no actual information about these experts, and I get the impression no one (including the organisers) really cares.
Because basically, this is an indoor family adventure park with a scattering of travel agents trying to entice you over to their stands with free stress balls and Haribo. And while there’s no word on who these travel agents will be, we DEFINITELY know what’s on offer for you and the kids. Deep breath:
A planetarium, pickleball, crazy golf, surf simulators, an F1 simulator, England changing rooms tour, astronaut training, inflatable assault course, trampolining, archery, rugby, video gaming, face painting, ziplining across the pitch at Allianz Stadium, soft play, a meet and greet with the Paw Patrol, and tons and tons of free stuff. THAT’s the reason you’re going. If you also come away with a safari guide’s business card, consider it very much a bonus.
As for the price… it’s normally £21 for adults and £10.50 for children. BUT when you use the code DADSLDN at checkout, it’s COMPLETELY FREE. The things I do for you, eh?
Find out more: https://live.familytraveller.com
And remember to use the code DADSLDN to get 100% off!
👉 Brief interruption in a horrible colour: if this newsletter has earned its keep, you can buy me a coffee. (Completely optional, of course.)
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 and 14:00 (and various other dates and times until 26 April)
Puppet Theatre Barge, Blomfield Road (opposite 35), W9 2PF
Adults £15, 2–16s £12, under-2s free
Age guidance: 3–7
The tale of the Town and Country Mouse goes all the way back to Ancient Greece, which should really have been the end of it. But unlike, say, the Trojan Horse, which everyone seems content to leave exactly as it is, various people throughout the centuries have decided to have a go at improving it. And every iteration of the story is pretty much identical to the one that came before it, save for a few details about the food on offer.
All of which means it doesn’t really matter which version they’ve adapted for the big stage at Puppet Barge Theatre, but if you’re interested, they’ve opted for the Aesop remix. And if you’ve never heard the story before (you have, but your brain chucked out the memory to make way for more relevant and important moral stories), it’s about two mice who swap homes for a bit, one realises city living involves constant terror, and everyone decides the countryside is preferable.
As you might be able to tell, I don’t particularly understand the hype around this particular fable. But it doesn’t really matter, because at Puppet Barge Theatre they could tell a story about the minutes of a parish council meeting and it’d still be magical. The puppets (usually marionettes) are magnificent, the stories are beautifully constructed, and the music and lighting are perfect.
Plus: the entire show takes place on a 50-seat barge, where “puppets from other parts of the world hang from the walls in retirement”. You access the barge via a gangplank, then walk downstairs (yes: below the water line) to the theatre itself.
Which is why, despite my lingering doubts about the mice, I’d still recommend going.
Other listings
This section now brings together both new events I don’t have room to expand on and selected older ones from past newsletters that are still running. If you see a “(see my write-up here)”, that’s your cue to click through and rediscover whatever Past Me felt strongly enough to write about.
Petit Pierre in Wonderland
Sunday 22 March, 14:00 and 16:00 (plus Sunday 12 April at 14:00 and 16:00, and all weekdays between 2 and 12 April at 11:00 and 15:00)
The Well Walk Theatre, 49 Willow Road, NW3 1TS
ÂŁ15.90 per person
Age guidance: 3+
Museum of Edible Earth
Daily until 26 April (Sunday–Wednesday 10:00–18:00, Thursday and Friday 12:00–20:00, and Saturday 10:00–20:00)
Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA
Pay what you can
Age guidance: suitable for all, but guided earth-tasting sessions (arguably the most “fun” part for kids?) is 16+ only
Sisters 360
Saturday 21 March, 11:00 and 14:00
Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 43 White Horse Road, London E1 0ND
ÂŁ9 per person
Age guidance: 8–12
Counting Sheeps
Sunday 22 March, 10:30, 12:30 and 14:30
Jacksons Lane Arts Centre, 269a Archway Road, N6 5AA
ÂŁ20 for one adult and one child (additional adults ÂŁ15)
Age guidance: 0–3
The Lindt GOLD BUNNY Hunt
Daily until 12 April (opens at 10:00 and closes at different times depending on the date – see website)
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, KT8 9AU
Free with palace admission (adults £32, children 5–15 £16, children 0–4 free)
Age guidance: suitable for all
Your Toys
Until 12 April, 10:30 and 13:30
ÂŁ16.50 per person (ÂŁ15.50 on weekdays)
Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street, SE1 2HZ
Age guidance: 5–9
David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting (see my write-up here)
Serpentine North, West Carriage Drive, W2 2AR
Tuesday–Sunday until 23 August, 10:00–18:00
FREE, but booking required
Seven Wonders of the World: An Immersive Exhibition (see my write-up here)
Thursday–Monday until 12 April, various timeslots
106 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LZ
Adults £20.90, 13–17s £17.90, 4–12s £15.90, under-4s free (family bundles are also available)
Age guidance: suitable for all
Ghosts & Ghouls Family Tour
Various dates and timeslots until 31 October
Shakespeare’s Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9DT
Adults ÂŁ28, under-16s ÂŁ21
Age guidance: suitable for all
Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends (see my write-up here)
Daily until 15 November, 10:00–17:45
Young V&A, Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA
ÂŁ11 per person (under-4s free)
Visit the Barbican Conservatory (see my write-up here)
Various dates until 22 March, slots between 12:00 and 17:00
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
FREE
Samurai (see my write-up here)
Daily until 4 May, 10:00–17:00
British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG
Adults ÂŁ25, under-16s free
Ramses and the Pharaohs' Gold: The Exhibition (see my write-up here)
Daily until 31 May (various timeslots)
Adults £32.05, 5–15s £28.05, under-5s free
Battersea Power Station, 2 Circus Road East, SW11 8DQ
Age guidance: 5+
Rose Wylie: The Picture Comes First
Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–18:00 (until 21:00 on Fridays) until 19 April
Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD
Adults ÂŁ23, under-16s free
Samuel Laurence Cunnane: Blue Road
Tuesday–Sunday until 3 May, 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Saturdays)
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
FREE – no ticket required
Uniqlo Tate Play: Make Studio: Memory
Wednesdays 10:30–15:00 and weekdays 10:30–18:00 until 22 July
Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG
FREE
Age guidance: suitable for all ages (under-5s only on Wednesdays)
Chiharu Shiota: Threads of Life
Until 3 May, 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Saturdays; closed Mondays)
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
Adults £19, 12–16s £8, under-12s free
Who Let The Gods Out
Until 22 March, various start times
Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, SW19 1SB
ÂŁ10 per person
Age guidance: 8–13
The Jolly Postman (exhibition)
Tuesday–Sunday until January 2027, 10:00–17:00
The Postal Museum, 15–20 Phoenix Place, WC1X 0DA
Free with museum entry (adults £18.50, 2–15s £11, under-2s free)
Voyage to the Deep – Underwater Adventures
Daily until 1 November, 10:30–17:30
Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Road, SE23 3PQ
Adults ÂŁ9.80, children ÂŁ7, under-3s free
Age guidance: 2+
Octonauts: Adventure at the Horniman
Daily until 1 November, 10:00–17:30
Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Road, SE23 3PQ
FREE
Mundo Pixar Experience (full review coming soon!)
Daily until 28 June, various timeslots throughout the day
Fulton Road, Wembley Park, HA9 0TF
Adults £34, 3–15s £22, under-3s free
Age guidance: suitable for all (but prams will need to be stored in a designated area)
Marie-Antoinette: An Eye for Beauty (see my write-up here)
Daily until 31 March, 10:00–17:00
The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, W1U 3BN
FREE
Love Letters: 500 years of devotion, longing, sacrifice and passion (see my write-up here)
Tuesday–Sunday until 12 April
The National Archives, Kew, TW9 4DU
FREE – no booking required
Water Pantanal Fire
Daily until 31 May, 10:00–18:00
Science Museum, Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD
Free – admission ticket required
Hawaiʻi: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans
Daily until 25 May, 10:00–17:00 (Fridays until 20:30)
British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG
Adults ÂŁ16, under-16s free
Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting
Daily until 4 May, 10:30–18:00 (until 21:00 on some days)
National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, WC2H 0HE
Adults £23, 12–25 £5, under-12s free
REPLAY: A Limitless Recycled Playground (see my write-up here)
Daily until 12 April, various slots throughout the day
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
ÂŁ7.50 per person
Age guidance: different sessions for 6 months–3 years and 4–11 years (younger children can join older siblings in the older session if necessary)
Tracey Emin: A Second Life (see my write-up here)
Daily until 31 August, 10:00–18:00
Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG
Adults £14, 12–18s £5, under-12s free