Having fun with your family and children this summer doesn’t have to tear a hole in your pocket. In fact, you don’t need to spend a single dime to create unforgettable memories together. Over the years, London has seen a steady rise in free and fun family activities, and this summer is no exception.
We’ve rounded up 10 exciting, completely free things to do with kids in London this summer, from outdoor adventures to creative play, nature escapes to cultural gems.
Curious to see what made the list? Keep reading and start planning your next free family day out!
1. Sculpture in the City
If you love the outdoors, this is another great and free activity to engage in with your spouse and children in London. Launched in 2011, Sculpture in the City is a free, open-air annual sculpture park that allows individuals, families, and groups to witness art exhibitions from some of the most reputable artists completely free of charge.
You can take your family to admire the artwork, stroll through the city streets, or just enjoy the beauty of the artistic environment, all without spending a dime. Unlike most museums, the sculptures are interactive, which means your child doesn’t get bored, and the intriguing pieces placed in the most unexpected spots are enough to hold your family’s attention for hours.
📍 Location: City of London (around Aldgate, Leadenhall, Bishopsgate)
📅 When: 16 July 2025 – Spring 2026
🕒 Time: Open 24/7
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Download a sculpture trail map online and let your child “hunt” for the installations.
2. Camley Street Natural Park
A perfect family-friendly and free activity to engage in this summer is Camley Street Natural Park. Located at 12 Camley Street, London, this is a great place to hang out together while enjoying nature, all for free.
The park features small forests and wooded areas with trees and shady paths, perfect for nature walks, bug hunts, and a calm escape from city noise. Your kids can also engage in activities like pond dipping, a hands-on experience where children use small nets and trays to scoop water from the pond and observe tiny creatures.
There are also helpful amenities that add to your comfort while you’re there, making it an ideal place to visit with children. Facilities include a visitor centre, toilets, café/refreshments, and even baby changing facilities.
📍 Location: 12 Camley Street, London, N1C 4PW
📅 When: Open year-round
🕒 Time: 10 am–5 pm (Apr–Sep), 10 am–4 pm (Oct–Mar)
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Look out for pond-dipping sessions or nature walks offered by the park’s education team.
3. Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (GDIF)
Regarded as “One of the best free festivals in the UK” by The Guardian, GDIF is an event you and your family don’t want to miss. Not only is it free, it’s fun, interactive, and engaging. There’s no limit to the excitement your family will enjoy at this event.
Some of the activities you’ll experience include street theatre, circus acts, outdoor performances, and creative games. This festival also provides a chance to meet new families and for your children to make new friends. It’s vibrant, inclusive, and entertaining for all ages.
📍 Location: Various venues across Greenwich, Docklands & Newham (main hub: Greenwich Park)
📅 When: 22 August – 6 September 2025
🕒 Time: Events vary throughout the day — check daily programme
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Bring snacks, sunhats, and plan for at least half a day — many shows pop up throughout the area.
4. Minigolf by Craig & Karl at Canary Wharf
This is one activity you can enjoy with other families for some friendly competition. It’s a hands-on activity for your child that is both fun and allows them to try something new, educational and entertaining all in one go. Young children, teens, parents, and even grandparents can join in.
Best of all? It’s 100% free. There’s no entry fee, and no booking required. Clubs and balls are provided, so all you have to do is show up with your family and play. The colourful, playful design by Craig & Karl makes it even more exciting for kids.
📍 Location: Montgomery Square, Canary Wharf, London E14
📅 When: Now until Sunday 5 October 2025
🕒 Time: 12 pm–6 pm daily
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Pair this with a picnic or explore Canary Wharf’s fountains and outdoor sculptures nearby.
5. King’s Cross Dinosaur Trail
If your kids love dinosaurs, then this is one activity that’s bound to be a hit with the whole family. The King’s Cross Dinosaur Trail is a self-guided adventure that takes you through the streets of King’s Cross, where you’ll find life-sized, colourful dinosaur sculptures hiding in unexpected corners.
This family activity is more than just a walk, it’s a fun quest where kids get to pick up a free trail map, follow clues to find all the dinosaurs, and even win a little prize at the end. It’s completely free, stroller-friendly, and a great way to explore the area while keeping the kids entertained.
You can easily turn this outing into a full day by visiting nearby Granary Square fountains, having a snack in Coal Drops Yard, or popping into a family-friendly café.
📍 Location: Throughout King’s Cross, London
📅 When: Now through September 2025
🕒 Time: Trail is outdoors and self-paced, go anytime
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Pick up the trail map at participating shops or download it online. Don’t forget swimwear if your kids want to splash at the fountains!
6. The Artist’s Garden at Temple Roof
Hidden in the heart of London, this rooftop garden and open-air art exhibit is a lovely calm spot where your family can unwind and explore something new. The Artist’s Garden is part of a creative project that brings nature and sculpture together in the most unexpected space, right above Temple Underground Station!
The colourful art, peaceful greenery, and quiet atmosphere make it a nice pause from the city’s hustle and bustle. It’s completely free to enter, and although there’s no playground or splash pad, it’s a great spot for a slower-paced outing with children who enjoy art, drawing, or just being somewhere different.
It’s also a good opportunity to chat with your kids about public art and how artists use space and nature to tell stories.
📍 Location: 190 Strand, Temple Underground Station, London WC2R 1NR
📅 When: Open daily (weather permitting)
🕒 Time: Daylight hours; check station access times
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Bring along sketchbooks or colouring materials and let your kids draw what they see; it’s a quiet, creative activity for all ages.
Check out: Fun Family Activities to do This Summer
7. Summer Splash at Royal Victoria Dock
Looking for a way to cool off during a hot summer day in the city? Summer Splash at Royal Victoria Dock offers just that! This pop-up urban lido transforms part of the dock into a safe, supervised space where children can splash, paddle, and play; no entry fees, no bookings required.
It features a shallow open-air pool, sandpits for digging, and plenty of seating for parents to relax. It’s great for toddlers, young kids, and even preteens who just want to cool off and play in the water. There are lifeguards on duty and changing rooms available too.
📍 Location: Royal Victoria Dock, London E16
📅 When: 25 July – 17 August 2025
🕒 Time: 10am – 6pm daily (weather permitting)
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Arrive early on sunny days, it can get busy! Pack swimsuits, towels, sunscreen, and maybe even a picnic lunch.
8. Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
This iconic London experience is always a winner with kids, especially those who love uniforms, music, and parades. The Changing of the Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace is a colourful, traditional event where the King’s Guard hands over duties with a full marching band, precision steps, and lots of pomp.
It’s a completely free experience, and though it only lasts about 45 minutes, the build-up and excitement make it feel like a big event. Your kids will be wowed by the horses, the uniforms, and the music, and it’s a great way to introduce them to some British history and culture without making it feel like school.
📍 Location: Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA
📅 When: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays
🕒 Time: Ceremony starts at 11am (arrive by 10:30am for a good spot)
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Bring snacks, water, and maybe something to sit on while you wait. Afterwards, head across the road to St. James’s Park for ice cream and a duck pond visit!
9. Summer Nature Roadshows
If your kids are the curious, nature-loving type, this one’s for them, and for you too, because it’s totally free and designed to let kids explore without pressure. The Summer Nature Roadshows are popping up across seven of London’s Royal Parks, and they’re the kind of activities that let your child learn and play without even realising it’s educational.
Expect nature trails, “habitat safaris” (like a mini jungle in the city), wild games, arts & crafts stations, and even little museum-style corners where they can touch and learn about feathers, bones, bugs, and more. These are drop-in sessions, so no planning stress; just show up, join in, and let your kids run wild in the best way.
📍 Location: Bushy Park, Greenwich Park, Kensington Gardens, Richmond Park, St James’s Park, The Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill
📅 When: July 30 – August 21, 2025
🕒 Time: 11am – 3pm, Monday to Saturday
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Wear comfy shoes and pack snacks. You can pop in for 20 minutes or stay for hours, totally up to your energy levels (and your child’s attention span).
10. Summer on the Square (Trafalgar Square)
This one has that magical mix of art, culture and play, and it’s right in the heart of London. Every Monday in August, Trafalgar Square turns into a pop-up art playground thanks to the National Gallery. Don’t worry, it’s not about keeping your child still and quiet. Instead, it’s a space where they can paint, sketch, get messy with collage, or just soak up the vibes while storytelling and music fill the air.
It’s open-air, relaxed, and designed to make children feel like art belongs to them too. And once they’ve had their fill outdoors, you can head inside the National Gallery where there’s even more to explore (and yes, it’s free too).
📍 Location: Trafalgar Square, WC2N
📅 When: Every Monday in August (2025)
🕒 Time: Around 10:30am – 1:30pm
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Arrive a little early if you want a good spot on the steps or shade, and bring wipes or hand gel for when the kids get messy.
11. Play Pavilion by LEGO
If there’s one thing kids of all ages can agree on, it’s LEGO. And if your little ones are mini master-builders in the making, then the Play Pavilion by LEGO at Kensington Gardens will be like their dream playground.
Think: a giant space filled with brick-building challenges, group activities, free workshops, and fun competitions that get them thinking, building, and showing off their creations. Whether they want to build a robot, a castle, or a giant giraffe, there’s room for them to try it out here; no sign-up, no pressure, just open-ended fun.
📍 Location: Serpentine South, Kensington Gardens, W2
📅 When: June 11 – August 10, 2025
🕒 Time: Drop in during Serpentine Gallery hours (usually 10am–6pm)
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Bring water and maybe lunch — if your child gets into a build, you’ll be there a while. Also a good one for siblings of different ages.
12. Outdoor Cinema at Granary Square
Now this one feels extra special, because how often do you get to watch a movie outside, for free, with your kids under the London sky? Granary Square’s outdoor cinema is one of those magical London summer moments. They screen everything from Disney classics to family favourites and animated hits. The best part? You don’t need a ticket — just show up, spread a blanket, and enjoy.
It’s perfect for early evenings when you don’t want to go straight home after dinner. You can grab food nearby (lots of family-friendly spots around), or bring your own snacks and settle in as the sun sets.
📍 Location: Granary Square, King’s Cross N1C
📅 When: Select dates throughout August 2025
🕒 Time: Screenings run in the afternoon and after sunset
💰 Cost: Free
🎒 Family Tip: Bring layers, it can get chilly after dark. Also, check the schedule ahead of time to pick the most age-appropriate films for your crew.
If there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s that you don’t need to spend a lot to make lasting memories with your family. London is full of hidden gems and summer activities that are fun, enriching, and totally free — you just need to know where to look. So save this list, share it with a friend, and plan a summer that’s big on joy, not on spending.
And remember, you don’t have to tick everything off the list. Even just showing up for one or two of these can give your children beautiful experiences they’ll talk about long after the holidays are over.
Now go out and enjoy London. Your summer of free family fun is waiting🌞
Inspired by Kiddoadventures’ list of 80 free and low-cost family activities in London.