For inspiring days close to home, check out our round-up of activities and events to enjoy with your kids in East London.
November comes in with a bang and out with the promise of Christmas. This round up is full of ideas to entertain your kids in East London, with a thought to what parents will enjoy as well. Hope you find it useful!
1 Alexandra Palace Fireworks Festival 2023
It’s been a few years since we last had the Vicky Park Fireworks nights. For those wishing to make a night of it, you may have to travel a little further. The festival at Ally Pally has been going on for 150+ years and this year features not just fireworks but human beings that shoot lightning from their bodies! A huge bonfire, fairground rides and you can even get your skates on!
Friday 3rd November 2023 9 pm
Saturday 4th November 2023 8 pm
Tickets start from £31.50 for 1 adult and 1 child while a family ticket for 4 is £63.
With ice skating, packages start at £54.50 for 1 adult and 1 child while a family ticket for 4 is £109
Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY
2 Guy Fawkes Waltham Forest Light Show Spectacular
Waltham Forest does Bonfire Night a little differently. Waltham Forest Town Hall will be adorned with a dazzling light show presented by Guildhall Live Events. The event features KERB+ street food, a Big Penny Social bar, and captivating performances. Experience an eco-friendly celebration with mesmerising illuminations, projections, and fire effects on the Grade II listed building, accompanied by live music. Share the festivities with loved ones!
Friday 3rd – Sunday 5th November 2023
Early Show at 3.30pm (display 5.30pm) & Late Show at 7 pm (display 9 pm)
Fellowship Square, London. E17 4JF
Under 12s FREE, Over 12s £5, 16+ £8.50
3 The Ragged School Museum
If you didn’t make it last month, why not go this weekend? You can bring the kids to the newly reopened Ragged School Museum for an immersive theatre experience on the first Sunday of every month. Support this brilliant museum celebrating the work of Dr. Barnardo by attending an evocative class led by an actor in Victorian costume. They have a great canalside cafe and it makes for a great day out after a morning swim at Mile End Leisure or a stroll in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. We visited in August and you can watch our reel for a preview of what to expect.
First Sundays lessons at 11:30 am or 12:45 pm Museum opens 10 am – 5 pm
Ragged School Museum, 46-50 Copperfield Road, London, E3 4RR
£10 Family ticket, £5 adults, £2.50 kids -BRING CASH!
4 Coram’s Fields Fireworks
Don’t want to pay to see it all go up in smoke? Head to Bloomsbury for a free event for families to enjoy Fireworks. Get there early to secure the best spot from 3.30 pm when you’ll also be able to catch local school and youth performances.
3rd November 2023 from 3:30 pm -7 pm
Coram’s Fields, London, WC1N 1DN
Free
5 Stories in the Dust
Join two explorers, low on baked beans but full of hope, on a journey across a desolate world. Their stories, songs, and treasures bring life to the land. They discover something special that could change everything. “Stories in the Dust” is a family show with live music, puppetry, and clowning, offering humour and heart. An ancient book, a drop of rain, and a mysterious lion in a clay pot transport you to another world.
Saturday 4th November 2023 11 am & 2 pm
Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 43 White Horse Road, London E1 0ND
6 Autumn Night Lights
Join the fun in Woolich town center for 11 days of autumn and light festival celebrations from around the world, including Harvest, Moon Festival, Diwali, Hanukkah, and Bonfire Night. Experience the magic of darker nights with an enchanting light tunnel and illuminated trees. Little ones can enjoy free story times, arts and crafts, and mascot meetings. After dark, music and dance performances keep the fun going for all ages.
Until Sunday 5th November 2023 10 am – 8pm
General Gordon Square and Royal Arsenal
Free
7 Diwali Lanterns
Join artist Pragya Kumar to craft eco-friendly lanterns, inspired by MURUGIAH’s art. Utilising natural materials like willow and tissue, you’ll craft a beautiful lantern complete with a light and 3-foot pole to proudly parade and take home afterwards.
11th November 2023 4-8 pm
Canteen Food Hall, Soames Walk, London SE10 0AX
£5
8 Diwali: Shine Your Light
Head to the Maritime Museum to celebrate Diwali. Akademi will be performing folk dances from Rajasthan and you can join in one of their dance workshops. Party to music from DJ Tara Kumar of Irish-Indian-Malaysian origin. Get creative and learn modern sari draping or create your own personal ‘identity flag’ reflecting how all your cultural influences come together. Create Diwali diyas and get flexible with beginner yoga. Finish the day with the lantern parade accompanied by drummers -Bring your own lantern- electric lights and torches only.
Sunday 11th November 2023
National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF
FREE. Book Museum tickets in advance to avoid disappointment
9 The Lord Mayor’s Show
Dating back to the 13th century, The Lord Mayor’s show is the world’s oldest civic procession. This year will welcome the 695th Lord Mayor, Alderman Michael Mainelli, who begins his tenure with the Silent Ceremony, culminating in the November 11th oath of loyalty to the crown in Westminster. The spectacle involves an epic three-mile long procession, consisting of 133 vibrant and colourful floats showcasing modern London’s diverse culture juxtaposed with centuries-old tradition. Watch out for tube and bus closures on the day.
11th November 2023 11:02 am -3 pm
Mansion House to the Royal Courts via St Pauls
FREE
10 Big Fireworks Party
Have a BLAST at St Paul’s Shadwell annual Fireworks party. Join the lovely people at St Pauls Shadwell for food, fire, and fireworks… all fabulously free and fun for all ages. A great local event for kids in East London’s Shadwell community.
The Highway, London, E1W 3DH
12th November 2023 4 pm
Free
11 Jack & The Beanstalk
Stratford East is at it again. With over 130 years of entertaining East London families at Christmas, this pantomime is a sure bet for festive fun for all ages. Famous for tearing up the rulebook, Stratford East pantos are full of original music and outrageous characters telling classic stories with a special East London twist. We have a family ticket for Jack and the Beanstalk to give away – oh yes we do!
18th November 2023 – 6th January 2024 various times
Royal Theatre Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, London E15 1BN
Tickets from £10
12 Diwali Family Day
Head to the Museum of the Home for enchanting Festival of Lights festivities for the whole family to enjoy. Explore Diwali displays along with Vaishali Raithatha’s storytelling and Diya lamp painting, PiNS’ Rangoli activity, Bollywood dancing for all ages and abilities and Chila Burman’s art on the garden roof await.
19th November 2023 11am to 4pm
Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Rd, London, E2 8EA
Free
13 The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse
Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s hit picture book, “The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse,” returns to the Unicorn Theatre after a sold-out run in 2019. When Mouse is swallowed by a wolf, they find unexpected company in Duck, living comfortably inside. Together, they devise a plan to save Wolf from a hunter, celebrating the power of friendship in the most unlikely places. Directed by Rachel Bagshaw, this darkly humorous fable is a must-see.
Friday 17th Nov – Sunday 31st December 2023
Unicorn Theatre (Clore), 147 Tooley St, London, SE1 2HZ
Under 18s £14 – £22 / Adults £18.50 – £27.50
14 Big Bad Me
Think you know Red Riding Hood’s tale? Think again! It all starts with a gentle wolf with a broken heart. Unheard before, this is the Wolf’s side of the story, revealing a kind and hungry wolf who lost his way. He’s not big or bad, just shy and polite. Experience a fresh spin on this fairy tale and don’t judge by appearances.
2nd November – 19th November 2023
Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, London N1 2DN
£14.00 Adult £12.00 Child (age 1-17)
All tickets £8 on Fridays at 4.45pm
15 Ice Rink Canary Wharf
East London’s longest running ice rink is back with its frosty patch in Canary Wharf. Get your skates on and enjoy their covered yet still open air rink rain or shine! Apres skate you can head to The Grandstand Bar, where you can enjoy watching the tumbles and twirls of those skating on the rink. All children must be attended by an adult. Ages 4+
21st October 2023 – 24th February 2024 9 am -9 pm
Ice Rink Canary Wharf, Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AB
4-13 yrs £13.50 -£15.95, 13+ £17.95-£20.95 family from £53.95
16 Queens House Ice Skating
Take in the breathtaking sites of Greenwich’s UNESCO World Heritage site, that is, once you can take your eyes off your feet! This is London at its most magical with iconic views of Greenwich Park to the south and the glittering lights of Canary Wharf to the north. An essential experience for kids in East London.
23rd November 2023 – 7th January 2024
Queen’s House, Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF
Adults from £17 Children from £10 Students from £11.90
17 Strange World Film & Workshop
There are loads of great films at the Barbican but we’re particularly fond of Strange world. A great animated film taking inspiration from the stories of Jules Verne and pulp magazines as well as films such as King Kong, Star Wars and the National Lampoon franchise! This one also comes with a pre-show artist led workshop.
Barbican Cinema 2, Beech Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
Saturday 25th November 2023, 11am (workshop at 10 am)
£3.50
18 Storytelling and Crafts with Maryam Huq
Join talented illustrator Maryam Huq and Bok Bok Books publisher Rumana Yasmin as they introduce a brand-new book for babies and toddlers, Bhorta Bhorta Baby! Embark on a flavour-filled adventure with interactive storytelling, help Maryam and Rumana shop for ingredients, create a vibrant bhorta-themed artwork, and practice cooking actions altogether. Chop! Fry! Bubble!
26th November 2023 11:30 am – 12:20 pm
Discover Children’s Story Centre, 383-387 High Street, Stratford, London E15 4QZ
Free with your £9 session pass
19 Kids’ Table takes over East London Pubs
It’s roast dinner season! It’s all well and good traipsing around to places that are exciting for kids but sooner or later, you’re bound to crave something a bit more low-key with some decent adult conversation. Kids’ Table comes to the rescue for children at pubs in Hackney, Royal Docks, Mile End and Homerton, The Kids’ Table provides entertainment for kids in East London so their parents can chill.
Every Sunday 12-4 pm
Various locations
Free
20 From Myths to Manga
The Young V&A’s much anticipated first exhibition invites you to journey through Japanese design history at the Young V&A. Kids will enjoy drumming, origami and seeing their favourite shows and toys. Parents of “busy” children will enjoy the small scale and enclosed nature of the exhibition. Take in some fascinating Japanese folklore, technology, and design and discover the influences behind iconic creations like Studio Ghibli and appreciate woodblock prints from Hiroshige and Hokusai.
Young V&A, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PA
Opens Saturday 14th October 2023
£10
