The monthly round-up is in with 20 events for your kids in East London to inspire, surprise and freak them out! ‘Tis the season. October is always a great month, with Fun Palaces, Black History Month, Halloween, Diwali and Half term, there are so many things to do.
Sign up to get inspiration like this straight to your inbox.
1 Fun Palace at Half Moon Theatre
The Half Moon Theatre invites you to another Fun Palace this October. Fun Palaces are an annual celebration of creativity and curiosity that pop up all over the country and the Half Moon Theatre puts on an exceptionally good one. It’s a free family fun day featuring pop-up storytelling performances, music and movement workshops, plus art and craft activities for everyone to get involved with.
Saturday 4th October 2025 10 am – 4 pm
Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 43 White Horse Rd, Greater, London E1 0ND
FREE
2 Discover Sundays
Embark on a weekend adventure in Greenwich at the Maritime Museum with Discover Sundays. Led by an artist facilitator who will introduce you to objects, people, histories and cultures represented within the Museum’s collection, this is a free drop in event. Don’t forget to book your time at the Ahoy! play space and make time for their newish Cove outdoor playground.
Every Sunday
National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF
Activity and Museum entrance are FREE (Ahoy is £3)
3 Hoxton Fun Palace
Join the fun in Hoxton as the Hackney Playbus, Brainfools Balloon Workshop, Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, Hoxton Hall and many more collaborate to bring families a day of creativity and performance. Get stuck into some badge making making, dance performances, circus skills, storytelling.
Saturday 4th October 2025 11am – 4 pm
Mutiple destinations in Hoxton
Free
4 St Margarets House Fun Palace
Fun Palace events are all about keeping it local and nurturing the creativity and curiosity of kids in your community. This one in Bethnal Green and families are invited to join in crafting, comedy and circus workshops. All activities are designed for children and their parents/carers to enjoy together.
Saturday 4th October 2025, 11 am – 4 pm
St Margarets House, 21 Old Ford Road, London, E2 9PL
Free
5 First Sundays Lesson
Bring the kids to the 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 and travel back in time with this 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. 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!
6 Minecraft Experience
Get them off their screens by immersing them in the interactive world of one of their favourite games – does that work? Regardless, they will have a blast engaging with the world around them by breaking blocks, damaging hostile mobs, collecting resources, and more. You’ll get a handheld orb that vibrates, lights up, and changes colour depending on the action and context, to guide you and further immerse you in the vibrant Minecraft world.
Thursdays until Mondays (Open all week during half term) various times
Maritime Street, Canada Water, London, SE16 7LL
Family bundle max 2 adults 4+ from £23 pp, £21.50 kids, £27 adults
7 New Scientist Live
A festival of ideas and discoveries promising to release the wonders of science and enthrall all ages is coming to ExCel. Unleash your inner scientist and get interactive with everything from programming a real life quantum computer to hunting for dark matter, this is an event that will blast you into the future of possibility. Explore the future of farming and what harnessing fusion energy could one day bring to the world. The day will feature world-leading speakers and academics such as physicists, chemists, geo-scientists and space experts presenting across 4 stages (Universe, Mind & Body, Our Planet & Future) along with a show-floor with 80+ exhibitors.
Saturday 18th – Sunday 19th October 2025 10 am – 5 pm
ExCel Centre, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL
Adults £45, Kids £18
8 Drums Around the World: West African
SuperNova invites you to Poplar Union for a series of inclusive West African Drumming workshops. Running every Saturday throughout October and November, these sessions are a welcoming space for all, regardless of age, background, or ability. Explore the vibrant rhythms of West African music with family sessions perfect for children aged 5-11 years old
Saturdays in October and November 12pm–1.30pm
Poplar Union, 2 Cotall St, Poplar, London E14 6TL
Free but please prebook
9 October at Discover Children’s Story Centre
The Discover Children’s Story Centre has so much going on for children this October, from Campfire adventures to film screenings and brilliant celebrations of black culture and author visits throughout half term. There’s loads of monstrous fun for Halloween and a Diwali event too! Book a visit to Monster Funfair story world for an immersive experience they’ll love.
Various dates in October.
Discover Children’s Story Centre, 383-387 High Street, Stratford, London E15 4QZ
From Adults and Children 2yr + £11, <1yr £5.50 with concessions for Newham residents
10 Anansi The Spider
Long ago, animals walked on two legs and spoke like humans. Among them, none was cleverer than Anansi the spider — legendary trickster and master storyteller. Known across West African and Caribbean traditions, Anansi always found ways to outwit larger foes, though sometimes his cleverness led him astray. These timeless tales, rich with mischief, wit, and wisdom, continue to delight audiences young and old. Following a sold-out 2023 run, Unicorn Associate Director Robin Belfield now brings Anansi’s adventures back to the stage, weaving humor, tradition, and vibrant storytelling into a theatrical celebration of the spider’s enduring legacy.
3rd October to 16th November 2025, Various times
Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2HZ
Tickets from £8.50-£12.50
11 Festival of the Girl
This year’s festival invites girls to imagine their place in the future with techy activity stalls like coding and engineering, CGI, stop motion and fashion stalls to express creativity, and little activists will love the political and advocacy stalls. They can experience some exhilerating workshops with AI imagination and Swordfighting workshops along with lots of activities to boost self confidence. Aiming to bring inspiring people and organisations to engage, educate and empower girls through hands-on experiences, talks and interactive sessions.
Saturday 18th -19th October 2025 Saturday 10:30 – 1:30 SEND session
Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH
Tickets: children under 4 free, 5-16 £18.20, Adults Free or £13 depending on timing, £62.40 family ticket
12 Halloween Bounce House
Head to Walthamstow for an exciting treat for the kids this Halloween! The popular House of Bounce event returns with a spooky twist and an Event Space packed with massive inflatables, including a giant inflatable assault course! Each session lasts an hour, and there are special sessions for toddlers. Early booking is a must, as this event always sells out.
27th – 31st October 2025 sessions bookable from 10 am
Big Penny Social, London, E17 6AL
£7 (adults and babies under 6 months free)
13 We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
We’re off on a bear hunt. Come join the fun. Through noisy city streets and canals we’ll run, down winding streets with graffiti murals and cafes we’ll go, as we head into the hustle and bustle, the beeping and screeching and into the cosy cave of The Little Angel Theatre where a delightful performance of Michael Rosen’s modern classic: Were’ Going on a Bear Hunt
awaits. This 45-minute puppet show is perfect for children aged 3-8
Thursday 2nd October to 8th November, 2025
Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, London N1 2DN
£15 Adult £13 Children – £10 tickets on Fridays 4:45 PM
14 Visit the David Bowie Centre
Introduce your children to the iconic David Bowie before they have other ideas about what is cool and sing things like “Yum Yum Breakfast Burrito” and Italian Brainrot to you on repeat. Explore the brand new David Bowie Centre at V&A East Storehouse, a dazzling new archive celebrating Bowie’s life and imagination. Wander through displays of his iconic costumes, musical instruments, handwritten lyrics, photographs and props. Peek into Bowie’s unrealised ideas from abandoned film projects to curious artworks. Special guest-curated sections by Nile Rodgers and The Last Dinner Party bring fresh perspectives and surprises. Interactive, inspiring, and full of storytelling, it’s an unforgettable journey through musical history for all ages.
Daily 10 am – 6 pm sign up for ticket release
The V&A East Storehouse, 2 Parkes Street, London E20 3AX
15 Halloween Festival at Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park
Dress up in your best costume and explore this devilishly decorated farm. Enjoy spooky shows, a Day of the Dead disco, spell-casting classes, haunted walk-throughs, pumpkin picking, adventure play, a giant bouncy pillow, and so much more. It’s a Halloween experience packed with thrills for the whole family with some creepy critters to visit and some very cute ones too.
18th, 19th and 25th-31st October 2025
Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park, Stubbins Hall Ln, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2EF
Tickets £4-15.99
16 Spooky Science & STEM Pod Experience
Celebrate Halloween with an interactive science workshop! Uncover the secrets of monster teeth, bring Frankenstein’s monster to life, and explore why blood is a weird fluid. Then step into the STEM Pod! This incredible interactive science exhibition is suspended above live laboratories with immersive projections, fun games, and fascinating objects.
October (various dates and times) — sessions last 3 hours (including break)
Centre of the Cell, Blizard Institute, 4 Newark Street, Whitechapel, London E1 2AT
Tickets: Under-3s: Free, Adult: £10, Concession & Child: £7.50
17 Egypt Storytelling Half Term sessions
Last chance to see the Making Egypt exhibition at the Young V&A, this magical storytelling session set in ancient Egypt is sure to bring the exhibition to life. Each 20-minute session invites families to travel through pyramids, uncover legends, and meet captivating characters of the Nile. Expect vivid narration, props, and surprises to make history feel present. A welcoming, imaginative escape during half-term, perfect for curious young minds, aimed at children ages 5+. There will be family workshops for creative fun to make your visit all the more memorable.
Wednesday 29th & Thursday 30th October 2025 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm & 3:30 pm
Young V&A, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 9PA
Free (booking required)
18 Visit The Clink
Step into the eerie atmosphere of one of the UK’s oldest prisons and learn about its dark history. With a rich and gruesome history that spans over 600 years, The Clink witnessed an incredible amount of social and political upheaval during it’s time. Kids can explore interactive exhibits and uncover the raucous, unruly and wicked inhabitants of the prison, ranging from debtors, harlots, heretics, drunkards and religious adversaries. A great educational day out, full of horrible histories and terrible tales of crimes and famed prisoners; see archaeological artefacts and handle old-style torture devices that would have been used to torment and punish.
Daily
The Clink Prison Museum, 1 Clink St, London SE1 9DG
Adults £8.80 Kids £6.60
19 Fireworks & Drone Festival – Halloween Spooktacular
Alexandra Palace’s sky will ignite in a Halloween-themed fireworks and drone spectacular, with live music, ghost tours, a funfair, ice disco, food stalls, and a spooky dress competition to keep families thrilled all evening.
Friday 31st October & Saturday 1st November 2025 starts 6 pm (Friday) / 4 pm (Saturday) – 10:30 pm
Fireworks & drone start: 9 pm (Friday) / 8 pm (Saturday)
Alexandra Palace Park, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY
Tickets from £14
20 Bow Families: making wearable body parts and creating surrealist exquisite corpses with Nicola McEvoy
Join transdisciplinary artist Nicola McEvoy for a playful family workshop to bring Frankenstein-style creations to life. Using recycled fabrics, cardboard, foam and collage, families will make wearable body parts and assemble surreal “exquisite corpses.” The session includes live video capture and mixing so participants can perform as their own glitchy, bizarre bodies in a shared digital space.
Sunday 26th October 2025, 11 am – 1 pm
Bow Arts Trust Courtyard Room, 183 Bow Road, London E3 2SJ
Free (drop-in, all materials provided)