We’ve got your Christmas in East London all wrapped up with this round-up of 24 fun and festive things to do with the kids.
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1 Ice Skating Canary Wharf
Season 2025/26 (covered rink)
Canada Square Park, Upper Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB
Tickets: from ~£12 children / £18 adults (check site for exact pricing and time-slots)
Set beneath a transparent roof in the heart of Canary Wharf, this 875 m² luxury ice rink offers year-round shelter from the weather, a giant mirror ball, twinkling fairy lights and a premium skating experience for all ages. Enjoy an Apres skate hot cocoa or festive drinks in the ringside chalet.
2 A Christmas Carol
Wednesday 12 November 2025 – Saturday 10 January 2026
The Old Vic Theatre, 103 The Cut, London SE1 8NB
Tickets: £15–£95. Premium tickets available. A £2.50 transaction fee applies
An incredibly festive event sure to get you feeling the spirit of Christmas. Join this atmospheric, in-the-round staging of Dickens’ festive classic, adapted by Jack Thorne and directed by Matthew Warchus, and experience a heart-warming tale of kindness, ghosts and redemption suitable for ages 8+.
3 Christmas at the Tower of London
Friday 28 November 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026 (closed 24–26 December & 1 January)
London EC3N 4AB
Tickets: Adults from £35.80 | Children (5-15) from £17.90
Concessions: Residents of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets can visit for just £1 (adult ticket + up to three children) with proof of address/ID.
Step into a story-book festive adventure inside the Tower of London, with shimmering decorations, themed displays inspired by royal legends and the menagerie of beasts once held within its walls, plus photo-moments, backdrops and holiday music for the whole family to enjoy.
4 The Polar Express: Sensory Storytelling
From Sunday 24 November 2025 (various times)
Discover Children’s Story Centre, 383–387 High Street, Stratford, London E15 4QZ
Tickets (in addition to Discover entry): Children £10 (includes gift) | Adults & under 1s £5
Snuggle up for a festive storytelling adventure aboard The Polar Express. Follow one child’s magical journey to the North Pole and the moment they receive a very special sleigh bell, one that only true believers can hear. A cosy, sensory experience filled with Christmas sparkle and a special gift for every child. Booking recommended.
5 Queen’s House Ice Rink
Friday 21 November 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026, 10 am–9 pm
Queen’s House, Romney Road, Greenwich, London SE10 9NF
Tickets: Off-peak Adults £16 | Children (3–15) £10 | Peak Adults £18 | Children £12
Glide across the stunning open-air rink set against the backdrop of the historic Queen’s House in Greenwich. With sweeping views of the Thames and Canary Wharf, one of London’s most scenic skating spots has returned!
6 Victorian Santa’s Grotto at Museum of London Docklands
21 November – 23 December 2025
No 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL
Tickets: From approx. £3.50 per adult or child (children above nine months) for the grotto session. Adults accompanying children don’t need a separate ticket.
Step into a festive, Victorian-style grotto in the Docklands where children meet Santa in a Dickens-inspired setting, receive a thoughtful gift made of traditional materials, and you can snap your own photo too. Quiet sessions available early morning for children with extra sensory needs.
7 Mama Goose
Friday 21 November 2025 – Saturday 3 January 2026
Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, London E15 1BN
Tickets: £10–£39.50
Christmas in East London just isn’t complete without the Stratford Panto! Join local-lass Mama Goose and her magical golden-egg-laying goose in this festive re-imagining of the classic fairy tale with a bold East London twist. Expect a high-energy panto packed with humour, songs, and vibrant characters.
8 Santa’s Puppet Workshop
Friday 29 November – Wednesday 24 December 2025
Little Angel Workshop, 41 Cross Street, London N1 2BB
Tickets: £20 Adult | £30 Child (ages 1–17)
Step into the festive world of puppetry at this 40-minute family experience. Meet Santa himself and capture that memorable moment, join one of his busy elves in a craft-making activity, enjoy a magical screening of The Night Before Christmas, hop into Santa’s sleigh for a photo, and take home a surprise Christmas gift. Suitable for children of all ages (younger children will need adult support for the puppet-making activity).
9 Scrunch
Sunday 30 November 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2025
Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street, London SE1 2HZ
Tickets: 1 adult + 1 child £18.50–£21.50 | 2 adults + 1 child £25.50–£28.50
Snuggle up for a magical, multi-sensory festive show created especially for babies (6-18 months) where it’s not about the presents — it’s about the crumpling, rumpling and scrunch of the wrapping paper! At the end the little audience get to play and dance together in the space for a full immersive experience.
10 Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People (Family Matinee)
Saturday 20 December 2025, 11:30 am (doors 11:00 am)
Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG
Tickets £11.50–£23.00 (plus fees) — under-30s tickets from £10.00.
Best for children ages 10+, Join the festive edition of the celebrated variety-night Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People, curated by Robin Ince. Expect a lively mix of science, comedy, music and surprise guests covering themes from astronomy to art, robotics to ragtime.
11 Ebony Scrooge
Wednesday 26 November 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026, various times
Sadler’s Wells East, Stratford, London E15 1BX
Tickets from £15 (plus £4 transaction fee).
Experience ZooNation’s bold re-imagining of A Christmas Carol: join Ebony, a powerhouse fashion mogul who’s cancelled Christmas for her big show, as she’s visited by three mystical spirits and rediscovers her Caribbean roots and the true meaning of happiness.Win a family ticket!
12 Wundrful World of Christmas
Friday 8 November 2025 – Tuesday 24 December 2025, various times
Wundr, Units 219-221 Borough Yards, Clink Street, London SE1
Tickets from £17.50 per person (prices vary by session)
The Wundrful World of Christmas invites little ones ages 3-8 to embark on an immersive festive journey. You’ll begin in a magic lift, then wander through an Enchanted Forest until you get to the Toy Sorting Station, where you’ll become a trainee elf. You’ll get to meet Mrs Claus in her kitchen and visit Santa’s Cottage, finishing at the North Pole Post Office for your photo with Santa. The word on the street is that Santa’s pressie is quite anticlimactic, though we’ve not been to review ourselves.
13 The Elmer Adventure
Saturday 20 December 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026, various times
Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE
Tickets from £14 (child) / £18 (adult). Win a Family Ticket!
Join Tall Stories for The Elmer Adventure, a joyful, musical adaptation of David McKee’s much-loved Elmer books. Three adventurers transform their jungle campsite into a festive storytelling world as classic Elmer tales burst into life with songs, puppetry and playful surprises. A colourful celebration of difference and togetherness for families with children aged 3+.
14 Revel Puck
Thursday 4 December 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026, various times
Revel Puck Circus Winter Festival at Walthamstow Town Square, Walthamstow, London E17 4JF
Free to enter the festival site; tickets for shows start from around £10.
Revel Puck has not just one but two original circus productions this festive season: The Ugly Duckling: A Circus Story, for ages 2–7, celebrating difference with acrobatics and Fête du Puck, an all-ages foot-stamping circus celebration of past, present & future. All happening under a heated, all-weather “mini big top” tent venue behind Walthamstow Central station, plus a pop-up tap room, heated garden and festive market of local food & drink.
15 Stella’s Imaginarium
Saturday 13 December 2025 & Sunday 14 December 2025, 11:00 am & 2:30 pm
Hoxton Hall, 130 Hoxton Street, London N1 6SH
Tickets from £15.50 (child) / £19.50 (adult) (+ booking fee).
Dive into Stella’s Imaginarium, a magical new family circus show by Brainfools where a young girl named Stella enters a fantastical realm full of aerial acrobatics, shadow-dances and a celebration of creativity and connection just in time for the holidays.
16 Potted Panto
Wednesday 3 December 2025 – Saturday 3 January 2026, various times
Wilton’s Music Hall, Graces Alley, London E1 8JB
Tickets priced from £16 – £35 for adults; £14 – £32.50 for concessions.
Join this high-energy, 80-minute festive show that zips through seven classic pantomimes in one wild ride. From rubbing Aladdin’s lamp to skipping through Dick Whittington’s London, seen through the hilarious lens of a dastardly double act.
Brilliant fun for all ages, looking for a fun panto alternative in the beautiful space of Wilton’s Music Hall, the heart of the East End.
17 Backyard Cinema
Sunday 30 November 2025, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Backyard Cinema London Bridge, 49 Tanner Street, London SE1 3PL
Tickets from ~ £18 adult / £14 child for matinees (12pm, 2pm & 4pm); evening shows are adult price only.
Part cinema, part immersive experience. Step into a roaming winter wonderland through an Enchanted Forest filled with surprise performances, festive bars and treats, culminating in a family-friendly festive film in immersive surroundings. Featuring Christmas favourites like How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf and Home Alone.
18 Mrs H and The Sing Along Band Christmas Launch
Saturday 22 November 2025, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Big Penny Social, 1 Priestley Way, London E17 6AL
Tickets £6 per person – everyone aged 6 months and up requires a ticket.
Join the festive sing-along with Mrs H and the Sing‑along Band where children and grown-ups alike can belt out songs, dance together and kick off the Christmas season in a fun, interactive setting. After the show the venue transforms into a festive party paradise with a tree market and curling lanes in the garden marquee.
19 Cut A Shine Festive Family Barn Dance
Saturday 13 December 2025, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
The Round Chapel (1D Glenarm Road, London E5 0LY)
Tickets from £6.50 per person (under-1s free).
Get into the festive spirit with the team from Cut A Shine at this lively family barn-dance: perfect for all ages, beginners and enthusiasts alike, with two sets of dances (the first set easier for younger ones) followed by a kids’ disco finish. The venue offers lunch, a fully-stocked bar, baby-change and soft-play areas for the little ones.
20 Cinderella
Saturday 22 November 2025 – Wednesday 31 December 2025, various times
Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street, London E8 1EJ
Tickets from £10 up to £46 (plus online/phone booking fees) — age guidance: all ages welcome, children 3 and under may sit on an adult’s lap, children 4+ require their own ticket.
Enjoy a lively festive panto of Cinderella featuring magic, glass slippers, a fairy godmother, the wicked stepmother and a double dose of audience participation in this fun-filled seasonal show.