The more you put in, the more you get out. It's an old saying but it rings true – at work, at home, with the family. Whether you're trying to squeeze in a family day out between dentist appointments and a day at the office or you just want to make your day trip budget go further, we've put together lots of ideas for things to do, whatever the weather. From adding something extra to your day in the park to finding somewhere for lunch that also has a play area for the kids to let off some steam, you can squeeze more in to the school holiday – have a look at the list below and give it a try.
Make getting there half the fun. Artist Mark Wallinger has designed strange puzzles to be discovered and solved at most of the tube stations across London. Go to the website and find out if the stations you're using have a surprise you can challenge the kids with.
If you're going to see the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, the kids can borrow an Explorer Backpack free of charge from the information desk. Complete with a gallery guide, safari hat and binoculars, it helps the little ones get in the mood!
The National Army Museum in Chelsea is a fascinating free museum that includes soft play for babies, dressing-up costumes and lots of other activities to keep under-eights busy, without you spending a single penny.
SeaLife London Aquarium unveils a fabulous new exhibit this half term, called Claws, featuring massive crabs and other crustaceans. There are talks and feeding displays every day, but one of the most spectacular sessions is the piranha feeding frenzy. It only happens at 12.30pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so make sure you time your visit to catch them at it.
Every Saturday and Sunday, and daily in school holidays, kids' morning cinema at the Vue Westfield London costs just £1.75 per ticket and £3 for 3D movies.
The Science Museum is one of London's best family treasures and it's free to visit, but you can also book ahead to enjoy some brilliant extras for a small charge. In the Fly 360° flight simulator, for example, you can feel what it's like to be in control of a Red Arrows jet. It's £12 per capsule for two people (adults or children aged nine or over), but there's a brilliant Fly Kids session too, for just £2 per child.
Tate Modern is free to visit all year, but at weekends and in school holidays the Open Studio organises free craft and art sessions for families that are just drop-in – no need to book.
If you want to take a bus tour of London, why not do something different that will especially suit kids into gory and ghoulish tales. The London Ghost Bus Tours run daily at 7.30pm and 9pm departing just off Trafalgar Square. The Ghost Bus Tours is a theatrical sightseeing tour around the darker side of London on a classic 1960s Routemaster bus. Onboard actors and technical trickery create a hilarious comedy horror show the kids will never forget.
Even the smallest members of the family can enjoy the theatre. Enjoy our picks of the theatre, shows and performances will suit the very little ones, the nearly big ones, and the grown-ups too.
Want to sleep with dinosaurs? Bed down under an Elizabethan cannon? Or wake up beside the mummies? Time Out rounds up the top attractions that will let your kids bed down for the night. Call venues to find out dates of upcoming sleepovers.
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