Looking for family fun this Easter? We've rounded up some of the biggest attractions and top events taking place across the Easter school holidays in South Bank.

EASTER DINING

Kids eat for free at Skylon

Easter weekend means it’s family time at the glam Skylon restaurant at Southbank Centre. From Fri 7 April to Mon 10 April Skylon is inviting kids to eat for free! For any adult main course ordered, one of your kids can eat for free from the children’s menu. Making things event more festive there's also a live saxophonist playing during brunch on Sat 8 April.

Kids eat for free at Brasserie Blanc

Hop on down to Brasserie Blanc with the family and the kids during the Easter school holidays and kids can enjoy delicious free dishes from the special children's menu. For each adult who orders two courses (including one main course), they will also receive a two course kids meal for free. The offer is available through the school holidays until 6pm. 

Book for a Sunday roast with all the family

If there's one thing that truly hits the spot on Easter Sunday, then its a classic British roast Sunday lunch with all the trimmings! Whether you favour beef, chicken or an inventive veggie option, South Bank has plenty of choice when it comes to Sunday roasts. Read our guide to where to book for Sunday lunch in South Bank here.

Enjoy a bottomless bubbly brunch

What better way to kick off a long weekend in South Bank than with a relaxed brunch feast! Whether you're in the mood for bottomless prosecco, a bountiful brunch buffet, filling shakshuka or an endless procession of dim sum there is no shortage of places to book for a brilliant Easter weekend brunch. See our guide to where to enjoy brunch in South Bank here. 

FAMILY-FRIENDLY EXPERIENCES

WILDLIFE: Shark Week at SEA LIFE London Aquarium

Sat 1 April – Sun 16 April. SEA LIFE London Aquarium
Discover the different species of sharks which call the aquarium home and become a shark expert through a range of interactive activities focusing on myth-busting, conservation, fun facts and more. There are opportunities to learn about and meet a variety of sharks at the aquarium’s impressive shark tanks, as well as a chance to learn more about the challenges faced by sharks in the wild and what humans can do to protect their habitats. 

ON THE BIG SCREEN: The Super Mario Bros Movie

Showing from 5 – 13 April at BFI IMAX
The highly anticipated animated film based on the hit video game franchise hits cinemas this month. Mario fans can watch all the Mario fun on the biggest screen in the UK at the epic BFI IMAX. Join Mario and Princess Peach on a journey through the Mushroom Kingdom as they embark on a quest to save Luigi from the dastardly Bowser.

FAIRYTALE FUN: Puss in Boots at Shrek's Adventure!

Sat 1 April – Sun 16 April at Shrek's Aventure! London
Puss in Boots and his fur-midable feline friend Kitty Softpaws are the purr-fect additions to Shrek’s Adventure! London this Easter school holidays. Youngsters can also join in a fun new interactive trail by picking up an activity sheet and collecting stamps, before dancing and having their picture taken with either Puss or Kitty and their compadres. The Puss or Kitty meet and greets are included in the standard Shrek's Adventure ticket price.

GAMES: Rainy day games at Draughts

The weather can't always be guaranteed to be dry during the Easter holidays, which is why it's always a good idea to have a rainy day idea up your sleeve! Draughts Waterloo in the Leake Street graffiti tunnel (itself a cool sightseeing spot) is the ultimate board game cafe boasting over 1,000 board and table games from the classic to the obscure. It costs £7 per person to come in and play and you get a three-hour allowance. Kids under 12 play for free and teens aged 13-17 play for half price. Kids must be accompanied by an adult and no under 18s are allowed after 9pm. Advanced booking is strongly recommended!

THEATRE: Bossy

Fri 7 Apr, 11.30am and 2.45pm. Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. Tickets £12, kids £9
Follow Beth’s quest to find out who she really is and what she stands for in this family show by Zoo Co celebrating Black culture, with a kick-ass Caribbean soundtrack. On a hunt to find a role model she can call her own, she finds herself bopping with pop stars and mingling with mermaids. But Beth soon realises that what’s really important might be found in her roots a little closer to home...

THEATRE: Marty and the Party

Fri 7 Apr at 11am and 2.30pm, Sat 8 Apr at 10.30am, 1pm and 3.30pm. Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. Tickets £12, kids £9
Milk Presents and Derby Theatre deliver an utterly adorbale and cheeky story for little ones and their grown-ups about fun, friendship and finding your groove. Marty is heading to the best party there has ever been in the history of ever and everyone's invited along to join in the fun. This show is the perfect introduction to theatre for toddlers.

SING-A-LONG: Groove Baby Presents Groove Sensation

Sat 8 Apr, 11am and 2.30pm. Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. Tickets £12, kids £9
With funk, jazz and electronic soundscapes, Groove Baby is a sensational sensory voyage created for under-5s and their grown-ups. Adding to the experience, the Groove Baby trio incorporates specially created animations and interaction into their eclectic set to bring together an auditory, visual and interactive feast! Singing, dancing and playing along are all welcome.

INTERACTIVE: Pedal Power Disco

Sat 8 Apr at 12 noon, Riverside Terrace, Southbank Centre. Free
Put the pedal to the metal as you cycle to power the party. The disco can’t go on without you! Happening at the Riverside Terrace, the entire disco is powered by bicycles. There are no batteries, so when the pedalling stops, the music stops. Great fun for small kids and teams, it's a fun and energetic family activity.

STAY OVER: South Bank Sleepover with the kids at Sea Containers

Running from 1 – 16 April the luxurious Sea Containers hotel has an extra special holiday offering for families. Families can take advantage of 15% off the best available rate and a host of fun complimentary extras including super cute 'Paint Me' biscuits for the kids. Most delightful and sure to make the holiday special is The Sea Containers London Explorers Passport. The passport-sized booklet leads kids on a fun-filled adventure discovering iconic spaces across South Bank, and includes a scavenger hunt for the kids to complete. Once they've filled the passport with stamps, they'll receive a special treat from the hotel! Find out more about the Easter promotion and book here.

SIGHTSEEING AND CULTURAL EVENTS

SIGHTSEEING: London Eye + River Cruise

For the ultimate sightseeing experience this Easter, book a combination ticket to take a ride on the iconic London Eye, followed by a guided boat trip along the Thames. The combination ticket presents great value and if you are trying to pack in lots of sightseeing in a short space of time, both experiences are a winner! By booking online in advance you can also save £10 on the price of buying your tickets on the day in person.

THEATRE: Witness for the Prosecution

Showing at County Hall. Performances Tue–Sun, matinee shows on Tue, Sat, Sun
A super atmospheric theatre experience, London County Hall invites you to jury service in this gripping and intense adaptation of the classic Agatha Christie play. Set inside the former debating chamber of the Greater London Council at County Hall, you couldn't pick a more memorable setting for a courtroom whodunnit drama about justice, passion, and betrayal. Suitable for children aged 10 and over with parental guidance.

IMMERSIVE: The London Dungeon

The London Dungeon is one of the capital’s signature attractions, delighting audiences for almost 40 years. Located at County Hall next to the London Eye, the Dungeon brings together an amazing cast of theatrical actors, special effects, immersive 360 sets, and thrilling rides in a totally interactive walk-through experience that you see, hear, touch, smell and feel. On your immersive journey through the city's gruesome past you'll experience 14 live shows, two underground rides and finish up with a themed drink at the Victorian Tavern. Suitable for teens (and those with a strong tolerance for gruesome stories!).

MUSEUM: The Florence Nightingale Museum

Visit the Florence Nightingale Museum to celebrate the life of this trailblazing woman. Discover all about her affluent childhood, how she fought against her parents’ wishes to become a nurse, her work during the Crimean War and how she campaigned for better healthcare for ordinary people. For kids there's various supplementary material to make your visit even more interactive including a Family Trail and STEM trail activity sheets and the opportunity to dress up as a nurse in the Family Corner. Look out for the free “Lady with the Lamp” 30-minute performance, every Saturday at 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm.

MUSEUM: The Garden Museum

The Garden Museum celebrates British gardens and gardening. The museum is a very family-friendly place with plenty of interactive displays and activities for kids. In addition to the permanent exhibits and a fantastic temporary exhibition featuring the work of mid-20th Century British artists, the museum boasts an excellent restaurant and a medieval tower which you can climb to the top of (there are 131 steps) and enjoy the views of central London. 

THEATRE: Dancing at Lughnasa

Opening on 6 April at National Theatre, Dancing at Lughansa is an Olivier Award-winning play written by the Irish dramatist Brian Friel.  An astonishing evocation of a family’s world on the brink of change, the play is set at harvest time in 1936 outside the village of Ballybeg, County Donegal, during the Festival of Lughnasa.

ART: Mike Nelson at Hayward Gallery

Utterly transforming the entire Hayward Gallery space, Extinction Beckons is an impressive survey of the work of the internationally acclaimed British artist Mike Nelson. Featuring sculptural works and new versions of the artist’s key, large-scale, psychologically charged and atmospheric installations, the exhibition takes the viewer on enthralling journeys into fictional worlds that eerily echo our own. The exhibition is open Wed – Sun and is on show until 7 May.

STREET ART: Join a graffiti workshop

As part of his year-long residency at Leake Street, 2023 artist-in-residence Marc Craig (aka Max The Virus) leads a series of hands-on graffiti workshops at London's famous graffiti tunnel. Book your place (overalls, masks, gloves and spray cans are provided) and spend the afternoon learning how to bring your own murals to life. The two-hour workshop also includes a brief tour of the famous tunnel and the chance to make an artwork that you can take home. Open to all ages above 8. Workshops on Thu, Fri, Sat and Sun –booking is essential.