A free half-term story adventure in London — with a few booking catches to know

24th October 2026

Half-term planning can start with a promising word — free — and end with a surprisingly complicated booking basket. Imperial War Museum London’s Big Story Festival offers a useful alternative: a programme with free creative activities alongside optional paid sessions, so families can decide how much structure, and spending, they want before leaving home.

The festival takes place on Sunday 25 and Monday 26 October 2026. It is a chance to make stories as well as hear them, with activities connected to the museum’s Childhood in War exhibition. The important distinction is between entering the museum, joining its free activities and reserving a place at a particular workshop. They are not interchangeable.

AI illustration of wooden-spoon puppets on an open storybook with a miniature paper theatre — Illustration created with AI for Energy Radio; not a photograph of the festival or its activities.

Start with the free activities

For a relaxed starting point, the free Family Hub runs from 10am to 5pm on both days, with storyboards and wooden-spoon puppets. The BIG STORY Wall runs from 10am to 4pm for ages five and over. Illustrator Will Hughes also leads free drawing sessions for children aged eight and over.

Tom Carradine’s family singalong is free, but space is limited: collect a wristband from Admissions on arrival. That is the detail to check first if music is the main attraction for your family. Free admission does not guarantee a seat in a limited-capacity session.

A flexible visit could begin with one activity everyone is keen to try, followed by time to explore rather than a packed list of appointments. Let children choose whether they would rather draw, make a puppet or listen. The benefit of a festival spread through a museum is the opportunity to change pace when attention starts to wander.

A Cinderella workshop, rather than a stage show

Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures is offering paid Cinderella movement workshops, combining a visit to the Second World War Galleries with creative dance. The company describes warm-ups, games and choreography for a range of abilities and mobilities. This is participation rather than a ticket to watch the full stage production.

The workshops cost £10. The published programme includes all-ages family sessions and separate sessions aimed at older children and teenagers. Under-14s must be accompanied by a ticketed adult aged 16 or over, so calculate the cost for the whole participating group. Check the exact session and booking details before paying; the age guidance matters as much as the start time.

For families who prefer movement to sitting still, that combination of gallery exploration and dance may be a better fit than an author talk. Equally, there is no need to book a paid activity simply to make the day feel complete. Choose the format that suits the children coming with you, rather than the most familiar name on the programme.

Check bookings before travelling

One prominent name already has a booking catch: Jacqueline Wilson’s Monday event is listed as sold out. Do not travel assuming tickets will be available on the door. Other ticketed sessions and bookshop appearances have their own arrangements; consult the current festival programme rather than treating a social-media headline as a booking confirmation.

IWM London is on Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ. General admission is free and the museum normally opens daily from 10am to 6pm. Its Childhood in War exhibition continues until 28 February 2027 and is recommended for families with children aged eight and over, although younger visitors are welcome.

The subject matter is different from a conventional children’s entertainment festival. Before the visit, explain that some stories concern children living through war and let your child’s questions guide the conversation. You can keep the visit short, take breaks and concentrate on the activities that feel appropriate for your family. There is no requirement to see every gallery in one outing.

Our practical suggestion is to save the official programme on your phone, pick one priority and one flexible alternative, and check any ticket or wristband requirement before joining a queue. A little preparation leaves more room for the enjoyable part: discovering what happens when children take charge of the story.