Take the train to London for a half term to treasure

School holidays in the capital are incredibly well-catered for with events and exhibitions, experiences and entertainments waiting seemingly around every corner. When there are so many ways to spend your day well, it can be hard to know where to start looking, even harder to narrow down all those options and all too tempting to simply fall back on those same old things you always do. So here are five ideas to break the routine and try something a little bit different with the kids.

Take to the ice

Wrap up warm and strap on a pair of skates for the eagerly anticipated opening of the National History Museum’s enchanting ice rink this half-term (above). You will be skating with the stunning Waterhouse Building in the background and surrounded by fairy lights twinkling in the trees for a truly magical experience. Make sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

From October 25; children from £8.80, adults from £12.65; nhm.ac.uk

A duel with Death Eaters

It’s not quite Halloween yet, but that is not stopping Harry Potter fans from celebrating early at the Warner Brothers studio tour. Death Eaters are storming the bridge to Hogwarts and it’s up to you to put some newly learned wand techniques to the test and drive them back. Elsewhere, you can see the masks and costumes of these villains, as well as get your hands dirty with some delightfully disgusting buckets of troll snot, unicorn blood and dog drool.

Under-4s free, 5-15s £33, adults £41, pre-booking essential; wbstudiotour.co.uk/dark-arts

Learn how to design videogames

Avid gamers will be enthralled by the V&A’s Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt exhibition, which explores how the medium has changed since the mid-2000s when broadband, social media and smartphones sparked huge societal upheaval. Large-scale immersive installations and interactive experiences contrast with an array of original concept art and an examination of the prototyping process to conjure an engaging insight into the creative process behind a number of groundbreaking contemporary games.

Tickets £18; vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/videogames

Six Day Cycling

The world’s best track cyclists will be arriving at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for six days of high-energy competition this half-term. The series has put a lot of focus on providing a great experience for spectators - with the lights turned down low and the music turned up, there’s a real party atmosphere. Races include sprints, Madisons and time trials, and they are run in quick succession so there is never a dull moment.

From October 23-28; under-16s £7, adults from £20.40; sixday.com/london

More destinations to discover this half term

The everlasting appeal of Peanuts

Snoopy and the gang are taking pride of place at Somerset House this October during a celebration of the continuing appeal of Charles M Schulz’s original cartoons and their ability to inspire and entertain. Alongside a broad collection of his original artworks and an examination of Schulz’s life there will also be a display of work he inspired by contemporary artists, demonstrating its enduring cultural relevance.

From 25 October; under-12s free, adults £14; somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/good-grief-charlie-brown

Think the car is the cheapest option for a family day out or getaway? Think again. With the LNER Family Return ticket, up to two adults and four children can travel for one great fixed price, starting from just £59*. Leave the car at home and hop onboard an LNER train for a hassle-free trip. With savings of up to £315** for families, why wouldn’t you get the train? Book your Family Return now

*Ticket must be booked at least 7 days in advance.
**Based on a weighted average of all Advance journeys sold on routes offering the LNER Family Return ticket.

For more great half term ideas, click here