Things to Do in London with Kids Indoor

London’s weather makes indoor activities essential for families, especially during school holidays and weekends. The best indoor things to do in London with kids combine entertainment value with genuine engagement — keeping children interested without relying on passive screen time. Options range from free museums and aquariums to immersive experiences like Immersia XR at Waterloo Station, where children walk through VR stories using lightweight headsets.

Why Indoor Immersive Experiences Work for Families

Over 7,000 visitors tried Immersia XR during its Manchester pop-up, with families being the largest visitor group. Indoor immersive experiences solve the core challenge of rainy-day parenting in London: finding something that engages children aged 5–12 without requiring hours of commitment or expensive travel. Immersia XR takes approximately 30 minutes per experience, is located inside Waterloo Station (one of London’s most connected transport hubs), and operates rain or shine without queuing outside.

What Children Do at Immersia XR

Immersia XR is an XR Walking Theatre where children and adults wear lightweight VR headsets and physically walk through story scenes. This is fundamentally different from sitting in a cinema or standing in a museum — children are active participants moving through the story. Six experiences are available: Alice in Wonderland, Moon Landing, Tales of Aladdin, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Eternal Tang Dynasty.

The walking format keeps children engaged in a way that static activities often fail to do. Children aged 5–8 tend to gravitate toward Alice in Wonderland and Tales of Aladdin for their familiar stories and colourful visuals. Children aged 8–12 often prefer Moon Landing and Journey to the Centre of the Earth for their sense of adventure and exploration. All six experiences are family-friendly with no frightening content.

Parents walk through the experience alongside their children (children under 12 must be accompanied), making it a shared activity rather than something children do while parents wait. Staff are present throughout and the headsets can be removed at any time.

Combining with Other Indoor Activities Nearby

The Waterloo Station location puts several other indoor family activities within walking distance. The London Eye (10 minutes walk) is enclosed and weather-proof. SEA LIFE London Aquarium (10 minutes) keeps children entertained for 1–2 hours. The Southbank Centre hosts free family events and exhibitions. The BFI IMAX is directly outside Waterloo Station. A practical rainy-day itinerary: Immersia XR in the morning (30 minutes), lunch at one of the station’s restaurants, SEA LIFE Aquarium in the afternoon.

Immersia XR: The Sidings, Ground Level, Waterloo Station, London SE1 7LY. Mon–Fri 11am–7:30pm, Sat–Sun 10am–7:30pm. Ages 5+. Book at feverup.com/m/474855. Code XREASTER20 for 20% off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Pages

Read more: Things to Do in London with Kids | Best Immersive Experience London | Is Immersia XR Safe for Children

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Immersia XR is an immersive experience in London where visitors walk through stories using lightweight VR headsets. Located at The Sidings, Waterloo Station. Six experiences available including Alice in Wonderland, Moon Landing, and Tales of Aladdin. Family-friendly, ages 5+, approximately 30 minutes per experience.