Michael Kors Opens in Covent Garden, 25 Oct
Award-winning American designer Michael Kors is opening a shop on James Street in Covent Garden on Thursday this week. The store will stock a mix of accessories, jewellery, eyewear, watches, and fragrances from the MICHAEL Michael Kors brand, as well as some of his ready-to-wear collection. This is the sixth Michael Kors shop in the UK, including one on Regent Street and one in Westfield London.

Muji Reopens in Carnaby Street, 25 Oct
Everyone’s favourite Japanese lifestyle store, Muji is reopening on Carnaby Street on Thursday. The new shop offers a range of furniture, fashion, stationery and homewares and accessories with emphasis on simple, functional design. If you’re into minimalism, you’ll love this place. Thursday also sees the launch of their Christmas gift range. Show up on Thursday between 6 and 9pm to help them celebrate the opening and you can enjoy a free Kirin Ichiban beer and 20% discount on all items. Just email events@muji.co.uk for your free ticket.

Story-telling with UGG Australia at Selfridges, 27 Oct-17 Nov
To celebrate the launch of UGG Australia’s new children’s storybooks, the brand is hosting Story Time sessions with a costumed storyteller in Selfridges this Saturday. Look out for the enchanting story-telling sessions in the new footwear area on the fourth floor. UGG Australia are running the free story-telling afternoons between 2 and 4pm on 27 October and 3, 10, and 17 November.

Foodie Fun for Kids at Westfield Stratford City, 27 Oct-4 Nov
This half-term, kids can indulge in some spooky foody fun at Westfield Stratford City. From Saturday 27 October until Sunday 4 November, between 11am and 4pm (Mon-Sat) and 12 til 5pm, kids can make a range of scary snacks including coffin cookies, creepy cupcakes and Frankenstein potato heads. Taking part is free, but you need to join the Westfield Kids Club to participate. Simply join at the Concierge desk on the first floor, near John Lewis. Kids even get a free goodie bag when they join.

School was out and fun was in, especially along London’s South Bank.

The Southbank Centre has been playing host to the ever popular Imagine Children’s Festival, which returns this year with even more attractions than usual. The good news is that although half-term may be over for most, the action-packed festival continues to run until Sunday 26 February.

I have never braved the Tube on my own with all three of my young men. Yet I felt compelled to conquer my fear of excitable little ones on busy platforms and venture up to Waterloo. I packed a bag with activity books, sharpened pencils and a delectable array of goodies. There was no moaning, no crying and the journey went remarkably smoothly.  

But when we arrived at the Royal Festival Hall, my heart sank. For there in the foyer was a lengthy queue of fed up parents, all surrounded by kids and similarly stuffed backpacks. They were all there for the free Become a Superhero workshop. Staff were on hand to help aspiring Supermen and Wonder Women create their very own super hero persona, complete with superpower and dazzling costume. The problem was that you needed to be super patient to stick out the lengthy wait of one hour or more! As patience has never been my super strength, my boys sadly missed out.

Another free attraction, the Imagine craft pavillion, was inundated too. So we went in search of a bespectacled man in a stripy red top called Wally. Yes, that’s right, he of Where’s Wally fame. The kids loved racing around the Royal Festival Hall in search of the popular book character, though they only found two “injured” cardboard cutouts behind the ticket desk. Probably not quite the idea, but they enjoyed themselves all the same.

After a quick pitstop for some ice cream sundaes at nearby Giraffe, we headed over to the Queen Elizabeth Hall for James Campbell’s Comedy 4 Kids. If you’re wondering what Comedy 4 Kids is, it’s exactly as it sounds. Comedian James Campbell performed an hour-long stand up set especially for those aged six and up. James, a father himself, clearly knows what makes kids tick and he really gets down to their level. He made jokes about scooters, school and the double entendre that is the Nintendo Wii! Of course, this led to a good 10 minutes of toilet-related humour, which obviously had the kids tickled pink (there were a many adults chortling away to themselves too).

The packed-out comedy performance was unfortunately a one-off at Imagine, but there is much, much more in store for families this week. Highlights include a chance to meet bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson and the London Book Swap.

Imagine Children’s Festival at the Southbank Centre until 26 February 2012. Read more

London Children’s Film Festival takes place at the Barbican later this year: 30-31 October and 6-7 November 2010.

Book ahead now: it looks like it’s going to be an exciting way to spend the kids’ half-term holidays.

Check out more great things to do with the kids in London.

Here are just a few ideas for half-term activities with kids:

• Bake cakes together
• Go swimming or hire a boat in one of London’s lovely parks
• Help your kids plan and cook a meal, and let them invite a few friends over for dinner
• Look at local sports centres they often have half-term events you can get involved with
• Arm the kids with digital camera and go for the Elephant Hunt around London! It’s especially cost-effective if you bring a packed lunch
• The National Theatre is running backstage workshops for families all week

I’m pretty sure my girls will want to do a bit of 10-pin bowling followed by the cinema. Whip It, Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut (as opposed to what I thought was Whippet – about a dog), is on their list.

Half-term in London is as adventurous as you can make it, and by the look of all the suggestions above that came in from Magic listeners, I think I’m going to have a busy one!!