The Best Things To Do In London With Kids

Also read: Family-friendly Hotels In London

Known for its Oxford Street shops, vibrant Hoxton nightlife, incredible architecture, West End musicals and world class museums and galleries, London is a truly exciting destination. Why is it then that once children arrive on the scene we feel compelled to queue for hours and spend all our money on Madame Tussauds and the London Dungeon? Sure, they’re fantastic (though cheesy), but you can visit a wax museum anywhere, and bizarrely the Dungeons are now a chain.

You don’t need to spend a fortune – there are literally hundreds of free days out and activities to choose from, including some of the finest attractions in the world. Most parks also have picnic tables so you can take along your own lunch, and usually have fantastic free activities for the kids. Before you travel, make sure you book your e-tickets to the main attractions through a site like AttractionTix – you’re guaranteed lower prices to the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, Tower of London, Sealife Aquarium, Buckingham Palace and more. Don’t forget to pick up an Oyster card for cheap stress-free travel on public transport.
Changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace

The Top 10 Things To Do In London With Kids

1. Bring paintings to life

Far from being stuffy places full of people quietly appreciating artwork, London’s many art galleries are some of the most child friendly environments you’ll find, and most are free. Aside from the excellent baby care facilities and ease of getting around with a buggy, most have engaging arts and crafts activities and storytelling sessions that really bring the paintings to life. Our favourite is the Tate Modern – your toddlers can entertain themselves for hours just running up and down the slope in the Turbine hall, and the pinball-style donation boxes are great fun (bring lots of small change!). They have an excellent family area, plenty of activities for children 3+, and their child friendly restaurant serves delicious fresh food.

2. Picnic with Dinosaurs

London has more public green spaces than most other capital cities around the world, and a picnic in the park is a wonderful way to spend the day – when the weather is cooperating, that is! Richmond Park is the largest Royal park in London, with hills, woodlands, ponds, gardens and grasslands and 650 free roaming deer. Hampstead Heath, Primrose Hill and the park surrounding Alexandra Palace all offer spectacular scenic views across London. In North London, Waterlow Park and Avenue House Estate are lovely spots for a picnic, Clapham Common and Wimbledon Park are favourites in Southwest London, and Crystal Palace Park has a fantastic Dinosaur area – a hit with families.

3. Learn through play at a world class museum

Forget about the stereotype of museums as collections of dusty old objects, lying idly in a musty, dim room. London’s museums are stimulating places where families can enjoy interactive exhibits together, and where the kids can dress up, get hands on and learn through play and creativity. Most are free and have good family activities; our favourites for families are the British Museum, the National Army Museum, the Royal Air Force Museum, and the Museum of London in Docklands. The London Transport Museum in Covent Garden offers a unique and exciting look at London, has some brilliant play areas, and is well worth the ticket price (£10 adults, free for under 16s).

4. Take in a West End show

A West End show is a must for any visitor. Leave Les Miserables until the kids are old enough to appreciate it, and opt for fun and colourful shows like the Lion King and Stomp, or bring to life our favourite Dickens character with a trip to see Oliver instead. There is no reason to pay full price – you can get some unbeatable discounts on theatre tickets like the Gruffalo (and other kid friendly attractions) at Really Kid Friendly. For under 5s, theatres like the Unicorn, Peacock and Half Moon are the place to be, and the Little Angel Puppet Theatre is just delightful.

5. Ride a Big Red Bus

It may sound silly, but riding on the top deck of an old fashioned red bus makes for some serious entertainment for children. You can pay for sightseeing bus tour if you want to make sure you don’t miss anything, but we prefer to do it the old fashioned way – flag down a random bus near Trafalgar Square, get on it, and just enjoy the experience. You are not actually required to sing “Wheels on the Bus”, but it’s certainly a good way to brighten up everyone else’s journey as well!

6. Visit Greenwich World Heritage Site

From central London you can take a sightseeing boat down to Greenwich, and see the Palace of Westminster (Big Ben), London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Tower of London, and Tower Bridge along the way. Greenwich itself is a World Heritage Site, and its superbly child friendly National Maritime Museum won Visitor Attraction of the Year in 2009. You can also see what it feels like to stand atop the Prime Meridian, the official starting point for each new day, year and millennium.

7. Eat farm-fresh food in a unique setting

Mudchute Farm is no ordinary farm. Sure, there are pigs, cows and ducks, and even a few llamas, but not many farms have an impressive backdrop of towering, shimmering skyscrapers. You can bring along a picnic, or treat yourself to a homemade breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea at the Mudcute Kitchen, set in the courtyard and overlooking the horses. They use fresh, seasonal ingredients, including produce from their own allotments, and their chefs have trained at some of the top restaurants in the UK.

8. Feed the kids to a giant pitcher plant

The Royal Botanic Gardens, better known as Kew Gardens house the earth’s largest and most diverse botanical collections, and makes for a brilliant day out with the family, rain or shine. Children will love the treetop walkways, the Evolution House, the stag beetle loggery, badger sett and visiting the peacocks at the Waterlily pond. On rainy days, your family can keep nice and dry in the glasshouses or have a look at some marine life in the aquatic displays. There is also a unique indoor botanical-themed interactive play area where kids can climb into a plant to pollinate it, be eaten by a giant pitcher plant, or just run around and burn off some energy.

9. Stroll along the South Bank

The South Bank is by far one of the most lively and child friendly places to go in London. Even if you don’t visit one of the many attractions and galleries, just ambling about waving at the boats and watching the street performers is a great way to spend the day.

10. Find all your favourite characters

One sure way to stave off boredom is to weave some exciting characters into your visit to London. Leadenhall Market is a pretty covered market in the City of London, but if you look carefully you might recognise Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter films. London Walks do a special Harry Potter walk on Sundays and Smollensky’s on the Strand kids “cocktail” menu features Harry Potter Potions. Little ones will also love recognising all the places Madeline and Pepito visit in Madeline in London, and looking for Paddington Bear.

We’re sure you’ll find some lovely stress-free outings among our Top 10 to suit your family, so grab your boisterous little travel companions and umbrella (you’ll need it!) and discover our wonderfully child friendly city!

The Author is the publisher of Really Kid Friendly. For more inspiration or to find baby and child friendly places to eat, follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Our Trip To London

David here. We just got back from London and used the above guide to help explore London with our 2 boys.

Here are some pictures and suggestions for enjoying your trip to London with kids.

Double decker buses at the Transport Museum in London

This was probably our kids' favorite attraction. The London Transport Museum has an incredible display of exhibits about subways, buses, posters, and future plans. A must see in London.

The Docklands Museum on Canary Wharf in London

The Museum of the London Docklands covered the commercial history of the Thames and the growth of London around the river. It was one of my favorites.

The Tower of London was very popular with the kids. Here's a model of the Tower on display inside the museum.

A view of Tower Bridge from The Tower.

The boys took the audio tour at the Imperial War Museum.

A hands-on submarine exhibit at the Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum had some hands-on fun. In this case the Submarine exhibit.

The Imperial War Museum was also one of the boys' favorites.

The kids looking at the Egyptian mummies at the British Museum.

The family tours and audio guides were great at the British Museum. Here the adventure guide took us through the Egyptian mummies.

Not far from Tower Bridge is the Borough Market. It was highly recommended to us by a few local friends and was a great place for a weekend visit.

Kipling ordering curry for lunch at the Borough Market.

Treats, pies, and brownies at the Borough Market.

There were lots of tasty treats too.

The National Army Museum. An interesting place but if you only have 2 or 3 days then you can safely give it a miss. The museum does have a Kids' Zone that is popular for ages 1 to 5, but you need to reserve time slots in advance to have any hope of getting in.

The Natural History Museum was a highlight for the whole family.

A demonstration at the London Science Museum. This is the Launchpad exhibit for hands-on fun on the 3rd floor. There is also the Pattern Pod area on the ground floor.

The kids enjoyed the Science Museum but if you can only do one of the Kensington museums then make it the Natural History Museum

Tea time was very popular with the boys too.

Where We Went

London Transport Museum – Highly recommended for ages 5 and up.
London Science Museum – Recommended for ages 6 and up.
Museum of London Docklands – Highly recommended for ages 8 and up.
British Museum – Highly recommended for ages 7 and up. Family visit info here.
Imperial War Museum – Highly recommended for ages 6 and up.
Tower of London – Highly recommended for ages 6 and up.
Tower Bridge – The bridge lift times will help you time your visit with when the bridge goes up.
Natural History Museum – Highly recommended for ages 5 and up.
National Army Museum – Good for ages 8 and up for the museum; ages 1 to 5 for the Kids’ Zone.
Tate Modern – Recommended for ages 9 and up.
National Portrait Gallery – Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Hamleys Toy Shop – Recommended for kids that like toys.
Borough Market – Great fun and food for the whole family.
Double Decker Bus Ride (video) – Skip the expensive tourist buses. Grab a map for buses from a tube station and take a bus that runs through the city center. Buses come seemingly every 5 to 7 minutes so you never have to wait long.
The Golden Hind Restaurant in Marylebone for superb fish n’ chips. This was the best place we ate in London (besides some great Indian restaurants). Avoid these restaurants like the plague.