A KID’S GUIDE TO LONDON
London Eye, Jubilee Gardens, 3 Belvedere Rd, SE1 +44 870 990 8881
With precisely the same appeal as a ferris wheel (except that it takes half an hour to complete one rotation, which you might want to explain to your child beforehand to avoid disappointment), the London Eye is a great activity for both kids and parents. Whether you’re just visiting London or the little ones have never been beyond, they won’t have seen a view of the city like this one.
The London Dungeon, 28-34 Tooley Street, SE1 2SZ +44 20 7403 7221
One of London’s most famous attractions. You can learn a thing or two about your kids by walking them through the confrontingly gruesome exhibitions that will either terrify or delight them, including the Great Fire of London and Jack the Ripper experiences.
London Zoo, Outer Circle, Regent’s Park, NW1 +44 20 7722 3333
This might not be the best zoo in the world in terms of enclosures and exotic animals, but it is in the middle of London, and when your kids have their minds set on going to the zoo, this one should just do trick. The newly refurbished Gorilla Kingdom is worth checking out, as are the daily events, feeds and demonstrations with a range of creatures of all shapes and sizes. For kids under 11, there’s also daily activities happening in the Animal Adventure Zoo.
Hamley’s, 188-196 Regent Street, W1B +44 80 0280 2444
One of the world’s biggest toyshops, this seven floored wonderland will keep your children entertained for hours, so long as you don’t mind pulling out your wallet at the end of it. But in case you were wondering; no, it’s not quite as great as you remembered it being when you were a kid.
Boating
From April through to September, a few of the London parks rent out pedalo boats for use on the lakes. Take the kids boating on Serpentine Lake at Hyde Park, or at Regent’s Park, Battersea Park, and Greenwich Park.
London Aquarium, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, SE1 +44 87 1663 1678
Positioned on the Thames, this aquarium is made up of 65 displays with over 500 species of underwater creatures, so there’s no shortage of things to see. Don’t miss the shark display, and make sure you schedule in one or two of the numerous daily ‘talk and feeds’.
BFI London Imax, 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk, SE1 +44 20 7199 6000
With a screen that measures 20 metres high by 26 metres wide, this sure beats putting the kids in front of the TV on a rainy day. Check the website for their ever-exciting list of 3D films.
Swimming
On a warm summers day, take the kids to one of London’s many open aired lidos. They make a nice change from the over-chlorinated indoor pools the kids are used to seeing for swimming lessons. See our London Aqua list for a pick of the best outdoor swimming spots.
Mudchute Park and Farm, Pier Street, E14 +44 20 7515 5901
Give your kids a taste of the country without even leaving the city. With 32 acres of farmland in East London, Mudchute is one of the biggest inner city farms in Europe. Kids can see the animals roaming free in the fields, or if they want hands on contact, the farm provide up-close ‘Animal Encounters’. They also have a nursery and after-school care.
Coram’s Fields, 93 Guilford Street, WC1 +44 20 7833 2393
If they need to let off steam, take the kids to Coram’s Fields, a seven acre playground and park space that lends meaning to the words ‘Free Range Kids’. As well as various adventure playgrounds and a small farm, the fields offer free children’s activities during school term, including dance, music, yoga, art, and sports sessions.
Puppet Theatre Barge, Little Venice, Blomfield Rd, W9 +44 20 7249 6876
Something a little out of the ordinary. Generally moored at Little Venice, this intimate floating theatre will excite the kids at the thought of bobbing on the river Thames while they are entertained by some seriously skilled puppeteers.
Tate Modern, Park Street, Bankside, SE1 +44 20 7887 8888
Let the kids discover their inner artist at the Tate Modern. The gallery has a play zone for under 5′s inspired by Cubist artworks, plus they have a range of regular weekend activities for older children and parents which include arty games, map-making and clue-matching. Check the website for specific activities week to week.
British Museum Samsung Discovery Centre, 96 Euston Road, NW1 +44 20 7323 8000
It’s the harsh reality for most parents that their seven year old knows how to work their iphone better than they do. Designed especially for the young technology-savvy generation of today, the British Museum offers free sessions for families every weekend in their Samsung Discovery Centre. Parents, along with the help of their children, get to discover history through fun activities using digital software. Create an animation of yourself being mummified or a comic strip about your favourite museum object.
Royal Observatory, Blackheath Avenue, SE10 +44 20 8858 4422
There are a wealth of activities here for hands-on kids. In the All Hands gallery they can load a cargo ship and fire a cannon, while in The Bridge gallery, a state of the art simulator allows them to play the role of a captain and steer their ship into port. You can’t get much closer to the real thing than with this actiivity; The Bridge gallery features a black box data recorder, gyro-compass, modern GPS navigational systems and a pair of rare World War Two German battleship binoculars.
Diana Memorial Playground, Kensington Gardens, W8
The little ones will love the huge pirate ship that is the centre-piece of this playground. Located only ten minutes from the West End, this is a great way to start or end a day out in London with the kids. The playground also features teepees, rope climbs, cubby houses, a sand ‘beach’, and there’s a cafe too with plenty of seating for the parents.
