Suggestions for Christmassy day out in London for 3 year old?

[Daffodilly]

DH is taking the days before Christmas off work and we'd like to take DD (3) into London to see the lights and get in the mood

Any suggestions for where to go to do the lights and any other nice Christmassy things? She is terrified of Santa though so won't bother with that. Oh and we will have DS (10 mths) with us in a pram to add to the challenge.

Actually as I type this I am going rather off the whole idea! [Shudders at thought of combination of pram, Christmas crowds, 3 year old meltdown, London buses, DH who hates shopping]. I am mad even considering this aren't I?

[HuwEdwards]

Daff, tbh, unless you plan to make it brief, maybe just visit one sight, be it Harrods toys dept. or whatever, I really would give it a miss. The crowds will be horrendous, (we took our DDs age 6 and 8 last year and quite honestly it was scary), the queus will last forever and you have 2 little ones. They are too young to appreciate it.

Noooooooooooo!

[twinklytoes]

how about watching the ice-skating at the natural history museum and then going to see the dinosaurs?

[HuwEdwards]

Twinkly love, methinks you are deluded. The queue to get into NHM will be huuuuge, then the skating crowd will be 5 rows deep and the queue round the dinos will move at a snail's pace.

I fear you are inviting disappointment

[HuwEdwards]

Daffy, I just can't let you go, sorry. Head for a nearby cosy looking farm, with a few twinkly lights, some lambs and calves and an old bloke dressed up as The Man.

She'll love it.

[dilbertina]

ooo, if you can get tickets and it's on this year, go and see "the snowman" on stage. Took dd when she was 3 and she was absolutely entranced - try and get seats in middle of middle bit and you get "snowed" on. It is all young children so ds certainly won't be only littley there and will almost certainly be charmed into submission anyway. It's wonderful - I highly recommend....

[HuwEdwards]

ok, if you must, then Dilbert's is a good idea, but just beware the crowds

[HuwEdwards]

Listen to Waswondering (really, forget Dilbert)

[twinklytoes]

huw - as you guessed am not in london. its the one thing i want to do with the dds if I ever get them there.

[littleducks]

I am planning to take dd for a drive around London to see the lights, less stress, will go early eve and hopefully both dcs will fall asleep in the car

When dd was little we had guests frfom abroad and went to NHM, we had no probs with crowds, or down south bank last year but we do tend to go late in the day

[dilbertina]

{blows raspberry at Huw emoticon] You can do the snowman easily, 'tis not stressful. Get a bus or taxi to it from Victoria or wherever and see the lights o n the way...you don't even have to meet any London people....

[MrChristmasGoAway]

There is a Christmas market on the south bank which I'm planning to visit with ds (2.11) this week. Then on to Tate modern (lots of space to run around and a great place to eat on the top) then to London transport museum to see whats what.

I'm planning to go slowly, not worry if we have to ditch some of the plan and I'm not intending to do any shopping (avoiding Oxford St or Harrods like the plague)

It can't be that bad, don't be put off if you really fancy it, just be realistic.

[MrChristmasGoAway]

BTW, someone is looking after my other ds (18m) so I can just take a maclaren and not deal with two of them - is there anyone else who could have your baby?

[frazzled74]

i took dd and ds on 22nd last year, went to winter wonderland then got tube to piccadily circus and walked about looking at lights ,shop windows etc, then to trafalger sq. they loved it and it was busy but manageable, too busy in shops and took snacks as i knew we would never find a table anywhere to eat.I was only adult and had pushchair, ds was 2 and d was 5.Have a lovely time.

[MilaMae]

We went to the Winter Wonderland thing last year,thought it was hideous,hated every single minute.

There is no 'Wonderland" It's just huge crowds,tacky fair ground rides,over priced stalls selling total tat and the on day we went loads of drunk people,screaming mkids and arguing couples. 2 ambulances carted people off,somebody had a purse nicked and we saw a toddler very near trampled on one of the rides.We didn't have a buggy and found it a nightmare with our 3 then 5,5 and 4. You'd have to be barking mad to even attempt it.

Harrods on the other hand this year was lovely. It's got a Wizard of Oz theme in the windows,nice toy dep and it's big enough to absorb crowds. Ours loved pet kingdom with the dog bakery. Pizza Express is just round the corner.

[Daffodilly]

Thanks for all the extra suggestions and reality checks. I am still in two minds.

I have a vision.....DD entranced by the lights, maybe a family ride on the top of a double decker bus down Regent's Street, a little light window shopping, carol's playing in the background [at least in my head] and then to top it all off it starts to snow.....

Or maybe I am living in a MOVIE of Christmas family life - again - and reality won't quite live up to my expectations. [hmmm]

[Raychill]

I'm thinking of something similar for my 2 year old (but I live in London). We're going to get up early next Sunday & do the Harrods & Harvey Nichols windows (lovely this year) and then picnic in the park if the weather is nice & head up to Winter Wonderland (Hyde Park) for a run around & the carousel. I've given it some thought & think that is the most in with the least hassle.

She loves the wee lights in Hammersmith (thinks the spiky lights on poles are spiders and the fairy lights in trees are dragons).

Re Natural History Museum I was there a few weekends ago & it can get busy. Arrive early & enter via the side enterance. They have the Wildlife photography exhibition on too which I think kiddies will enjoy. Be warned once you enter the dinosaurs you can't get out - gotta keep going. Bit claustrophobic

[watercress]

If you can get onto the top deck of a double decker bus and go down Oxford or Regent Street, that's great.

Hamleys is hell on toast (for parents at least). And I'm not keen on Harrods as it gets so busy.

Trafalgar Square is nice, as is the area around the London Eye and Westminster. Just wandering and looking at the lights and people is fun. The cafe under St Martins in the Fields doesn't usually get too busy, and sometimes there are free concerts in some of the churches (or rehearsals) so aid that Christmassy feel.

I'd recommend the science museum over the history museum though (we went last year the weekend before Christmas and it was fine). And they are a long way from everything else...