Going to London in a few weeks, SO excited, but where to go, ds is 6.

[sunburntats]

We have booked the London eye, and intend on going on a boat trip up the river.

Going to science & industry & natural history museums.

where else????

what about parks, can you recomend please???

ta xxxx

[Bonneville]

The zoo. (use Tesco deals if you can). Also the ceremony of the keys at the Tower. Its free - you need to write to the tower in advance for tickets.

The Tate Modern.

Covent Garden. Try to go when the Chainsaw Juggler is performing.

[SolidGoldBrass]

6-year-old DS? Take him to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. I normally recommend asking for 'friends membership' as it is only £30 for the year but if you don't get to London very often then it's not worth it. However, I don't think there is a small boy in the world who doesn;t fall in love with this museum...

[mrsruffallo]

Greenwich Park is lovely
Hampstead Heath too

[spicemonster]

Parks - there is the Princess Di playground in Hyde Park but it is always packed. Go to Coram Fields which has loads of lovely play equipment, paddling pools, animals and an Austrian cafe.

Somerset House has a fab fountain display in front of it which is good fun if it's hot.

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

Science Museum!!! I loved it there as a kid.

[sunburntats]

THANKS!!!
i am writing all of these down.

What about the tower of London, is that any good, and is it expensive?

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

Oh sorry you said science museum!

I agree with Greenwich park, you can take the boat ride from tower of london to Greenwich, walk to park, eat ice cream, ride back on the boat.

[sunburntats]

fab! that sounds great, could take a picnic to the park as well.

yes, couldnt get ds out of the science museum last year, had to go back the next day.

We are going for 4 days this time, and want to plan out the days so we know what we are doing before we go. Dont want to spend a fortune though...

[Mintyy]

For 6 year old boy?

Absolutely definitely without question, take him to HMS Belfast. Please put it to top of your list .

Tower of London very interesting and not a rip off as far as attractions go.

Where in London are you staying? Could give more ideas for more local attractions to prevent you spending £££££ and hours on the tube every day ...

[sunburntats]

near Euston station.
we got underground tickets last year and they were very reasonable...can i ask, what are the "oyster cards?"

[sunburntats]

is HMS Belfast expensive?

[Mintyy]

Oyster cards are PAYG travel cards you can use on the tube or bus. You need to apply in advance (just fill in application form, am sure you must be able to do online) but don't need a photo. So you would put, say, £20 credit on oyster and keep using it until you've used it up. I think I'm right in saying a bus fare is 90p with Oyster but £2!!!! if you pay at the ticket machine or pay the driver.

Oysters can't be used on overland trains though.

[Mintyy]

No, cheap and cheerful but little boys LOVE it.

[spicemonster]

Oyster cards allow you to put credit on them then are capped at a max of about £6 per day. They are much better value than buying travelcards generally. I have a spare one for visiting friends which I will send you if you promise to send it back again.

Have a look at 2 for 1 tickets to loads of attractions. You need to buy a train ticket to qualify but there are loads of overground train stations in London and you can buy a cheap ticket for a quid or two which can be work out cheaper than buying two full price tickets

[MrsMcCluskey]

we really enjoyed the open top bus tours but might be too much with the boat trip too

[sunburntats]

Oh thats really kind of you spicemonster, thanks.
We bought an underground ticket each day, think it was about £12 per day for the 3 of us, we thought this was very reasonable.

I will have a search of the oyster website and weigh up the savings.

thanks for the link too, will have a look on that for some bargains.

[MollieO]

Oyster cards can now be used on some overland trains - ones that are within the outer zone.

If you go to Greenwich you can go under the Thames via the Greenwich foot tunnel and get the Docklands light railway back to Tower Hill or Bank.

Bank of England museum has various children's activities during school holidays.

[Tilberry]

There's the Observatory at the top of Greenwich park too and the Dome which has a really good cinema if it's a rainy day, plus they often have special events on at the Dome in the holidays- last year they had a beach.
You can get the boat from there along the river to the Tate Modern which has loads of free areas and packs for kids to do as they walk around- it's within walking distance of the Aquarium and London Eye and just over the river (there's a bridge to walk over) there's Covent Garden. They have loads of those scary people dressed as statues there which go down well with kids.

[slug]

You can use your oyster card on the DLR to go to Greenwich Park. Make sure you get the front seat in the front carriage. The trains are driverless, though the guards sometimes manually drive them using the control panel in front of the left hand side seat in the front. (You'll be moved out of the seat if this happens) Boys love it as you can effectively pretend to be the 'driver' of the train. Greenwich has the Observatory and Planatarium. The Observatory is freee, the Planatarium costs, but can be a good fall back if the weather is grotty.

The Tower is expensive, but pretty cool, especially when they put on activities for kids, like 'knight training'. Check on their website

With you oyster card you can randomly hop on any double decker bus that is going in an interesting direction. this is a guaranteed winner with DD, she sees it as an 'adventure' though in reality I usually have a good idea where we are going. Find one that goes through the city (the gherkin is used as a hospital in that CBeebies, 'Granny Murray' show) and into the West End. You can hop on and off wherever you fancy. Bus route maps here

[gorionine]

Have just skimmed through thread but these are things my DCs love to go to when in London (they are aged 10,8,5,2 1/2)

Diana Memorial Playground

Diana's fountain

Boat on the serpentine

A part for the boat, the other things ar free and ideal on a nice sunny day!

[Blackduck]

If ds is arty National Gallery have workshop sessions free over the summer.
Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood is also very nice!
If London Zoo prices make you come out in a cold sweat try Battersea Park Children's Zoo.

[cherryc]

Army Museum in Chelsea or the Imperial War Museum - my 6yr old DS loves these and they are both free