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You have 7 hours in London with a six year old...

84 replies

itslondontime · 15/06/2021 22:13

What would your plans look like?

We arrive and leave from kings cross, I've been to London but not with kids, 6 year old has never been.

Extra points for step by step plans. We arrive at just after 10am, we'll probably get a picnic for the train home, so just lunch to cater for in London.

OP posts:
elvislives2012 · 15/06/2021 22:15

I'd keep it simple. Buckingham palace then Trafalgar Square then picnic on the way home. I would t plan more than that if I'm honest. London big and busy

StylishMummy · 15/06/2021 22:16

What's your budget and how confident are you on the tube? Natural History Museum, Hamleys and London eye would be my top 3 for that age

Thelnebriati · 15/06/2021 22:18

What are they interested in? I think I'd go with StylishMummys suggestion but also include the Science Museum.

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MrsA2015 · 15/06/2021 22:18

Trafalgar, London eye/southbank and a ride on the Thames clipper

CountingToThree · 15/06/2021 22:19

What do they enjoy doing, are you going for sightseeing or killing a day?

  • natural history museum & science museum Kensington
  • Kensington gardens Diana playground
  • boat trip down Thames from embankment, also next to London eye (or Westminster is you want to see houses of parliament)
  • maritime museum at Greenwich
  • London zoo in regents park
  • hamleys, Disney store & Lego shop
itslondontime · 15/06/2021 22:19

Happy to use the tube - apps make it easy now. He'd love it too.

I think he want to see the big well known landmarks. Big Ben, London eye, tower bridge.

Maybe a wiz around one museum?!

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Terrazzo · 15/06/2021 22:20

Hamleys and aquarium!!! Aquarium is really so brill and hopefully air conned in the heat Grin yes it’s a touristy chain place but we loved it!! Giant huge sea turtles!

Mail rail? Haven’t done but heard good things.

Ideally, aquarium, lunch somewhere nice, Ben’s Cookie, Lion King matinee, Hamleys at closing time!

Obvs no lion king at the mo so depends when you’re going. We went to London for a few days in October, so during the pandemic, and hamleys at 5pm in a pandemic was literally a joy! To be honest, taxis, upstairs in a bus and tubes were exciting enough for my 2 (5 and 3 yo boys).

Ozanj · 15/06/2021 22:20

I think it depends on the child. I have done 7 hours in and around the natural history museum. Or you could do Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. Keep things really simple

Littlebelina · 15/06/2021 22:20

Things ds has enjoyed, natural history museum, British museum, riding the longest escalator on the tube system, London Eye, playpark in Kensington garden, forbidden planet (shop). Tower of London/London zoo also good but probably take whole day each.

itslondontime · 15/06/2021 22:20

Sightseeing. He's been asking to go, I saw cheap rail tickets and booked on a whim! We've got until august to plan, but figured I may need to book things in advance.

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purplecorkheart · 15/06/2021 22:21

Open bus tour and National History Museum. London Aquarium maybe? What interests does your child have? Have you a tight budget?

Terrazzo · 15/06/2021 22:21

If he likes cars etc then transport museum is good. Fits in with my cookie and lion king plan too 😄 you can do a combo aquarium and London eye ticket but eye might be a bit boring for a 6 year old. My 5 yo was scared, 3 yo loved it but he’s a loon.

Clarabellawilliamson · 15/06/2021 22:21

If he wants to see the big sights maybe an open top bus tour?

itslondontime · 15/06/2021 22:21

Bus tour is a fab shout!

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Littlebelina · 15/06/2021 22:22

Oh yes, Thames clipper!

DancesWithDaffodils · 15/06/2021 22:22

Natural history museum. DS1 cried when we left. The rest of us had had enough!
Less is more. If they are anything like my kids, they wont be overwhelmed by masses of "big sights". Pick one or 2 thi gs that will interest them, and leave on a high.
Lego shop and M&Ms shop were hits with mine too. And the Greenwich maritime museum is good. What is likely to be interesting?

Terrazzo · 15/06/2021 22:23

Uber boat a good call too.

The cable car thing is fun? but a bit out of the way.

itslondontime · 15/06/2021 22:24

I'd love to do the theatre but he isn't great at sitting still, we went to our local one and he was fidgeting half way through a 40 minute play!he's not keen on loud noises...

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Titsywoo · 15/06/2021 22:24

If it is a nice day I would spend some time in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens. Lots to see and a good place to run free! Near the Peter Pan statue there are lots of parakeets and if you hold up an apple they will come down and sit on your hand. The kids love it. You can get to the Science and Natural History Museums from this area easily too.

123rd · 15/06/2021 22:27

I took DC around that age to Ripleys Believe it or not. Then lunch at The Rainforest Cafe just round the corner. After lunch we did the Aquarium. Was a Fantastic day that is still talked about
I would say don't plan to cram in too many things. I think I'd rather do less so you aren't rushing to get thru things to get to the next.

SuperCaliFragalistic · 15/06/2021 22:27

I went a couple of years ago with a 4 year old. We did a boat trip and the science museum. Was ace. My daughter was a bit older when I took her and we crammed more in because she wanted to see more so was more motivated to walk faster. Hamleys was great.

SomeCatsLikeCheese · 15/06/2021 22:32

Depends how much walking you want to do and how much you want to spend! Some public transport suggestions below with double decker buses and great views, much cheaper than open top bus tours.

You could do the Transport Museum (Covent Garden, straight down the Piccadilly line from Kings Cross, you could even walk it). It’s about £18 for an adult but that gives you an annual pass and then you just book timed slots for entry. Free for kids. My 5 year old loves it but he is transport obsessed. Loads of eateries in Covent Garden too.

Then you could watch the street entertainment in Covent Garden and walk down to Trafalgar Square and on to Buckingham Palace, down Whitehall or across the river to South Bank (and the London Eye).

Other options: Piccadilly line to Green Park, see Buckingham Palace, walk across St James’s Park to Victoria Street. Pick up the 11 bus towards Liverpool Street which goes up Whitehall and round Trafalgar Square, then through the City past St Paul’s. Sit on the top deck (obviously!). (Or get back on the tube at Green Park, take the Victoria line to Vauxhall and get the 88 bus for a ride along the river, up Whitehall past Big Ben and Trafalgar Square, through Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus, and get off at Hamleys on Regent Street.)

Or get a bus/tube combo from King’s Cross to Westminster, get a river boat to Greenwich (under Tower Bridge) and head up to the Observatory. Boat or train back.

Can you tell I used to live in London and have a transport obsessed child?!Grin

AsCoolAsKimDeal · 15/06/2021 22:33

For a six year old, a whizz round the animatronic dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, lunch and the interactive bits at the Science Museum, then a walk through Hyde Park to the pirate ship ( the Diana Memorial playground - it's ace).

Denimcutoffs · 15/06/2021 22:35

No way to Buck House / Trafalgar Square. Awfully crowded touristy and totally boring for a 6 year old. Yes to the Thames Clipper. I'm a Londoner and this is what I'd do with your timeframe.

From Kings X get the tube to London Bridge (Northern Line 10 mins), then exit at Tooley Street and walk to the river by More London / London Assembly to the clipper stop at London Bridge City. This will be a 10 minute walk from where you'll see a spectacular view of Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, the river and the city across the water.

Take the clipper a few stops down to the London Eye - great fun. En route you'll pass many famous buildings including Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern, Harry Potter bridge etc, and if you sit outside at the back of the boat your 6 year old will love it!

At the London Eye you could obviously go on the eye if you fancy it, or alternatively just walk along the southbank which has plenty to see including street performers, stalls and the skate park. Here there are a number of good restaurants suitable for your 6yo underneath the southbank centre / Royal Festival Hall, all overlong the river. Eg Giraffe , Wagamama's etc etc, or the restaurants at the BFI Southbank.

From the southbank you can walk across either of the bridges and turn left (west) to go to Westminster to see the Houses of Parliament, and/or to St James Park to see the pelicans, or alternatively turn right (east) to walk to the Strand, Covent Garden etc, where in the piazza you'll see street performers, magicians etc. A straightforward tube back to Kings X.

Hope your 6yo really enjoys the day!

Solasum · 15/06/2021 22:36

Get on tube from Kings Cross to Green park. Walk through green park to Buckingham Palace. Walk along the Mall to Trafalgar Square. Climb on the lions and photos on Nelson’s column (Optional museum Transport Museum in Covent Garden). Walk down the Mall to Parliament square. Photo with the horse guards. Big Ben. Walk to the river and get on the river boat from Westminster to Bankside. (Optional museum Tate Modern), buskers. Walk across the Millennium bridge to see St Paul’s (nice cafe underneath, lots of restaurants nearby, not sure if you
Can climb tower at the moment but that is nice if so). Tube to Holborn (optional
Museum British Museum) or To Holborn then switch onto Piccadilly back to Kings Cross. Or from Westminster you could walk across river to the London eye and eat on the south bank, then tube from Waterloo back to Kings cross. Wear sensible shoes