Things to do in London!

[SpringLobelia]

I would love some ideas for things to do in London. I have a 12 year old who has ASD and is very young for his age and a 10 year old. We are staying in the Russell Street station area. Previously we have done;

• Tower of LOndon

-Natural History museum -V&A -Shrek adventure world

I would like to do the British museum and have booked the London eye (which I am not optimistic about because DS1's reactions might be unpredictable).

I'd like to do a river cruise.

Just 2 days in London this time, and any ideas and suggestions I would be hugely grateful for!

Children are not into sports or physical activities and mainly love roblox and gaming.

many thanks. :)

Science museum!! It’s free and sound ideal

Science Museum? Lots of interactive stuff and gaming bits
Imperial War Museum. Planes and interesting artefacts (it's the BEST museum imho)
London Transport Museum. Trams, trains buses

Bit random but if you really want to impress gaming kids how about a VR arcade? I haven’t been myself but heard good reports. You may not love it though!

You could do the river cruise down to Greenwich and then do the cutty sark and round there, that cruise is a two hour round trip from Westminster. Or you could just do a shorter one. Agree with PP on the Science Museum. If they’re not fussed about steps climbing up in St Paul’s is good also you can get free views of London from the Sky Garden too.

Science museum! Can't believe I had forgotten that!

VR gaming arcade- I shall definitely look into that. I want them to have a blast. :)

I am making a list thank you all!

The British Museum is pretty boring for young ones tbh. A million pots, antiquities and Roman heads. I love a museum but hell I find that place tedious!

Another to add to my list is maybe A walk up the dome in St Pauls Cathedral?

Good point about the British museum. It's more my thing than their thing.

Science museum I think is a definite.

[scribbles notes furiously]

If you want to do a river trip and arent fussed about commentary do the Thames clipper - way cheaper.

Or if they like adventures the rib blasts are loads of fun.

Would they be up for an escape room thing? I think there's one in London Bridge area.

London Zoo
Greenwich and planetarium; get there on a clipper boat
Junkyard golf (indoor crazy golf) in Hoxton and the All Star Lanes bowling in Brick Lane

Sorry keep thinking of things... buy a kite and go to primrose Hill to fly it aka Mary Poppins.

The science museum have this on in April www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/Power which you could book too. I'd book it ASAP though as lots of sessions sold out

River trip to Greenwich then go to museums there? Royal observatory or go to space photography exhibition at the maritime museum

Rather than a river cruise I would just go on the Thames clipper. There's no commentary as it's technically a commuter boat so you won't have to worry about keeping the children quiet. And I think it's a lot cheaper. At the Greenwich end the children can let off steam around the lovely naval college grounds.

If you're in Russell Square and have a shopping budget then you should go to Forbidden Planet and probably the Lego Store as well.

Clipper down to Greenwich, The Cutty Sark is impressive even if you don’t pay to go in. The Royal Maritime Museum for a bit of a look, up the hill in the lovely park for great views and the Royal Observatory and date line.

Thames clipper plus Emirates cable car

I think this looks great fun:

terriblethames.com/

[quote NotEnoughTime]I think this looks great fun:

terriblethames.com/[/quote]
That looks fabulous! And the tour is 45 minutes which is about the attention span of DS1. (The Thames clipper idea instead of a river cruise sounds a great idea for that reason too!)

These are such fabulous ideas. Thank you so much everyone!

@BattledoreAndShuttlecock

If you're in Russell Square and have a shopping budget then you should go to Forbidden Planet and probably the Lego Store as well.

I think we will definitely do this also. :)

I second the transport museum- its not free but there is a lot of play space and hands on things climbing into old vehicles, being able to sit in the seats of a bus and play driving it, plus two play areas. There is also the postal museum with a ride in some old tube tunnels i've been meaning to go see. And the docklands museum with the mud larks play area is pretty good (and free, although possibly better for younger).

How about going up to the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talking building? You need to book ahead, but it's free and you get great views! I took my DC after seeing it recommended by someone else on a similar thread last year.

My DS has autism too so I understand.

I have never been here but lots of people have recommended it to me (you said your DC like gaming)

www.inamo-restaurant.com/

And if they fancy an ice cream

www.milktraincafe.com/

I hope you have a fab time. Please let us know how you get on

I am regretting only booking 2 days now. :) So many amazing things to do.

Science museum do early session for autistic children

https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/early-birds

It gets very busy and my autistic child really struggled with the people and noise (echoey ceilings)

Ooh good tip @Clymene and a good reminder that I need to pack his noise cancelling headphones also.

I am feeling very now about the London eye and think I was rash to book it. Still, we can always bail out once we get there if need be. Will not be the first time I have had to do that! I do find it hard sometimes because I want the DCs to experience so many things and enjoy things, but with DS1 it is so hard to guess in advance what will be a success. DS2 is usually happy to trot along at his brother's pace, bless him, but it must be hard for him too on occasion.

@HomeHomeInTheRange

Clipper down to Greenwich, The Cutty Sark is impressive even if you don’t pay to go in. The Royal Maritime Museum for a bit of a look, up the hill in the lovely park for great views and the Royal Observatory and date line.

Second this! Greenwich is lovely, the Thames clipper is BRILLIANT (especially when you get to the Port of London and it picks up speed!) and the National Maritime Museum is, IMO, the best museum in London.

This is niche, but I am autistic and one of my favourite composers is Thomas Tallis: I find his works incredibly soothing and your son may also find this. If so, you can also visit St Alfege's, which is his burial place.

'Old' Greenwich is lovely for a wander round, lots of nice places to eat there and in Blackheath, or you could take a picnic and have a run around in Greenwich park.