London on a budget

[HowManyMoreTimes]

We’re finally taking the kids (13 & 9) to London for a few nights, but our budget isn't as healthy as our enthusiasm!
We're staying in a hostel in Bayswater and we'll do plenty of wandering and looking at the obvious sites, but I'm hoping for recommendations for cheap or free things to do that may be a little different.
Thanks!

Watching the skateboarders on the south bank. There are more little Tesco shops in central london now or Sainsburys. So you can get a picnic or ice cream without paying mad prices.

Getting on buses is great. Download the Citymapper app. You can go on a bus from Trafalgar Square to the Tower of London. You don’t need to go in but you can walk around the edge and then walk over tower bridge. Then have a picnic on potters field opposite the Tower. Tower Bridge often opens so you can enjoy that.

Agree with lots of the above.

We went in April, and although we did do some stuff that cost money, a lot
of the places we went to were free.

Buckingham Palace, changing of the guard, Downing Street, St Paul’s, Big Ben etc

Lego shop - although we budgeted for a small purchase.

Museums then a walk through Hyde Park. Check to see if you need to book a slot though because you still had to during the Easter hols.

Various markets. Street entertainers also fab - We spent an hour watching a fab entertainer at Covent Garden.

Do you have a Club Card? We got tickets for the Eye for free using that.

Agree to plan your day based on location - will save money on transport.

You can spend so much on food and drinks if you're not careful. Use Too Good To Go, Olio and supermarket shop.

The canal walk from Paddington is interesting. Little Venice, Lords cricket, London zoo, Camden market and all around it.

my kids like bodeans and they have a cheap kids menu

bodeansbbq.com/menus/

Have you heard about Victorian Vauxhall? A free day out in Vauxhall for all the family to enjoy. FREE tickets hereor search google for 'Victorian Vauxhall' for more info.

Go up cheaper than The Eye. The Monument for City views: £5.80 for adults, 2.90 for under 15s. 311 steps! Or Morton's Tower, which is in the Garden Museum by Lambeth Palace, but you can just pay for the Tower, for Westminster views: adults £4, children free.

Don't forget to admire the Graffiti Tunnel in Leake Street, under Waterloo station. Free.

This is a bit if a ZOMBIE thread. I wonder where the OP took her DC in the end.

There is a free self guide art walk from the Olympic park to North Greenwich.

the-line.org/visitor-info/

You have to pay for a bit of public transport to get across the Thames.

Nice cafe at Cody Dock just before you catch DLR.

Pop over to Stratford and go to Olympic park lots to do there.
Trip to Harrods just admire the store inside and out.dont need to buy anything.
Although one day Tiffany s inside Harrods was empty and bored staff let my try on some jewellery ( knew I wasn't buying anything) .that was amazing
Bethenal green museum of childhood free entry

Leicester sq and ,convent garden have acts or music to watch some are better than other
Check for times of changing guards at Buckingham palace

Victoria and Albert museum has a water feature in the quadrant children play in water there. Behind king cross station there is splash park

Woolwich ferry is free