Ideas for things to do in London please

[inNeedOfInspirationPls]

Taking 11yo and 8yo to London next week and want to do some things with them that we can’t do elsewhere. We’re doing British Museum, Horrible History tour and Play That Goes Wrong. Have previously done Science Museum, NHM, Tower of London and Hyde Park. Just looking for something a bit different that is ideally good fun and a bit educational (although not too bothered about the educational bit).

Any suggestions for places/ activities that are often overlooked?

many thanks

The Twist Museum of optical illusions - pricey but really interesting

Follow bowl of
Chalk on Instagram. Loads of great things there

Umm, transport museum? Walkie Talkie? Docklands museum and seeing Canary Wharf? Friend said good things about balloon museum. Zoo? London Eye? Tower of London? bus tour? Catching boat along Thames to Greenwich?

The Changing of the Guard? https://www.changing-the-guard.com/changingtheguard.html

Imperial War Museum

Greenwich? See the Cutty Sark, Maritime Museum, walk up the hill to the Observatory and the International Date Line. Would they like the Planetarium? https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/planetarium-shows

Go up into Tower Bridge?

Maybe HMS Belfast too seeing as that's close by?

Get some high rise views?- there is the London Eye, or you can do it for free from some of the large buildings in the city
https://skygarden.london/
https://booking.8bishopsgate.com/book

There is also up at the O2 https://www.theo2.co.uk/up-at-the-o2/climb
or the cable cars over the river https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/london-cable-car/

Churchills War Rooms are also interesting if they've studied the world wars at school https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms?utm_medium=ppc&utm_source=ppc-grants&utm_campaign=cwr-visit-ongoing&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAq4KuBhA6EiwArMAw1ALfDdmeoGx4cvrN8FBOi_NDgvHqWdA3XSsXSXG9Xys3GKeYLherGRoCp44QAvD_BwE

The slide on the Orbit at the Olympic Park

If they are still into playgrounds the national maritime museum has a really good one.

There is a posh donut cafe near Leicester Square station.

Mine are a bit younger and we are also going to London for half term, as well as seeing relatives we have national maritime museum, posh donut cafe/general walk round Central London, and battersea park (also for the plaground) on the itinerary

Boat to Greenwich, stand either side of the Meridian line, free Maritime museum, street food stalls in the market and the playground in Greenwich Park.

There is a light show at Battersea power station

The Lift at Battersea Power Station - you get to go up one of the towers.

Following as hoping to bring DC (similar age to yours) in April. (If I can figure out which airport to fly into and which area of London is best to stay for site seeing).

Imagination festival at the Southbank we’ve really enjoyed in Feb half term before. Free activities be on the younger side for the 11 year old but if there are tickets left some of the author talks etc are brilliant. Lovely area to wander around in too.

Seconding Greenwich (that's a whole day trip - go out on the DLR and come back on a Clipper boat), Tower Bridge Experience (reasonably priced, great views, very educational) and Churchill War Rooms.

Flipperoni - pizza restaurant and lots of arcade games
Bubble planet
Twist museum
Dopamine land
Upside down house
Balloon museum

These are on our to do list, not all in a week because of cost. But some will suit your kids

If they're up for a bit of exercise, climb the Monument (311 steps) - great view from the top. Our dc enjoyed HMS Belfast at that age - it's a great location with the Tower on one side and the Mayor of London building on the other. Walk along the south bank - there's loads to see from Tower Bridge to Westminster Bridge. Or river bus along the Thames.

HMS Belfast is great for that age group - lots of climbing up and down ladders around the ship

Find a walking tour. There’s plenty you can find online and print off. As well as the obvious sights, they tend to take you past hidden gems as well.

London museum - worth considering

Princess Diana park - good play area

Also, central London isn’t that big so what can look a distance in a tube map, could be in reality be walking distance. So also look sent a map and consider walking.

Harrods
Hamleys

Currently closed for re-furb

The Mail Rail (tiny underground train) at the Postal museum is fun.

If they like walking with a goal, Treasure Trails do self-guided walks around some London neighbourhoods. You download a booklet that has clues for things to look for, e.g. blue plaques, and a mystery to solve or suchlike.

St Paul’s Cathedral: go to the Whispering Gallery and then up to the viewing terrace round the dome and then climb the ladders inside the top bit to the very top viewing platform. Not cheap for a family ticket (book online, cheaper than on the day) but St Paul’s is very impressive inside. A walk across Milennium Bridge to Tate Modern , along past the Globe and to The Golden Hinde?

If they have Blue Peter badges some of this stuff will be free too (@Openingmyeyes )

Monument - the tower in memorial of the grat fire of London... think mine were yr3 when they did that. All the street names are still there too Pudding Lane etc.

Have a look at the river boats - cheaper to book a family pass ahead online but an evening trip on those is fab - as is a trip to Greenwich. Try the Cable Car at Greenwich North to the O2... mine loved that. Kids that age get fascinated by the tube too so we could have spent a day touring round on the maps!

Walk along the Southbank of The Thames- past The Tower of London, The Globe and The National Theatre. Call into Tate Modern they have some great things to do and The Turbine Hall is great for picnics. If you go past London Bridge The Clink area has an interesting history.

Toca social at the O2?

Postal museum is excellent for kids - lots of interactive things to do.

I'm taking the kids to do this one day:
https://londonbridgecity.co.uk/events/2023/september/a-wild-life-for-wildlife?fbclid=IwAR2YWvxBNlhJs9x58RT2Qd9N535oyo5Ntdy5D2Y1RylMrLiM7qCi3UpLlwc