London with 2.5 year old

[Haveli]

Hi all,

My DH has to go to London at the end of next month for work. He's suggested that DD(2.5) and I go with him as we've not had a break away for a while. He has suggested we go for 3 days, and he would be working for 2 of them so then we would get a day all together the 3 of us.

I've not been to London for yonks but I was thinking we could do things like the science and history museum, perhaps watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, visit Hamleys and maybe even do the Peppa afternoon tea experience. She's been in hospital recently so I'd like to treat her to a few days away that she would really love.

Could anyone recommend some toddler friendly things to do in London? Or am I being over ambitious and she's a bit young for it?

Personally, London with a toddler would be my worst nightmare. I would wait til she's old enough to know what's going on, when it will be less stressful and the inevitable expense will be more worth it. There are so many lovely places to go with a 2 year old, a massive city centre is not one of them!
Saying that, I never did any parenting in an urban environment, so obviously, lots of people will disagree with me!

The science museum and natural history museum are both good for little ones. I took my DD when she was about 2 yrs and 2 months old. I went for three days too and just did one thing a day (went to the city farm on day 3: awesome fun!). Only thing I’d advise about is don’t underestimate how long it takes to get from A to B; take it easy and pace yourself and LO. Lots of snacks and a light buggy for naps worked wonders.

Well I live here and have a 2.5yr old and it’s definitely not a nightmare. It’s brilliant, so many free things to do. Mine loves parks, so we go to the one in St James Park, it’s great for that age, so safe they can do all of it by themselves. There are loads of birds and all the toddlers love it. You’ll also get to see Buckingham Palace too if that’s your thing!

Pretty much all restaurants in London are child friendly, especially if you’re eating at lunch time.

Get a Thames Clipper, not sure where you are staying, but you can go to Battersea Power Station which has a great park and loads of shops/restaurants/exploring to do. Or you can go all the way to Greenwich, or even just use it to go across the river. It’s cheap and our toddler loves it.

The transport museum is great for little ones and they can run around Covent Garden after. If your one is like ours, then just being on a bus is fun!

Get the DLR (they’ve installed fake controls so children feel like they’re driving!), and go to the Museum of London Docklands. They have so much for children of that age.

Honestly, there is so much to do, you’ll have a great time!! There are often free things on (there was a festival for children in Canary Wharf months ago completely free), look at the Londonist website or TimeOut as they are great for that.

You’ll have a brilliant time!!

So easy to do, 1,000 of us live here with toddlers.

Here a few ideas for you:

Diana memorial park in Kensington gardens

Transport museum

The aquarium
WWT - wetlands in barnes
The zoo
V&A children's museum
Postal museum
British museum
City farm
Wimbledon has a children's theatre, there is also one on Tooley street in SE1 - the unicorn.

Hopefully those should follow your days, so many wonderful things to do

I recently took my toddler to the young V&A, it's completely set up for children so was a very good experience. In my opinion was better than the history/science museum.

A Paddington Bear experience has just opened. Not been but I hope to take my children later in the year.

Postal museum, transport museum and covent garden, a run in hyde park for the fresh air. And make sure you take the pram!

We loved it with a 3 year old. Nap in the pram and try and walk with the pram between stops rather than the tube where possible. So much easier

Discover Children's Story Centre is also very good

I go into London with my 2.5 regularly- it’s fun! Takes some forward planning and we use tubes with lifts etc etc but there’s no drama. Science museum is good but really enjoyed the Maritime museum at Greenwich recently, the new outdoor playground is brilliant. Docklands museum also great, you can book the ‘mudlarks’ indoor play separately. My son loves the cable cars at North Greenwich. National Army museum has an amazing pre-bookable themed play area too.

It’s not a ‘nightmare’ at all 😆 not sure how many 2.5 year olds the first poster knows but they are definitely capable of enjoying new experiences and they certainly ‘know what’s going on’. What a strange outlook!

The best museum for toddlers IMHO is the Postal Museum, it is so well designed for kids and they love the train ride plus the Sorted play area that you book separately. I think there's more for them to see and do there than the Natural History and Science Museums, and it is smaller and quieter so les overwhelming.

The Maritime Museum at Greenwich is great too. Get the river boat one way and the DLR the other. Be sure to sit at the front of the DLR so she can pretend she's driving.

London is great for toddlers!

Personally I'd avoid Hamleys as it's hard on them at that stage seeing all the fabulous things but not being able to have them.

2.5 is little but there’s loads to do.

We used to do a transport bingo circuit - how you make it work depends on where you are, but the main part is front seats on the DLR to the Excel centre, over the Thames on the cable car, and back up into town in front row seats on the boat. Add in a tube and bus somewhere else on the route and you’ve done it all!

OP! Check out the Instagram page bablands.london ! We did London with our 8mon old at her (Emily’s) recommendation and had an absolute ball.

She shares a ton of advice in regard to playgrounds, things to do, etc. Museums will be boring for a kid at that age. Have fun!

Thank you everyone! I wasn't even aware of some of these museums but they look great. She would be absolutely delighted to drive a train!!

The parks look fab as well and will check out that Instagram page 🙂

The transport and postal museums have small world play inside too, they are fantastic

My advice would be to take a pushchair, plan carefully for stations with lifts and try to walk as much as possible. There are so many parks and green spaces.

I’m very jealous of those that have 2.5yr olds that still nap!! Ours hasn’t napped since they were 18m! I don’t even bother to bring the buggy out now as they refuse to get in, which is a shame as I liked storing all my stuff in there!! It does make transport easier though as no buggy to negotiate and don’t have to worry about step free access.

If you've not got any experience of it, why would you have such a strong opinion? Genuinely interested?

London with a 2 year old will be lovely. We take our toddler regularly.

The museums are great for kids. Science museum has a bit in the basement for young kids. Look out for exhibitions at Tate modern etc.

The southbank centre often has kids events on.

Battersea adventure park is amazing and there is also Battersea zoo.

Just take it slow and enjoy the city

@peppernuts fair point! Yeah sorry guys, I wasn't looking for a fight. Guess my point was, when mine were 2 years old I loved the fact that they were delighted by pretty much anything, and a potentially expensive day out (yeah I know a lot of the attractions are free and you can carry a packed lunch etc but London can be very pricey when you do need to pay for something) trotting round a big city where they needed to be in a buggy a lot would not have suited them.

However, as I said, I am aware that everyone's children are different, and everyone 's opinion/experience is different, and everyone else on this thread knows London better than I do, just giving my opinion that I agree with the OP's last line:

Or am I being over ambitious and she's a bit young for it?

I am not saying that a 2 year old wouldn't enjoy it, just that they would also enjoy just about anything in the right mood, and all these lovely things will be even more exciting in another couple of years.

Anyway, as you were. I hope you have a lovely time OP, these do sound like amazing things to do and as I said, I really didn't mean to offend or fight anyone! Peace out.

Ah - mine loved it at this age. Don't overplay your days and prepare to return to the hotel for rest / naps if needed. Things mine liked:

Feeding ducks in Royal Parks
Playground in Kensington Gardens
London Transport Museum (they have lots of parent / toddler events such as stories / songs)
Basement of Science Museum - has a water play thing
Docklands Museum has a play area (you have to prebook)
Ride on the DLR (sit up front and pretend to drive)

Diana Park in Kensington Gardens and Science Museum - definitely.

Dockland Museum and Maritime Museum both used to have fantastic kids interactive areas, but I've not been for years so check them out.

If you go to the maritime museum, you can get there by boat, which she might like. You can then also go across the river and take the DLR where she can 'drive' the driverless train. My DC LOVED that.

Don't over-plan though. Hamleys, Science Museum, Diana play park is plenty for one toddler in a day as they are reasonably close.

Or boat trip, Maritime Museum (if it's still good) and DLR. There's also a city farm at Mudchute if you get off that stop of DLR.

Where in London will you be based, OP?

Echo previous posters, we live in inner London and both our DC were born here. They are now 10 and 6 but we did not shy away from doing all of the above when they were little. People on tubes and buses are 99% helpful and accommodating and will offer seats, offer to help carry buggies etc. But you can usually plan step free journeys anyway.

All of those museums are great, the big South Ken ones are massive though so for that age I would definitely go Postal, Transport or Maritime museums. There are so many parks and playgrounds everywhere and yes definitely don't over-plan or over book as you can just hang out and explore. Walking along the river is always good.

If you're near Kings Cross, there is great water play at Granary Square.

We often take our 2.5 year old to London and he loves it. I echo pretty much what everybody else has suggested!

also, as I’m sure you know 2.5 year olds are easily pleased, and London is very busy and has so much going on that chances are your toddler will be happy just soaking it all in! We often find we don’t actually have to spend that much money unless we want to go somewhere in particular and do something if you know what I mean?

I live just outside London and it's not somewhere I like to take my kids (2.5 and 3.5) it's HELL!! Too busy, too stressful IMO.

I took them to the science museum once and they didn't enjoy it - bit old for them. There's one bit in the basement which was good.

I haven't taken them to the natural history museum before but went with my nephew and I just don't get how a young child would find it fun.

If you do go there's the bubble museum which looks fun.

The transport museum is supposed to be very good and there's an RAF one too which we want to go to.

Definitely agree with suggestions! I took mine in as toddlers all the time on ventures, as said you just need to plan it out, lots of snacks and factor in extra time.

Science museum - likely just basement bit, free entry, picnic area inside.

Transport museum - yeah probably not too interested in everything at that age (!) but they'll love the stamper sheet they get, buttons to push, things to look at, and a kids play area. Lots of seating inside for eating - kids free but you'll need to buy an adult ticket which is actually an annual ticket so could go back

Princess Diana playground by Queensway tube - free, enclosed and has toilets (note this is a different park from the water memorial one which is good in summer)