2 days in London with a 3 year old

[Sunfyre]

Hello,

DH is working in London for 2 days in mid August, and as I have some time off work I was thinking DD (3) and I would go along too. It would be just me and DD during the day and then all 3 of us from 5ish onwards.

Does anyone have any good ideas of things we could do please?

Thanks!

Following because I am in the same boat. We were thinking maybe the London transport museum? Although he will probably enjoy riding on the tube just as much so maybe we should save our money and just do that, lol.

Natural History Museum
Science Museum (my son especially enjoyed 'the garden' in the basement, an extremely non-garden-like play space for small children)
Both free and right next door to each other.

The Postal Museum is brilliant for that age and quieter than the main museums. Be sure to book the Mail Rail and a Sorted play session.

The Discover Centre at Stratford is great too, particularly if you book the exhibition.

The Maritime Museum at Greenwich has a lovely bit for kids.

Personally I avoid the South Kensington museums in August, particularly for little ones. They'll be ridiculously busy and don't have as much for little ones as the ones I've mentioned.

This blog has a great round up of London activities over summer: bablands.com/

Battersea Children’s Zoo is fabulous-so much better than London Zoo and really contained for younger children. It’s got a nice little playground too!

Victoria Park in East London is amazing if the weathers good - take swimwear or a change of clothes there’s a fab splash park

The transport museum is great but not the cheapest- but lots of transport themed play and climbing into the drivers seat of a bus etc.

The National Army Museum and London Docklands Museum have great (paid) play areas for this age group- but book quickly as they are limited numbers per session and sell out. Both museums held my toddlers attention for a while too and have plenty of interactive bits as you go round.

The RAF museum is a great free option- most toddlers love looking at planes and helicopters!- and has a great free playspace too.

Was going to suggest the RAF museum but Colindale Station is closed so it's not as "easily" accessible at the moment.

Another hit is the Horniman museum and Gardens. Although this is also a bit out of the way.

We also love the all the Royal parks (St James' Park is our fave)

When we have visitors that haven't been to London before or dont come often we always suggest a river boat to Greenwich and / or the cable car. Also the London Eye.

We can always kill and afternoon on the South Bank and we love Granary Square / Coal Drops Yard / Camley Street Nature park.

Also really enjoyed Walthamstow Wetlands.

battersea children's zoo

We lived in London until DS was three. He liked - Corams Fields, the Princess Diana playground, Victoria park, the museum of childhood in Bethnal Green (think it's called something else now), Kew Gardens, Natural History Museum, and the South Bank for general running around. The Olympic Park has a lovely playground, Tumbling Bay.

Diana memorial playground. Go first thing.

London Docklands Museum. Pre-book the great soft play/play area.

The Army museum - book the soft play.

Uber river boat to Greenwich.

What part of London? You could do Diana Memorial playground and fountains, then pizza express (kids eat free), then Science Museum which would be a full, fun day.

Greenwich is a perfect and easy day out. Take a mini cruise there on an Uber boat from one of the central London piers. Once there spend time in the park including the pedaloes on the small boating lake, the play area and sandpit. Child friendly cafe in the maritime museum and check out the summer activities programme Watch boats on the river Thames then walk under the river using the foot tunnel and catch a driverless DLR train back to central London

Young V&A

The transport museum isn't cheap but it's brilliant for that age group.

At that age mine also loved Greenwich and as a PP says the boat trip is lovely. The Maritime Museum was their absolute favourite.

I would generally say Natural History or Science Museums but they'll be awful in August.

I live in London and have a 3 year old - things I'd recommend are:

1. Kew Gardens if you fancy a full day out. Playground, loads of space for child to roam, fun for you too if you enjoy gardens.
2. Battersea Park Children's Zoo. Combine with Battersea Power station shops for something for you to enjoy. My daughter loved this recently. Also 2 other playgrounds in the park and power station area.
3. Horniman Museum (but not super easy to access from central) - has an aquarium and butterfly house, gardens and other museum area. Not expensive. Playground nearby.
4. Greenwich - museums, shops, market, 2 great playgrounds. Nice for you. Get the boat there.
5. Transport Museum, nice for a wet day.
6. Hyde Park or St James Park - decent playgrounds, pleasant for you too, space to run about. Hyde Park has a Princess Diana fountain that kids can mess about in. Feed the ducks. You could combine St James Park with a bit of a walking tour (Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Downing St, Parliament etc).
7. London Wetlands also great but a bit further out.
8. one of the free skyscrapers but you'll probably have to queue - Horizon 22 or Sky Garden. Research this as not sure what the deal is.

Food halls are good for lunch if you find one selling pizza slices. Nice and reasonably cheap for kids to have whilst you pick a more exotic food option!

Battersea zoo is great for that age

Museums:

Docklands Museum (has a great play area but you need to pre book this I think)
London Transport Museum
'The Garden' at the Science Museum (fun water play and sound / light things)

Transport:

Travel on the DLR (you can sit right up front and pretend to drive)
Cable Car at North Greenwich

If the weather is nice:

Coram Fields
Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens
Olympic Park at Stratford has a fab play area with sand etc.

An easy thing to do is get on the Thames clipper. You can hop on and off. You can do whatever you budget desires.

There's Battersea park/zoo, the power station is worth a visit too.

Then there's the aquarium/ London eye. Both are expensive but I'd say the aquarium is worth it.

Tate and Tate Britain have good things on in the summer for kids. The.

You can then stay on until Greenwich. Look up the play space in the maritime museum - you need to book it but it's good.

Another vote for the transport museum. If you claim Universal credit you are able to get a discounted rate