Taking 2.5 year old to London science museum

[Curlywurlycarly]

Would it be pointless to take my toddler to London? I have an appointment soon and thought I’d bring my little one with me and make a day of it.
I Was thinking science museum so they can just run around and absorb new surroundings but don’t know if they’re too young and just wait until older.

Id have to bring a pushchair with me either baby jogger or yoyo.

Not sure if it would be to stressful and just wait, on the other hand we only go to local play parks and wanted to introduce something new they are loving trains at the minute!! . We’ve only ever travelled in the car so public transport will be a first too.

If he likes trains, try the London Transport museum in Covent Garden.

Sure, I expect your toddler will have a great time. It’s the Garden (take a change of top, there’s water play) and the Pattern Pod sections that are aimed at little children, so those might be a good section to start with.

We were in the NHM and Science Museum often from age 2 and up.

Take him to "drive" the DLR. It's driverless and if you sit at the front going east from Canary Wharf over the points it's great. Spent many happy hours on there with DS1!

My daughter first did the Science Museum at 2.5. She really enjoyed Wonderlab and Pattern Pod, and still does now at 7.5. You can also combine with the Diana playground which isn’t too far.

The garden and the pattern pod are good for that age. Agree with PP saying take a change of top for the water play. Mine also liked the space gallery and the bit with all the planes. I don’t think I’d pay for the wonderlab as probably a bit too little to get the best out of it. But the rest is free so may as well try it- if they’re not into it then decamp to the nearby playground in Kensington gardens.

The Science Museum is awesome for toddlers! Followed by picnic lunch in Hyde Park and feeding the ducks at the Serpentine. Then hopefully a long nap in the buggy allowing you to potter around London and enjoy the sights.

If you do take her / him to the Diana playground, look out for the Elfin Oak just outside the entrance. It’s like the Faraway Tree.

We've taken our dds to the Science Museum since they were tiny. I'd recommend bringing the Yoyo. If you take the tube you'll need to carry it up stairs (it's light enough to carry it with dd in it on my own, I don't like unstrapping her for fear she'll run off).
There is a buggy park in the basement and I've never had a problem leaving mine there. If the weather is not good enough for a picnic outside, you are able to eat your own food on the benches in the basement, or in the cafe area on level 3.
The museum has free timed entry and you can book tickets in advance, there's usually decent availability although busier in school holidays.

Will you be confident with carrying a buggy up the stairs at the tube station? Personally I found South Kensington tube (where the Science museum is) very stressful with a buggy so perhaps not for a novice. There's no lifts (at least not on the circle/district line or up to street level from the main concourse). If you are going off peak it should be ok but it's always quite busy. You could see if you could go by bus - it's quite doable from Victoria, for example.

Science Museum is great for toddlers, and you can also combine with Hyde Park playground. There's also a much smaller but still pretty good playground closer to the Science Museum that might be best if you have limited time or don't want to walk too far - google St Luke's playground.

The Transport Museum is also good but requires a paid ticket and isn't so well located for playgrounds/other stuff where toddlers can run around. There are a few options though if needed including a very small playground at Embankment Gardens (the gardens would also be fine for a toddler to walk in). My vote would be the Science Museum!

If you tell us which train station you are coming into and where your appointment is OP, people might be able to suggest some good, well-located alternatives.

I’d second the transport museum / full of kids, buses they can drive, basically a soft play.

If he likes dinosaurs you could also pop into the natural history museum which is next door.

Wow thank you so much everyone for all your helpful tips and suggestions. I’m quite looking forward to a day out in London now but secretly dreading tackling commuters on the way home lol!

I briefly looked at the transport museum but thought He might be too little or bored but buses he can drive and basically a soft play sounds absolutely perfect @MidnightPatrol thank you! If not this time then definitely another day.

Thanks @flatsam will probably bring the yoyo as it’s smaller but was tempted with the baby jogger as it has a bigger basket! Mine will definitely have to stay strapped in- I have a runner!

@TheLette my appointment is at royal Brompton which I think is South Kensington station? Please correct me if I’m wrong. Or tell me the best route!
Im taking a southwestern train and was going to change at Wimbledon on the district line which does have quite a few stairs to go up and down, didn’t think about that.
Should I replan my route?

I’ll definitely need to bring the buggy for hopefully a nap on the way home plus bags but I’m going to bring my mum along so she can help with the buggy and baby.

However, mum hasn’t been to London in over 20 years and I haven’t been since before Covid so now my excitement is quickly turning into anxiety ahh.
But there seems to be lots of places for fun times, I don’t know where to go now! Thank you so much for your suggestions everyone and if you know of any that are closest to the hospital then please tell me I haven’t got a clue 😅

Oh yes the hospital is very close to St Luke's playground that I mentioned - your mum could take your son there during your appointment!

Wimbledon has lifts so you should be ok there. The stairs at South Ken aren't crazy. Hopefully you can find someone to help - I always found someone if I asked! Don't worry - it's a nice area there you will be absolutely fine!

It’s free so you can try it and if they get bored and fidgety then you can always take them to the Diana fountain and park which is just down the road.

I always find a nice strong person willing to help me with buggy on tube station stairs
If you're worried you can go to earl's court and walk or get bus from there to the science museum