London with an 8 year old

[Lottapianos]

My sister and nephew are coming to visit in a couple of weeks. We don't have kids so have no idea what to recommend. Nephew is into sports, board games, books and eating! They're already thinking Science Museum, Big Ben, changing of the guard. Any other suggestions?

Jurassic World ?

https://jurassicworldexperience.com/uk/

And Lift 109 at Battersea Power Station

https://lift109.co.uk/

Monument
Uber boat
Eaterly

Horrible Histories Boat tour!

All the things they've suggested are free.

Is this a budget conscious trip?

There's a Routemaster that takes in all the sights. No 9 or 15.

Thanks all, will pass on your suggestions!

Natural History Museum, transport museum, there's a tusk turtle trail - you can download the map- where you have to find turtle statues around London. My DSs loved the war museum, you could see a show, lego and m&m stores.

Google good food places; there are incredible doughnut places and chocolate fountain and strawberry places etc. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a whole day event but really funny and magical. The Harry Potter museum-y thing is great too.

Natural history museum and the horrible histories boat trip went down well with our primary aged kids. Then the usual tourist sites...

The Tower of London, Belfast (WW2 battleship moored on the Thames), Imperial War Museum, Transport Museum, RAF Museum of you are anywhere near it, British Museum.

Ice cream parlour Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly

https://www.fortnumandmason.com/media/fortnums/blogpost/pdf/The_Parlour_Ice_Cream_Menu_Summer_20250717V01_-_Eau_de_Nil_SS.pdf

Nephew is into sports, board games, books....

Forbidden Planet bookshop in Shaftesbury Avenue.

Be warned, the big museums are likely to be busy. Best to study the layout in advance and pick just one room or gallery to do thoroughly rather than try to take in too much.

You can walk along the river in front of the Tower of London and see Tower Bridge going up and down - see the Tower Bridge website for times.

Ride on top of a bus and on the Tube.

You can walk from monument to Tower Hill, 15 minutes and pass the fabulous alley ways. The views from Tower Hill are fabulous and you are also next to the Roman Wall.

I'd also suggest a walk along Millennium bridge and a stroll around St Paul's Cathedral. Just brilliant.

Diana memorial fountain! You can paddle/wade in it, it’s so cool for kids

Make sure to pre book the Power Up and Wonderlab at the Science Museum - my 8YO loves both.

Battersea Power Station is a good day out- can potentially take the river boat there depending on where you’re staying. Then there’s the jurrasic world exhibit, the lego store, lift 109, the arcade food court, often other random pop up stuff going on in the holidays plus there’s a book shop with a decent kids section and a playground.

The Twist Museum at Oxford Circus is great. Lots of optical illusions, interactive, and they explain some of the illusions as well.

The former Olympic park in Stratford went down really well with my two (unexpectedly). The orbit’s worth going up (thought we weren’t quite brave enough for the slide!!), you could book a swim at the aquatic centre. There’s also the BMX track (thought I haven’t been to that but), pedalos and of course West Ham’s stadium. My boys aren’t West Ham supporters but loved going round the stadium. And it’s all on the doorstep of Westfield, so plenty of food options.

You can walk from monument to Tower Hill, 15 minutes and pass the fabulous alley ways.

And for anyone who is at all interested in history, the church of All Hallows by the Tower is well worth a visit. (As are all the other City churches, or what remains of some of them, but there's a lot to see at All Hallows.)

Also if you do go to see Big Ben and need a refreshment and toilet break, call into the Supreme Court in Parliament Square. It's free entry but be aware that there's airport security. Turn left after clearance and walk down to the end, down the stairs to pristine toilets, an exhibition centre and a cafe that's reasonable on price and lovely.

Yes and Pepys and his wife were buried in St Olave's Church near Tower Hill

saintolave.com/index.php/our-story/

If you are going to Big Ben then I would recommend walking through St James's Park afterwards to spot the pelicans and then up to Buckingham Palace. There's a nice playground in St James's Park. Rather than the Palace itself go to the Royal Mews behind. You can see some of the carriages including the Gold State Coach and a couple of horses. More interesting and not so lengthy for the DC than BP itself.

Another day take the river boat to Greenwich and go to the maritime museum, walk around the Naval College and Cutty Sark and get lunch in the market. Take the foot tunnel under the Thames and then get the DLR to Canary Wharf for the DOcklands Museum (it was my children's favourite as it has a play gallery called Mudlarks - may need booking). Then DLR to Bank (extra fun if you can sit at the front as they are driverless).

The City of London Corp also offer leaflets with walking trails (online, at Guildhall, or at the Visitor Centre by St Paul’s tube). There’s a really good one for the Fire of London, much of which is along the river. My kids all studied the fire in Y2, so it might be of interest to your nephew if he did too.