London with a 15 month old

[xxxbdjaix]

I love London before DD we would visit at least twice a year (we are from the North). DD will be 15months old when we hope to go. AIBU to think it will ok with a toddler?Obviously I know plenty of babies/toddlers live in London so it's not going to be impossible. But do you think it will be too much hard work? Would still like to use the underground but obviously would avoid peak times.
Also any recommendations of places to visit with DD in London?
Or any recommendations of other places within the UK if you don't think London is ideal?

Personally I think it would be a pain with a toddler.

Where will you be staying?

I live in London and have taken my 3 children around it using buggies and not. It's fine. There's loads of great places to go. Science Museum for starters.

It’ll be fine, I used to live there with a toddler. Just don’t travel in rush hour and have a buggy light enough to lift down the steps at the underground as most aren’t accessible.

Sling/back carrier - easier on underground
Very lightweight folding buggy for walking

Natural history museum has an excellent hands on activity floor in the basement which toddlers love.
Science museum is next door and also has some stuff for little ones.
Up the road is Hyde park with lots of space and playgrounds

Also check out the underbelly at Southbank centre - They have some activities for little kids including the bubbleman show and a DJ dance party for toddlers.

www.underbellyfestival.com/whats-on/category/family#stq=&stp=1

We live in outer London.

I have been into London with toddlers many times. I personally avoid the tube because of access difficulties. If you are using a sling it will be easier, but if a buggy, buses are much easier. Especially if it is stroller which fits down the bus aisle.

Is your child walking? You will need to plan places to safely let them down to move around eg science museum, parks, Trafalgar Square etc. I find when I go into town they are the buggy a lot more than usual at home. I also tend to bring picnics and snacks rather than go to cafés etc because I don't find toddlers and sitting down in very confined spaces work especially well. Depends on your toddler I guess.

Just bear in mind it will need to be more led by your child's needs, so will be quite a different experience. Stuff like sitting in the front seats of the DLR can be fun though. Stratford Westfield is quite good with kids too. It has play areas etc.

I never understand why people ask questions like this.

Why on earth would you think it was unreasonable to take a toddler to London?!

Stop being so bloody ridiculous!

I loved living in London with a toddler. There is so much to do. I was fine using the Underground but you do need to check access, not every station by any means has lifts, and many have short flights of stairs with no other means of getting up or down - although I found that someone always helped me if I was in that situation. I tended to use buses more.

Places my toddler loved: Coram Fields, the Princess Diana playground, Victoria Park, the Museum of Childhood, the South Bank (Tate, South Bank Centre) - not that there is necessarily anything specific for them to do there but they liked exploring.

We love it here with toddlers! If you can do a sling that is really great, or as others have said only a lightweight stroller. Otherwise all is easy, so many activities - and echo pps the science museum is great, my 18 month old had a record 30 mins of concentration in the pattern pod the other week...

I agree kubex. Lots of people live in london with children and travel all over london. Undergrounds can be annoying but all you need to do it get a pram that folds easily.

Download the Mumderground app before you go. London is absolutely fine with a toddler. I lived there for the first three years of DS's life.

Thanks everyone got some great suggestions here. I know it is to some extent a silly question I asked simply because of the reaction of some friends when I said we were planning a trip to London. They all said it would be too much hard work. Mumsnet is great for answering this as I get to speak to people who are actually from London so can correctly answer me.

The discovery childrens story centre in stratford is really good. Even my 10 month old loves it. But london is very easy to get around, I find anyway.

Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green is PERFECT for a 15 mth old to toddle around.

If you are going to the British Museum, Covent Garden or arriving at Kings Cross for example then Coram's Fields is a great space for children. Its on the site of Thomas Coram's Foundlings Hospital.
www.coramsfields.org/

it is great when they are that age in a buggy and not running off !
loads of tube stations have lifts now ( I used to grab the tube map and plan my journey using the wheelchair sign - that means lifts or no stairs to street)

It's a great age , they don't need milk or nappy every 5 mins but they'll still doze off in the buggy so you get a coffee break.

my DS was happy enough looking at the boats /buses , we'd get off at blackfriars ( lift ) and walk along the embankment then over to covent garden. Despite our reputation , you'll always find someone to assist you with the buggy if needed !

I still take him up there all the time , now he is 4 it's even easier

I live in London and travel with buggy all the time. However I avoid any tubes with escalotors or difficult changes. I don’t mind a few steps though. It just means you have to walk more or get buses - no big deal! At 15 months I would suggest the “garden” in basement of science museum, mudlarks at museum of docklands and yes museum of childhood is good (but difficult to get to on public transport with a buggy). My DD also (randomly) loves running round Kensington palace and you can combine that with Diana playground and a spot of shopping on Kensington high street. It is also not too far from the nhm and science museum if you wanted to make a v long day of it!

I live just outside of London near a tube station and I avoid taking my little kids into London. It's very doable but it's just a bit more stress then I would prefer.

Tate modern - at the moment it's full of swings and a giant stripey carpet in turbine hall!

I only have a sling - so much easier for public transport.

I live in London, with an 18 month old, and we go all over the place with no issues. The only thing I avoid is the tube at rush hour.

Great places:

The play centre at the postal museum
The discover story centre in Stratford
Natural history museum or science museum
Museum of childhood (but hard to get to)
Maritime museum and Greenwich Park

It's perfectly doable but I would highly recommend either a baby backpack or sling. If you can't manage either then get ta super lightweight pram eg maclaren.

There is so much to do for children in London.

The Horniman Museum in Forest Hill was voted number 5 in the NYT list of best children's museums in the world. it's a bit further out (zone 3) but there's lots to do there with a toddler...
The Transport Museum is also good for little ones. Childhood museum in Bethnal Green. You could go to Greenwich and get the boat along the thames to central london.
Anyway, lots to do and definitely fine if you have a lightweight stroller and/or sling.
Don't listen to your friends!

Have lived in London for 20 years and never heard of the postal museum. Thanks LondonStill83 - it looks fab! I love discovering new places.

Children’s gallery (ahoy!) at the national maritime museum
Playground in Greenwich Park
Planetarium show in Greenwich
Horniman Museum (butterfly house and colours exhibition)
Transport Museum in Covent Garden
Going on a clipper boat down the Thames
Discovery Centre in Stratford (gruffalo exhibition)
Sealife aquarium on the south bank

@verite the postal museum only opened last year.