Going to London with 5 year old daughter

[Belle82]

On Thursday I am taking my little girl to London for the day.

I had a baby 8 months ago and so she hasn’t had much 1:1 attention so I have tried to spend one day a week where it’s just me and her.

I have a couple of things planned, a short theatre show & natural history museum (just for the dinosaurs)
is there anything else I could do with her?

hop on / hop off bus tour (but stay on)?
afternoon tea (there are some kids versions) - too young?

I haven’t been to London in so long I’ve forgotten what’s there?

Forgot to turn off voting 🤦🏻‍♀️

Hyde park princess Diana memorial for the water or the park with the big ship? Where is the show and when have you booked the natural history museum?

Bethenal green toy museum my kids loved it but if going to see the dinosaurs the science museum is next door with fun hands on activities
The parks
Walk past Buckingham palace
River boats
Chocolate hall in Harrods

My daughter loved the big toy shop Hamleys when we went

Allowing for travel time, two activities is probably plenty for a 4 year old. The natural history museum has child-friendly cafes and so you could get lunch there.

At 5 I would just stick with those two, there is more than a week's worth of stuff at the NHM! The slower you go the more she will get out of it.

An alternative to the natural history museum is Wonderlab at the Science museum, which is absolutely brilliant.

There’s a pop up art thing outside the National Gallery for the summer - I went with DC who were happy drawing there for a bit.

I think dinosaurs + theatre + tea might be a bit much for a 5 year old, but you know her stamina.

Where will you be travelling into/out of? I would avoid crossing London too much if you can avoid it.

That’s ok @Belle82 - I’ve voted, and so has another! 😃

I have one this age and I think what you’ve planned is plenty! Add a cafe / Pret stop and you’re grand.

Agree with other posters, two activities is plenty. Plan for a nice lunch somewhere that's convenient. Just wondering around is fun for them and london is filled with parks/spots that are brilliant. eg we use waterloo to come into town so if we've got a day planned, we'd usually have just one activity and then spend rest of the time wandering around the south bank, trip on the carousel, watch the skateboarders etc.

Google mudlarks at the museum of London in Canary Wharf.

I took my 4 year old into London recently. He is train mad and we headed to Canary Wharf and literally did lots of little rides on the dlr plus lots of food options in cw.

While there another mum suggested mudlarks but it was fully booked

Oh, and depending now where you are and how much time you have, i find my DC absolutely love it if we take a trip to Hamleys. I usually give them a v small budget for a toy or a book or something. DD usually comes away with a new sticker book or a new soft toy.

Thank you so much for all your ideas. I was thinking Hamley's but I will look into the science museum too.

Going into Paddington (I've saved up some money for taxi's) so taxi to NHM, the show is near Covent Garden.

We took our 8 year old and two year old to the Charlie and the chocolate factory afternoon tea - they both loved it. The waitress kept bringing DS8 molten chocolate in a teacup and breadsticks

Bethnal Green toy museum is closed.

Just a heads up that the NHM is completely rammed at the moment. We last visited during covid times when they allowed for social distancing so it was quite a shock! I wouldn't get food there as it's so busy. If you take lunch you can sit in the gardens outside and eat.

Covent Garden often has street performers and there are lots of interesting little shops (including a shop dedicated to Moomins!), I think there is a pop up Disney in theatre thing at the minute too with costumes and light up stuff. She might like a stroll around to have a look?

We did an open top bus tour many years ago do they could see the sites but sit down and have a rest

I think they also paddled in the fountains in Trafalgar Square and fed the pigeons neither of which you are allowed to do now😎

For the love of god don’t travel in taxis. Paddington to NHM is 15 mins on one tube but will be £30 odd in a taxi

The clipper is a really lovely way to see the city from the river, I went to London with a load of scouts and they all really enjoyed this. It’s public transport so it’s not too expensive

You can get the Piccadilly Line from South Kensington (the NHM) to Covent Garden - very easy and you get to ride up to the street in the big lifts.

The Moomin shop mentioned by PP is lovely and less than five minutes walk away (and there will be plenty to see between the two)

If you don't want to Tube (my DC hate the Tube and refuse to get on it) then an Uber or the bus is much cheaper than a taxi. Uber will be about £10-£12, bus will be less than £2 and your DD will be free.

My son is autistic and loves taxis, it's less than this for us to get from north London to NHM when we do the relaxed openings!