Calling all Londoners / london frequenters

[Allthegoodnamesarealreadytaken]

Sorry posting for traffic

all of you in the london know, if you had a weekend in london coming up, what would you do?

massive caveat, it’s with a 3 year old and a 11 month old.

we’re leaving tomorrow for london and staying 3 nights.

we’re definitely doing the natural history museum and going to the rainforest cafe (or whatever it’s called, I know the food is pants but dd went in Disney land and loves it )

what else would you do for your days out? Nothing too expensive. Think mme tuassards and dungeon would be too scary and sealife centres are a bit crap (we’ve got one near us anyway, seen one seen them all) Any recommendations for nice child friendly restaurants with decent enough food for adults?

there's a children's bus tour with Toot buses that looks good. Holland Park has a great playground. I'd skip the NHM unless your 3YO loves dinos - it will be so busy. I've heard the Transport Museum is good, and maybe a boat trip?
Giraffe on South Bank is good kid-friendly but also does nice food and cocktails!

Covent Garden is a lot of fun - I work nearby.

There's always lots going on and things to look at (street entertainers, flower displays, quirky shop windows - I like walking through the cloisters across from the Royal Opera House and looking at their costume displays) that are fun for small children without the expense or mental drain of 'attractions'.

There's also a decent space outside St Paul's for toddlers to run some energy off without getting people's way too much.

Loads of restaurants and cafes, obviously, and bizarrely, not as expensive as you might think, particularly if you head towards Seven Dials.

Oh, and how could I forget! The transport museum is also in Covent Garden, which, IMO, is one of the best museums in London (after the Museum of London and the V&A).

Just to note that it’s halfterm so central London is likely to be heaving, so brace yourself and bring plenty of snacks!

I wouldn’t plan too much - if they’re both in the buggy, just wandering around is great. Especially on the South Bank where you’re spoilt for choice for eateries.

The Tate modern has the turbine hall which is great for a leg stretch and there's an airstream van selling churros which make a delicious en route treat!

Just seen you're staying in Chiswick - look at Megan’s at the Flower Market they do all day dining. Or Bills generally reliable! There's one in Soho and one on south bank.

I don't know if the Corgi trail is still going but that's what I would do! Lots of different Corgi sculptures designed by different artists all around Westminster/Charing Cross.

Carlucchio’s was always good when my kids were little. Most Italian places are.

i would skip Hamley’s as it’s half term, and go to John Lewis toys area and Disney Store on Oxford Street instead.

Tate Modern. Lots of space to rush about in in the turbine hall. It’s free and there are always performers outside doing things you can watch. They have a good child friendly cafe and behind it there are some great restaurants.

Oh is it half term? That’s piss poor planning on my part, the things you forget with nursery aged kids. I thought I’d seen kids in uniform around here? Maybe the midlands is different either that or the weeks have merged into one.

the toddler loves dinosaurs and all sorts of taxidermied animals, especially if the are extinct, she went to the Oxford NH museum before she was even 2 and loved it.

she wants to see an oviraptor fossil, a mammouth and a narwhal oh and a zebra

Hamley's is awful - grim and SO overpriced. Avoid if at all possible.

Coram's fields is a lot of fun if it's warm enough, and there's a cafe there, or used to be. If it's raining, the Museum of Childhood is a good place to let them run around while you look at the exhibits (if you get a chance).

Oh she’s a Disney girl, I think we’d come out of the Disney store broke 😂😂

Buy some peanuts (or other nuts/seeds) and go feed the squirrels and waterfowl in Hyde Park.

I would definitely do Hamleys. Yes it's overpriced etc but I have some amazing memories from the place when I was a child.

The Postal Museum in Farringdon is really great - you need to pre book but they have a great play area and my 2 loved the underground train

How about Kew Gardens?

Unfortunately the Mus of Ch as we used to call it is closed at the moment. It was a lifesaver when mine were that age.

I'm pretty sure half term is next week, not this week.

I'd also agree about the Museum of Childhood, but it's shut at the moment, unfortunately.

Greenwich including the National Maritime Museum (free). You can go online and book Ahoy! which is their free soft play. (I think there's a small fee at weekends like £2). Your little ones would love it. The whole of the museum is great too.

Greenwich Park has one of the best views in London near the observatory.

A great place for a nature walk.

Greenwich village centre has the market, the Cutty Sark and some great family friendly restaurants, pubs and cafes.

You can reach Greenwich using the Clipper (Uber boat) which goes along the Thames under Tower Bridge abs past all the famous landmarks like Parliament, National Theatre, the Globe, the Shard etc. You don't say where you're staying but you can alight anywhere pretty much.

Museum of Childhood is currently closed for renovations.

There's a good museum with outside space but in Forest Hill, Hornimans.

Emirates air line good, Greenwich Park good as lots of space and good playground and in museum upstairs great area to run and play.

www.horniman.ac.uk/

as PP said Kew Gardens is good as you're nearby and London Wetland Centre is in Barnes nearby. Wimbledon Common also really nice and fairly near and Richmond Park.

I was at Cutty Sark for first time in ages (since I was a child) with 4 year old nephew.

Yes, it's good but you spend a lot of time rushing around after kids - not sure if it's more suitable for slightly older kids?

Foot tunnel to Isle of Dogs, trip on DLR railway. Docklands Musuem also appeals to younger kids too.

After the museums and if the weather is fine you could walk north to Hyde Park, near South Carriage Drive and look at the squirrels. To save money you could bring a picnic and eat it near the Albert Memorial.

Transport museum is great, my two loved it at your 3 year olds age. They loved that they could climb on the buses. Not free, but worth the entry cost I think. And it’s in Covent Garden so you can wander afterwards, watch the street entertainers etc. Given that it’ll be half term it’s worth trying to get to places early.

My DD’s have also enjoyed the Tate Modern, boat trips on the Thames (both your children will be free I think).

We went to hamleys once about half hour before it closed, it was empty and a great experience.

Just seen you're in Chiswick. Definitely spend half an hour doing a Thames Path walk down past Chiswick Mall towards Hammersmith from where you can get a tube to central. There are some lovely pubs along that stretch of the Thames there if your little ones will tolerate a sit down for a swift half or a cheeky lunch whilst spotting boats on the river.

Re your sea sickness I don't think the clipper would make you sick especially if you sit out the back in the fresh air. It's very open and once it gets past Tower bridge it's really fast so not wobbly!

The transport museum is ace for toddlers and quite interesting for adults

open top bus tour is good

Go onto the Time Out website and see whats listed for kids - there will be some theatre / activity stuff on. Museum of childhood in Bethnal Green has had a revamp I think so take a look to see if that’s interesting.

I’d post again for restaurants once you have an itinerary planned

the toddler loves dinosaurs and all sorts of taxidermied animals, especially if the are extinct, she went to the Oxford NH museum before she was even 2 and loved it

Horniman museum has tonnes of taxidermy animals! Plus very inaccurate dinosaurs in crystal Palace park, which I believe has a petting zoo.

If you go to Battersea park you could then walk across and see the power station, the scale is pretty impressive. There’s lots of places to eat at different prices.

Pomodoro at Seven Dials is nice or there are a few branches of Vapiano that might be good for kids, they do their pizza in the shape of bunnies.

I would risk the NHM as it sounds your wee girl is Dino mad and hopefully Friday will be before the complete half term madness. If you can’t face it the Grant museum near Warren St is like a mini version but just check the opening times, not many dinos (as I recall) but lots of stuffed animals and they do a cute kind of treasure hunt for kids with a tick list of stuff to find.

cable car a good call.