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?

So do I @tulips27 ! I'd forgotten all about Battersea Power Station being open now and immersive dinosaurs sounds right up my street 😀

Go on the DLR, sit right at the front and let 3yo pretend to drive.
Go on a bus, sit right at the front upstairs and let 3yo pretend to drive.

Mine is nearly 8 and would still love this!

Regrettably, the 521 bus does not run at weekends.

Barnes Wetland Centre is great.

Postal museum, it has the Sort It role play area and the Mail Rail mini trains through the old postal rail tunnels.

Science museum is better than natural history with younger kids i found more hands on..
Second Kensington memorial playground.
Tate modern used tk dk good kids art stuff...
Wander allobg southbank

Also, I get really badly sea sick (I've got sea sick on a dinner boat thing that wasn't moving on the Thames, and on a family member's houseboat), but the riverboats on the Thames, when they're moving. don't tend to set it off so I would still consider it if I were you. Just make sure you don't sit near any fumes and away from vibrating bits if you can.

I would recommend Tate Modern/Tate Britain. We went to Tate Britain last weekend with our 3 year old, he loved it and it's free! They have a lovely play studio for arts and crafts and a story space room, spent a good couple of hours there.

@evilharpy I'm 47 and still pretend to drive on the DLR 😂

Oh that’s good to know! This is terrible outing but whatevs on my honeymoon dh desperately wanted to do not one but two river cruises of the Bosporus, dosed up on seasick meds and spent the whole thing lying down with my eyes closed… 😅. Terrified (slight hyperbole) to step foot on a boat again

Just beware that it's rutting season for the deer right now!

I'm 43 and I still love this.

I get most annoyed if I get on the DLR and somebody is sitting in 'my' seat up front. 😄

Lots of great suggestions already. Just adding...

You can feed the parakeets in Hyde park (near the Peter Pan Statue but behind it a bit), just take apples and pears and they will come and land on you.

Sky garden is good..: not sure how much your 3 year old would appreciate it but they might like being up high.

Emirates cable cars are fun.

We went to Tate Britain last weekend with our 3 year old, he loved it and it's free!

if you do go here there’s a cute little park just near by on the river. Might be called
victoria park or something like that

I do this too, and have also been known to move out of my seat to drive the bus when somebody vacates the front seat on the top deck.

I have a 3yo and a 15month old. Last weekend we went to Greenwich. Went to watch Ted's adventure at the Planetarium (perfect for both of them. One enjoyed the content and the other the lights) and went to the Maritime museum (which has a great hands on exhibition for little ones at the moment). Lunch in Greenwich and then play at Greenwich park. Perfect day for all!

You can get the boat up to Greenwich which is lovely in itself.

NHM top tip, if the queue is huge, go round the corner to the geological museum (Earth Galleries) and go in that way. You can walk through from one to the other. NHM is aka Life Galleries.

Toy museum in Bethnal Green is fun!
There is a children's theatre in Covent Garden- can't remember the name but puts on lovely productions for small kiddies
I disagree with science museum for kids your age- better for older children although the hands on bit is cool albeit quite breif. It's free tho so nothing to loose!

I think the Bethnal Green Musuem is still closed for a refit. Previously called Bethnal Green Musuem of Childhood but I think it's been renamed Young V&A.

Excel dinosaur exhibition Custom House station DLR Elizabeth Line
can prebook tickets on line

If you're in Chiswick and the weather is good then Kew Gardens is a good idea. However, you MUST book for the children's garden separately to entry tickets, you can't just go in. It's free with entry, but you get access for specific timed spots. It is very popular and will sell out most days. It is fantastic though.

Again, if you're in Chiswick - the Horniman is great, but transport is a nightmare from the west. Much as I think Greenwich is a grea day out, that is also a big trek. Science museum and the Diana Playground would make a fab day though.

London zoo is excellent
Science museum excellent
A city farm (depends where you are staying which one)
Against the grain here but I wouldn't go to the aquarium - they have a load of penguins living in a room with no windows, really sad 🙁

Nobody has mentioned London Zoo yet, which DS really loves. Obviously depends on what you have locally - Whipsnade is definitely better. But if your DC like animals it’s a nice day out. Regents Park itself if really nice too.

Aged 1 and 3 I would probably do whatever I wanted to do myself, and just drag them after me. I agree most preschoolers like the (free) basement play area at the Science Museum. And if you are going to NHM don’t miss Andy’s Clock (next to the cafe). DS isn’t actually particularly into the dinosaurs there! There aren’t actually many of them, and they aren’t very interactive. He does like the whale and the Earth Sciences wing (earthquake simulator etc). Greenwich is a great day out, we always run out of time to do everything. BlueLight card holders get free entry to the Cutty Sark, as do under 5s, so if you have one it’s not actually that expensive to go on board, and DS totally loved it aged 4. And

Londoner here with an 11 month old and 3 year old. Snap! We love a day out and our favourite places to go which are reasonably central are:

Natural History Museum - the dino section is a huge hit but the animatronic T. Rex can be a bit scary. You can short cut past it if you need to.

Science Museum - just next door to the NHM and a lot of fun too.

Princess Diana Memorial park is a short walk from the NHM and my kids love it.

Battersea Zoo - the playground within is great and is often a bigger hit than the animals, particularly the sandpit area. They have a decommissioned fire engine and helicopter too which the kids love to "drive". They feed the otters at 11am, which is such fun. Take some pound coins as there are various rides that your 3 year old will love.

Battersea Park - it has two great kids' playgrounds and a lovely cafe called Pear Trees which is good for brunch especially. There is also a decent pizza restaurant next to one of the playgrounds and a mini golf course.

London Aquarium - don't dismiss it. It is AMAZING. I enjoy it more than my kids! There is a fantastic playground just nearby (think lots of wooden climbing frames) if you need to kill time before or after visiting the aquarium. There are tonnes of good places to eat along the South Bank too.

London Zoo - fabulous, but it's quite a lot to get around and Battersea Zoo is easier and more contained. However, if you do make it here, the penguins and lions are incredible. They have decent restaurants on site for lunch etc.

The Princess Diana (blue) memorial park is the water feature, it's closer to the museums (green) but better in summer really.
The princess Diana memorial playground (red) is better, it's a walk/bus/tube but more to do, it's a large enclosed playground with different sections and has toilets within 👍

Covent Garden tube has lifts to enter and exit - it's pretty busy even now so likely to become even more so with half term. Getting off at Leicester Square might be less stressful with little ones . If you're staying in Chiswick Richmond is not far. There's boats to take to Kingston , Hampton or possibly Kew.. also children can feed the ducks ... there's a lovely Bills by the river or the white cross has a great view and family room
Upstairs. Also Kew is definitely worth a visit from Kew, and Hampton Court isn't too far - gorgeous gardens and pony drawn carriages for children.