London break on 21st & 22nd December

[TerraNotSoFirma2]

We have been looking at taking the children to London in the October holidays, but its looking too expensive.
There is a break we can afford on 21st & 22nd of December though.
Our main reason for visiting would be to take DD to the natural history museum, we would be staying in bayswater, so not too far away.
I'm sure there will be things going on in Hyde park.......what else would be good to do with a 3.5 and 5.5 year old?
Anyone know of family friendly restaurants in that area for dinner in the evening?

I realise the following may be a stupid question...but were would be the busier parts to avoid? Obviously Oxford street.

Where would...not were. (It was autocorrect, not me ) ;)

The Natural History Museum usually has an ice rink outside it in winter.

Winter wonderland will be open in Hyde Park. Rides, food, attractions, stalls, a grotto.
Make sure you pop through the museum to the science museum too, so you can see the flushing poo and the burglar assault course

Winter wonderland. Science Museum is almost always less crowded than the Natural History. My son loves the Transport Museum in Covent Garden. If you can do a boat ride on the Thames clipper. Will take you to Greenwich with the maritime museum and you can come back via the DLR (driverless train which is also always exciting) and the Tube. Kew Gardens had a fantastic 'Kew by night" thing last year as well. It's about 20-30 mins from Bayswater.

21/22 Dec is the Fri/Sat before Christmas

Winter Wonderland Hyde Park - I've been three times (2012/2010/2008) each time it has got bigger and busier. In 2012 it took us 15 minutes to get through the gates.
Yes there's lots to see, and it's very festive .
But the queues were horrendous. There didn't seem to be as many toilets (we found only one and there were huge queues), lots of rides not suitable for young DC (mine are 14 and 12 now)
There was horrendous mud, lots of buggies and people with dogs (my DD is scared of dogs )
Cost is IIRC £3-4 per ride for children.
(Last year they had to close due to high winds)

The Kew Walk, we went last year, I'm not quite sure what it was all about, I was expecting lots of festive lights strung from trees all around.
It was tipping down which wasn't anything that could be planned.

If you look on the Sadlers Wells (I think The Peacock Theatre) there's The Snowman (I took my DS when he was 5, he still remembers it )

Or you can book up for Harrods Grotto if you get in early enough .

I used to take my DC to Regent Street to see the lights (and Hamleys - which will be busy, but lovely at Christmas)

Thanks all, really fancy hamleys, will maybe face the crowds for that.
Had a look at pics of winter wonderland and will go in the hope that they will be big enough to at least get on the helter skelter, I do love a helter skelter :-)

Do you know if the rinks would do skate hire as well? I don't fancy lugging skates about.

I'm really excited about it already.

All the ice rinks do skate hire.
If you book early enough (august believe it or not) you could do father christmas in Harrods or hamleys.

If you are staying overnight get a bus tour round london to see all the lights (do it once the shops have closed to avoid sitting in traffic)

The snowman is fab for little ones, they often do discounted tickets too