things to do in London when you're skint

[thelightsareon]

I'm taking my 10-year-old DD to central London next weekend. Can anyone recommend things to do that cost either nothing or not very much?

Take her to the costume bit of the V&A.

Sacred cafe just off Carnaby Street for cheap pots of tea in funky teapots and cool music.

Go to Liberty to stroke the bannisters and poke around with the ribbons and buttons.

Hang around Covent Garden and look in David and Goliath.

maybe Massala Zone in CV for lunch?

Most of the big museums are free: Science, Natural History, V&A, Imperial War Museum, National Army Museum; and many of them have activities at weekends/half term (check websites).

Also if it's fine, there are the big parks - try Kensington Gardens for the Peter Pan statue and the Diana fountain etc.

Science Museum

Natural History Museum

Victoria & Albert museum

Lots of the galleries - Tate Modern, Tate Britain, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery

If near Nat Gallery / National Portrait Gallery then you could also look at Trafalgar Square, 10 Downing Street, walk down to the Houses of Parliament to have a look, or walk to Covent Garden.

Looking at the street performers in Covent Garden

St James's Park - look at the Pelicans, the lovely veg garden, the generally lovely lake and flower beds

That's a few things off the top of my head!

oooh fab, thanks.

looks like a day of galleries and museums is in the offing.

and that restaurant in Covent Garden sounds lovely.

My 13 year old dd's favourite bit on our recent trip was to walk down to Westminster from Trafalgar Square, then across the park and up to Buckingham Palace, taking cheesy tourist photographs all along the route!

Southbank centre (other side of thames to charing cross) - you can wander in and might see the odd free performance outside. Also walk up and check out the London eye and walk over the wobbly bridge.

At 11.30 every morning it's the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace so get to see the soldiers in their bearskin hats and red uniforms. Then wander down to traf square to all the galleries etc.

I assume you'll get an oyster card so cheap travel (possible free for your DD on the bus - I don't know the rules!)

I used to love being taken to Covent Garden when I was little - the street performers are really good.

Another good and reasonably priced (for London) restaurant/ cafe in Covent Garden is Food for Thought (31 Neal St) - veggie and delicious whether or not you are veggie. Would also be child-friendly although is quite small.

British Museum is free (and much less crowded than Science/Natural History) and has excellent child activity backpacks which are free (though you have to leave a £10 deposit). DD is an Asterix fan so we did the Roman one, but there are various others (definitely an Egyptian one, don't recall the others). You need to check when they're open to give them out tho as it isn't all the times the museum is open.

The Natural History museum has a hands on 'be a scientist' section in the basement which has loads of cool stuff (microscopes to explore things etc) and was much less crowded than the rest of the museum (ie the hell that is the Dinosaur section) when we were there. My dd is younger (8) but if anything I think it might be better for an older child.

Museums & galleries are the obvious ones. So I've had a think. I don't know where you're starting from so have just suggested a few places but planning a route is always good.

Take a trip on the number 11 bus. Goes past lots of sights.

Instead of a restaurant have fish and chips outside if not too cold.

Talk a walk across Waterloo Bridge.

Visit the Royal Festival hall. Drinks are much cheaper than other cafes & bars on the South Bank.

Get a copy of London For Free published by Time Out or buy a copy/view online Time Out's listings.

Catch a free recital at Saint Martins in the Field.

Catch a riverboat from Westminster or between the Tate galleries.

Take a walk in the city.

Visit the Inns of Court near Chancery Lane

Visit Highgate cemetary.

Walk across the wobbly Millenium Bridge from Tate Modern to St Pauls

We're visiting London in a few weeks too, check out the Museum of London website, when I looked they had loads of free family activities listed.

You could go to Kensington Gardens there is a massive pirate adventure playground if 10yo girls like that stuff? Also a huge massive park with lovely walks too.

Walk along the South Bank, lots gong on and great views. Cross by the Jubilee Bridge.

Marking place. Manic's ideas, in particular, are fab!

There's a great adventure playground just down the Cut, about 5 mins from Waterloo (not always open on weekends - check Southwark council's website). You can take your own food into the RFH too and have an indoor picnic. Markets are always fun for a wander round - Borough Market for food or Spitalfields for clothes and stuff. Good cheap food there too.

Ok a few more:

Afternoon tea at The Wolsey is not as expensive as you might think (is significantly cheaper than my local tea shop).

Check out the view from the top of Tate Modern or The National Portrait Gallery Restaurant.

Book some cheap seats at The Globe. You can come and go as you please and soak up the atmosphere.

Browse the vintage clothes & jewellery at Portabello Market.

Go to China Town

Visit Westborne Grove for foodie and boutique-y shops

Have a wander about the streets round by Covent Garden. And you cannot visit without a trip to Liberty's beauty hall. It is gorgeous.

Places to avoid like the plague:

Leicester Square
Oxford Street
The Trocodereo
Kings Cross

wow - so many ideas. Looks like we might be aiming for more than one visit!

Thank you very much