What to do with small children close to Selfridges?

[goingbacktowork]

Hi. Off to see santa at Selfridges in London on Sunday. Please can anyone suggest anything we can twin this with (we have 2 under 5s ) it seems a waste to go just for that - maybe something to do fairly loclly for a couple of hours? Thanks

wallace collection
lunch at wagamama
hamleys
hyde park

Quick tube trip to South Ken to the science museum or natural history museum?
Open top bus ride (weather permitting Brrrr)
Hamleys (prepare for it to be packed)
"Winter Wonderland" in Hyde Park

thumbs down for hamleys from dh - already suggested it

done science museum

Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens, or go north to Regent's Park (are you watching The Zoo).

Or down past Hyde Park Corner, via Birdcage Walk (Guards' Museum) or Green Park to Buckingham Palace.

Or 137 bus heading south, keep going until 2stops after Sloane Square - next to Royal Hospital which is next to the National Army Museum (which has a Kids Zone - upmarket soft play - free timed tickets); and you're right by Kings Road for shopping and eating.

where is the kids zone exactly?

was sort of considering the transport museum but are the children too young to appreciate it?

The Kids' Zone is a room set up a bit like a soft play ( no ball pools, but padded climbing stuff round two walls, slides etc), pretend tree with some children's books, some dressing up clothes, some soft shapes, couple of rocking horses, various toys. Usually some colouring in sheets lying around too.

The main galleries are also child friendly - some interactive stuff - 3 computers next to the Afghanistan gallery have games suitabke for young children (dress your knight for jousting). Very friendly staff - often have special events at weekends and half terms.

National Army Museum is free. I think there's an entrance fee for the Transport Museum - we've not been there since the refit, so don't know what it's like now.

If your going that way, there's also Somerset House, or the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery (both free).