Day out in London (for a 4 year old with his arm in a cast!)

[lynniep]

I have been planning to take my youngest to London on Wednesday as its our last day together - just the two of us - before he starts school. I've booked DS1 into after school club and me and DS2 will probably arrive into Kings Cross about 10.30 and have until about 4pm to do our thing.

On Saturday, however, he broke his arm. All is well but my active little fella is obviously now limited as to what he can do. My plan was to take him to the pirate ship at the Diana garden for part of the day. That's no longer an option.

I don't want to rush him around all over the place especially as he is finding it quite tiring having his arm hanging off his neck, and we definitely won't be visiting any toy shops (I'm trying to keep the spending down so this is sightseeing only) but I'd like to take him somewhere nice (from a 4 year olds point of view) for lunch and take him somewhere he will enjoy.

He's a lovely boy and gets thrilled by most things.

bumping for lunchtime

How about going to Giraffe for lunch and then round the Aquarium?
Or the Science museum, which is very interactive?

thanks patty. Aquarium is way too expensive unfortunately. Science museum looks like a good option - will investigate that. No idea where giraffe is. Will look that up.

I took my 4 year old dd to the Aquarium last week and she loved it. It only cost 15 because I used a Kellogs voucher for free entry for me.

Or we have been to Natural History Museum to see the dinosaurs. It was fairly quiet as it was term time. British Museum is also very interesting and have free workbooks for the most popular collections where you have to find things in each room.

As you are travelling by train you could use the 2 for 1 deals which makes some of the paying attractions a little cheaper.

natural history museum is brilliant-my sons love it!!

the tower of london also brilliant-it would be 22 quid for you but free for your son and you could literally spend the whole day there

m.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

Link to 2 for 1 website

London transport museum in covent garden? then you have cheap/free (depending on how generous you want to be) entertainment from the buskers and other street entertainers in covent garden

If you can find a deal, then at that sort of age my ds was absolutely enchanted with an open top bus tour - you see loads, and its a great way to get around. Some include a river trip which would be really fun.

He'd have also preferred sandwiches on the bus and then choosing a posh icecream to a sit down lunch

If he likes transport, then a combo of tube / bus / boat / DLR will be as good as other actual attractions. Cheap too. The DLR is driverless so you can sit at the front and 'drive' the train yourself. The journey goes high-ish up over Canary Wharf area, so it feels all Londony to litties and me.

You could combine it with a trip to Greenwich - DLR there, look at the Cutty Sark, have a wander in park, then walk back through the foot tunnel that goes under the Thames.

Ooh yes London Transport Museum is good and kids are free. Also your ticket lasts for 12 months so you can go back again with your older ds ( and swan past everyone else queuing for tickets, as I did when I went for the second time in half term with both dds!!)

Also agree open top bus tour and river cruise is an excellent idea. Plus my dds would prefer packed lunch and ice cream treat somewhere.

Going to use some of these ideas myself in the summer holidays.

Mine are always thrilled by public transport - what about a open top bus tour (or #11 or #15 bus routes do lots of the sites) or a boat trip down the thames

thanks everyone. Sadly we can't go now as he's been given an appointment to have a replacement cast put on tomorrow. I shall retain this information though in the hope we get to go sometime soon!

oh what a shame! hope he's ok

Boat down the river to the maritime museum