what to do in london thats free and exciting for kids??

[Soulfly]

Apart from the national history museum, what else is there to do in london apart from london zoo. I am trying to think of things to do this half term,

I expect people can hear my brain clogs going round, lol.

Are you just coming up for the day? if so, dont plan too much... I hate rushing round London trying to cram everything in. so stressful, and end up wishing i'd not bothered!!

yeah just for the day but i get free travel due to dh work, so might come up twice. Do you live in london?

i find london quite scary,

Yeah, I do.Its not scarey, just the people that live here!!! If you want to meet up for a bit of tourism, i dont mind at all! sometimes me and ds have a packed social calendar, but other times it all goes a bit quiet.

that'll be cool. is it half term in london now?? Cause it is here in ashford. So it will be this week sometime, cause i am going with a friend i am just waiting for her to say what day she wants to come, but i would like to come up again, and if you wanted to i would like to meet. Will your kids be with you?> and how old are they?

This week I'm free on Monday (eek... tomorrow!), Tuesday afternoon as may have plans in the morning, or Thursday all day, as my Mum is around from friday. Supposed to be a mn meet up on Wed, if anyone gets their act together which you could come to, but it'd defeat the point of coming to London to do exciting city things, as its just a coffee in north London!! But you're very welcome. Maybe Thurs is looking best?

yeaa that'd be great, how do i get my email to you? do i just write it on here?

i think thursday would be good too, would you have your kiddies with you? how old are they?

don't write your email on here, do contact another talker
(sorry to lurk)

thanks suzie. thats what i thought,

i keep spelling your name wrong, sorry

Just the one, he's 7 months. Which I know will make you wonder why I'm commenting on things to do with kids in London!! He had his 3 yr old cousin for a visit recently, so we did alot of strategic planning.. where to take a baby and a child, routes round London via playgrounds etc! Plus i love doing kids stuff myself.

i have two dd is 5 and ds is 4. My dd loves babies!!

Saw the title thread and was going to come on here to rave about the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens but see it's already been mentioned. Must say I thought it was great. Very secure, proper toilets that are cleaned regularly, good changing facilities and nice cafe. Ds1 and ds2 absolutely loved it.

Not free but if you have a travelcard (for the tube) the Docklands Light Railway is good for occupying children and is covered by the travelcard so no extra cost. If you are lucky enough to get a seat right at the front you get a great view as there is no drivers bit on these trains.

hi, i live in london, who was it who mentioned free tickets to madame taussauds! id love that! lucky u!

I would second tamaum's DLR suggestion - and you can go right down past the Thames barrier and back. Also Tate Modern, South bank, Greenwich - brilliant park, walk past Cutty Sark etc, and Battersea park is great, too. It has a zoo which is only £2-50 (I think), and DS LOVED standing very close to the absolutely volcanic fountains. Also a boating lake, not too expensive. And there is parking in the park.

Ixel (and anyone else) - re the west London toy & model museum you mention - it closed several years ago. Building has now been turned into luxury flats (of course). It was just two minutes from me.

Children's listings magazines (thinking particularly "Families West" ) still have it listed but it definitely isn't there any more. Anyway, apart from the minitrain in the garden it was a bit glass cases full of things you couldn't play with. Science Museum & Diana Park much better options.

Traflagar square. Totally free. I couldn't believe how much my two sons enjoyed climbing on the lion statues at the foot of Nelson's Column and dipping their toes in the water fountains. We went on to visit to the National Gallery - free again - for a couple of hours. My 10 year old was on the hunt for certain pictures, after learning about them in a school project and was really impressed to see the originals. We were going to end with a visit to St James' Park (free playground and looking at the palace guards) but we had run out of time.

Depends how old your kids are and whether you normally travel by bus, but just a trip on a big red London bus or one of the new bendy ones could be exciting. Sadly they've got rid of the Routemasters (the ones you could hop on and off) but they still go to some interesting places ? check out the London Transport website. Also parks are pretty good. Personally I love Battersea Park, one stop from Victoria or Waterloo, has lots of different things including funky fountains and a children's petting zoo (and peacocks and stuff) a free art gallery in an old pump house (small enough to entertain kids without taking too long), a fun, huge temple of Buddha, and the river so you can see all the boats going past and the houseboats in Chelsea. If they are the right age has an adventure playground too. Actually walk over Albert Bridge, it's the prettiest bridge in London and has a sign saying troops should break step that usually entertains people (briefly, I know), or Hungerford bridge, new and funky between Charing Cross and Waterloo and then you can go down the South Bank. All the museums are free although usually charge for special exhibitions. Tate modern has some entertaining exhibits, might be fun for kids to see a different take on art.

Oh, and go to Canary Wharf on the Docklands Light Rail, it's a monorail with no driver. And go back to London on the Jubilee Line, Canary Wharf imposing station, each stop designed by different architect and platforms have those glass screens designed to stop people jumping that might be quite interesting. And if you go to Greenwich there's a foot tunnel under the Thames, then the Greenwhich Meridian where you can stand on the line of 0 degrees latitude.. and Greenwich has a good market. Why am I obsessed with transport? Because everyone else has said all the other good things first!

Mudchute city farm can be reached on the DLR, get off at Crossharbour and the entrance is behind Asda. It's free and a fabulous fun for the little ones. Nip into Asda on the way, buy one of their 99p bags of small apples, take a pocket knife, and you have food for small children and animals combined. We often go there for a cheap day out.

Has anyone mentioned the fountains in Somerset House Courtyard? They are on a timer and children can wander in and out of them (non-slip stone surface) getting sprayed at random. They love it and it's a gorgeous setting.