Another 'help me with London with dc' ideas' thread!

[elQuintoConyo]

Coming to London in early September with a 6yo. He is energetic and will walk/wander for a good chunk of time.

I'm thinking HMS Belfast for a visit but can't seem to find info online on the age appropriacy. I read it has steep ladders and small rooms and doors to access, but he should be ok with them.

He likes wheels, but wpuld the Transport Museum be interesting?

Basically i'm looking for interactive thing, rather than 'look at that stuffed bear behind glass' (nightmares about Paddington ).

There'll be me, small person and 2 grandparents. Possibly overnight, so could squeeze more things in.

Oh, talking of Paddington, the Changing of the Guard at Buck house, am i right in thinking that happens several times a day? He'd love to see that (it is in a Paddington book - spot the obsession?) and the squirrels in St James park with a picnic and a run around.

Um...is there anywhere to see Paddington? Other than Hamley's window?

Thanks in advance. We're very excited already!

The Transport Museum is brilliant; I'd definitely keep that on your list!

There are great hands-on bits for children in the Science Museum.

The Museum of Childhood is also really good, and has lots of games for children to play with.

I'd recommend Greenwich; it's got the Cutty Sark, observatory, maritime museum and lovely park. You can also take a river cruise along the Thames which is lots of fun!

You’ll have to go to Paddington station then.
There’s a lovely cake shop where you can get covered with jam and cream

Greenwich - totally slipped my radar! And a boat cruise would be fabulous.

Can anyone recommend Tower Bridge? (50/50 guessing that's the one i mean, not London Bridge ). The one that opens!

Grandad is ex-military and we could do the IWM but i'm a bit unwilling to trudge around looking at tanks n bombs n stuff. Altho ds would love that. Compromise!

We'll be skipping the Eye. It is great and i loved it, but might wait until ds is older to really appreciate it. Being stuck in a glass box with him - people would be jumping out!

Info about the Changing of the Guard: www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/event/8725947-changing-the-guard

"The ceremony is free to watch and currently takes place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, weather permitting.
takes place outside Buckingham Palace from 10.45am and lasts around 45 minutes, with the actual handover taking place at 11am. The Buckingham Palace Old Guard forms up in the palace’s forecourt from 10.30am and is joined by the St James’s Palace Old Guard at around 10.45am. The New Guard then arrives from Wellington Barracks and takes over the responsibilities of the Old Guard in a formal ceremony accompanied by music."

They also change the guard up at Horse Guards, much smaller drill where the horses swap over sentry duty, I think that happens more often and doesn't get too crowded.

If you are just doing a day trip I'd keep it simple - see changing of the guard, walk through St James's park (buy a packet of seeds to feed the waterfowl - there are lots of good info posters so you can play spot the different birds) to Parliament square, river boat from Westminster pier to Tate modern and then walk along the embankment past the Globe (a good free loo stop if needed) to Borough Market (where they filmed bits of Harry Potter). You could pick up lunch in the market and then walk along the embankment to the Belfast (there's a wacky boat/clock/fountain thing in Hays Galleria next to the Belfast - a good place to eat a picnic lunch if it is chilly as it is not infested with pigeons in the way that Borough Market is) and then on to Tower Bridge. Hopefully by then he will be suitably walked out! An alternative to the Belfast would be the Golden Hind which is close to London Bridge - you'd walk past it any way between the Globe and Borough Market so he can pose in front of it for cute photos even if you don't go on. This would take in lots of landmarks but is quite purse friendly - the shuttle boats are not that expensive and the only entrance fees would be for the Belfast or Golden Hind.

If you are down for more than a day then of the museums good for 6 year old boys I would suggest Science and Natural History Museums (but if it is half term they will be packed) at South Ken, Museum of Childhood as pp suggested, Docklands Museum is also great - lots of interactive stuff and a recreation of a bit of the docks - it also has a brilliant interactive learning centre but you need to book a time slot when you arrive as it is very popular with the local mums.

IWM is also good fun - they usually have some less macho exhibitions so you and grandma could slope off to one of those and leave grandpa to talk guns and warplanes with ds. There's also a little art gallery attached to Morley College which is right by the IWM so if you like that sort of thing you could pop in there whilst the boys are at the museum. (And grab a coffee in the college cafeteria which has some wonderful murals by Edward Bawden.)

Sorry for long post - pm me if you want any more ideas.

Oh my, that's fantastic! Thank you Sue and londonmummy i may PM you later too. Great website, i was looking for something with everything in one place!

We'll be visiting the beginning of September, around 1st-10th, before school starts back.

For the full London tourist experience try and see Tower Bridge go up.
www.towerbridge.org.uk/lift-times/
Most thrilling thing ever for a six year old boy IME. The exhibition is pretty good too.

Thanks for the link Outside i think ds would love that!

londonmummy's itinerary is perfect