London 5 Days With Kids - Advice

[Brycare]

Hi guys,
As the title suggests I am planning a trip in the first week in July (either then or the first week in August). Two adults & two girls aged 5 and 7. Most likely for 5 nights, but we possibly may have a full week not 100% sure yet.
My initial thoughts are to look for a hotel in the South Bank area if I can find one reasonably priced.
On the to-do list are Harry Potter World (one of the girls is mad into HP), the London Eye, a kid friendly west end show, doing the hop on-hop off bus (did it years ago and loved it then), walk around Borough market, covent garden, leicester square.
Thinking of maybe pottering out to Richmond or some other suburb for a few hours mooching around and some lunch also one of the days.

A few questions below...

1. Would anybody recommend any other good child friendly things to do/places to see?
2. Is Legoland worth the trek (I've seen some very varied reviews)?
3. What would you guys say is the best west end theatre show for girls 5 & 7? Torn between Lion King, Frozen & Matilda but maybe there are ones better than these that I haven't considred?
4. Any other recommendations - child friendly or otherwise? :-)

Thank you very much in advance.

We took ours out to Greenwich on the train and then went back in the riverboat to Westminster.
They also enjoyed the Tower of London, as well as Borough Market, and a walk over Tower Bridge.

In my experience (living in london) the queues for platform 9 3/4 are always massive unless you get there before about 8am, and it’s not worth it for a photo op. The shop is good, but also busy

I think a lot of suggestions for play areas rather waste time in London if they are a special journey. Take a break in a park but you aren’t seeing London if you are seeking out play areas. London has fabulous sights. My DDs liked Westminster Abbey. The Tower of London is iconic. River trips and visiting South Bank are a fun thing to do. You can soak up history, art, culture and enjoy London without resorting to play areas all the time. If dc don’t enjoy what’s in London that you cannot find elsewhere, I’d save the money!

Harry Potter work is amazing! They will love it.
Hamleys is very expensive but our kids love it. They save up their money before a trip to London so they can get something.

The hop on hop off bus went down a storm with my then 9 and 4 year olds.

The natural history museum is great.

London eye is great.

Tower of London if they like historical things!

Between those shows I'd see matilda but then I haven't seen frozen (would like to!).

You will have a great time.

I'd advise against Madame Tussaud's. The kids loved it but for me it was way too busy and difficult to keep an eye on two kids going in two different directions. I found it awful.

We saw maltida recently and a 7ish old sat next to us cried through the production I think it was too loud for her. We are taking our 8 year old to see frozen (his first London/ big theatre trip) and that would be my first choice for a 5 year old or possibly look into more kid friendly productions that ain’t so long ie Julia Donaldson ones. We enjoyed snail and the whale and room on the broom great for that age range.

Again national history museum was way too busy and we left within the first 15- 20 mins as DS couldn’t even see anything/ lost interest. So don’t recommend that one. Transport museum and the British museum we found to be a bit better.

DS loved London zoo and I’m surprised it hasn’t been recommended. We spent most of the day there and that’s on our list of things to return to.

Merlin do a multi attraction ticket I would recommend sea life centre and London eye/ boat cruise.

DS also loves Legoland, for us it’s worth the journey however we would usually keep it separate to a trip to London. ( we live less than a hour away.)

I would do some sightseeing/ tour bus and take breaks if hot at the park or hotel. I imagine 5 days in London will be quite tiring for young children.

we don’t bother with the shops when taking DS as don’t think it’s worth it but there are a couple of different Harry Potter shops around that might be worth looking into.

Definitely go to Greenwich as well as or instead of Richmond. The Maritime Museum is free and has a fantastic kids area called Ahoy! - free but you should book online - plus kid friendly exhibits. Theres a new outside play area there called the Cove which is brilliant. Greenwich Park itself also has a great playground with sand and water play, and a boating pond. 5 mins walk up the hill is the Planetarium where they have daily kids shows. And an amazing view of London.

In Greenwich there's the Cutty Sark with rigging kids can climb, and a cool market. You can get the Thames Clipper (Uber boat) there.

For park downtime the Princess Diana Memorial playground in Hyde Park is superb and extensive. The whole of Hyde Park is huge and could be combined as part of a day in West London (Natural History, Science Museum, V&A).

For other kid friendly options look up what's on at the Unicorn Theatre, and at the Royal Festival Hall during your holiday dates. If you find yourself near Canary Wharf the Museum of London Docklands is great for all ages and has Mudlarks (for the younger one). The postal museum is kid friendly, and is near Corams Fields - a park space only open to people with children. The transport museum in Covent Garden is child friendly too.

Battersea Park is great for kids, right on the river - Central Park vibes with a small children's zoo. Battersea Power Station nextdoor has places to eat, things to look at, a view point on the roof and light shows.

I'm sure if they've not seen the Lion King they'd love it. I think it's the best for the 5yo out of those you mentioned.

The things my DDs enjoyed most were HP world, natural history museum and a walk around St James's Park seeing the tame squirrels and parakeets!

1. Would anybody recommend any other good child friendly things to do/places to see?

HMS Belfast, Museum of London, London Transport Museum, Covent Garden for the entertainers, Southbank, Horizon 22, Corams Field, Postmans Park, St James' Park, Princess Diana Playground, Uber boat down to Greenwich, obligatory stop at the M&M store

1. Is Legoland worth the trek (I've seen some very varied reviews)?

No, no and no

1. What would you guys say is the best west end theatre show for girls 5 & 7? Torn between Lion King, Frozen & Matilda but maybe there are ones better than these that I haven't considred?

Frozen

Haven't rtft so I don't know whether anyone else has already mentioned, but Harry Potter World is not in London. It is in a town called Watford about 20 miles outside London.

Your best bet for kids that age would be to go to Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross station, and the Harry Potter shop there.

Hi guys,
Thanks for all the advice - some great stuff there.
I think Legoland will be shelved 100% anyway.
I fully realise Harry Potter World is outside of the city and you're pretty much writing the day off but as we've to get on a plane to get to London God knows when we'll get here there again so going to try and fit it in if possible.
We'll still have 4 nearly full days apart from that (possibly even 5 or 6).

City breaks are hard going with young kids though so need to tread carefully. Staying in a hotel with a pool would be great to have some chill time in the late afternoon/evenings but the budget for sure would not stretch to that unless we stay outside the city which I'd rather not do.

Thanks again for all the tips - this has been extremely helpful.

If you are near St Paul’s there is a great little sculpture exhibition round the corner in Paternoster Square, not sure how long it is there for though ( it’s about endangered animals but not the lovely Frink one of sheep which is my favourite London statue) when you walk over the millennium bridge towards Tate Britain look out for the Peregrine Falcon watch people , there are usually PF nesting and they will point them out to you.

if you are in the Trafalgar Square area and fancy an icecream then look out for the gelateria on the street leading down to Embankment Underground. Much better than an overpriced whippy from a van.

remember that your kids will travel free on tubes and buses, for adults you can use a contactless bank card, tap in and out on every tube journey, and in on buses, the daily charge will be capped and it is the cheapest way to get around. Each adult will need their own card.

Lego store in Leicester Square if you’re in the area. And a quick visit to Chinatown round the corner to see the red gates and the lanterns.

There are many Harry Potter merch shops around in central London, usually with quite wizardy decor, which your kids will probably love. (Caution they also stock other merch like Game of Thrones which may be a little less age appropriate).

At their age I think the best of the South Ken museum options is Wonderlab in the Science museum as very interactive, but it’s not free and needs booking.

Frozen is phenomenal and ending soon so definitely go and see that.

A wander around Leicester Square and going to the Lego shop there will be a lot easier than Legoland.

We also liked the natural History Museum, eating at what was Rainforest Cafe now Jungle Cafe I think (Nb the food is crap but the kids love it!) the Hardrock in Leicester Square is actually really good but noisy.

Frozen, Frozen, Frozen! It is magical. My 14 year DD and I saw it last year and she commented she'd wished she'd been able to see it as a 5 year old as would have been so exciting. Plus it is ending in September and not going on tour so will be your last chance to see it

Legoland is underwhelming, go to Denmark another time for lego mad kids.

HP World fab and I say that as a non fan.

Sky Gardens.

Have a fabulous time!

Definitely greenwich over richmond. Maritime museum brilliant for the kids, plus playgrounds, history, park. The village is charming.

Southbank is brilliant, covent garden for mooching, and granary square & Coal Drops Yaed if you're up that way. You cN tie that into a walk along the canal to regent park/camden etc. Lovely when the weather is good

Portobello Road is more relaxed on a Friday and fun if they are Paddington Fans