Can anyone recommend a special treat dayout for Ds age 3 tomorrow in or near London for just me, him and DH

[peasoup]

We live in London, so he's done most of the obvious ones- Natural History, Science Museum, Transport Museum, Aqaurium, Zoo and I don't think DH and I could stomach soft play, Eddie Catz type place so somewhere interesting for him but not too awful for us. There must be hidden gems that we haven't heard of/thought of. He's into normal three year old stuff. He loved all of the above, though wasn't greatly interested in zoo. He's also had a boat trip on Thames which he wasn't that fussed by. We're willing to drive out a bit, and I thought of Legoland but it's shut tomorrow.

Greenwich doesn't count as a hidden gem but the naval museum is good and the new observatory is frankly ace.

transport museum, they have some underground ernie stuff and a simulator where you can drive an underground train. fab cafe too

I haven't been yet but Bekonscot Model Village has been highly recommended.

Or how about Freightliners Farm in Islington - there's also a playground next door

One of the City Farms? We like the one in Docklands. Could be combined with Greenwich.

Kew Gardens?
One of the farms (Godstone, Bockett's somtheing or other)

Have you done the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green - my 3 year old loved it and I was pretty smitten too, loads to look at and play with, decent cafe. You could head over to Victoria Park after if weather decent, or London Fields where there is a pub and a playground in convenient proxmity .

Thanks for the responses
Plantsitter Has the observatory and museum got stuff for a 3 year Old?
Deco we've done the transport museum, and he loves it, but we're looking for something we haven't been to. Though if we can't figure anything new out, then that is very high up on the list for a second visit.
Mercy- Model village looks great-I'm gonna check how far a drive it is. we're in South London.
We go to the city farms quite a lot and for some reason he's not too into animals-can take them or leave them.
countess We do Kew quite a bit too, the lucky little blighter

Harpo I wasn't sure if the mUseum of Childhood would be just toys in glass cases. What kind of stuff is there to do?

planetarium at Greenwich observatory do amazing shows .. they do family versions too

highly recommended

I love taking mine to SouthBank and seeing what's on at the BFI .. always great things happening on the riverbank

I also love chinatown with mine

oh god how could I forget .. look what's on at the Unicorn Theatre at London Bridge .. and if they have a show for 3 year olds .. go .. they are always great!

Mercy 59 min on AA autoroute to Beaconsfield Model village so might do that. Any other suggestions greatly appreciated; keep them coming

now you're testing my memory, peasoup...

erm, I seem to remember rocking horses, possibly train layouts, dressing up, sensory play area (funny mirrors, beanbags), dolls houses, puppet theatres, 'home corner'.

It's really well laid out around a central cafe, yes there are toys in glass cases but not in a stuffy way and there are enough activities so that it really doesn't matter if you don't look in the glass cases at all!

here is the website

Aquarium?

Highly recommend the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green - might be a bit of a schlep for you though.

Have you been to the Princess Diana Playground in Hyde Park?

If he's into planes and things I hear that the RAF Museum in Hendon is great too.

Twig I'd love to take him to kids theatre! Just checked and productions tomorrow are age 8+ and age 10+. Damn

Wetland Centre in Barnes?
Alice Holt Woodland near Farnham?
DS likes the Hellfire Caves

Museum of Childhood is good, although last time we went DS barely got past the sandpit on the first floor.

The Polka Theatre is doing a show or 0-3 year olds tomorrow.

PortandD Yes I saw that Polka Theatre had a show; I'm thinking about it. TBH I was wondering if, cos it's age 0 to 3 and only half an hour I might schlep all the way to Wimbledon (not near us really) and he finds it quite babyish and it's over in a flash. Would love to read a review of it really-will google it. And we've done Wetland before. Alice Holt looks lovely though the kids activities for 3 year olds aren't on tomorrow. Hell fire caves probably wouldn't work as he is a right scaredy cat (like his dear old Mum)
Museum of Childhood is sounding v. possible, maybe then a trip to Freighliners Farm as we've never been to that one. Any other gems?

bump

Tbh, I wouldn't really rate Freightliners, not that much there. Willows farm is better here

horniman museem in (towards?) Forest Hill is lovely and really small scale - just right level we've found for an enjoyable few hours. There's small aquarium area (with colouring in corner and jackets you can put on with a magnifying glass attached), small-ish exhibitions on Africa and china (think interesting masks, costumes etc), big bit about musical instruments and a little room where they can play some, and a really old-fashioned bit of natural history stuff with stuffed animals and skeletons (my 3 year old thinks they are dinosaurs). A shop full of goodies. A caff and big park just outside. What more could you want? and it's FREE.

Moscow state circus at Blackheath? - Google for details. Am taking my almost 3yo as birthday treat in a few days' time.

Was going to recommend Bekonscot, but see it's already been done. Go there - my boys (5.5 and 2.5) love it!!

How about diggerland in Kent? here

Wow more great ideas. popping downstairs to tell DH