Country bumpkin has a day in London with a 5yo and a 14mo. What can / should we do?

[broguemum]

We'll be staying in North London and I would appreciate any tips for a day out with my littlies. Thanks!

Am prepared to give top tips on things to do in Luxembourg in return .

The London Aquarium on the south bank next to the London Eye is great for little ones. (as is the London Eye). You would obviously have to travel in to the centre on the tube, but as long as you avoid rush hour, that would be fun too.

That is my suggestion anyway, but there are a thousand other things to do too.

Sorry I am not likely to be in Luxembourg with my children in the near future, although I would love to be.

If the weather's good I'd go to the Zoo. It's a really excellent day out, although pricey. If you go, make sure you go to see the animal show in the white tent (sorry can't remember what its called).
If the weather's bad (and it's not a weekend - too busy then!) I'd go to the Natural History Museum. Which has the benefit of being free

Either suggestion isn't going to particularly wow the 14mo, but both have plenty of car-free roaming around space, with lots of big kids to stare at, which was all mine wanted at that stage.

P.S. The Aquarium is good too (is that helpful? )

P.P.S. DumbledoresGirl - did you try Conn Iggulden in the end or give it a miss?!

If weather fine - zoo (££); walk along embankment and over wobbly bridge to Tate Modern (free); Hyde Park or St James park

If weather bad - nat History museum and science museum (both free); aquarium (££)

thanks everyone! Am wavering between London Eye and Natural History Museum. Could I do both in a day with the littlies?

You COULD, but I'm not sure I'd want to. Maybe it's just me, but more than one destination in a day always seems to end in disaster. There's plenty to see around either option (South Bank / Regent's Park respectively) so would be tempted to limit it to either/or.
Like I say, it's possible though. If you're super efficient and unflappable then go for it

Super efficient? Me? Nah.... OK, will limit to one destination. But which one? Which one will be less heaving on a Saturday?

LucasNorth - still working through the books I got for Christmas (have only read one so far ) but he is still on my radar as a possible. Did you recommend the historical whodunnit books? (forget author) I am hoping to try one of those this year too.

Broguemum, I think you could do Eye and Nat Hist museum in one day (though they are not near each other). The Eye is only 40 mins or so isn't it? Assuming you don't spend 2 hours queuing of course

Queuing and DS don't go together... Can't you book the London Eye in advance? >

Yes you can.

Broguemum - Nat Hist will be probably fairly busy on a Saturday; there may or may not be queues for the dinosaurs. You'll probably be OK, the only time I saw a bad queue was a half term, but you never know. There are plenty of other bits that don't get so very busy though, which if the dinosaurs are heaving should keep you all amused.
My top tip - I went (my DD was 18m at the time) with a friend whose 4yo was desperate to see the dinosaurs and we split up - I went to a near-empty geology gallery for a run around with DD while friend fought her way round animatronic dinosaurs. If you'll have someone else with you it may be worth considering?
Let us know how the trip goes, hope you enjoy it

DumbledoresGirl - it was CJ Sansom. Latest one is out in paperback in May and I am being very good restraining myself from getting the large-format rip-off paperback in the meantime

I live about 10minutes walk from Natural History Museum and Science Museum and on bad weather days I often take my 18mo down to science museum, there's tonnes of cool stuff to look at and space to let the kids loose.
If you go to the basement there's a childrens area called The Garden and it is FAB, tonnes of fun, the staff are 'usually' really good with the kids.
Its mostly occupied by local nannies and their charges.
You can get one of the old route master buses on the number 9 route from picadilly to the Albert Hall then walk down to museums along exhibition road, a nice trip in itself, you'll get to see lots of London 'tourist' sights.
My recommendation, use buses instead of tube as much as you can, will give the kids a lot more to look at, making travelling around more bareable!

Thanks everyone. Will let you know how it goes.