Hate London, but have to go. So where can I take LO's on the cheap?

[InTheScrum]

We're going to London next Tuesday to visit my brother. He is working though so we'll only see him for lunch.
We need suggestions for the rest of the day.
We've got a family railcard thingy, so transport is sorted.
The problem is that I find London so unpredictable. I'm not comfortable in crowds or if I don't know where I'm going. The place just seems so BIG!
DS1 is 3&threequarters, DS2 is 8months.
We think DS1 would love the Natural History Museum, so can you suggest places near there, not too expensive and baby friendly?

science musuem, have a fab water play bit for little ones

It it's sunny go to Princess Di playground.
It is lovely nice cafe etc. Not too far from NH museum, Bayswater tube entrance to HPark.
Where does your brother work?
Cos maybe you could stay local to that.

went to the Science Mueseum last week and ds 1 loved it (so did dh and I!)

We spent ages in the launchpad bit, ds loved the exploring space bit and the steam bit. You can then go the Nat History Museum next door. Ds always loves the dinosaurs...

if you are not comfortable in crowds i would stick to the parks next week, its school holidays and the museums are usually very busy. The diana memorial park is really nice, you can easily spend an afternoon there

He works here - Kensington Church Street W8 4EP
No idea where that is, or where it relates to Charing X (where our train gets in). Also terrible with maps, don't want to look too much like a tourist/target, and certainly can't face a domestic with DH over what is supposed to be a nice family day out!!

You hate London?
Are you mad?

Science museum seems the obvious choice as it's just round the corner from the Natural History.

I'm a country girl Mrsruffallo. I can't stand the city dirt and rude people. give me cow pats and country bumpkins any day of the week!

But won't all the museums be hellish in the first week of the school holidays? I would go to the Diana playground.

Really? The rudest people I have ever met were in the countryside.
There are lots of nice people here.

It's Kensington, west/central London@OP. Nearest tube is High St Kensington (5 min walk if that).

Diana Memorial Park thingy and Kensington Palace are a 5 min walk away. The museums (Natural History, Science etc) are in South Kensington, a short tube/bus ride away.

Holland Park & Hyde Park both close by. Hyde Park is enormous and has a boating lake and nice cafe. Holland Park is much smaller and nice, too.

Museums will be packed because of Easter holidays. Best advice is to get out early in the day if you can, and avoid travelling at rush hour if possible (7.30-9am and 5-7pm ish).

I know I'm just being silly really, but I'm just uncomfortable around masses of people - I think I've been tarred by the experience of getting herded through the undreground during rush hour.
We have to go in the holidays, DH is a teacher.

InTheScrum - please don't worry about looking like a tourist/target. London is a very safe and friendly city. I have lived here 23+ years without major incident. Lots of people who live here are just like me , more than willing to help anyone with directions/information if I can help.

My DH used to work in Kensington High Street, at one end of which is Hyde Park and within that is Princess Diana's children's playground which really is exceptional and your older child will really love it. Kensington Church Street is about 15 to 20 minutes walk away (my best guess).

It will be possible for you to get from Charing Cross to Kensington High Street on a bus if you don't fancy the tube. On the bus, you will probably go down The Mall (iirc) and see Buckingham Palace, which will be interesting for your dc. I don't know the exact number of the bus but its easy to look up.

Hope you enjoy your day. Please don't be fearful.

you need to come out of charing cross and go to embankment station (1 minute walk) get central line (towards victoria) to high street kensington, its only about 10 minutes. kensington church street is across the road and go right a bit (its an easy road to spot).
with regard to the museums we took dd to natural history museum in the school hols last year, seriously never again, i'm used to packed tubes ect but my god it was a nightmare, it was so busy.

You'll be fine, I bet you have a great time and the children will love seeing your brother!

Stick to one of the parks MrsMattie has suggested if it is a nice day.

Have fun!

Thank you so much! You've helped me feel a bit calmer now.

Just wanted to say Thank you again!
We had a lovely day in London yesterday. Queued for an hour to get inthe the NHM, but it was worth it to see DS1's face in the dinosaur exhibits!
It was very VERY busy in there but fun anyway. Then we went to the Science Museum next door. Less crowded and a bit cooler. DS1 really enjoyed it in there and cried when we had to leave. He especially liked the toilet display with a flushing poo. Typical 3 yr old!
We're going to go again and spend the day in just the Science Musuem.
Only thing I would say is that the cafes in the the museums stop doing hot food at about 2.30, which is quite early when you've spent hours queing around the exhibits and had to fight your way to the restaurants!
We had a lovely dinner in Prezzo just off Trafalgar Square, which was calm and relaxing (every restaurant closer to Charing X was heaving!). The staff were wonderful with our tired children and prices were good for London too.

does anyone know where to get 2 for 1 tickets in date for london dungeons or madame tussauds please?

littlemissthrifty, if you're travelling to london on public transport I think both those places are covered on the 2for1 offer you get if you go by tgrain