London with a 10 year old, we've already done....

[VioletLips]

Madame Tussaud's
Natural History Museum
British Museum
Imperial War Museum
Tower of London
Greenwich via the Thames
Westminster via the Thames

Ideally want to stay near the West End, train booked, accommodation pending.

Any recommendations welcome for places to go.

Just noticed already done.

The food hall at harrods is a must!
Sadly the pet shop with pet spa has gone.

We love a stroll around the south bank. tate modern or the royal festival hall often have events on particularly in school hols.

My ds loved hms Belfast!

Have you done the open top bus tour.

Definitely HMS Belfast.

And The Sky Garden at the top of the Walkie Talkie building (20 Fenchurch Street) which is free - unlike the Shard - but you have to book tickets in advance.

China Town. Hamleys toy shop.

The paying exhibition on top floor of science museum totally brill. Interactive, loads of talks etc. Could spend hours there. It's called wonderlab.
My 9 year old son adored it.

St Paul's: whispering gallery and then keep climbing up into the top of the dome, it is up ladders, and out onto the very top for the view. (Check prices)

Museum of London

Check Time Out for any one off events.

The Crystal is not a museum of crystals (you need the geological section in the earth sciences section of the NHM for that) it is a Siemens exhibition of technology one side of the cable car.

Never done open top bus tour, travelled quite a lot on the bus last year though to get to various places but haven't done an actual tour.

China Town, never thought of this. Don't even know what's there. One to look into.

Skygarden has been mentioned a couple of times now so this might be one to add to the top of the list. Possibly this, London Dungeon, Science Museum, trip to Harrods. Maybe Covent Gardens, I've never been, always here about it but don't actually know what goes on there.

Ripleys, we've been to the one at Blackpool, ds loved it. Is the one in London bigger and better?

*hear not here!

Peponi, I'm sure this is something ds would love.

Soul, dp has just mentioned St Paul's. We walked past it last year but didn't go in. Thanks for the explanation of The Crystal Museum

I second the Science Museum - the top floor is all interactive hands on stuff, we could have spent hours there. Also they've just had the space pod that Tim Peake used to come back to Earth, so that would be good to see. THey also have a new simulator of that Earth re-entry, which Sir Tim has said is really realistic - you have to pay more for it, but it would be really good to do.

Covent Garden is a load of shops, some under cover in an old market hall. It's nice, but I'm not sure if its that entertaining for kids.

I'd second the recommendation for St Paul's too - I thought the climb to the top was mind blowing. The vaults are really cool too.

I think you have to pre book the Skygarden. Not been yet.

I prefer CG to O Street but that's for shopping and a beer not sight seeing - the kids and I end up there a lot because of the theatres but tend to do Pret and Costa near Urban Outfitters and then mooch off to watch one of the street entertainers in between stuff. Wouldn't go as a destination itself unless maybe for the transport museum.

My 9 yr old ds is desperate however to do the London Eye and the Duck tour.

London Duck tour.
Visit to the M&M shop.

The duck tour is fun
What about a gallery or London Zoo?

Duck tour does sound brill. Never even thought of that, so thank you.

Not sure about London Zoo. How good is it? We've got Chester Zoo virtually on our doorstep, so have been quite a few times.

Skygarden you need to prebook and adults need photo ID.

National portrait gallery
Although just outside London - Hampton Court. Actors are brilliant.

I find London zoo a bit depressing. Now, I know it does and supports all sorts of good works in conservation, and even the displays ar good, informative and interesting for children. But the zoo in Regent's Park just feels more like display than conservation. Which may well just be me being contradictory. But it you've visited other zoos, then I wouldn't particularly head for London.

Does your DD like visiting galleries? Because if so you can go from Tate to Tate by riverbus and that route takes you through the centre of London - you'd have to do your own sight-spotting but it's way cheaper than the duck

London Duck
HMS Belfast
River boat Tate to Tate

Oxford street is always hellish. Covent Garden much nicer for a wander, there are usually amazing musicians performing.

If you have a chance to go down on the shore at Bankside, do. It is v peaceful there.

PS: there's a London topic now.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/london

Would you have a think about asking MNHQ to move this thread over there idc? So that these suggestions don't all go pfft in 90'days.

A wander through China Town including lunch is fun and will combine nicely with a trip to the Lego shop.

The Geffrye Museum www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/ in Hoxton.

Sky garden you need to pre book and booking opens three weeks before the date you visit.

If you're going by train you can save money on tickets to attractions as you can do 2 for the price of 1 on some places here