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.

London Transport Museum is on Covent Garden. The bond in motion exhibition is almost certainly at the film museum that's on CG too.

Weekend or weekday?

Bank of England museum is weekdays only. Sky Garden might be too, can't remember.

The RAF museum is very good, especially if you like planes.

I did the "Undiscovered London" tour of the East End with my 8 year-old DS2. It's about £14 for adults, but children were free. It covered everything from Dickens and JK Rowling to Huguenot/Jewish/Bangladeshi immigration to Jack the Ripper to the street art of Brick Lane. We loved it. It took about 2.5 hours and DS2 was only tired because he had done the free walking tour in the morning as well. We had a guide called Dale, who was really great.

(For a special occasion) the Thames Rib Experience was suprisingly amazing fun. I now 'get' the buzz people get from speed. And the soundtrack was cheesy but fun.

Museum of childhood in Bethnal Green is lovely, I used to live in house on the edge of the grounds so been in loads of times!
Monument to the Great Fire is interesting and you can walk to Pudding Lane every etc but not sure if you can still walk all the way up it.
I agree Hampton Court Palace just outside London is worth the visit too
But do not bother with the Aquarium for gawds sake! Dire and expensive too.
Jack the Ripper your of Whitechapel maybe or is that too much for a 10 year old?!
London Dungeon.
Have fun!

The galleries above the Whispering Gallery in St Paul's are currently closed so you can't go to the top at the moment......

If you are going to London Transport Museum it's in Covent garden.

There are usually street entertainers there and often they are excellent.

Otherwise it's full of makeup shops now which is a lot less interesting than it used to be. Pollocks Toy Shop is still there which is full of toy theatres.

Good info about St Paul's dome being closed!

I wouldn't go to London Zoo if you have Chester.

The slides at the Olympic Park sculpture thing? And a wander through the Olympic Park?

The strawberry tours Harry Potter tour is good. Its pay what you think its worth.Starts everyday outside the lego shop at 3.30. They also do a jack the ripper tour but dont much about that.

strawberry tours

If you fancy venturing to deepest darkest South London, try the Horniman Museum.

We're taking the children to Spun Candy (E1) this Easter, for a sweet making workshop followed by a mooch around Spitalfields and probably a Brick Lane curry.

Harry Potter walking tour if a fan,

Tower of London.

Science Museum.

The design museum, The Goldern Hinde, Crystal Palace maze and dinosaurs, Hampton Court and Princess Diana Memorial playground.

What might be interesting is Dennis Severs house a weavers house in spitalfields but brought to life with lighting etc. Only open certain days, have to book but great fun.

London aquarium and Kew Gardens.

Op Covent Garden mooch about, street performers, used to be Theatre Museum which could be good. Downstairs in covered part of piazza they sometimes have classical music. Lots of shops... Some bars and restaurants have roof terrace there. There are some interesting shops (Italian designer) off piazza sometimes. Neal street and neals yard a bit commercial nearby but cute. Used to have Slam City Skates if kids into skateboards and board gear.

We climbed the O2 recently - awesome experience, and near to Greenwich observatory.

China Town is streets of Chinese restaurants and shops, they can have nice bits for kids eg stationery etc.

Watch for star ratings of restaurants one place I recently visited had a 0 (zero) rating and when we went in the reception man told us there were rats there! . We didn't stay to eat Sweet and Sour Rat...

DLR on trains through Canary Wharf is fun.

The emirates cable car is fun and pretty cheap, then jump on the bus along to Greenwich for the Cutty Sark. That was a great day the last time I took DS to London.

Dennis Severs house website www.dennissevershouse.co.uk

LondonWalks walking tours are brilliant. We've only done one so far - the Brunel one - but it was fantastic. My DS was 9 then and the guide (Tim) was really good at keeping it interesting for everyone on the walk. (Young/old/British/foreign tourists etc). Children are free, adults about £8. There are different walks on different days all listed by date on their website.

Sky garden is open every day - we went on a Sunday

I wouldn't do the zoo, a zoo is a zoo, so I would concentrate on things you can only do in London

Sky Gardens is every day I think, I've been on a Saturday or Sunday