What to do in Southbank?

[weaselwomble]

Hi all, looking for any advice and suggestions please for free or budget friendly things to do in the Southbank area this Friday evening and Saturday daytime? We are travelling down tomorrow from Manchester so will need somewhere to eat and then potentially kill an hour. On Saturday we are at the Dav Pilkey presentation in the morning (Southbank centre) and then would like to see Big Ben plus spend a few more hours doing something before coming home.
DS is 6. I don't know London at all and I'm struggling to make sense of distances/what's achievable.
Thanks in advance

Buckingham Palace is 15 mins on the tube from the Southbank centre,or a 25 min walk. Changing of the guards happens in the morning, so you won't catch that but you can still see the soldiers standing outside etc. Green Park (right next door) is a great place for a picnic lunch.
You can easily get to the Houses of Parliament from Big Ben, and could either just have a look at the outside or head inside to see the Crown Jewels. Trafalgar Square is a 15 minute walk from Southbank, and you can see the lion statues.
For the Friday evening, if you're wanting to burn some energy, the Southbank has a playstructure at the moment for kids and adults, and it's indoors so you don't have to worry about the weather REPLAY: A Limitless Recycled Playground | Southbank Centre. It is paid for, but they also have a free giant chalkboard to play with that is free (but might not quite take up an hour).

There us a play area on Southbank behind the wheel. Walk along to Tate Modern, the Globe and view of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Get uberboat/Thames Clipper back to Westminster pier and see Big Ben, Whitehall and through St James park to Buckingham Palace

Very easy walk over the bridge from southbank to
covent Garden also.

The transport museum is there - which is fun if you’re six, lots to play on.

Look on the days out website, you can get 242 tickets.

I agree the replay exhibition looks fun and is on my list too.

The Crown Jewels aren't in the Houses of Parliament, they are in the Tower of London, which is also a great visit.

Replay has to be booked and there isn't loads of availability this week so do check before you go

You could stay on the Southbank - walk past the wheel and you will see Big Ben over the river.

walk the other way for food trucks and you might make it as far as Tate Modern.

lots to see - street performers, boats going by etc

Whoops yes, that's me not paying attention to what I'm typing!

Hi everyone, thank you so much! Lots of ideas here, I'll let DH read through on the journey tomorrow and decide.
I bought the tickets just before Christmas as a spur of the moment thing but then didn't think I'd be able to get it off work so it's all a bit last minute planning wise!

Florence Nightingale Museum using Groupon. 7 y old and 11 y old loved it today