Help me plan a fun trip to London and surrounds with two boys

[DrDooRatheraLot]

Hi
I'm visiting the UK at the end of August with two DS's of 7&9yrs old. I've got friends to stay with in Southampton, Wimbledon and Milton Keynes and want to have a really fun time with my boys while there. Please recommend me some cool attractions/ places to visit in London or near these towns that appeal to active kids- easily bored, into Minecraft, football and Roald Dahl.
Thanks in advance for your no doubt wonderful suggestions oh wise women of MN!

The science museum and natural history museum are great and free!!!

This isn't cheap, but might be interesting: bookings.arsenal.com/stadiumtours/pass/ticketquantities.htm?id=30

RAF museum near hendon is one that's less famous and also free, is not central, it's north london.

Hampton Court Palace is lovely in the summer loads of places for kids to run around outside and the maze of course and they've got henry 8th clothes and kitchens and stuff. Kew gardens good for running around as well and the palm house is brilliant. These 2 cost though.

Not sure what else we don't venture into town much! Sure others will have some great ideas.

Milton Keynes: The Bletchworth Park spy museum, and Woburn Safari Park. Wimbledon: All the free London museums - especially the Natural History and Science, but also the Maritime museum and Astronomy centre in Greenwich, and maybe the Cutty Sark? Maritime and astronomy are free, not Cutty Sark. The Transport Museum in Covent Garden is good but not free.
The Queen Elizabeth (Olympic) Park is a nice visit - there are climbing walls set into the terraces, and good playgrounds. There is always good summer stuff happening on the South Bank in front of the Royal Festival Hall- a fountain thing you can run in and out of, see the skateboarders, out door performers, all free.
Check the dates for the Greenwich and Docklands Festival - fantastic stuff happening in that - free.
Tickets for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Get a train to Watford Junction and the Harry Potter studios? (expensive but good)

raf museum

Olympic park are converting Kapoors sculpture into a giant slide and there are two new swimmimg pools, one in Kings Cross the 2nd is on Southbank, not sure if it will be ready for August. Go Karting in Stockwell, Skateboarding on the Southbank, ice skating and bowling in Queensway.

Ooooo, making a nice little list here..... Keep ' em coming! Thanks

The clink prison museum at London Bridge is good for kids. It is only £7.50, and you can often get 2 for one. It is gory enough for kids to enjoy but not overly so. They have a load of stuff for kids.

There's a roald dahl museum in Buckinghamshire - not sure where but it might be reachable from MK or wimbledon, on the train?

The Imperial War Museum. If it's still there (or they have changed the experience) there's a shelter you go in and re-enact an air raid.

www.londonpass.com/?aid=68&gclid=CJuZnpuY78UCFeLLtAodVl0AZw

I just wrote a long post and then went to get a link and lost it!

Anyway have a look at the London pass - it's not necessary as lots of things are free as other posters have said but (if you are doing lots of attractions) it is good value.

There is nearly always a discount offer. You get proper main stream attractions (eg Tower of London, Hampton court, Wimbledon, Twickenham stadium (the museum is lots of fun for kids if they are into sport), Kew Gardens, HMS Belfast, London Zoo, Westminster Abbey, Cabinet War rooms) and queue skipping and it would be lots of fun for your DCs to chose what they would like to do. If you don't like something you can move on and you've not lost out.

You can get different length tickets - Just make sure you plan to make the most of it so you know opening times and transport options.

I'd also mention things like Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park.

There's the snow dome in Milton Keynes for indoor skiing, plus there's an ice rink and a lake for water sports but probably a bit pricey! The Emirates cable car in Greenwich is fun and not expensive.