2yo and 4yo trip to London

[pipnchops]

I hope this is OK to post in here but is it a good or a crazy idea to take a 2yo and a 4yo on a day trip to London? I'm thinking a walk past Buckingham Palace, a trip in an open top bus and maybe a look around the natural history museum. I live miles away but we're visiting relatives in the home counties just after Easter and I thought it might be a good opportunity to show them the capital. We're travelling past the west side of London, I know it's not a great idea to drive into Central London so where would we be best to ditch the car and catch a train in? Any advice much appreciated! Real country bumpkin here!

Waaaaay too much for one day. Pick one of those.

I think it’s a good idea. I always used to take my Dc to London at every possibly opportunity, there’s so much to see and do and so much is free.
Try parking at Ealing Broadway and take the district line straight to South Kensington for the Natural History Museum. Hopefully you’ll beat the crowds and get out by lunchtime. Have a picnic in the grounds before getting back on the tube. There are several benches and a big grassy area.
Id then get the district line from South Ken to Victoria, where it’s a short walk of 5 to 10 minutes past the Royal Mews, to get to the gates of Buckingham Palace. St James’s Park has a playground with an enormous sand pit with a stone bridge and a smaller, separate sand area for little ones. Swings, see-saw, climbing frame, slide, refreshment stand, children’s toilets and an attendant make this a great place to play. Also, the regimental bands warm up in the barracks across the way so you might get some tunes to liven your day! There are some pelicans in St James Park and you can watch them being fed fresh fish between 2:30pm and 3:00pm every day, next to Duck Island Cottage.

They are too young to remember anything so I would only take them if you’ve run out of things to do where you are staying.

I’d skip Buckingham palace, they are far too young.
I’d swap the Natural History museum with the Science Museum or the London Transport Museum which are far more interactive.
The bus bit might be fun for 10 minutes but won’t they get bored with the whole ride? Why not have a picnic in a park with a play area, St James as above is great.

Don't bother with paying a fortune for the open top bus whatever you do. Mine at that age just loved a trip on top of any bus.

Natural History Museum is great if they like dinosaurs - less essential if they’re not fussed.

Driving in can be ok if you time it right. We go in on Sunday morning for 10am museum opening time and park behind harrods. Harrods doesnt open until 11-30 on Sundays. Agree with others about Science museum over nh.

Why does it matter if they won't remember it? Are they not allowed to have fun until they remember it?

I agree with the previous poster who said about going to the NHM and then to St James's Park - the play area is fab, and the pelicans are fun!

If you go upstairs at the NHM my daughter loved the geology section from 2ish - there's loads to touch and a few interactive bits, plus the earthquake simulator :)

Sounds good to me - though they may not appreciate the bus tour. If the weather is fine you are better off playing in the park - Buckingham palace to the museums through Hyde park is a lovely walk but easier with a double buggy!

I think that sounds a great idea and not too much at all. Obviously it'll be a bit wasted on the 2yo but your 4yo should love it. I first saw the blue whale at the Natural History Museum when I was 5 and it made a huge impression on me.

Where exactly will you be driving so we could recommend where to park? Close to Slough for example? Or closer to London, eg Shepherds Bush?

None of my 3 were even the slightest bit excited about the sight of Buckingham Palace, it’s just another big building. Different if you can get there for Changing of the Guard (check timings online). Then it’s well worth it. Otherwise i would also just do one thing, with the travelling they will be exhausted otherwise and it will stop being fun.

I’d just do NHM or if the weather is great, go to Princess Diana playground. Or...I think best plan is to walk along the South Bank, spotting different boats, seeing London Eye, HOP, Cutty Sark, the Shard, Tower Bridge...seeing ‘the sights’ this way is much better than open top bus at their age (or possibly any) and you can stop for food/drinks along the way. You could do a short boat trip if you wanted.

Parking in Shepherds Bush is unlikely to be fun and still involves driving quite a way in. If you get that far you may as well go the whole way . What day are you thinking of?

The day makes a difference because lots of parking restrictions are eased on the weekend.

Just go on a rsgular red double decker bus unless you want the tour for you

You can park at Westfield shopping centre in Shepherds Bush and drive in, or if you're further out Slough is a good option - you can buy a London travelcard including return travel from Slough, which will be free or £1 for the kids and about £15 for you.

Sorry I meant "and get the tube in" not drive.

greatbigwho seeing Buckingham Palace and riding a tour bus to see the sights probably won't be fun for a 2 and 4 yo and they can't even say later that they've seen London as they won't even remember it. A play area where they are staying or a play area in London will be all the same to them at that age, so there is no point traveling and spending money to go to a London play area. That's why I said they don't need to go to London specifically.

Megabus do an open top tour which is very good value. But I'd recommend going on a boat instead, under 5s are free on Thames clippers and you can see the sights and have space to walk about, have a drink etc.

A 4 yr old will remember and enjoy going on a bus or boat in London

The Transport Museum is better for that age I think. Science Museum ok ish for the 4 year old but the 2 year old won't get much out of it and it gets very crowded and noisy (and hot and stuffy). If they are Dinosaur obsesssed children then Natural History may be ok but again gets VERY busy, noisy, hot etc. The Transport Museum gets busy too but is a bit more 'child friendly' - you can sit on the buses, trains etc.

Do they actually know anything about London and understand what it is? Have they read picture books about London - Topsy and Tim Visit London type thing. It can be interesting (exciting) for young children to see the 'real' thing from the book. So if you went to the Transport Museum you can then wander down to Trafalgar Sq to see the lions and fountains "just like Topsy and Tim". A big giant lion statue is just as interesting as a museum at that age.

Or get one of those Usborne Sticker books on London and see how much in the book you can see (Red bus, Black Taxi etc).

Lots of 4 year olds love red double deckers, Tower Bridge, Nelson’s Column and the Lions, Horsehuarfa etc

Thanks so much for all your advice. It's either going to be a Thursday or a Sunday we're passing. We're travelling from South West to St Albans area, I have no idea what we'll pass on the way, totally clueless, I imagine we'll be on the M25 at some point?! A London day trip will definitely go over 2yo's head for sure but my 4yo asks a lot about London and asks about where the Queen lives. She's not dinosaur mad at all but loves animals and bizarrely has a fascination with skeletons and I thought she might enjoy the dinosaur skeletons. Think I'll take your advice and skip the open top bus, that was inspired by watching peppa pig! And 4yo loves double decker buses so I must take her on one at some point but doesn't necessarily need to be in London. You're right, they'll probably get bored. They both love a park though so if we do go into London I'll definitetly try that one in St James's Park. Thanks again, I'll read over all your advice again and try to formulate a plan.

Should have added coming from South West along A303 and not M4 if that makes a difference to where we park and get train in... Definitely not brave enough to drive into central London.