London - what should we do? where should we go (Me, Hub and 3 yr old DS)

[mumma2cjh]

Definately want to do Rainforest Cafe on first day for tea. So:

1. Where can we go before hand

1. What can we doing in evening

1. What can we do the following day

Sorry for posting here - UK section seems to have been deserted!!!

London aquarium, science museum (basement), duck tours, sightseeing bus, transport museum, bethnal green museum of childhood, Lion King....

tate modern. cy twuobly exhibtion thou it may be over.
the eye!

grenwich is a lovely day out

Duck Tour - brilliant idea will do that on the first day I think.

Science Museum? Is this the place where they have an under 5's room?

Science Museum - under 5's in basement, also spaking new Launch Pad hands-on gallery on 3rd floor (theoretically older kids, but great fun for any age I think)

Nat Hist museum for dinosaurs

Hyde Park - playground, space to run, boat on Serpentine

London Zoo brilliant

'wobbly bridge' to Tate Modern fun

Unicorn childrens theatre, which is near Tower Bridge, so you can see that too, which is a short walk along the river to Borough Market (Thurs, Fri, Sat) which is lovely and atmospheric and you can get delicious food there!

Get the clipper boat from Westminster to Canary Wharf or Greenwich - it is very fast and exciting (though avoid rush hour).

Bethnal Green museum of Childhood is fab, and it is near Spitalfields Market where you can get a nice lunch.

We're planning a trip soon and Natural History Museum will be the main event.

Plus the apple store on regent street for me & DP

Rainforest is crazy crazy expensive... but guess you know that. Will you report on whether it was good or not, as I keep on thinking of it and then bottling.

duck tour definitely

london museum of transport

science/ nat hist v good.

london eye, good for before or after lunch as lots of good places to eat round there - giraffe under the festival hall good for small kids.

yes to bethnal green museum of childhood, cafe there quite ok too.

Open decked bus tour (make sure its a real person and not a tape) is fun, I'm sure they make some of it up

If weather's good and he's into pirates, Princess Diana Playground in Kensington Gardens has a massive wooden pirate ship in the middle of a huge sand pit, plus wigwams, tree climbing frame other play things too. Really lovely, free and there's a cafe for you and DH too.

St James's Park - ducks (+Pelicans), Buckingham Palace with soldiers at the end, plus small hidden playground at Buckingham Palace end too.

British Museum's good for a wet day. Let him lead you round, lots of big colourful intriguing things for him to stare at.

Covent Garden for the buskers. Transport Museum's there too and v.interactive.

London Zoo
Duck Tour
Aquarium
If you are going to be on the south bank, check out the unicorn theatre in advance as they do fabulous kids shows suitable from 2 years.
Battersea Children's zoo - also lovely. Make sure you scurry down the meerkat tunnel - lovely climbing frames etc.
Princess Diana Memorial Park in Hyde Park - but NOT on a weekend - way too busy and your 3 year old will not get a look in. Weekday - marvellous.
Science museum or nat history museum if he likes Dinosaurs, and again, if it's a weekday.

also Giraffe restaurant on South Bank - tasty food for adults and kids and designed to make it easy for kids to go - balloons, colouring, good kids' menus ...

We did a similar trip last year when DS1 had just turned 3. We took the tube to Maida Vale and went on a canal boat to the London zoo on first day then a walk through Regents Park. Second day, we went to Trafalgar Square, walked across Westminster Bridge and then on London Eye. Then we went to Rainforest Cafe - definitely worth it - it is quite expensive but no more so, really than anywhere else in central London.