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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

16yr old suddenly with me for a week!

20 replies

Littleconfettiblue · 22/05/2016 20:19

Any ideas on what to do with a 16yr old in London for a week?

My niece is staying with us. I have no idea about teenagers! I have a 3yr old and my DH is in work that week.

Niece doesn't speak English as a first language, but has been to London a couple of times before.

OP posts:
Lilaclily · 22/05/2016 20:23

Have your or her got a budget?
I'd do shopping, self ridges, harods, vogue exhibition at national portrait gallery, madame tussauds : no language barrier with 1D replicas!
London Eye and duck tour

eyebrowsonfleek · 22/05/2016 20:30

Covent Garden
Camden Market
Walk along the South Bank.
Primark

If she is heavily into social media then places that offer interesting photo ops basically.

eyebrowsonfleek · 22/05/2016 20:30

Covent Garden
Camden Market
Walk along the South Bank.
Primark

If she is heavily into social media then places that offer interesting photo ops basically.

Original poster
Littleconfettiblue · 22/05/2016 20:37

Thanks, these are great ideas. I hadn't thought of photo ops!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Littleconfettiblue · 22/05/2016 20:38

My budget is probably about £300 plus transport

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 22/05/2016 22:07

Another one for Camden.

Open to bus tour.

Boat to Greenwich, try round the museum/meridian line, lunch in a pub.

Walking over the O2. Need to book!

foursillybeans · 22/05/2016 22:09

Depends what sort of interests she has but Tate / Tate Modern and the river boat.

foursillybeans · 22/05/2016 22:10

Also M&M store in Leicester Square is loads of fun.

Original poster
Littleconfettiblue · 23/05/2016 11:32

Wow I really want to walk over he O2!! I might need to convince my DH to take a day off...!
Thank you for all these suggestions

OP posts:
OneMagnumisneverenough · 23/05/2016 12:53

Emirates sky train or whatever they call it now and I think they have a pub/tea room up the top of the shard which gives viewing opportunities cheaper than a ticket for the top. Sure you need to book.

Also saw (from the emirates thing) people doing wakeboarding on the Thames. She will probably just enjoy riding on the tube!

whois · 23/05/2016 15:30

At 16 I loved coming to london and staying with family and doing things like:
Camden market
The big topshop, oxford street in general
Tate modern + south bank
Cov garden / Leicester sq

Now I would also add:

Brick Lane with all the tat market shops and all the street art
Science museum / nat history / V&A if she hasn't been before
Hampstead heath or other big park.
Go swimming in the serpentine of kings x pond or hampsted heath pond if its warm enough.
The Thames river boats - go out to Greenwich, have a nosey there and lunch then go on the boat N again and see the O2, Get off and take the air line across the rive rand train it home. Quite a fun day out.

Don't forget to build in some chillaxing time as well.

whois · 23/05/2016 15:33

Also get a boris bike access code for the two of you and do some fun biking around (pref somewhere like hyde park or somewhere traffic free that bikes are allowed). Victoria park is good for that.

Also Olympic park is good to have a look round as well. There are some cool bars/restaurants on the viccy park side where it would be nice to stop for pizza (i'm thinking Crate) if the weather is nice. She would probably enjoy the atmosphere. Its super buzzy at the weekend.

whois · 23/05/2016 15:34

Can she be sent off on her own? If so things like Camden might me more fun on her own as she can poke around all the stalls without you having to wait for her.

whois · 23/05/2016 15:34

Oh, I'd do the eye if possible and go up a tall building. Shard is expensive but like a PP says you can book to eat.drink up there (still expensive!). The sky garden in the walkie talkie is free but need to book.

EssentialHummus · 23/05/2016 15:47

Also saw (from the emirates thing) people doing wakeboarding on the Thames.

Here you go: wakeupdocklands.com/

There is / was a nice pub on a barge nearby to watch people falling over Grin

Also, Spitalfields and the market (and shopping!) there is great. Can be combined with Brick Lane or any number of walking tours.

Original poster
Littleconfettiblue · 23/05/2016 19:43

Thank you for all of these ideas.

Could I ask, would you let a 16 yr old on her own for a while in London?
She's French.

OP posts:
Lweji · 23/05/2016 19:46

I would, but you'd better ask her parents and also ask her what she prefers. That should always be the starting point.

eyebrowsonfleek · 23/05/2016 21:16

I lived in cities for the first 30 years of my life and all the cities had similar underground systems. I was riding independently in public transport since age 11.

I have a 15 year old who has never lived in a city so would not cope on the Tube never mind a foreign train system even if he had an Oyster card so didn't need to worry about tickets.

BlueberrySky · 26/05/2016 19:36

Ask her what she would like to do.

When my god daughter comes to stay, part of her enjoyment of the trip is to research and plan where she wants to go. She arrives with a list. It has been great fun and I have gone to places I would not have thought of.

whois · 27/05/2016 13:44

Could I ask, would you let a 16 yr old on her own for a while in London?

Yes certianly if she is comfortable and her parents are.

she should be fine to read a tube map and an AtoZ!

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