London for four months, kids 6 and 10

[SylviasMama]

We have an opportunity to stay in (outer) London/Home Counties borders for possibly four months, starting soon, and I'd like to take the kids in twice a week, if not more.
The children are ten and six.
I don't think we will get this opportunity to be so close again. I'd like to fit loads in and really get to know London and the surrounding areas (south).

I'd like to get value for money, but as we are here, we will pay for the pricier stuff as needs be, but any advice on how to make things less expensive would be appreciated. Where do we get offers?

Merlin Pass? Worth it?

Where would you take two kids, ages six and ten, give them a really immersive London experience, both touristy and more in-depth/living like a local.

Am interested in the top attractions like London Bridge, The London Eye, Boat trips on the Thames, London Dungeon (is the 6yo too young?), The Shard, Tower Bridge, Tower Of London etc – just ideally want to get as many discounts/offers as possible.

The museums are all free, yes? But there are some things within certain museums we'd need to pay for? Is membership to any particular museums worth it? My kids are home-educated so I'd view this as worth paying for, if indeed it is.

Also, any tips on theatre admission? Where's best to get tickets, please?

Might splurge on a big wow cinema thing too – which is the most experience-worthy cinema?

I'd like to soak up the vibe in various areas, just chill. Like Camden, The South Bank. Where else?

Anything else?

Any insider information?

(NOT interested in zoos, petting farms or aquariums.)

I’ve seen that the gold and platinum Merlin passes are sold out and the only one left is the discovery pass which isn’t valid during school holidays, and so pretty pointless buying right now.
I’d book a combo ticket for the London Eye with one or two other attractions.
Use 2for1 offers if you’re going to be using National Rail. www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london
The London Pass also has some good discounts londonpass.com/en-us/london-attractions

For theatre tickets, I usually check out this page www.londonboxoffice.co.uk/cheap-theatre-tickets

Personally, I’m not sure I’d splurge for a cinema experience. Instead you could make the most of offers like Cineworld’s movies for juniors www.cineworld.co.uk/movies-for-juniors#/ and Vue’s mini mornings www.myvue.com/offers/mini-mornings

A 6 year old is much too young for the Dungeon. The acts include famous London murder stories such as Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and it’s pretty graphic. Unfortunately you can't pick and choose which acts to view as you tour the venue in a group and visit the acts one after another.

Discovery pass might work out worth it as OP home educates. Attractions are quieter on school days so may work out the best time to visit merlin attractions. London eye and shrek are next to each other (not sure you'd want to keep doing those) but legoland and chessington would make the pass worth it.

Where do you live usually ? When you say "the South " do you mean doing daytrips or holidays to devon/bournemouth/oxford etc ?

Besides Camden and South Bank, Covent Garden and Hype Park are good for soaking up the vibe. Definitely check out Borough Market and Spitalfields too.

Sometime during your stay, have Dim Sum in China Town and an afternoon tea somewhere fancy www.countryandtownhouse.co.uk/food-and-drink/children-afternoon-tea-london/

If your children are fans of Harry Potter, then make a detour to Kings Cross.

How much do you know london already OP?

The interactive floor of the Science Museum is absolutely worth paying for. Its the best bit.

Borough market to wonder and "choose lunch".

Kew gardens?

Depends what you're all into. Some lovely parks as well. Where will you be staying?

Six is probably a bit too young for London Dungeon.

South Kensington museums district and Hyde Park is days’ worth of occupation and entertainment on its own. The science museum in particular caters very well to DC with kids of fantastic hands-on activities. Very good for home ed. Just south of the river the Imperial War Museum is very good.

Individual exhibitions within museums might be worth paying for , but I doubt ongoing membership for any of them would be.

Greenwich would be worth a day or two; The Park, the Royal Observatory, the Meridian date line & The Cutty Sark. The foot tunnels under the Thames near there are also fun for primary DC.

Which line are you travelling in on?

Hampton Court, maze if open
Transport Museum
Museum of London )free)
Museum of Docklands (free) plus Canary Wharf area
Maritime Museum at Greenwich (Free)
Imperial War Museum (free)
Museum of Childhood (free) and Brick Lane
Tate Modern (free). Stroll along from Borough Market past the Golden Hinde
Unicorn Theatre
The BFI IMAX cinema at Waterloo for giant 3D screen

Don’t pack your days too full, leave time for sitting and watching, take picnics, get a chilly bottle each, get the kids used to helping with route planning, use the DLR, buses, tube.

We have just taken 6 & 4 to the Wonderlab (you pay for it) bit of science museum. Agree with PP this is an absolute must-do! Completely worth it, you can spend hours there. There is so much to explore and they do regular science demos. Much older kids than 6 were clearly getting lots out of it. Really recommend, I loved it myself!

Do have a browse in the topic

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/london

When you day you want a 'wow' sort of cinema, do you mean small and quirky or enormous with all the latest features?

Do you have the time/interest to spend a day every now and again in the outer boroughs? For example, SE: Horniman Museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Crystal Palace Park

You can do free walks with tour guides where you pay what you want. Cover all sorts of unknown areas, best places to eat etc. Have a Google.

Boating on Regents Park.

Camden Market

coram fields playground

oasis swimming pool (council pool, central london, outdoor & heated)

walking along the south bank / millenium bridge

museums are all good, including museum of London

tower bridge / tower of London

Stratford Olympic park - lots of sports & nice walks & again a great swimming pool

Have a look at getting membership for the Royal palaces, includes Tower of London, Hampton Court and Kensington and you'll want to visit more than once, loads to do and there will be lots of special event days during the summer.

@Fivemoreminutes1

I’ve seen that the gold and platinum Merlin passes are sold out and the only one left is the discovery pass which isn’t valid during school holidays, and so pretty pointless buying right now. I’d book a combo ticket for the London Eye with one or two other attractions. Use 2for1 offers if you’re going to be using National Rail. www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london The London Pass also has some good discounts londonpass.com/en-us/london-attractions

For theatre tickets, I usually check out this page www.londonboxoffice.co.uk/cheap-theatre-tickets

Personally, I’m not sure I’d splurge for a cinema experience. Instead you could make the most of offers like Cineworld’s movies for juniors www.cineworld.co.uk/movies-for-juniors#/ and Vue’s mini mornings www.myvue.com/offers/mini-mornings

A 6 year old is much too young for the Dungeon. The acts include famous London murder stories such as Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and it’s pretty graphic. Unfortunately you can't pick and choose which acts to view as you tour the venue in a group and visit the acts one after another.

Thanks for this really great response, that's all so helpful. I appreciate your taking the time. My kids are home educated so the Merlin Pass may yet be good for us. And yes to the Dungeon. I checked it out after I posted. Yikes. Will avoid.

@GiantToadstool

Discovery pass might work out worth it as OP home educates. Attractions are quieter on school days so may work out the best time to visit merlin attractions. London eye and shrek are next to each other (not sure you'd want to keep doing those) but legoland and chessington would make the pass worth it.

Where do you live usually ? When you say "the South " do you mean doing daytrips or holidays to devon/bournemouth/oxford etc ?

I will look up the Discovery Pass, thank you. Have not heard of it. Oh, is Discovery Pass just part of the Merlin thing? My kids LOVE Shrek, I expect we'd go a few times.

I have moved around too much. It's a long story. Buy we are now on the London/Surrey borders, bit still able to use an oyster card and get in easily to the centre of London.

By south, I mean south of here, so Brighton, Bournemouth, Surrey.

Thank you for replying!

@Fivemoreminutes1

Besides Camden and South Bank, Covent Garden and Hype Park are good for soaking up the vibe. Definitely check out Borough Market and Spitalfields too.

Sometime during your stay, have Dim Sum in China Town and an afternoon tea somewhere fancy www.countryandtownhouse.co.uk/food-and-drink/children-afternoon-tea-london/

If your children are fans of Harry Potter, then make a detour to Kings Cross.

Thanks, this is top stuff to add to my list.

@GiantToadstool

How much do you know london already OP?

The interactive floor of the Science Museum is absolutely worth paying for. Its the best bit.

Borough market to wonder and "choose lunch".

Kew gardens?

Depends what you're all into. Some lovely parks as well. Where will you be staying?

Not well enough, at all, and I'd like to change that, for myself and for them.

Should I get Science Museum membership?

Definitely want to check out Borough market. And Kew.

I don't want to be too outing, but we will be south, on the borders of London and Surrey, and I have the choice of the Victoria Line the Northern Line, or a tram in to somewhere and then on from there.

@RickiTarr

Six is probably a bit too young for London Dungeon.

South Kensington museums district and Hyde Park is days’ worth of occupation and entertainment on its own. The science museum in particular caters very well to DC with kids of fantastic hands-on activities. Very good for home ed. Just south of the river the Imperial War Museum is very good.

Individual exhibitions within museums might be worth paying for , but I doubt ongoing membership for any of them would be.

Greenwich would be worth a day or two; The Park, the Royal Observatory, the Meridian date line & The Cutty Sark. The foot tunnels under the Thames near there are also fun for primary DC.

Which line are you travelling in on?

Thanks so much for all of this. I'm taking notes.

Travelling in on either Victoria or Northern. Thought District is also a possibility if we get a short busride along to there.

@MarianneUnfaithful

Hampton Court, maze if open Transport Museum Museum of London )free) Museum of Docklands (free) plus Canary Wharf area Maritime Museum at Greenwich (Free) Imperial War Museum (free) Museum of Childhood (free) and Brick Lane Tate Modern (free). Stroll along from Borough Market past the Golden Hinde Unicorn Theatre The BFI IMAX cinema at Waterloo for giant 3D screen

Don’t pack your days too full, leave time for sitting and watching, take picnics, get a chilly bottle each, get the kids used to helping with route planning, use the DLR, buses, tube.

This is all mega helpful, thanks so much.

Definitely not going to pack our days too full. We have time to take our time and not rush. And they'll love just riding around on the tubes and buses.

@Popskipiekin

We have just taken 6 & 4 to the Wonderlab (you pay for it) bit of science museum. Agree with PP this is an absolute must-do! Completely worth it, you can spend hours there. There is so much to explore and they do regular science demos. Much older kids than 6 were clearly getting lots out of it. Really recommend, I loved it myself!

Added to the list. Many thanks!

@SquirmOfEels

Do have a browse in the topic

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/london

When you day you want a 'wow' sort of cinema, do you mean small and quirky or enormous with all the latest features?

Do you have the time/interest to spend a day every now and again in the outer boroughs? For example, SE: Horniman Museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Crystal Palace Park

Oh thank you! I'd totally forgotten that topic.

Ooh, well both. There are two films the kids would love (Peter Rabbit 2, Croods 2) so if I could do both the quirky one AND the big wow one, that would be perfect.
Which venues should I be looking at for both, please?

Yes re those boroughs - the three things you've mentioned are actually going to be a short drive away from where we will be. Any others in the vicinity, please?

@JustMarriedBecca

You can do free walks with tour guides where you pay what you want. Cover all sorts of unknown areas, best places to eat etc. Have a Google.

Boating on Regents Park.

Camden Market

Thank you, I'll research those.

@parietal

coram fields playground

oasis swimming pool (council pool, central london, outdoor & heated)

walking along the south bank / millenium bridge

museums are all good, including museum of London

tower bridge / tower of London

Stratford Olympic park - lots of sports & nice walks & again a great swimming pool

Oh my gosh, the kids would LOVE the swimming pool, I've not even heard of it. Thank you!

What's good about Stratford pool?

Any other pools? They'd especially love a water park, both the ones with waterslides etc, and the playparks with water squirting up from the ground.

@tinkerbellvspredator

Have a look at getting membership for the Royal palaces, includes Tower of London, Hampton Court and Kensington and you'll want to visit more than once, loads to do and there will be lots of special event days during the summer.

Thank you, I will!

No, not ALL museums are free, but many are.

As a less touristy day out, there is the V&A childrens museum in Bethnal Green. 1min walk from Bethnal green tube (central line) and it is free. There are many interactive things for kids to do and as an adult, I find it fascinating too. A 10min walk away is Victoria park which has many childrens play areas, ponds, ducks etc.

Another option not too far from there is Tower hamlets cemetery park. They run many things from foraging days, beastie walks and a wildlife club- all for kids.

fothcp.org/to-do/

Meant to say that tesco vouchers can be used towards some museums and attractions that charge.

Climbing the Monument is worth it and fun — fits in nicely with the Great Fire of London if you’re doing history.

The Museum of Childhood.
The Old Operating Theatre Museum.
Museum of London.
Hampton Court.
Tooting Bec Lido.
Royal Opera House - they do cheap family friendly performances for first-timers. Even normal tickets don’t cost much if you’re organised and book well in advance.
Chelsea Physic Garden - go on a tour (free).

Under no circumstances, the London Dungeon.