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.)

Don’t forget the British Museum, some great exhibits and free, The Grant Museum of Zoology on the corner of Gower Street and the Welcome Museum on Euston Road if you like Biology type things ( if they are open haven’t checked).

London Transport Museum in Covent Garden, kids go free with adult ticket. And fun street performers in Covent Garden itself!

There's a fun app called Huntzz that has scavenger hunts in different areas of London, you can choose the difficulty levels. It's great for encouraging kids to look around for quirky things with some history thrown in.

Museum of the Home (used to be called the Geffrye Museum).

From where you will be there are other lovely South if London/ South London places:

Eltham Palace with it’s mix of Henry VIII ancient palace plus fabulous Art Deco courtaulds house (my kids loved the vacuum cleaner system and the chute for the pet monkey)

Red House : William Morris’ house and studio

Box Hill

Farthing Down - take the lovely walk into Happy Valley

I think the Imperial War Museum used to have some kids and family programming as well. Check out The Docklands Museum as well. They have loads of children’s interactive history stuff.

@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.

Second all of those, plus membership of the Science Museum, trip to Crystal Palace to see the dinosaurs, the Grant Museum of Zoology, the Spirit Tour at the Natural History Museum (always go midweek in term time to the Nat Hist, it’s chokka in the holidays).

And second Membership of the Royal Palaces (Tower/Hampton Court/Kensington)

British Museum is great
The Monument and St Paul’s are good. All Hallows’ by the Tower and others of the Wren churches make an educational if not whizzy trip.
The Mithraeum, the Guildhall amphitheatre and the statue of Hadrian (or is it Trajan) by the Roman walls make for a good Roman London day out.

If you can get into Central London before July 23rd walk through Green Park and see the herd of almost 100 elephant sculptures, then cross over into St James’s Park and spot the elephants there.

They are extremely beautiful and it is a fascinating project.

What's good about Stratford pool?

It’s the Olympic pool. The park around the Olympic venues is nice too.

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.

Somerset House and behind Kings Cross both have fountains that shoot water into the air which are quite fun.

The Diana playground in Hyde Park and memorial are fun for children.

Kids week is on this year - half price tickets for kids to theatre/musicals in August. Tickets go on sale on Thursday at 10am and I suggest you be there if you want something in particular as they go fast.
officiallondontheatre.com/kids-week/

You might be able to get tickets to the ceremony of the keys at the tower of London, that's free and ace and very atmospheric but difficult to get tickets. If you are here in July there are tickets (book as soon as you see this message) ticketslive.hrp.org.uk/hrp/b2c/index.cfm/ceremony/eventCode/tkey?_ga=2.173521700.683029333.1624915644-837156283.1624915644

changing-guard.com/dates-buckingham-palace The Changing of the Guard

Lots of great suggestions already - as well as the touristy attractions just hang out in nice parts of London - you can’t miss Covent Garden, Camden, the South Bank, Hyde Park, Green Park, wander past Buckingham Palace, go to the Shard for the views, visit the Olympic Park (could go swimming or wander around the park itself), get some food from Borough Market.

I’d add where I live - Greenwich - it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, there’s the Observatory with lots of kids events. The Observatory is in Greenwich Park, one of the Royal Parks which also has the Meridian Line. There’s a historic food market, the Cutty Sark, a Victorian tunnel to the north of the river, the Emirates Cable Car (which is a couple of miles away in North Greenwich) for amazing views. You can get a river cruise to or from Greenwich.

Further out - visit some of the beaches on a sunny day - Brighton, Margate (visit Dreamland!) Camber Sands (gorgeous sandy beach).

Have fun exploring!

Have a day in Windsor - easy on the train or drive:

The Castle
The Long Walk
Windsor Great Park
Boat on the Thames

And have fun here:

welcome.liquidleisure.com/

Also get National Trust and English Heritage pass - Cliveden for afternoon tea or just a walk in the gardens.

Places like Bosham, West Wittering (national trust sand dunes beach) South Downs on the South Coast (only an hours drive from Surrey) also the Surrey Hills - lovely villages with cricket pitches etc v English - Frensham Pools for natural outdoor swimming in woodland.

[quote Eleoura]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/[/quote]
Thanks for this. I took them three years ago, we'd love to return. Have added to the list!

Thanks for the Tower Hamlets cemetary park info. I'd not stumbled upon that.

@daisypond

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.

I definitely want to climb the Monument. Added to list!

Never even heard of the Old Operating Theatre Museum! How fascinating!

Thanks so much for the list!

@Itscoldouthere

Don’t forget the British Museum, some great exhibits and free, The Grant Museum of Zoology on the corner of Gower Street and the Welcome Museum on Euston Road if you like Biology type things ( if they are open haven’t checked).

Super, thank you very much.

@CraftyYankee

London Transport Museum in Covent Garden, kids go free with adult ticket. And fun street performers in Covent Garden itself!

There's a fun app called Huntzz that has scavenger hunts in different areas of London, you can choose the difficulty levels. It's great for encouraging kids to look around for quirky things with some history thrown in.

Brill, thank you for this.

@daisypond

Museum of the Home (used to be called the Geffrye Museum).

Added, thank you.

@MarianneUnfaithful

From where you will be there are other lovely South if London/ South London places:

Eltham Palace with it’s mix of Henry VIII ancient palace plus fabulous Art Deco courtaulds house (my kids loved the vacuum cleaner system and the chute for the pet monkey)

Red House : William Morris’ house and studio

Box Hill

Farthing Down - take the lovely walk into Happy Valley

This is great to know, thank you.

@JingsMahBucket

I think the Imperial War Museum used to have some kids and family programming as well. Check out The Docklands Museum as well. They have loads of children’s interactive history stuff.

Thank you, have put this on my list to check out.

MN not letting me quote to reply further. I'll come back to this and thank everyone once it's functioning again.