London with two kids. Places to visit

[mishmased]

We're going to London next week. Kids are ages 9, 6 and 14 months. Will be staying at holiday inn in Stansted Airport for 3 nights. The plan is to spend one day in Cambridge and maybe day and half in London.
6 year old wants to see Big Ben but that is being renovated. Any ideas where to take them? I'm thinking National History Museum, London eye but I don't think they will appreciate the London eye.
We will be travelling from Stansted MountFitchet. What's the closest station to get to from Stansted? Trying to plan our travel. Also places that I can use a pushchair ideally. Thanks

Big Ben is uncovered now so worth a visit as it looks fab. Walk up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square passing Downing Street and the mounted soldiers at Horseguards to see the lions and fountains. Then what about lunch in Chinatown. You could then walk to Covent Garden to see the street performers.
Alternatively, you could go to Diana’s playground in Kensington Gardens then walk past Diana water memorial to The Serpentine where you could hire a boat if brave, then walk to Buckingham Palace and across Green Park.

Re travel, the Citymapper app is very good.

The Thames clipper to Greenwich is great and goes straight past Big Ben, the eye, under Tower Bridge might be a good idea (or a complete nightmare with the 15m old).

Thanks @Houseplantmad and @Goodskin46.

You’re right @Goodskin46 the Uber boats are great fun, especially when they speed up past Tower Bridge. They’re a very civilised way to travel!

We used something called Keetoo - some good ideas on there and flexible.

Oh following for ideas. I am going 7th to 9th August staying in a premier inn outside London and travelling in on the tube. Mine are 10 and 5.

The Diana memorial garden in Kensington gardens, Wonderlab at the science muesum, trip on the DLR.

Don’t bother with the London eye.

Natural History Museum is over rated. It’s very tired. The science museum is better - but only if you buy tickets for the wonderlab. Don’t forget you still have to book everything in advance.

Thames clipper is good because you can tick off loads of sights on the way - parliament, London eye, tower bridge, HMS Belfast, Tower of London etc etc.

Trafgar Sq and Covent Garden always worth a mooch.