What to do in Central London with moody 12 yrs old girl?

[Autumnwibess]

We are going to London for a day with my daughter who is 12 and she feels it will be boring and tiresome and all she wants to do is talk to her friends on the phone in her room!
My and DH went to London last month and had a good time especially in Abbey Road, pouncing around London but she doesn’t want to really go.
So far I booked a cable car across the river.
She is not into museums or anything like that, so no point going there, to be honest I did all these myself 25 yrs ago and personally I am not into it much either.
I sadly can’t afford any attractions like London eye or Madame Tussaud’s,
I am on the a strict budget.
Any tip’s please?

https://www.thegardenat120.com/

another free roof garden (don’t think you need to book this one)

Liberty's in Regent street may interest her. (too old for Hamley's also in Regent St but still interesting?), tea somewhere like Fortnum and Masons?

https://www.ramenyokocho.com/

I would also echo doing a river boat trip
We've done several "treasure trails" in London. It's a self guided walk where you look for "clues". (Costs around £10)
I thought my teen kids would have grown out of it but recently they requested we did one. (It was around westminster/horseguards etc) We have ended up walking 5 miles+ and they barely notice

Forbidden Planet store, Japan centre, a quirky anime film at the prince Charles cinema

Camden stables market?

What a great thread! Would she want to track down the Morphs?

DH and I did the Dali immersive experience with a 13 and 15 year old a couple of months ago and they loved it. https://immersive-dali.com/london/ The first little bit quite museum-y, but the immersive bit is longest part and was v good, then there's a 15 minute VR part that is absolutely brilliant. Worth the ticket for that alone tbh.

It's in East London so works with a lot of PP suggestions for Shoreditch and Brick lane.

Southbank for the street entertainment, people watching and general atmosphere.

Hire bikes in the Olympic Park for an hour then into Westfield for the shops/ lunch. You don't have to hire Boris's Bikes, there's a couple of independent bike hire places outside the park last time we went.

My DCs like the Imperial War Museum but possibly not for everyone! They also tolerate the Tower of London which is my favourite attraction but that can be pricey if you haven't got discounted entry via any means.

General mooch around the West End and parks for people watching, high end car watching and seeing iconic sights. Lots of instagram and TikTok opportunities for any young teenager in that alone. We used to pick out all the well known sites and do a whistle stop walking tour so Buck Pal, Piccadilly, Leicester Square, HoP, St Paul's, Shard, Tower etc etc

My DS1 loves Camden Market as already suggested.

Do you think she's old enough & responsible enough for a bit of independence? Take her to Stratford and let her look around the shops by herself (shadowing her from a distance if necessary). My parents used to do that when I was early teens and I loved the (perceived) freedom!

Camden market and Leake Street Arches is really cool. Nice Thai place to eat in there too!
https://www.leakestreetarches.london/

There was a good K pop exhibition at the V&A on recently... not sure if still is.

Go to Tower Bridge, show her the Thames and the famous Tower Bridge and walk along it to the side of the shard and follow the river. This is chok o blok filled with history. She'll be able to see the Tower of london and traitors gate where they brought them by boat up the Thames and into the Tower to be executed. Its the oldest part of london so you could show her pudding lane where the great fire of london started. But I'd take her to the clink museum if you your budget would go to that. Its the oldest prisons in the UK, and its all very much about how they treated people and executed them. Think every kid is always curious of weird stuff like that.yiu can walk all the way to Westminster and trafalgar Square and up through Leicester Square and China Town etc.

Your daughter tho.....I'd be pointing out that half the folk that go to Harry Potter World her over the age of 18! And they dress up!! Think I'd be changing a few of her ways now if this is the attitude you received. She sees her friends all the time.

Camden market, Oxford St and Hamleys - I know she will say she is too old but drag her in there anyway.

There will be some sort of show / play / musical on. Or head to the Prince Charles cinema for cheap tickets.

M&M world in Leicester Square
China Town
Sky Garden? Probably fully booked now
South Bank
Tattershall Castle for a drink on a boat
Mithraeum - I know you said no museums but it's free and it's pretty cool so worth a try?
Borough Market for food? Although I prefer South Bank food market but not sure the opening times
Canary Wharf

Or just do whatever you fancy and let her drag her grumpy face along behind. That's often what we do with my grumpy 12 year old 😀

You could always try TodayTix for cheap theatre tickets.

Leave her at home. You two go and enjoy yourselves.
Then if she feels she's missed out she might not get such a face on her next time a trip is offered.
Or she'll just be happy that her wishes were not overridden by yours.
Win-win.

My 11 year olds feel that the m&m shop in Leicester square is a great day out. It is a whole shop full of m&ms. You can pick and mix the different colours. Right near their other favourite, the lego shop.

Bet she'd like the Samsung Concept Store at Coal Drops Yard! (Short walk from King's Cross/St Pancras). They don't try to sell you anything and there are comfy sofas for you! You can walk along the canal from there to Camden Market. There's also the outdoor cinema which I think is free. Take your own snacks or buy from the M and S at King's Cross.

One of my 12 year old’s favourite things recently was a ghost tour that we did. She absolutely loved it. That was in York but London is bound to have similar. Another thing that we quite like to do on holiday is geocaching. It does depend on mood but she generally enjoys this especially if they’re quirky containers and DH and I like the way you see parts of the city you wouldn’t normally see.

i think the cable cars are a bit out the wrong way of london.

how can she think london will be boring? I’m a country girl but even I enjoy it (occasionally).
my teen loves london, not necessarily doing anything, just doing borough market, Camden, China town, kingsly food court, Covent Garden and carnaby street aren’t what they were, but are still buzzy.

the cartoon museum is good and novelty automation place. But they are Islington rather than central. You could combine them with Camden though.

Oh yes coal drop yard is great and you can go for a Horlicks ice cream in the bao bun place opposite.

if she’s into skating there’s a great skate park near portobello road, but you need to prebook.

Borough market, Camden market, walking along the Thames near Waterloo Southbank, usually lots of performing acts going on there, Surrey docks farm is along the river near Surrey Quays - I think it’s free? Just a small donation is all they advise

We went to the street art and graffiti tour yesterday which was epic. My kids are 12 and 15 and were initially not keen on the idea of a tour but having come back said it was the highlight of our trip. Nathan the guide was brilliant. The tour was free but you pay what you think it is worth, bearing in mind that this is their only income. No hard sell. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and will do another one.
https://www.londonwithalocal.com/streetarttour

If you're traveling by train then national rail have some good 2 for 1 offers for attractions like madame tussauds

Take her to Sky Garden. I took my 12 year old DD (and 8 year old DS) and they loved it. An amazing place to take selfies if your DD is into that!

It's free, though you do need to book tickets in advance.