Any activity tips for London with 4&5 year old

[wenlilifac]

Hello. I'm meeting friends in London this weekend and wondered if anyone had any great tips for two busy 4&5 year olds (girls).

We just want to do one activity and focus on that, wherever it is. So not too bothered about area as going on the tube, having lunch etc will all be part of it too.

I wanted to do a show but have heard some horror stories about drunken singing to Frozen on a Friday night, which might be a bit too much (or also happy to be told that this is nonsense!). Thanks in advance.

The London Transport Museum is good for younger kids.

Great tip, thanks

We went to the recently and had a great time. It’s not large, but enough to see and do for a few hours.

I might have missed it but can't see where you went from your message 😀

I live in London and for that age group, I'd recommend getting the Uber boat from near the London Eye (don't do the Eye, it's slow and boring). Get the boat eastbound to Greenwich, sit outside at the back so they get slightly splashed, look out for the landmarks - London Eye, Cleopatra's Needle, Oxo Tower, Tate Modern, Blackfriars bridge with trains going over, St Paul's, the Shard, the Walkie Talkie, Tower Bridge, Tower of London etc.

You could get off at St Katherine's after its gone under the bridge and get a pizza or similar, or carry on to Greenwich where there are usually street artists and a carousel (as there are on the South Bank).

It's cheap, it's fun, it's indoors if it rains or outside if it's dry, there are loos and a bar inside the boat where you can buy bars of chocolate/coffee/wine. Honestly, we have done it so many times, and the kids love it.

Frozen is amazing but I’d say 4 is on the cusp of being a bit too young as it is quite long and a bit scary in parts for very little ones. I took one of mine from 5 and that’s the youngest I’d go with. The matinee performance won’t be full of drunks but I’ve not been to an evening performance so don’t know if the Friday night crowd is different. It’s closing in September so it might be your last chance if you do want to see it.

Otherwise I really like the interactive/paid for bit of the science museum (although I don’t love the rest of it) and the transport museum as it’s easy to combine with Covent Garden and see the street artists. The boat suggestion is a good call though for that age especially if they’re likely to get tired walking. My 8yo was totally underwhelmed by Buckingham palace last time we went but loved walking by the river and seeing the big landmarks- her favourite was tower bridge.

We saw frozen with our five year old and they loved it.
There was a load of younger kids there too and they all seemed happy and settled enough. No drunks but we saw the matinee.

Other than that I guess it depends on your child's interests. We have taken ours to the Tower of London, was a hit, the natural history museum. He loved this! Science museum, wasn't as bothered about this one. An open top bus tour, he loves buses, was happy as Larry doing this.

Sorry, it was supposed to say that we went to the aquarium!

Thanks everyone! Thanks for taking the time to reply. These are all really helpful xxx

If nice weather, Southbank for the Appearing Rooms water fountains (outside Southbank Centre) that are great for splashing in and guessing which jets will appear next. There’s a nearby carousel, lots of food and ice cream options, and within sight of London Eye, Big Ben etc. At that age my son loved the bridge to Charing Cross from Southbank as trains pass along the bridge by the walkway.

Plus when you get the Greenwich there is an amazing playground in the park and the maritime museum is great for kids and has an amazing bookable play area indoors called the Ahoy centre

Princess Di memorial park if nice weather.

I just read this as 'a 485 year-old'

I concur all the above. If you go to greenwich, the play park in Greenwich park is also fabulous. Next to the playpark they have a boating pond with pedalos etc at the moment too.

Thanks again everyone. And @HerculesMulligan. We got the Uber Boat to Greenwich, went on the carousel, to the park and mooched about - it was perfect.

I also took my 485 year old (5 year old) to the NHM, which also worked but mainly because of the tube and the moving TRex.

Thanks everyone.
So helpful!!!
I love Mumsnet. Xxx