going to be in Richmond (london) wkend after next

[hermykne]

visiting BIL, but give me ideas of places to go with kids,
planning on the tree walk at Kew and Petersham,
cafes?
library if its pouring rain or anything

much appreciated..

going to V & A and British museum as well but thats about as much as we'll do up town.

How old are the kids?

Steam museum at Kew Bridge is great. sounds dull, but actually is very interesting. make sure you go on a day when the engines are running.

Sion Park has a soft play called snakes and ladders and another place where they have butterflies and crocs and the like. The kids get a chance to handle various creepy crawlies. It was a great price too. About £6 IIRC.

Hmm, will get back to you. My sister lives there and i will try to remember all the things we did with ds last time we went to stay.

steam museum

this place is fab too but depends on the age of the kids I reckon. It is right next door to the steam museum

how old are kids? I cn get you into Kew Gardens free is you talk nicely to me! There Climbers and Creepers if the children are younger (undercover) and for a couple of pound you can take the train around the Gardens. Food in Kew Gardens itself isn't bad and couple of noce cafes in Kew village.

bot cheap but you can get boat from RICHMOND OR kEW TO wESTMINSTER AND BACK.

Richmond Park. Pembroke Lodge for lunch or Isabella Plantation.

Snakes and Ladders at Sion Park is awful and the butterfly house isn't there anymore.

You could get the boat from Richmond to Hampton Court. The children will love the maze and the gardens are free at this time of year.

Oh that's a shame re the butterfly place. We were there in the summer and ds loved it. He was thrilled when the 10ft long snake slithered over all the childrens' legs!!

Oops, it's Syon Park.
The Butterfly House closed in 2007.

Well, it's maybe not the butterfly house, but we were definitely at some place there in July last year. ah, look here it's a reptile house now

I didn't know about the reptile house. Maybe I'll take my boys.

Avoid Snakes and Ladders - it's filthy and fairly pricey for what it is!

And the food's deep-fried crap.

thre's also an aquarium underneath the Palm House in Kew also good if its rainy

Agree about Snakes & Ladders being grim from an adult point of view BUT my DC loved it when they've been to parties there. Really a place of last resort!

The reptile place is brilliant. It's not just reptiles, they have chinchillas, monkeys, huge parrots etc, too. They also do animal encounters at the weekend (and on Friday mornings for preschool children and toddlers) where the children get to meet and touch the animals, including crocs, snakes, lizards, tarantulas etc. It's a fiver per person to get in and well worth it, IMO.

my kids are 6 & 4, i like the idea of the boat, thanks for these ideas

thheres a new cafe in Kew village - italian to the right of the village form the tube next to the newsagent Cafe tratorelli (or something) delicious cakes. Went there today.

Oh yes, that is lovely. They have good toasted sandwiches/panini things, too.

delicious - I had a bacon brie and cranberry one today plus a little tiny room for younger children to play

It's loads better than when it used to be the Natural Café. Although the kids' menu was good, I could never find anything I wanted to eat in there.

Petersham Nursery cafe is meant to be fab
Kew Gardens is one of my favourite places ever and can also recommend Kew Bridge steam museum...

Newens on Kew Road,opposite Cumberland Gate is lovely for an old fashioned tea shoppe experience...fabulous sausage rolls,so far removed from any in Greggs and the sublime maids of honour pastries...yum

Petersham nursery cafe is very expensive.
There are lots of good places to eat in Richmond. No need to go to Kew unless you're there anyway.

just to say the River boats don't start until 15th March.