Museums Backpacks with fun and educational activities for children of all ages, audio guides with walking tours specially designed for children, and guided tours for kids are some of the highlights for kids in the various museums of London. Because most of these museums, arguably the best in the world, are free and have walk-in access with no let or hindrance, it is easy to spend an hour (the limit for most children) without worrying about making full use of your money. Note that the family activities at most museums are geared for Londoners and are mostly available on Sundays and School holidays. So call the museum or check online before you go. Backpacks are usually available every day. Museums with special programs for children include:
The British Museum has special classes and programs for children, usually during school holidays. Art material (paper, crayons) is available for borrowing from the information desk in the Great Court. Backpacks with trails and activities tailored for different age groups are also available.
The National Gallery has trails and art classes for children above five (on Sundays and bank holidays) and storytelling with an art theme for the under fives. Head for the Education Center at the museum.
The Victoria and Albert Museum has backpacks, trails, and educational programs geared toward children. An 'Activity Cart' rotates through the galleries with a host of fun, gallery specific things to do for younger children.
War Museums Teenagers (boys in particular) will enjoy visiting the many museums to war and the armed forces scattered around London.
The RAF Museum in North-West London has sopwith camels from the First World War and spitfires, messerschmitts, stuka dive-bombers, zeros from the Second World War, along with every plane ever flown in battle. A sound and light show presentation of the Battle of Britain is a perfect coda to a visit.
The Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms next to St. James Park and 10 Downing Street give a sense of life during the Battle of Britain and teens will marvel at how primitive the best technology of the time appears today!
HMS Belfast , a world war two era cruiser, would be a big draw for teenage boys by itself but it also has many family friendly activities for the younger kids.
The Imperial War Museum (not suitable for younger children) has galleries devoted to the various wars the Britain has fought and a special one on the holocaust.
Science and nature museums Victorian London was a hotbed of science and technological development and, along with excellent museums, there are many interesting smaller museums that kids may find interesting.
The Natural history Museum, London.
The Natural History Museum, while not as large as the one in New York, is known for its innovative exhibitions and shows. So do check their website for what's going on during your London trip. Along with the usual fare of dinosaurs, stuffed mammals and the like, the innovative 'Human Biology' section is a must for older kids. Explorers activity backpacks are available at the information desk (younger kids, 4-7).
The Science Museum With hundreds of interactive exhibits and special areas for little kids, the Science Museum has something for all children. The Garden (in the basement), a discovery area for small kids (3-5) lets kids have fun in water while insidiously educating them about energy. In Pattern Pod, the 5-7 year olds play with exhibits and learn to recognize patterns. In the basement, the highly popular Launch Pad appeals to kids of all ages with things to push, pull, and see what happens. With many old railway engines, including George Stephenson's Rocket, on hand, there is lots to see and do at The Science Museum.
London Transport Museum
Boating Take the kids boating in Regent's Park or Hyde Park. The older kids can try their hand at rowing at the Boating Pond (with swans, ducks, and other avian creatures for company) in Regent's Park or at the Serpentine in Hyde Park while the little ones can hop onto the yellow paddle boats in the children's boating pond in Regent's Park.
Swimming Ever thought of swimming in a public pond? You can't do that in New York's Central Park, but both Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath allow swimming in ponds. At the Heath, there are separate ponds designated for Ladies, for Gents, and for mixed bathers, and these are open for swimming between April and December. In Hyde Park, a small corner of the Serpentine is designated for swimming and is open to the public in summer.
Fishing
Horse riding is a fine English pastime and Hyde Park Stables offers group and solo rides, including lessons, on Rotton Row in Hyde Park (£49 and up for an hour). The stables are at the north end of Hyde Park off Bayswater Road.
Playgrounds For the younger set (1-7 year olds), there are many playgrounds in London Parks. Regent's Park has several, with the one between London Mosque and the Boating Lake being the most popular. The place to visit is, of course, the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Park near her Kensington Palace home. With a huge wooden pirate ship in the center of the park this playground is a grand and fun place for the tots!
One of the Residents at London Zoo, Regents Park
Zoos The London Zoo: At Regent's Park, the London Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the world. With Tigers, Giraffes, Snakes, Bears, and now Gorillas in a relatively small easy to cover area, the Zoo is a nice place to be on a pleasant afternoon. A small carousel in the zoo works well for the two to six set.
Sport Cricket, football (soccer) and tennis are the three sports most associated with London. Lord's cricket ground is the most famous cricket ground in the world and an easy, fun, and relatively inexpensive way to introduce your child to cricket is to take in a Twenty20 match in the summertime.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about London with children
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in London with children - updated May 2024
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London with children Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
