We love travelling down to London. It’s about two hours from us here in Norfolk, but we aren’t scared of a little road trip or an adventure on the train. It’s brilliant to be able to visit such a gorgeous city which has so much to offer, then return home to our quiet little piece of the countryside. Dil is used to travelling into London and adores the tube, he’s never too put off by the noise and the crowds. There’s a few things that we absolutely love to do or visit while we are in the capital and a few things still on our list, so we’ve teamed up with Groupon to bring you a list of some ideas for things to do in London with kids.
Don’t forget to check out Groupon, the best way to save money on top London activities!
Kidzania
We haven’t visited Kidzania yet but I’ve seen so many people talk about it and it’s definitely somewhere we want to try. The attraction, aimed at kids 4-14, is described as “an indoor city, run by kids”. It’s a whole city designed in child size, meaning kids can have a go at a huge number of different professions and explore different scenes. As they play they will actually be earning and spending real money in the form of Kidzania’s own currency Kidzos, which sounds really fun. There’s a bank, a burger shop, chocolate factory, animation studio, music academy, radio station, police department and so much more to discover – it looks like a brilliant day out.
Kidzania is based inside of Westfield and prices start at £15 for an adult and £18 for a child depending on the day, if you book online. Kids prices double if you pay on the day so make sure you book in advance. When you book your ticket you select a time slot, and entry gets your 4 hours of play.
Laura from Dear Bear and Beany recommends visiting Kidzania, and said she loves that it teaches them about the important of money and gives them experience with different jobs. Head over to read Laura’s full review of Kidzania.
London Zoo
As Dil is a huge animal lover we often enjoy visiting different zoos, and we are often at our local one. ZSL London is a brilliant place to check out, and there is so much to see and do. Last time we went we really enjoyed watching the penguins swim, and Dil still talks about how much he loved the spider enclosure (me – not so much since it’s open and you walk through it….). The zoo boasts a huge range of animals including lions, tigers, hippos, giraffes and even an aquarium full of fish. The gorillas in Gorilla Kingdom were a highlight for me, I really enjoyed seeing this incredible animals up close.
There are always different events and activities going on at the zoo so even if you’ve been 100 times there will probably be something fun and new. This half term they’ve got a Superhero and Villain event running, teaching kids about environmental villains and how we can be superheroes to help combat the results of plastic pollution, climate change and illegal wildlife trade. You can also book some brilliant Zoo Keeper for the Day experiences, and Groupon is currently offering a great discount on those.
Irina from Wave to Mummy has a lovely review of the zoo’s Land of the Lions.
London Southbank
I think the Southbank is one of the loveliest places to visit in London, especially during the Spring and Summer months. There are always different things going on, and there’s so much to explore while you’re there. Last time we went there was incredible street food, a small funfair to enjoy, and some beautiful views of London. Close by you have the London Eye, the London Dungeons, Sea Life, Shrek’s Adventure and more. There’s even a fake beach to play on during the Summer.
Dil has recently begun to really enjoy learning about historical figures since we’ve been reading books like Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World (currently only 3.99 by the way and highly recommended!) and Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls. I think he would be really interested in the Florence Nightingale Museum on the Southbank, which is dedicated to bringing her story to life. You can currently grab a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children for just 10 through Groupon!).
Alex from Better Together Home lives in London and loves visiting the Southbank. She says “We love visiting the Southbank and walking along the riverside – there’s food markets, events, a Christmas market in the Winter, the Tate Modern with it’s fab contemporary art and viewing platform, skateboard park (mesmerising for kids), outdoor play spaces and some fab fountains at More London that keep the kids entertained for hours on sunny days.”
There truly is so much to do, you probably need more than a day here! Check out some of these reviews for some of Southbank’s best attractions – Sea Life Rainforest Adventure review from Boo Roo and Tigger Too, A Ride on London Eye from Our Seaside Baby, The London Dungeon from Boo Roo and Shrek’s Adventure by Twinderelmo.
Get Outside – London Parks and Gardens
If you find yourself (or your kids) in need of a little space and fresh air while you’re in the city then don’t worry, there are plenty of gorgeous gardens and parks to explore. Depending on where about in London you are, there’s guaranteed to be something suitable nearby.
The Isabella Plantation is part of Richmond Park – a nature reserve and London’s largest Site of Special Scientific Interest. Richmond Park is made up of large open grasslands and many herds of deer, while the Isabella Plantation is best known for its Azaleas, Rhododendrons and Camellias lining the paths and streams. Nadia from Scandimummy says the plantation is absolutely beautiful at this time of year, so well worth checking out while the sun shines.
The Diana Memorial Playgroup in Kensington looks like brilliant fun, and it’s completely free for kids to play in. The park is themed around Peter Pan, and includes a beach complete with washed up pirate ship, teepees, a sensory trail and various toys and sculptures to climb and explore. Hayley from Devon Mama loves visiting and says it’s great for kids, especially the slightly younger ones.
Alexandra Palace, or Ally Pally to the locals, is an incredible place to visit with tons of stuff going on. There are 196 acres of park to explore there, plus plenty of attractions including the boating lake, soft play, skate park, walking routes, landscaped gardens, deer to spot, plenty of places to eat, an ice rink and so much more. It’s somewhere I have enjoyed taking Dil to before, and can’t wait to take him back there again.
*This is a collaborative post. Contains affiliate links*
Great post! London is such an amazing city to explore. Thanks for including me 🙂 Polly x