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OK, everyone's kids are different. What we are trying here to do
is give some ideas of things to do in London with kids in mind.
Childrens boredom thresholds may be challenged by being trailed
around museums and shown architecture and history all day.
Public
Transport
Surveys and anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that
a lasting memory for many visitors to London is the public transport
system.
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Make
sure you take your kids on the
London
Underground at least once, also the top deck of a
London red
bus. Make it into a game, get a bus
and underground map and get your kids to plan your route around
central London. A London
Travelcard
transport pass becomes indispensable.
The hop-on, hop-off double deck bus tours are enjoyed by a sizeable
proportion of all visitors to London. |
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Main
Sights
For
children, the Tower
of London and Tower
Bridge will leave long term impressions. The Tower keeps everyone
happy, the kids have a fun day out the parents feel the visit has
educational worth and exposure to history.
Get on a frequent tour with the Yeoman Warders within the Tower.
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They
will take special interest in making the tour relevant and fun for
the kids. The Crown Jewels, gallows, ghosts and beheadings and the
environment of a real castle keeps the kids enthralled.
Madame
Tussaud's waxworks is always crowded and
can be tedious for youngsters. The London
Dungeon is shorter and targeted to the more gruesome aspects of
history which seems to be more popular with the youngsters. |
| London
Experiences for Kids |
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- See
a genuine criminal trial taking place at the Old
Bailey from the visitors gallery
- Take
your kids to a genuine specialist Fish & Chip shop and try
Cod and Chips
- Changing
of the guard at Buckingham Palace
- Take
a river launch to Greenwich and stand with one leg either side
of the meridian line (there's lots to do in Greenwich as well)
- London
has several premier league soccer clubs with regular fixtures
for much of the year.
- Its
possible to take a day trip to Paris through the channel tunnel
using Eurostar trains
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Museums
Most
kids will have limited patience when it comes to art galleries and
museums. The good news is that most of London's museums are free,
so you can afford to make several short visits.
Number one attraction for kids should be the Science
Museum . The focus of the Science Museum is high tech, hands-on,
interactive and up-to-date. The basement area is focussed on kids
with different areas focussed on different age groups. The museum
also puts on workshops for the kids too. |
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is a genuine danger you will have a problem prising your kids out.
The rest of the museum for grown-ups is world class too - most people
will need a full day to do the museum justice. |
| Nature,
Parks and the London Zoo |
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London's
main zoo is just north of the central area at the top of Regents Park.
The London Zoo is a substantial,
modern zoo. All the animals are there that you would expect and of
course children are particularly catered for.
London has several large parks. St-James, Regents and Hyde
Park are extensive parks. Dotted all around London are squares
and smaller parks where you can get away for a few moments from the
noise and traffic.
Hyde Park offers swimming, boating and fishing with plenty of room
to romp. St James Park has a lot of bird life around the lake. |
Hamleys
Toy Shop |
Toy
Shops
Harrods
in Knightsbridge is unique, its toy area
is no different. If you need an excuse to go shopping why not treat
the kids to the toy floor at Harrods. Toys R Us it is not.
A specialist major toy shop also exists in Regent Street called Hamleys.
Theme
Parks
You
may be relieved to learn
that there are no theme parks in the modern sense in central London.
On the periphery of London there are three, all of which close during
the Winter months. LegoLand is out in Windsor near the castle, Chessington
World of Adventures and Thorpe Park are ride based venues to the south-west
of London. All can be reached by train from London's Waterloo station. |
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