My 10 Favourite Things to do With Kids in London

Kathy Stewart

Having lived in London on and off for over a decade, I wanted to share the city with my kids. The English capital can be expensive, but the great thing about bringing your brood is that a lot of the best things to do with kids in London are free!

My Favourite Things to Do with Kids in London

Tower of London
The Tower of London is touristy, but great. It’s worth every penny to see the ravens (we skipped the crown jewels) and stand in the towers overlooking the Thames.

The Royal Parks
The real highlight of the obligatory walk to Buckingham Palace is the pond in St. James Park – replete with giant pelicans! For little kids there is a great park with an amazing sand box, all within view of the palace.

The British Museum
The British Museum could take days, but with young boys I headed straight for the mummies. A spin past the Elgin Marbles was helped by a vague knowledge of mythology gleaned from Percy Jackson.

ZSL London Zoo
The London Zoo isn’t free – in fact it is shockingly expensive – but it was worth it to visit the reptile pavilion and have the kids remember the scene with the snake from Harry Potter…

The Natural History Museum
The Natural museum is better outside of the dinosaur section, which, while amazing, was packed with school kids. The rest of the museum is better and has beautiful cafés for lunch or a snack.

The Science Museum
The Science Museum is an obvious choice, right next door to the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. A great selection of planes,machinery and special exhibits.

Hyde Park
Hyde Park offers the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain (amazing for younger kids), the Serpentine Gallery for lovers of modern art, row boats for rent, andthe famous statue of Peter Pan.

See a Show!
We were lucky enough to see Matilda, which my youngest son loved so much he stood throughout the performance! And trust me: generally I hate musicals, but London really knows how to do it right.

Afternoon Tea
I have three boys, but if I had girls, I would go for a classic British tea at one of the old hotels. The Dorchester is my favourite, and where I went with my mother growing up.

Greenwich
I had never been, but a friend moved there and talked us into coming, and it was worth the trip. Actually the boat trip itself is a highlight and inexpensive on public transit. The National Maritime Museum is beautiful, and there is a gorgeous park on the green. Again – the café at the museum is a great choice for lunch or a snack.