Keeping children occupied can be tricky.
But if you can’t beat ’em…
Join ’em.
Specifically, riding round the fastest velodrome track in the world at Lee Valley Velodrome Park; clambering through a tree-top canopy at Kew; or galavanting through a 16th Century maze.
Below are some of what we’d consider to be the absolute best things to do in London with children.
Summer holidays will never be the same again.
1. Check out some modern art at the Tate Modern. Then go home and have a shot at your own.
2. Rent a pedalo at The Serpentine. Pedalo until you’ve spelt out all your names.
3. Take a trip to Hamleys. Pick out a board game to play together later.
4. Try not to get lost at Hampton Court Maze.
5. Pick a new mummy at the British Museum.
Image: Johan Mouchet
6. Go visit Bambi in Richmond Park.
7. Help feed the sting rays at SEA LIFE London Aquarium.
8. Do your best sketch of the London skyline… from one of the capsules on The London Eye.
9. Go deep-sea diving at the Science Museum’s Imax…
10. …or visit the BFI Imax to watch big-buck blockbusters in 3D.
11. Try to scare the scary people at The London Dungeons. Winner doesn’t have to stay the night.
12. Take a train ride through London’s Hidden Mail Rail tunnels.
13. Paint your own pottery at Punk Me Up Ceramics.
14. Make chef hats out of paper. Then ice biscuits at Biscuiteers.
15. Spend Sundays making art at Dulwich Picture Gallery.
16. Write stories with a space alien at the Children’s Story Centre. Don’t forget to slide down the monster’s tongue before you leave.
17. Do your best Serena Williams impression at the Battersea Park tennis courts.
18. Try your puck at ice hockey at Queen’s Skate Dine Bowl.
19. Ride round the world’s fastest velodrome track at Lee Valley Velopark.
20. Unleash your inner Tarzan at Go Ape.
21. Walk with dinosaurs at The Natural History Museum…
22. …or at Crystal Palace Park.
24. Sail a giant pirate ship at the Diana Memorial Playground.
25. Have your own Mad Hatter’s tea party at The Sanderson hotel.
26. See some family-friendly comedy at Comedy Club 4 Kids…
27. …if you like it book on to one of their courses and have a shot at your own.
28. Talk to the animals at Hounslow Urban Farm…before singing the entire Doctor Doolittle soundtrack on your way home.
29. Practice your butterfly at London Fields Lido…
30. …for tips, visit the butterfly house at the Horniman Museum first.
31. Take a trip to the waterfalls at Kyoto Garden. Be careful not to waterfall in.
32. Walk on Mars at the Peter Harrison Planetarium.
33. Scale a rock face at Castle Climbing Club.
34. Play hard at the Brockwell Park playground – ride the zip wire, and fly down its huge ariel slide.
35. Go bananas on banana bikes in both Battersea Park and Dulwich Park.
36. Catch a film at The Ritzy’s Kids Club for £2.50 a pop.
37. Taste your first liquid nitrogen ice cream at Chin Chin Club. If it’s hot, eat it in nearby Soho Square.
38. Swing on a witches hat at Coram’s Fields.
39. Practice your pike at Oxygen Freejumping. Then go on an airventure along their high ropes course.
40. Audition for Ed Sheeran at Madame Tussauds.
41. Curl up on The National Gallery’s magic carpet, then listen to a story inspired by the nearby art.
42. Eat freshly baked scones….on a moving double decker bus.
43. Learn all about how other kids lived at the V&A Museum Of Childhood [closed until 2024].
44. Immerse yourself in the world of Hogwarts at the official Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition…
45. Then see all the real Harry Potter filming locations in London…
46. Then stock up on supplies for the new year (at Hogwarts) at House of MinaLima.
47. Smash skittles at All Star Lanes Holborn. The bowling and the candy kind.
48. Race round an 800m multi-level race track at TeamSport Go Karting.
49. Picnic on the top of Parliament Hill in Hampstead Heath. Then roly-poly all the way down.
50. Zap each other at laser tag.
51. Do your best Tarzan impressions from the treetop walkway in Kew Gardens.
52. Get tickets to a classic London musical.
53. Scale a sky-scraper at Chelsea’s Clip’N’Climb.
54. Learn how to skate at BaySixty6.
55. Play firefighters at Kidzania. Or dentists. Or doctors.
56. Choose a book from Peckham Library and then read it together with pizza slices on Peckham Rye.
You might also find a few ideas in our guide to Free Things To Do In London…
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Carpe Diem!