56 Things To Do In London With Kids

Things To Do In London With Kids | All-ages activities across the capital 

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…

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. Book tickets to the Kingdom of Winter. It’s going to be a 21,000 sqm indoor wonderland filled with alpine chalets, vintage fairground rides, and an ice rink…

4. Try not to get lost at Hampton Court Maze. Good luck.

5. Pick a new mummy at the British Museum. It’s the daddy of London’s exhibition halls.

6. Go visit Bambi in Richmond Park. Honestly, they’re everywhere.

7. Help feed the sting rays at SEA LIFE London Aquarium. The Shrek experience is right next door, do with that information what you will.

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. Not as science-y, but preeetty fun.

11. Take a trip to Hamleys. Pick out a board game to play together later.

12. Take a train ride through London’s Hidden Mail Rail tunnels. It’s so dinky it feels like it was specifically built for kids.

13. Head to The Wonderlab in the Science Museum. Prepare to have your mind blown, too.

14. Make chefs hats out of paper. Then ice biscuits at Biscuiteers.

15. Spend Sundays making art at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Find out more here.

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. There are 19 floodlit courts, and you can book them here.

18. Go ice skating at Queen’s Skate Dine Bowl. They have dining & bowling too, FYI.

19. Ride round the world’s fastest velodrome track at Lee Valley Velopark. Then ride home for extra credit.

20. Unleash your inner Tarzan at Go Ape. They have three locations in London.

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. It’s inspired by Peter Pan, and it’s amazing.

25. Have your own Mad Hatter’s tea party at The Sanderson hotel. There’s a special kids menu for the little ones.

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. Then check out the view from Greenwich Park.

33. Scale a rock face at the Castle Climbing Centre. Remember to be brave.

34. Play hard at the Brockwell Park playground – ride the zip wire, and fly down its huge arial slide.

35. Go bananas on banana bikes in both Battersea Parkand Dulwich Park. The Dutch know what they’re on about.

36. Catch a film at The Ritzy’s Kids Club for £2.50 a pop. The flicks are often pretty good, too.

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. The playground is truly epic.

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. Travel back in time at the London Transport Museum. Just don’t get there by car.

42. Eat freshly baked scones….on a moving double decker bus.

43. Learn all about how other kids lived at the Young V&A.

44. Immerse yourself in the world of Hogwarts at the official Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition.

45. Then stock up on supplies for the new year (at Hogwarts) at House of MinaLima.

46. Try to scare the scary people at The London Dungeons. Winner doesn’t have to stay the night.

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. Be ruthless, they will be.

51. Do your best Tarzan impressions from the treetop walkway in Kew Gardens. And go up the Pergola if you dare.

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. 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…