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. Peddle until you’ve spelt out all your names.
3. Jet off to the moon at The Moonwalkers. Then get ice cream at Ruby Violet (just like real astronauts).
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 big museums.
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. 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. Monkey around at Go Ape. They have three locations in London.
21. Walk with dinosaurs at The Natural History Museum…
22. …or pedalo past them 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 little hatters.
26. See some family-friendly comedy at Comedy Club 4 Kids… (and if you like it, book on to one of their courses and have a shot at your own).
27. Avoid walking the plank aboard The Golden Hinde – and blend in by speaking like pirates all day.
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 aerial slide.
35. Go bananas on banana bikes in both Battersea Park and Dulwich Park. The Dutch know what they’re on about.
36. Catch a Saturday film at The Ritzy’s Kids Club for £3.30 a pop. The flicks are often pretty good, too.
37. Taste your first liquid nitrogen ice cream at Chin Chin Club. If it’s sunny, eat it in nearby Soho Square.
38. Do touch the artwork at the Young V&A.
39. Swing on a witches hat at Coram’s Fields. The playground is truly epic.
40. Practice your pike at Oxygen Freejumping. Then go on an airventure along their high ropes course.
41. Audition for Ed Sheeran at Madame Tussauds.
42. Run away and join the circus (for a day). The National Centre for Circus Arts does amazing family classes.
43. Travel back in time at the London Transport Museum. Just don’t get there by car.
44. Hold a board game tournament at Draughts. Then go for victory pizzas at Pizza Pilgrims.
45. Stock up on supplies for the new term (at Hogwarts) at House of MinaLima.
46. Go and see the beefeaters at the Tower of London. Try not to scare away all the ravens.
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 on 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 climb the up the pagoda 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 pizza makers.
56. Go flipping wild at Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace.
You might also find a few ideas in our guide to Free Things To Do In London…