London with children

London with children can be an intimidating endeavour because of the city's size and congestion, but because of its size, it can also be an incredibly rewarding experience for children. London has a wide range of museums and activities targeted to children, and its other museums often have child-focused sections. Furthermore, as a city that has often been at the centre of world history, there is an incredible opportunity to introduce children to key times in the history of the world by taking them to the places where important events happened. Oh, and there are Harry Potter-related sites. That alone will be enough of an enticement to convince many children to be enthusiastic about a family trip to London.

Accessibility
Because it is over 100 years old, the Tube is poorly equipped for lifts and most stations only have escalators. If you're travelling with a stroller you may be in for staircase fun! Don't be afraid to ask for help lifting your stroller, most people are perfectly happy to help.

Some stations are "step-free" meaning they have lifts or are at ground level. TfL provides a step-free station map for planning ahead. As of 2023, only the Docklands Light Railway and the Elizabeth Line  have step-free access at all stations.

Tickets
The Tube is generally free for all children under the age of 11 though the child must be accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket or an Oyster card. Children travelling free enter through a manned gate (usually at one end of a bank of turnstiles) because they do not have tickets. Children 11-15 have the option of buying a child rate ticket (usually half the adult rate) or buying a Child Photo Oyster Card that gives unlimited travel for a day for £1. It takes up to two weeks to get this photo card so, if your trip is for a short duration, you'll have to make do with the child rate.

By bus
An Oyster Photocard is required for children over 11. For visitors, the practical implication is that you'll probably have to buy child rate tickets for children over 11. Strollers may have to be folded on buses - especially at peak times. You should always be prepared to fold your stroller if a wheelchair user requires the space.

By taxi
A ride in a London black cab is exciting by itself for kids of all ages but, for the stroller parents, it is a delight! Almost any stroller can be wheeled into its capacious interior with the sleeping child safely strapped inside. Cabs can be expensive, however, with even the shortest ride coming in at over £5.

By boat
The Thames has been a major "avenue" in London for centuries and there are many interesting boat trips that can also get you from place to place. The easiest ride is the "Tate to Tate" which takes 20 minutes to get from Tate Britain to Tate Modern. A perfect way to break up a one-day tour of both museums. With older kids, a trip to Greenwich is sure to be on the agenda, so why not take the ferry from Embankment for a 40-minute ride to Greenwich? The most famous trip of them all is the three or four-hour ride between Hampton Court and Westminster with a stop at Kew Gardens as the perfect place for a picnic!

Museums
Backpacks with fun and educational activities for children of all ages, audio guides with walking tours specially designed for children, and guided tours for kids are some of the highlights for kids in the various museums of London. Because most of these museums are free and have walk-in access with no let or hindrance it is easy to spend an hour (the limit for most children) without worrying about making full use of your money. Note that the family activities at most museums are geared for Londoners and are mostly available on Sundays and during school holidays, so call the museum or check on-line before you go. Backpacks are usually available every day. Museums with special programs for children include:









War museums
For older children, these museums telling the story of Britain at war can prove to be insightful.









Science and nature museums
Victorian London was a hotbed of science and technological development and, along with excellent museums, there are many interesting smaller museums that kids may find interesting.

Boating
Take the kids boating in Regent's Park or Hyde Park. The older kids can try their hand at rowing at the Boating Pond (with swans, ducks, and other avian creatures for company) in Regent's Park or at the Serpentine in Hyde Park while the little ones can hop onto the yellow paddle boats in the children's boating pond in Regent's Park.

Swimming
Ever thought of swimming in a public pond? You can't do that in New York's Central Park, but both Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath allow swimming in ponds. At the Heath, there are separate ponds designated for Ladies, for Gents, and for mixed bathers, and these are open for swimming between April and December. In Hyde Park, a small corner of the Serpentine is designated for swimming and is open to the public in summer.

Horse riding
A fine English pastime and Hyde Park Stables offers group and solo rides, including lessons, on Rotton Row in Hyde Park (£49 and up for an hour). The stables are at the north end of Hyde Park off Bayswater Road.

Playgrounds
For the younger set (1–7-year-olds), there are many playgrounds in London Parks. Regent's Park has several, with the one between London Mosque and the Boating Lake being the most popular. The place to visit is, of course, the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Park near her Kensington Palace home. With a huge wooden pirate ship in the centre of the park, this playground is a grand and fun place for the tots!

Sport
Cricket, association football (soccer) and tennis are the three sports most associated with London in addition to that, London also hosts the NFL international series as well as several high-profile Rugby football events every year.



Buy
London used to be famous for quirky, independent toy stores. Unfortunately few of these survive today. However, there is still good shopping to be had:











Eat
Many London restaurants have special menus for children. While the fare is not always healthy, the portions are smaller and cheaper and are useful for saving some money. London restaurants are expensive, so do ask for a children's menu.

Pubs
Many London pubs, especially in the residential areas, are child friendly in the early evenings and weekend afternoons and are a good escape for small children. Look for a neighbourhood pub with outdoor seating and you can spend a nice afternoon with a beer or two to wash down a spicy Thai lunch or an old-fashioned roast while the kids run around in the open air.

Pizza
Zizzi and Pizza Express are the two local pizza chains and both are child-friendly with the usual bag of goodies (crayons, paper, puzzles) that will keep the tykes busy and a kids menu that will help keep your expenses under control.

Picnic food
Nothing can be better than a picnic in one of London's many parks on a fine summer day! To make up a basket, look for cheap and serviceable sandwiches, etc. at the various Tesco Express stores dotted over the city or, for more gourmet fixings, visit a Waitrose store or a Simply Food (Marks and Spencers) store.

Sleep
London has a massive array of hotels across most of the city. These range from independent to chain and from cheap to luxurious.

If you have older children and are willing to use public transport then it is well worth considering hotels that are out of the city centre. These hotels are almost always cheaper and with London's excellent public transport you could be in central London in as little as 20 minutes. As long as you're in walking distance of a Tube station you're usually good to go!

A few chains to consider are:

Stay safe
Londoners and their city are on the whole pretty safe, although here are some things children or their parents may not enjoy:


 * Rush hour is generally 7-9:30AM and 5:30-7PM on weekdays. During these times the Tube, trains and buses are busy and taxis are hard to find. It is better to travel outside of these times if possible.


 * Evenings and nights London is a busy city with a thriving nightlife. In areas where there are large numbers of bars it can become rowdy in the evenings.


 * Keep children under close control when walking on the streets and especially when on public transport. In the rush you may get separated and due to the crowds it may not be easy to find each other. Explain to children that if they become lost they should find a member of staff (someone in a London Underground uniform, for example, if you're on the Tube).


 * If you are separated on the London Underground, for example if a carer gets onto the train and the child does not, make sure you have a clear plan for what to do. For example, the child could wait on the platform while the carer travels to the next station and then travels back. To avoid being separated in the first place, don't rush onto trains and don't try and cram yourself on if it's too crowded - another train will be along in a few minutes or so! Also, if you are worried at any point, all stations have an information point where you can press a button and speak to station staff. Do not be tempted to pull the emergency alarm on the train as this can cause major delays and even cause the train to be stuck in the tunnel for a while, delaying your reunion with the stricken child.


 * There is crime in all major cities. While London is generally safe, it is worth reminding children to keep their valuables (such as phones and wallets) in a zipped-up pocket or bag and to only use them when necessary.


 * Illegal traders/con artists can be present around the South Bank and on Westminster Bridge. It often involves some kind of game such as hiding a ball under a cup and asking people to bet on which cup the ball is in. Of course the ball is none of the cups and you lose your money! If anyone "wins" they'll be a friend of the person running the game. There are also street acts that may try and grab you or ask you forcefully to take a picture - they are often pickpockets or will demand money for the photograph. It's important to explain to children to walk past these acts and not look as any kind of interest or eye contact will trigger them to come up to you. Overall, don't participate in any kind of street gambling and don't give money to any act that demands you hand it over - there are plenty of legitimate performers who won't demand anything from you. If you have a mobile phone/cellphone that works in the UK you can call 101 (only use 999 in an emergency) to report any harassment or illegal activity, but don't expect the police to respond swiftly and the con artists have lookouts who will alert them to the police so they can run.

Mazes
The area around London is dotted with garden mazes that will delight kids over five years old:









Theme parks
London's huge population needs to relax sometime and various theme parks have been set up to let people unwind - there are numerous smaller ones, but the below are "the big three". The parks close for winter and then re-open in March: