Top 10 things to do in London for under 5s

London is a perfect travel destination for a family holiday as there are so many family-friendly activities suitable for children of all ages. This is a a personal selection of my top 10 things to do with toddlers in London.

Choose one or more of these activities depending on how much time will you spend in London.

1. THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: THE PRINCESS DIANA MEMORIAL PLAYGROUND

Great place for toddlers 2+ and it’s free to enter. The playground offers a full afternoon of fun for kids to run and play. My son loves this playground based on Peter pan story: climbing frames, pirate ship, sensory play, secret tunnels, sand, water and a musical area with outdoor instruments. It could be crowded in summer, with a long line outside. But don’t despair, it lasts only around 20 minutes and then you have access to the whole area. Bring swimsuits for your toddler. I love the little corner of drink and snacks nearby and just a stone throw from lots of restaurants in Bayswater.

Address: (inside Hyde Park) Kensington Gardens, W2 2UH,- tel. +44(0)20 7298 2141
Opening hours: Princess Diana Memorial Playground is open daily all year round! (1st May – 31st August: 10:00 – 19:45; April and September: 10:00 – 18:45; March and early October: 10:00 – 17:45; February and late October: 10:00 – 16:45; 1st November – 31st January: 10:00 – 15:45), Closed 25th December.
Price: Free admission – Last entry 15 minutes before closing time.
Click here to visit Princess Diana Memorial playground’s website
Suggested duration: 1-1.5  h

2.THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: THE SCIENCE MUSEUM

Suitable for 2+. No secret that this is my favorite museum in London, you can read the full review in this post with all the tips to visit it with kids. The museum presents all things science, tech and engineering  with fantastic activities related to topics such as astronomy, physics, chemistry, time, light, technological and medical achievements.

The last floor of the Science Museum hosts the Wonderlab, basically a giant playground where you learn by playing. You can read all about Wonderlab in this post.

Lower ground floor at the Science Museum with an indoor playground for toddlers 2y*

3. THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: HMS BELFAST

Suitable for 3+. This real Royal Navy Cruiser depicts an important part of history. Hop on board HMS Belfast to discover Europe’s largest preserved World War Second warship. This is a museum ship, originally a light cruiser, now permanently moored on the River Thames. Inside, the wax statues in the engine room, the kitchen or even the dorms will bring the ship back to life… If you are curious about the ship, read this article about “The 8 things you didn’t know about HMS Belfast and D-Day”. Once you’ve finished your tour, there is a nice little tea shop and you can sit on deck and watch the boats go by as you sip tea and eat cake or jelly babies! PS: there are steps, it’s better to have a carrier or to visit without a buggy.

You can book online the ticket with the audioguide.

Address: The Queen’s Walk, SE1 2JH. Tel: +44 (0)20 7940 6300
Nearest Tube station: London Bridge (Jubilee & Northern lines)
Opening hours: Open every day from 10am to 6pm
Price: £16 for adults, £8 for children (5-15), free for kids under 5. Family ticket (2 adults, up to 3 children) £42
Click here to visit HMS Belfast website

4.THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

Suitable for 2+.  In the very heart of London, as it’s located in Covent Garden, this is a Museum will satisfy all the family. Basically this museum covers all the aspects of transportation in London. You can step back in time and discover more than 80 vehicles (including the world’s first subway and a classic red double decker bus). It’s a great museum for all ages, but especially for children fascinated by buses, trains and other means of urban transportation.

You can read the full review of the museum here.

Click here to buy your London Transport Museum Tickets in advance

Address: Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB
Tube station: Covent Garden (Piccadilly)
Cost: £17,50 per gli adulti (ragazzi e bambini al di sotto dei 18 anni non pagano)
Opening hours: open every day from 10.00am to 18.00pm (except on Friday that opens at 11.00am)
Click here for the London Transport Museum website
Suggested visit duration: 3 h

5. THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: LONDON ZOO

Suitable for all ages. This is a great zoo for kids. Lots of iconic animals but not a lot of walking. If you make the trip, be sure to spend the entire day. So much to see and do for the entire family. The aquarium and reptile house are both very good and all the conservation work is well explained. The animals are well cared for and the cages are spacious and well laid out. The attractions included Blackburn Pavilion, In with the Lemurs, Land of the Lions, Rainforest Life, Tiger territory, Reptile house, Aquarium, Penguin beach, Into Africa, Animal adventure, In with the Monkeys, and many more! Wonderful educational programs, and interactive exhibits, and lovely gift shops to keep those amazing memories alive once you get home. The zoo is located within Regent’s Park, which itself is feast for the eyes with gorgeous gardens. On the highest point Primrose Hill are the most amazing vistas of the skyline of London.

We suggest to book ONLINE TO GET 10% off online.

Address: Regents Park | Outer Circle, NW1 4RY; tel: +44 344 225 1826
Nearest Tube station: Camden Town (Northern)
Price: £27,04 for adults and £20,00 for children 3+ (if you book online you can save 10%)
Opening hours: Open every day 10am to 5.30pm (closed 25 December)
Click here to visit the London zoo website
Suggested visit duration: full day

6. THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: KEW GARDENS

The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew is a stunning park in the borough of Richmond, easily accessible by metro or overground. Plan to spend a long day here as it is huge. See more pictures here. This is one of my favorite park in London, beautiful in every season. There is an indoor and outdoor playground with plenty of spaces, perfect for kids (also during rainy days).

Address: Kew Green | Richmond, Kew, TW9 3AB; tel: +44 20 8332 5655
Nearest Tube station: Kew Gardens (District)
Price: adult 14,00 £; child (age 4-16) 2,50 £  (if you book online you can save 10%)
Opening hours: Open every day 10am to 6.30pm except for Friday and Sunday 10am to 8.30pm (closed 25 December)
Click here to visit the Kew Gardens website
Suggested duration: full day

7. THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Suitable for ages 2+, it’s totally free. A really must-see if you come to London, This is a huge museum very popular for toddlers and children, which covers zoology, paleontology, botany, entomology and mineralogy, with circa 80 million items (not all on display). So consider to spend here at least 3 hours; for a complete visit you will need circa 5 at least.

You can read the full review with tips to visit it here.

Address: Cromwell Rd, Kensington, London SW7 5BD tel: +44 20 7942 5511
Nearest Tube station: South Kensington (District-Circle-Piccadilly)
Price: admission is free (there is a charge for some temporary exhibitions)
Opening hours: Open every day 10am to 5.30pm (last entry 5.30) – closed 24-25-26 December
Click here to visit the Natural History Museum
Suggested duration: 3 hours

8. THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: THE WATER AND STEAM MUSEUM

Suitable for ages 2+. One of my secret spot in London, see my post with description of.

9. THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: BATTERSEA PARK

Suitable for all ages. So many things to do and see, I would say the most “American style” park here in London. There is a lake, a zoo (perfect for little ones), a huge play area with lots of climbing frames for all ages, a mini golf, the English garden and the herb gardens. You can rent various bikes to go around the park and along the Thames.

Address: Albert Park Bridge Road, London SW11 4NJ; tel: +44 208 871 7530
Nearest Tube station: Sloane Square (District-Piccadilly) + bus 137-452
Price: admission is free (zoo entry is Adults 9,50£ – children 7,50£)
Opening hours: Open every day 6.30am to 10.30pm
Click here to visit the Battersea Park zoo website
Suggested duration: all day

10. THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN LONDON: THE LONDON WETLAND CENTRE

An urban oasis, there are plenty of different species of birds, swans, geese, cormorants, wood duck, moorhens and cranes among many others. A huge park, with lots of signs with feeding times. For children there is an adventure playground, the Pond Zone and an indoor Discovery Centre. We went there once and we still have lots of things to see, so we want to come back.

Address: Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes, London SW13 9WT; tel: +44 20 8409 4400
Nearest Tube station: Hammersmith (District-Circle) + bus 485
Price: Adults 12,26 £ and children (4-16 ys) 6,75 £ (10% discount booking online on their website)
Opening hours: Open every day 9.30am to 5.30pm
Click here to visit the website
Suggested duration: all day

I hope you like this post, please feel free to contact me for any information needed.

See you soon!

Francesca

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