KIDS LONDON
It may seem that the
words "kids" and "holiday" are mutually exclusive
but it need not necessarily be so; in London there
are a myriad of ways of keeping them happy,
distracted and even sometimes encouraging them to
learn something new. What child could fail to be
fascinated by the Egyptian mummies or Bleaden Man in
the British Museum, or put up with going round
Keats' house in Hampstead with the promise of flying
a kite on Parliament Hill afterwards? Or turn their
nose up at the real live sharks at the Aquarium or
the giant blue whale skeleton in the Natural History
Museum (not to mention the dinosaurs....)? If your
child has an scientific bent then the new Wellcome
wing of the Science Museum is fun. It's also useful
for answering those awkward questions kids sometimes
ask as it's really up to the minute (they can have
an exhibit up and running in 24 hours on a hot new
topic) on what's going on both in science and in the
news. Also worth mentioning that kids go free on
London Transport - with an Oyster Card. See the TFL WEBSITE
If at any time you think your kids might have to be
unaccompanied in London, on the tube etc, there is a
guide for kids at the tfl
site.
However a little thought before you go will go a
long way. Our top tip, if you are traveling
as a family, is to stay in an apartment, not a hotel
(unless you can afford a suite). It will save you
money, it will come equipped for the everyday things
you need to do, and not for a businessman and his
laptop. Many apartment owners will be able to
arrange a babysitter so you can get at least one
night out - and the kids have a living-room to go to
if they wake at 6am and you want to lie in til 10.
You can also arrange evenings to be a bit more
hospitable. Buy the Mary Poppins DVD and tell the
kids you're going to see some of the places in the
video the next day. Order a takeaway or delivery
meal, or cook yourself. We can 100% recommend the
Judges House (see our hotels page) - it's run by a
friend of ours and we've seen how it works and it's
a model for holiday apartments. You might even get a
small discount if you mention the site. If you don't
stay there try to find something similar, there's an
agency
which deserves mention - we get no kickbacks from
either the Judges House or the agency, we just think
they do a good job.
Museums and Galleries.
Most of the glut of museums and attractions
mentioned elsewhere on this site will appeal to
children and adults alike; some however have gone
further than the usual exhibitions and have extra
activities usually during the summer holidays. Check
times and availability beforehand. There is free
admission for children at the Imperial War Museum,
HMS Belfast, National Maritime Museum, Natural
History Museum, Science Museum, Theatre Museum,
Museum of London and Wellington Museum - and many
more are following suit in 2001. One astounding
thing is the skill the Galleries' guides have - they
can enrapture a group of children in a painting for
hours, we've often witnessed well-behaved groups sat
around a picture, spellbound, that otherwise would
be running round, bored and noisy. If you wish to
weave such magic yourself, tools are available at
the Museum of London or you could point a child
who's interested in nature here.
The
Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell
Road, South Kensington. 0207 942 2530 Saturdays -
The Activity Backpacks (suitable for ages 5-11)
include puzzles, games, quizzes. Sundays - The
Family Activity Cart (ages 3-12) includes trails,
drawing and making activities (see our museums page) and their
own
website
The
Science Museum, Exhibition Road,
South Kensington Not only does the Science Museum
have 7 floors of hands-on displays covering every
scientific area, events, workshops and tours it also
runs Children's Science Nights (ages 8-11) where the
museum is shut to the public but open to a group
with various activities going on (sleeping probably
NOT being one of them - be prepared for a cranky 10
year old the day after!) Sleeping bags needed - but
can be bought very cheaply in town. See our museums page or their website
The
Golden Hinde, Cathedral St, London
SE1 0207 4030123 A reconstruction of Sir Francis
Drake's ship with crew in full costume - this is
somewhere you can actually leave the kids - for an
entire four hours - safe in the knowledge that not
only are they having fun they're also learning all
about the Tudor era (might be handy when you go to
Hampton Court) The workshops include such intriguing
delights as loading cannons, weighing anchor and
sailing the high seas (in theory only you'll be
relieved to hear). If this all sounds too good to
leave to the kids they also do overnight (4pm till
10 am ) adventures for the entire family (from 2
years old upwards) where you can dress up in the
outfits, learn the songs and eat the food of Drakes'
sailors. All for £30 per person per night -
cheaper than a good old English Bed and Breakfast
and the food is probably from the same era.
Website This features on our Walk One
City
Farm
There are two - one in Shoreditch east of the
station of the same name, and another in Hackney,
(well it's actually in Tower Hamlets, but what's in
a name) Hackney City Farm has a good restaurant
which won the 'Best Family Restaurant' section in
the awards in 2005. Nearby Spitalfields market has a
lot to interest kids (open at weekends, best on a
Sunday). This is a good area for 'the whole family'
a phrase which usually strikes fear in our breast
but here is quite accurate.
For hardcore enthusiasts a SUNDAY circuit of:
Liverpool St station - train to London Fields, walk
back south to Broadway Market (good french
delicatessan/cafe, good brunchy pubs and
restaurants). Then continue south through Hackney
City Farm (restaurant there won best family
restaurant of the year 2005..) to Colombia road,
along Colombia road then South to Brick Lane,
Hugenot district, Spitalfields market and back to
Liverpool Street station - see an AtoZ map or go HERE for mapping it out - you
may need to expand the map both south and north to
get the whole route.
Tate
Britain, Millbank. Sunday Afternoons
- The Art Trolley (ages 3-11) Various activities to
help children discover art.
Website See also our Art
page.
The
National Gallery, Trafalgar Square,
has quiz sheets available at the information desk
for all ages. Website See also our Art page
The
Courtauld Institute, Somerset House,
The Strand. First Saturday of the month 11 am (free
plus one adult) Kids Drop-In with making, drawing,
workshop based activities encouraging children to be
interested in art. Website See also our Art page
London
International Gallery of Children's Art,
255 Finchley Road, NW3 (Tel: 0207 435 0903) Probably
only for those children who particularly enjoy art, but
there are regular exhibitions and workshops.
Splashing out
Hamleys, billed as "The biggest toyshop in
the world". Regents Street. Only for those with
large wallets or strong wills, Hamleys is the
Harrods of toyshops; with every imaginable toy,
hands on displays and demonstrations on 5 floors it
will keep children of every age occupied for longer
than you can bear; a possible trade-in for dragging
them round Selfridges earlier on in the day.
Website
Days Out
Legoland
Windsor. Tell the children you're
going to see things done with Lego they won't
believe (its one of Britain's favourite children's
attractions - and fairly popular with their parents
by all accounts) On the way sneak in a quick look
around Windsor Castle and Great Park.Very expensive, though.
Website
Syon
Park , Brentford, Middlesex. along
with Snakes and Ladders, a
fantastic indoor (for those unavoidable rainy days)
and outdoor adventure playground where the kids can
let off steam while the grown-ups wander around yet
another royal palace - this time the home and
gardens of the Duke of Northumberland
Website
Alton
Towers A two hour train trip out of
London, this is one of the top attractions in the
country ( not just for kids)- a kind of Stately
Disneyworld, with enough to stop an adult dying of
boredom (it started off as a Stately Home, owned by
an impecunious gent who didn't want to sell out to
the National Trust or one of the other charities
designed to keep grand old houses afloat after their
aristocratic owners sunk). Costly and sometimes
brash, a visit here will probably buy off your
children for the rest of your holiday. You can get a
combined train/admission ticket to save on the huge
admission fee. It's also popular with parties of
adults who go for the thrill-rides. Website.
Another Alternative, just outside London is Chessington - still expensive
and less grand but more practical than Alton Towers.
A trip to Disney World Paris isn't out of the
question now that Paris is only 3 hours away by
train - again there's a combined entry/train ticket
which should save you money. The workers are less
sickenly ingratiating than their Floridan
counterparts and it's fun watching Parisians trying
to be polite (it's not in their genes). Official Website .
Eating Out
The English are renowned for not having the most
child friendly restaurants in Europe - probably
dating back to the days when children ate separate
meals prepared by nanny and only met up with their
parents washed, scrubbed and ready for bed. However
it may not be necessary to resort to the ubiquitous
fast food joints for every meal - most London
restaurants claim to be child friendly and offer
kids portions; be aware that that doesn't
necessarily mean they will welcome you with open
arms however - especially if you change Junior's
nappy on the dining table....Again we refer you to Harden's
Guides and suggest you check when booking;
those in the following list say they actively
encourage children (but don't necessarily provide
the best food...)
Bank 1 Kingsway, 0207 379 9797 Provides
colouring books, puzzles etc Deals, branches in
Hammersmith, Chelsea and Oxford Circus 0207 287 1001
Offers weekend entertainment and facepainting.
Dome, Heath St, Hampstead, 0207 431 0339
Offers crayons, balloons etc
Luna Nova, 22 Short's Gardens Covent
Garden.0207 836 4110 Outstandingly child friendly -
kids can even make their own pizza......
Maxwells, 8-9 James St, Covent Garden 0207
836 0303 Offer balloons crayons etc
The Rainforest Café, 20 Shaftesbury
Ave, 0207 434 3111 Themed restaurant offering
educational programme.
Wok Wok, Islington, Clapham,Kensington and
Soho, 0207 437 7080 Another star - Sunday
entertainment and educational colouring sheets.
Giraffe - sells itself as a kids restaurant, branches everywhere.
Smolensky's Balloon 105 Strand and 1 Dover St
On weekend lunchtimes - among the best places to
bring children.
Activities
Electronic
pastimes: Segaworld in the Trocadero
- a monstrous whirl of noise and colour that should
keep kids of all ages busy, though can prove
vertiginous for adults, and costly.
Playgrounds:
Coram's Fields is an area given over
to children (adults not allowed to enter without a
child) in the heart of Bloomsbury (Tube: Russell
Square) with animals, play areas etc. There's a
Child Psychology Institute which faces the Area if
they get too boisterous...
The new 'Diana Memorial' children's playground is in
Kensington Gardens, close to the famous statue of
Peter Pan, inspired by the books of Barry - it
really is excellent and very popular with children -
for ages 2-12 (Tube: Notting Hill Gate on the
Central and Circle lines.)
Petting
zoos: Apart from the famous London Zoo which is great for kids, there are a couple of other
low-key attractions: Battersea Park Zoo - Small zoo
with domestic and non-domestic animals including
monkeys, otters, pot-bellied pigs, birds and reptile
house. Animal contact area - also does pony rides.
Farms:
Spitalfields farm - Weaver St E1/Vauxhall City Farm
- 24 St Oswald's Place/Hackney City Farm - 1a
Goldsmith's Row Hackney E2 (this latter can be
combined with a visit to Colombia Road Flower Market
on a Sunday, as it's very close by)
Theatre:
Polka Children's theatre would be one of our top
choices, should our nieces and nephews descend on us
for the day. Website. Even better is the
state-of-the-art Unicorn theatre on Tooley
Street SE1 just down from the London Dungeon and
near HMS Belfast - an adult sized theatre for kids.
Skating/ten
pin bowling/go-karting/swimming - see
our activities page
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