< Introducing London

The Best of London

Toys from the past on display at the Museum of London

A city with a rich history, impressive architecture, world-class museums, lush parks, superb shops and incomparable theatre, London is a treasure chest for visitors and has a wide choice of family-friendly activities. Explore famous monuments, then relax on a river cruise or in a park. Attend an art workshop, take part in an exciting sport, then find time to witness the spectacle of one of London’s traditional ceremonies, full of heritage, pomp and colour.

For culture vultures

Start the day at Tate Britain and try out the Art Trolley. Continue to Westminster Abbey, where you can follow the Children’s Trail, and then dress up as monks in the museum. Spend the afternoon with exciting games, map-making and clue-matching in Tate Modern.

Another day, take a family tour at the National Portrait Gallery. Break for lunch in Chinatown, near Leicester Square, then follow one of the children’s audio tours or printed trails at the National Gallery.

Alternatively, climb up to the Whispering Gallery at St Paul’s Cathedral, and then explore the fascinating Museum of London. Hop on the Tube to the V&A Museum of Childhood and spend the afternoon doing a gallery trail.

In three days

Take an open-top bus tour (see Getting Around London) and hop off at the Queen’s London residence, Buckingham Palace, to watch the Changing the Guard. Spend the afternoon in the Science and Natural History museums, then let off steam in the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground.

Next day, arrive early for a morning at that castle of castles, the Tower of London, followed by lunch in picturesque St Katharine’s Dock. Go by river bus to the South Bank for a trip on the London Eye and a 3D movie at the Imax.

On the last day, spend the morning at Madame Tussauds. Enjoy lunch in Marylebone High Street, then visit a classic attraction – London Zoo or the British Museum.

Soldiers taking part in the Changing the Guard

By season

In spring, visit Kew Gardens to see spectacular carpets of bluebells and yellow daffodils, and stunning blossom. Take part in free, fun activities, such as the chocolate workshop and Easter egg hunt.

Book tickets in advance for a summer concert at glorious Kenwood House; pack a rug and delicious picnic (or pre-order one). Dress up in something colourful for the lively, late August Notting Hill Carnival.

Go for an autumnal walk on Hampstead Heath to see the glorious leaf colours, and, if it’s one of those clear, sunny, autumn days, take a trip on the London Eye.

Do some Christmas shopping in Harrods and visit Santa’s Grotto. Go skating on the large outdoor rink at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, then warm up afterwards with traditional tea at Brown’s Hotel.

Outdoors

After a morning at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, hire bikes and cycle round the park. Take a train to Waterloo and have lunch in Gabriel’s Wharf, before visiting Shakespeare’s Globe.

Let the kids loose in Coram’s Fields, then explore the canals from Little Venice to London Zoo. After visiting the zoo, go for a row on the boating lake in Regent’s Park and finish with a play at Regent’s Park Open-Air Theatre.

Visit Kew Gardens to clamber inside a giant badger sett and along the Xstrata Treetop Walkway. Or take a river cruise to Hampton Court Palace and get lost in the 300-year-old maze.

On a budget

Entry is free to the permanent collections of London’s major museums and galleries. Many also offer complimentary or inexpensive children’s tours, trails, storytelling and workshops. The capital’s parks (see Outdoor London) also provide plenty of free family entertainment, including some playgrounds. And the city’s excellent urban farms, such as Vauxhall (www.vauxhallcityfarm.org) and Mudchute (www.mudchute.org), do not charge for admission – although a donation of some kind is appreciated.

A great way to get to know the city is on foot, as London and its fascinating, historic architecture is like a living walk-through museum. Transport for London (www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/walking/default.aspx) suggests routes, or simply follow the river and watch the boats as you walk. A stroll around Covent Garden guarantees hours of amusement from the street performers.

For discount theatre tickets, visit the tkts booth in Leicester Square (www.tkts.co.uk), or one of the internet sites: www.discounttheatre.com or www.lastminute.com. The cheapest places to eat, apart from a do-it-yourself picnic in a park, are often local cafés or ethnic restaurants outside of the central touristy areas – sometimes only a few streets away from the main drag.

Stage and screen

A number of London theatres are dedicated to performances for children (see Best Theatres and Shows). Other theatres stage plays for younger audiences, particularly during school holidays, among them, the Tricycle (www.tricycle.co.uk), Chickenshed (www.chickenshed.org.uk), Rose Theatre (www.rosetheatrekingston.org), New Wimbledon Theatre and Studio (www.ambassadortickets.com/Wimbledon) and Hackney Empire (www.hackneyempire.co.uk).

A pantomime is a Christmas holiday highlight – for adults as well as children: among the best are those at the Old Vic (www.oldvictheatre.com) and Richmond Theatre (www.atgtickets.com/venue/Richmond-Theatre). Also at Christmas, there are ballets for children at the Coliseum (www.ballet.org.uk) and the Royal Opera House, and throughout the year at Sadler’s Wells’ Peacock Theatre and Lilian Baylis Studio (www.sadlerswells.com).

London’s principal cinemas are Odeon (www.odeon.co.uk), Vue (www.myvue.com) and Cineworld (www.cineworld.co.uk). These and the independent Clapham Picture House (www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Clapham_Picturehouse) and Electric Cinema (www.electriccinema.co.uk), have regular kids’ clubs.

Active London

Sports-mad families will find plenty going on in London to keep their heart rates up, whether they want to be participants or spectators (see Sporting London). Other activities that should appeal to energetic kids are climbing, go-karting, bowling, inline skating and even dry skiing.

Westway Sports Centre has a terrific beginners’ climbing wall and a junior programme that includes family sessions (www.westwaysportscentre.org.uk/climbing). The best places for budding racing drivers (aged 8+) to go karting are Playscape (www.playscape.co.uk) and Daytona (www.daytona.co.uk), while children’s bowling is offered at Hollywood Bowl (www.hollywoodbowl.co.uk), with special lightweight bowls, and Bloomsbury Bowling (www.bloomsburybowling.com). There are inline skating programmes for children in Kensington Gardens, run by Kids Rollerblading Lessons (www.kidsrollerbladinglessons.co.uk), LondonSkaters (www.londonskaters.com) and Citiskate (www.citiskate.co.uk), which also operates elsewhere. For dry skiing within the M25, try Sandown Ski Centre (www.sandownsports.co.uk/ski-centre.htm) and Bromley Ski & Snow Board Centre (www.bromleyski.co.uk).

Enjoying a rollerblading lesson from a member of the Kids Rollerblading Lessons team in leafy Kensington Gardens

Behind the scenes

London museums – big and small – often host highly imaginative workshops for families. Some of the best are at the Geffrye Museum, where the creative emphasis is on making or decorating objects. Workshops at the Imperial War Museum can introduce children to storytelling through art and handle the difficult subject of war in a sensitive and involving way. At the small and slightly eccentric Horniman Museum, children can find their imagination fired by being able to handle some of the extraordinary objects from the collection. As you would imagine, the British Museum puts on some excellent workshops, using technology to create fun, sometimes gruesome animations about mummification, fantastical creatures or the Aztec gods.

Going behind the scenes at a theatre can be fascinating for children, offering a glimpse into the hidden worlds of costumes, lighting, scenery shifting and even technical wizardry. Of all London’s backstage tours, the most impressive are those organised by the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Shakespeare’s Globe and Theatre Royal Drury Lane.