Whether it's the weekend, half term or a spontaneous day off, here are 19 of the best places to visit, fun activities and things to do in London with kids.

 

1 Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, Bankside

The Tate's grand entrance hallway often has interactive installations for children to play with, and that are pretty cool for parents to engage with also. Look out for Uniqulo Play too. Tate's free kids programme gets young ones engaging in artworks through creative play. 

Address: Bankside SE1 9TG

Website: tate.org.uk

2 V&A Young, Bethnal Green

The V&A's newest venture is designed for and in collaboration with kids. Striving to be ‘the world’s most joyful museum’, the venue has three interactive galleries offer tactile hands-on creative experiences for children aged from newborn to 14-years-olds. 

Tickets: Free admission

Address: Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9PA

Website: vam.ac.uk

3 West End Musicals

Whether it is something new, or a classic you've seen over and over again, a West End show always come with a little bit of magic. From Wicked to Matilda the Musical and Disney's Frozen and The Lion King, there's no shortage of musicals to pick from. 

Website: londontheatre.co.uk

4 Horniman Museum, Forest Hill

With charming, quirky and fun exhibitons for kids, lovely green grounds and gardens and a butterly house, it's no wonder the free Horniman Museum is award-winng. The museum also has an animal walk, aquarium and nature base with alpacas, jellyfish, bees and other wonderous animals to look at. Look out for regular events and days held on the museum grounds. 

Address: 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ

Website: horniman.ac.uk

5 The Line, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the O2

 A free family day out that gets the kids moving and looking at art during the summer school holidays, pubic art trail, The Line connects the Stratford park to Greenwich’s O2 via the Royal Docks following the waterways and the line of the Greenwich Meridian. The outdoor exhibition of public art is an opportunity to explore art from artists such as Anish Kapoor, Gary Hume, and Yinka Ilori while soaking up London nature. Download the digital map to find the best places to hop on and off for you.

Website: the-line.org

6 KidZania, Shepard’s Bush

This indoor adults' world for children lets kids try out different jobs and roles in fun, creative ways, be it a hairdresser, astronaught, journalist or surgeon. During school holidays KidZania often ties jobs together under a theme or umbrella event that gets children working together in their various roles. 

Price: From £11.50

Address:  KidZania London, Westfield London, Ariel Way, W12 7GA

Website: kidzania.co.uk

7 Battersea Park Children’s Zoo

This zoo is designed specifically for children. It’s not too big and there is not too much walking. You won’t find any of the big five here as Battersea Park Children’s Zoo is home to smaller animals, reptiles, and birds. Feed the farm animals and spot the otters. There are lots of different interactive play areas for different ages including a real tractor and fire engine.

Tickets: £12.50/£10.50 adult/child

Address: The closest park entry gate to the zoo is Chelsea Gate, situated on Queenstown Road just south of Chelsea Bridge. Battersea Park, SW11 4N

Website: batterseaparkzoo.co.uk

8 Children’s Garden at Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens has a huge Children’s Garden, measuring 10,000 square metres – that’s about the size of 40 tennis courts. Here, kids can explore all the things plants need to grow – earth, air, sun and water – via trampolines, water pumps, a living bamboo tunnel, ‘worm-hole’ slides, windflowers, hammocks and periscopes, all leading to a 4m high tree-top walk wrapped around a 200-year-old oak.

Tickets: From £12/£4 adult/child

Address: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9 3AF

Website: kew.org

9 Diana Memorial Gardens, Kensington Gardens

The Diana Memorial Gardens in Kensington Gardens next to Kensington Palace have been designed for less able and able-bodied children to enjoy playing together. At the centre of the play area is a huge pirate ship with a sand beach around it inspired by Peter Pan. It’s a fitting tribute to the late Princess. There is a sensory trail, teepees and sculptures among the trees and plants. Plenty of seating around. Expect it to be busy on sunny days.

Address: Closest Tubes are High Street Kensington and Queensway

Website: royalparks.org.uk

10 IFS Cloud Cable Car, Royal Docks

Formerly the Emirate Air Line, the IFS Cloud Cable Car is a cable car that links across the River Thames an easy way to get across from Greenwich to the Royal Docks. Amazing views of the O2 and the whole of London and the City. It takes up to 10 minutes each way but if you board after 7pm then you can enjoy an extended night flight with music and video in the cabin.

Tickets: From £6/£3

Address: 27 Western Gateway E16 1FA

Website: tfl.gov.uk

 

11 Holland Park & Kyoto Garden

Right in the centre of the 22 hectares of London’s Holland Park is the Kyoto Garden. Home to the famous peacocks, a tiered rock waterfall, stone lanterns, Japanese maple trees and a pond full of koi carp that the kids will love spotting. A tranquil and peaceful Japanese garden for reflection and relaxation, the Kyoto Garden is perfect for a summer picnic. Check out more of west London’s most beautiful outdoor spaces here.

Address: Holland Park, Ilchester Place W8 6LU

Website: parkgrandkensington.co.uk

12 London Transport Museum, Covent Garden

Buses, trains, trams, tube carriages. Discover the history of London’s world-famous transport network at the London Transport Museum, which transports you through from the 1800s to present day. Enjoy bus and tube simulator rides and interactive games and activities for all ages, and check out the latest interactive kids workshops and activities on offer every school holiday.

Tickets: Annual pass from £24/£23 adult/concession and kids go free

Address: Covent Garden Piazza WC2E 7BB

Website: ltmuseum.co.uk

13 Mudchute Park & Farm

Mudchute Farm is a large urban park and farm set in 32 acres of countryside just south of Canary Wharf in Cubitt Town on the Isle of Dogs with over 100 animals and fowl. It is one of the largest urban farms in Europe and is a community charity with a working farm, stables, a children’s nursery and a range of educational activities. You can picnic and take in the fantastic views of City of London among many feather friends.

Tickets: Free admission

Address: Pier Street, Isle of Dogs E14 3HP

Website: mudchute.org

14 National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

Discover amazing stories of exploration and human endeavour that made our world today. There is lots of playful, immersive fun for families and the under 7s to have – dress as a pirate, explore the museum through song and dance for the tiny tots, and create your own royal style. Find out about the most notorious ship wrecks, and what life was like on the high seas for explorers and sea captains in days gone by, and the museum regularly hosts summer programming on its grounds.

Tickets: Free, but advanced booking recommended

Address: Romney Road, Greenwich SE10 9NF

Website: rmg.co.uk

15 Royal Observatory & Planetarium

Greenwich Park, with amazing views over London, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home of Greenwich Mean Time and a great family day out. As well as the National Maritime Museum (above), it’s home to the Royal Observatory and the Planetarium. Visit the Royal Observatory gardens for free. Set your watch by the Shepherd Gate clock. Journey through space and time and explore the universe and space in the Planetarium and its 360 degree cinema (book in advance). Brilliant for any budding astronomers, with special shows for the under 7s.

Tickets: £18/£9 adult/child

Address: Blackheath Avenue SE10 8XJ

Website: rmg.co.uk

16 Sea Life London Aquarium

Sea Life London has over 500 species of marine life in 14 themed zones and houses a magnificent 2 million litres of water. Walk among seven species of shark in the shark walk and discover thousands of sea creatures. A great place to visit on a wet day as you are immersed in Europe’s largest collection of marine life.

Tickets: From £29/£27 adult/child

Address: County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB

Website: visitsealife.com

17 Sky Garden, City

The Sky Garden, at the top of the Walkie Talkie building at 20 Fenchurch Street, is London’s highest public garden with an incredible viewing platform offering 360 degree views of London. On arrival, you go through airport security scanners before being whisked in the lift up to Level 35 where you can wander around observation decks of landscaped gardens and terraces. There are restaurants and bars here, as well as an open-air terrace.

Tickets: Ticketed, but free entry

Address: The Fenchurch Building, 20 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 8AF

Website: skygarden.london

18 ZSL London Zoo, Regent's Park

One of London’s oldest and best loved zoos, ZSL London Zoo has over 650 species of animals with trails and quizzes. Have a spider selfie in Europe’s only walk-through spider experience. Visit Penguin Beach, Gorilla Kingdom, Rainforest Life, Tiger Territory and Land of the Lions, where you can find yourself face to face with an Asiatic Lion, or say hello to relative newcomers to the zoo, three teenage giant Galapagos tortoises.

Tickets: From £27/£18.90 adult/child

Address: Regent's Park, NW1 4RY

Website: zsl.org

19 The Kensington Museum Triple, South Kensington

It’s an obvious one but a goodie. The Natural History Museum, Science Museum and the V&A provide a triple whammy of fun for curious kids. The Natural History Museum (ages 5+) has dinosaurs and Hope, the huge blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling. The Science Museum (ages 5+) has lots of multi-sensory activities to help younger and older children explore the universe (there’s also an IMAX cinema that can be booked in advance). The V&A (ages 3+) runs lots of hands-on workshops, games and activities in art, design and performance, as well as trails around the museum.

Tickets: Free entry (booking recommended), exhibitions individually ticketed

Address: NHM & V&A Cromwell Road, South Kensington SW7 5BD; Science Museum Exhibition Road, South KensingtonSW7 2DD

Website: nhm.ac.uk; sciencemuseum.org.uk; vam.ac.uk