If you find yourself in London with your toddler and are looking for great weekend plans, we have you covered. Here, we listed some exciting and fun activities and places you can choose from for your next adventure with your little one.
London is extremely kid-friendly, with a lot of wonderful parks, playgrounds, and attractions your children will surely enjoy. Not to mention that children under the age of five travel free of charge on all London public transport.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive right in!
1. Have some fun playing at the park.
There are parks in a lot of different neighbourhoods in London that you can enjoy with your family. You can have picnics under the sun and watch your kids run around the open spaces.
It’s also a great chance to get some exercise and have fun at the same time. You can throw a ball around and play some other enjoyable games.
Check out this table on the best parks for children in London:
| Park | Where to find it | What to see and do there |
| St James’s Park | Westminster | It’s a great place for picnics. They also have a playground with a lot of swings, sand, and climbing areas. |
| Diana Memorial Playground | West London | You’ll enjoy playing here. A bonus would be that there are some sections inspired by the story of Peter Pan that you can also share with your toddler. It even has a huge wooden pirate ship, a nice sensory trail, and tepee. |
| Serpentine Lido | Hyde Park | You can swim here. There’s also a nice cafe bar to enjoy a quick meal. |
| Holland Park | Kensington | It’s nice to roam around the gardens like the Kyoto Garden, Fukushima Gardens, and Dutch Gardens here. |
| Thames Path | Richmond | It has a playground for your toddlers. It’s also a great place for a stroll or a bike ride. |
| Go Ape | Battersea | If your family is a fan of the outdoors, this is a great place to visit. They have over 34 unique outdoor activity locations like enchanting forests, homes and urban jungles where you can enjoy thrilling outdoor activities. |
| Archbishop’s Park | Lambeth | It’s not too crowded and perfect for some sightseeing for your toddlers. |
| Brockwell Park | Brockwell Lido and Park | They have a lot of plant life that’s gorgeous to look at. They also have a paddle pool your toddlers can enjoy. |
| Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park | Stratford, Hackney Wick, Leyton and Bow | Tumbling Bay is located here with all the rock pools, wobbly bridges, and sand pits for your toddlers. |
| London Fields | Hackney | This is a pretty popular park in Hackney perfect for picnics and fun outdoor games. It’s not crowded during the week but can get a bit lively during the weekends because of the Broadway market. |
2. See a breathtaking and entertaining show together.
It’s never too early to expose your child to culture through plays, child-friendly musicals and pantomimes. It will be entertaining for you and your child.
You can go to the Lyceum Theatre to watch the Disney classic, Lion King. Featuring music by Elton John and fun effects, your child will enjoy this for sure.
Other shows they can also enjoy include Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, Matilda the Musical, and Mary Poppins.
Tickets usually cost around £20 a piece.
3. Try Baby Disco with the family.
This is a great chance to dance and groove with your toddler on a dance floor. Famous places include Baby Loves Disco at the Dalston Junction venue Arcola Theatre and Disco Loco at Hackney Showroom.
These are daytime dance parties for parents with babies, toddlers and young children (0-9 years). It’s really fun for the whole family because it’s the perfect opportunity to interact with other people.
It brings together children with other children, as well as parents with other parents. It’s safe, fun, and a funky way to spend your weekends, for sure.
4. Eat at kid-friendly restaurants.
Of course, what’s a weekend without a good old fashioned food trip? To make things easier, we found some kid-friendly restaurants that usually have kid menus and high chairs for your needs.
Check out our list here:
- Jungle Cave – This rainforest-themed chain is definitely one for the books! They even have animatronic animals to entertain your little one.
- Shrimp & Grill – This family-friendly place serves seafood & American fare with a fishing boat theme.
- Giraffe – This chain is very kid-friendly with a lot of baby change facilities and high chairs. Plus they have a wide range of delicious food to please even the pickiest of eaters!
- Mudchute Kitchen – If you’re in the mood for homemade breakfasts, sandwiches, and cakes, this is the best place to go. Did we mention they have a play area for your kids?
5. Visit some London landmarks.
Even if the landmarks aren’t new to you, they’re new to the little ones!
Plus some paid London attractions are free for toddlers. Take advantage of it this weekend!
- London Eye (free entry up to three years old)
- Tower of London (free entry up to five years of age)
- Madame Tussauds London (free entry up to three years of age)
6. Go to the zoo.
Give your child the chance to learn about animals up close and personal at the best London zoos! The ZSL London Zoo comes to mind first with its large collection of animals to discover and a kid-friendly environment.
You’ll be glad to know that there are a lot of baby-change tables, family-friendly dining options, water play, and even a petting zoo. To book a ticket, go here.
Batter Sea Park Children’s Zoo is also another great option. They’re passionate about wildlife and little ones and it shows in their kid-friendly environment and programs!
Admission tickets can be booked online or bought on the day itself.
7. Visit the Sky Garden.
London’s highest public garden is a great place for your toddler to explore and discover. It’s a wonderful way to learn more about their surroundings and different plants and flowers.
It even has observation decks and an open air terrace for you to enjoy the picturesque view. To add to the many reasons it’s a great place to visit, admission is free of charge 7 days a week.
It also houses a lot of restaurants perfect for a family outing.
8. Have a fun and educational time at museums.
London also has a number of great museums perfect for the family. Here are just a few examples and why they’re toddler-friendly.
- The Science Museum
- They have a lot of sections for preschool children, so you know your toddler will be thoroughly engaged. They have interactive galleries that teach your child about light, water, sound, and construction.
- They also have some multi-sensory areas that help your child identify and copy patterns. Admission here is free.
- The Natural History Museum
- Although some would think that this museum is only great for older kids, they actually have exhibitions for younger children here.
- The Dinosaur Exhibition features a moving life-sized T-Rex.
- The Investigate area also has a lot of bones, shells, and other things for sensory play and discovery.
- The Treasures Collection is activated by touch and even tells stories that your toddler will surely enjoy.
- The British Museum
- They have over 80 000 including Egyptian mummies. Just be sure to explain fully in case they get scared.
- There’s a Free Family Trail for 3- 5 year olds that takes you on an adventure around the museum.
- There are also a lot of activities like the Alfred The Explorer activity backpack that takes around 2 hours to complete. You can borrow art materials there as well.
9. Try toddler swimming lessons.
If your child loves the water, you should consider signing them up for swimming lessons. Baby swimming lessons are all the rage these days.
It gives your toddlers some exercise and they’ll also enjoy the company of other kids during group classes.
You can try London Baby Swim and Blue Wave Swim School for lessons.
10. Immerse yourself at the Discover Children’s Story Centre.
During your child’s toddler years, you should be widening their capacity for imagination and role playing. This is crucial for their development.
This is why Discover Children’s Story Centre is such a great place for toddlers! It has two floors: Story Worlds and Story Garden.
Here your child can have immersive play where they can go through caves, find ships, perform their own private show in the pupper castle, and even be the captain of a spaceship.
They also have a lot of storytelling events that you can enrol your toddler in.
That concludes our list of the top things you can do with your toddler in London. We hope we were able to give you some fun ideas for weekend plans.
Did we miss anything on this list? Let us know in the comments below!
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