Looking for things to do in London with kids? A list of 14 of our family’s favourite attractions and activities in London for kids.
London is one of the world’s most interesting cities and just happens to be one of my favourite family travel destinations. As English author Samuel Johnson famously said, “If a man is tired of London, then he is tired of life“. There’s so much to do in London with kids that visitors can return again and again and find that they have only scratched the surface of what London has to offer.
*UPDATED April 2017*
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We have visited London several times on family trips over the years and have seen most of the big attractions but there is still so much more that we want to see and experience in London and beyond.
Here’s a list of some of our family’s favourite places and activities in London.
On a first trip to London with kids you will definitely have to visit the city’s famous landmarks. Many of these can be described as “touristy” but I honestly don’t think that label matters when travelling with kids. Often it is those “touristy” spots that the kids have heard of and they want to see what all the fuss is about for themselves.
They also know that when they return from their vacation that everyone is going to ask them “so did you see Big Ben?” and they want to be able to answer “yeah, and it was so cool”. Even for parents who have seen the landmarks before, it can be thrilling to see them for the first time through your child’s eyes.
1. The London Eye
Since its opening in 2000, The London Eye has become the most popular paid-for attraction in the United Kingdom and visitors eagerly join the sometimes lengthy queue for the opportunity to ride the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel. If by chance the kids haven’t heard of it before arriving in London, they will be clamouring to ride it as soon as they get their first glimpse.
It’s best to arrive first thing in the morning before the queues get too long and a clear day is better for enjoying the breathtaking views across the city and beyond. It’s also a good idea to make sure that the kids understand ahead of time that this wheel moves very slowly!
Tickets may also be purchased online ahead of time which will cut down the wait considerably.
2. The Tower of London
The Tower of London is another must-see attraction for families with something to appeal to everyone. Visitors of all ages can learn more about the Tower’s gory history, see suits of royal armour, and admire the display of crown jewels while exploring the fortress.
Older kids will enjoy the free 60 minute tours conducted by the Yeoman Warders (popularly known as ‘Beefeaters’) who entertain the crowds with intriguing tales of imprisonment, torture and execution.
The kids will be fascinated by the Tower Ravens which are seen around the grounds as, according to legend, the kingdom and the Tower will fall if the resident ravens ever leave the fortress.
3. Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, which has been the coronation church since 1066, is a treasure trove of art and history and is the burial place for 17 monarchs and many of the most significant people in the nation’s history.
I was skeptical that the kids would be interested in exploring the Abbey but we had a successful visit, in no small part, because of the brilliant scavenger hunt that the Abbey staff provides for kids. The scavenger hunt cleverly leads the family through each area of the Abbey where parents can browse the tombs and memorials while kids are engaged looking for the answers to their list of questions. A completed questionnaire earns a treat from the gift shop so the kids have the incentive to find answers to all the questions and learn a bit of British history in the process.
4. Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is the heart of London and everyone who visits London ends up there sooner or later – sometimes more than once. The kids are likely to recognize the lions which guard Nelson’s Column, and will definitely want photos taken with the bronze beasts.
Sadly, feeding pigeons is no longer allowed in Trafalgar Square (or outside St. Paul’s Cathedral) so, in order to avoid disappointment, it might be a good idea to explain ahead of time to pint-sized Mary Poppins fans that they won’t be participating in any renditions of Feed the Birds.
5. St. Paul’s Cathedral
There has been a cathedral located on this site since 604AD and the current building was designed by Christopher Wren and built after the Great Fire destroyed its predecessor.
St. Paul’s Cathedral is the nation’s church and an important symbolic landmark in the city but there are two things about St. Paul’s that kids love – climbing to the dome for a view across the city and experiencing the Whispering Gallery for themselves.
In this quirky gallery, a whisper against its walls is audible on the opposite side. Very impressive to the kids when demonstrated by a staff member and very amusing when mom can’t manage to whisper correctly. We returned to St. Paul’s Cathedral on our most recent visit and I’m happy to report that I mastered the correct whispering technique and we were able to hear each other from opposite ends of the Gallery. It really is quite impressive!
6. Madame Tussauds London
Madame Tussauds is as tacky and touristy as one can possibly get. It’s expensive, it’s crowded and the lines can be incredibly long BUT kids love it! If anyone has told them about the wax museum prior to the trip then there is no possible way to avoid taking them there. It’s best to just try and get in the spirit of the attraction and have fun as your kids beg for photos with all of their favourite celebrities. The Spirit of London is an enjoyable cab ride through 400 years of the city’s history.
7. The London Zoo
The London Zoo, which is located within the city on the northern edge of Regent’s Park, is the world’s oldest scientific zoo and has been open to the public since 1847. It’s a small zoo by North American standards but it’s a fun place to spend part of the day in order to take a break from other sightseeing.
The zoo has at least two connections to popular culture that most kids will be familiar with. It is home to the reptile exhibit featured in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and it was home to a black bear called Winnie during WWI that was often visited by A.A. Milne and his son and inspired the author to pen Winnie-the-Pooh.
8. Anything Harry Potter
Harry Potter fans in the family will be thrilled to visit many of the film sites in and around the city of London. There are tours of various lengths that can be taken on foot, by car or even by bicycle around the city or as a day trip out of the city.
Our family was thrilled with our 13 hour Harry Potter tour that included filming sites in London and the outskirts as well as the Village of Lacock and Oxford University.
Fans will also enjoy visiting Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross station to have a photo taken pushing a luggage cart through the station wall and to shop for souvenirs in the adjacent shop.
The highlight of any trip to London for Harry Potter fans though will most certainly be a visit to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter. The studio is located outside London and can be reached either via public transport or as part of a tour group for anyone who doesn’t have a vehicle.
We spent several hours on a self-guided tour of the studio completely blown away by the sets, props and costumes on display. The Studio Shop at the end of the tour has every conceivable Harry Potter souvenir available so plan to spend some time there as well. I have a detailed review of our day at The Making of Harry Potter here.
9. Covent Garden
The bustling Covent Garden Market is a great place to stroll with kids to browse the open-air stalls, indoor shops and neighbourhood boutiques for unique souvenirs or to find a great place to eat. Theatre fans will also think it’s “loverly” to visit the place where flower girl Eliza Dolittle met Professor Henry Higgins and transformed her life.
10. Changing of the Guard/Horse Guards Parade
The Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace is one of the most popular attractions in London. Visitors start getting into position up to an hour prior to the ceremony in order to have a good view of the colourful ceremony which takes place daily at 11:30am from April to July and on alternate days from August to April.
For those who don’t want to spend the time waiting for the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, a nice alternative is the Horse Guards Parade which takes place off Whitehall each weekday at 11:00am and at 10:am on Sundays.
11. London Museums
One of the great things about London for families is that there is free admission (although there may be a charge for special exhibitions) at many of the museums including the British Museum which is one of the world’s greatest museums of history and where you can see incredible artifacts such as the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone.
The list of museums with free admission also includes the Natural History Museum; the National Gallery; the National Portrait Gallery; the Science Museum; the Tate Modern; and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
12. Parks and Gardens
London is one of the greenest capitals in the world with all of its fabulous parks enjoyed by residents and visitors year round. The parks are particularly welcome by visiting families when the kids need a break from sightseeing to just run and play.
Some of the best parks to visit with kids are Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens (with the Diana Memorial Fountain and Playground and the Peter Pan Statue), Hampstead Heath and Kew Gardens.
13. Day Trips from London
Day trips from London are a great option as there are numerous places to visit within a short train ride of central London including Windsor Castle, Oxford, Stonehenge, Bath, the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon.
One of our family’s favourite day trips was a river cruise to Greenwich where visitors head to the Royal Observatory in order to stand on the Prime Meridian or with one foot in each hemisphere. There is a machine in the courtyard which will print a Certificate declaring that you stood astride the Prime Meridian with the precise time GMT for one pound (be sure to have one pound coins on hand) which makes a great souvenir to take home to show friends.
14. Theatre in the West End
Our family loves attending the theatre so the West End is one of our favourite places in London. On our various trips to London we have seen productions of Legally Blonde, The Lion King, Les Misérables, Matilda, Billy Elliot and more. There are so many productions playing in the West End that a family shouldn’t have any difficulty finding a show to see.
Discounted tickets to many of the shows can be purchased on the same day (or sometimes up to a week in advance) on the TKTS website or at the booth in Leicester Square. We have also enjoyed tours of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and learned more about the history of the open-air theatre but haven’t been able to attend a performance during our winter visits as it operates seasonally.
If you have been dreaming about a trip to London then it’s time to start planning. London is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city that kids enjoy every bit as much as their parents do. We have passed our love for London on to our daughters which means there’s one thing that I know for certain – we are never home from the U.K. very long before we start talking about the “next time” we go to London!
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Cathy Sweeney
These are great things to do in and around London for people of all ages. I must take the London Eye ride one of these days. I’ve really been missing out on some fantastic views.
Andi at The Particular Traveler
What a great round up of adventures and attractions in London. I especially like hearing about the day trips and seeing the view from the London Eye. Your post makes me want to visit very soon!
Tonya @ The Traveling Praters
This list just makes me want to visit London! I’d love to visit the Globe Theater and to see a play there would be amazing! Can’t wait for you to take your next trip to London so I can experience it vicariously through you! 🙂
femmefrugality
That Harry Potter tour looks amazing. I’d take it…kiddos or no. 🙂
Keryn @ walkingon travels
So excited to get back to London this fall and rediscover a few spots with the kids and explore a few new spots as well. Kew Garden is on my list as well as a few Harry Potter sights. Think the boys will mind if we follow in Potter’s foot steps? I promise I’ll read them the books when they are older 😉
Lisa Goodmurphy
The view from the Eye is great on a clear day – it’s a lot of fun picking out landmarks across the city.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Andi! I could go on and on about all the wonderful things to do in and around London – we can’t wait to return!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Touring the Globe was amazing but seeing a play there is definitely at the top of my list of things to do the next time we are there.
Lisa Goodmurphy
No need to have kids with you – Harry Potter’s fun for everyone! Our tour guide was amazing – he knew the films inside out and could tell us the exact angle of shots from the movie so that we could get the same photo – it was really cool!
Lisa Goodmurphy
I forgot about Kew Gardens! You will have an amazing time in London! Definitely take the boys to all the Harry Potter sights and take photos then when they are old enough for the books you can show them that they were in the same places as Harry!
Amy@ Red Eye Family
I haven’t been to London since all things Harry Potter became so popular. I would love to take that tour!
What is the best way to get around London to see the sights? We’ve taken the Hop-on/Hop-off Red Bus tours in several cities including London, but there are some places you mentioned that aren’t on the route. What do you suggest?
Lisa Goodmurphy
Amy, I went on the Hop-on Hop-off Double-Decker bus my first time in London when I was only there for a couple of days. We have used them in a number of places and I think they are great when you are short of time and want to try and see a lot of places in a day or two.
On our trip with the kids we were in London for 10 days and didn’t bother with the HOHO. I expect a lot of people may disagree with me, but I like to explore cities on foot so I make my kids walk too. They are older than yours but Emma has been pretty good about it since she was about 6. If we are heading someplace a bit farther afield then we take public transit or a cab. We took the tube a few times in London and the kids loved the experience. I wouldn’t recommend doing it at rush hour though – we did and it was the most crowded subway that I had ever been on! The black cabs are also a fun way to get around in London – particularly if you get one with a colourful ad painted on the side!
TravelGal
Looks like you really took advantage of the best that London has to offer for kids. Love that there’s a Harry Potter tour!!
Michele @ Malaysian Meanders
I think my kids would be most excited about straddling the Prime Meridien. Every time I see a picture of the London Eye, I think of the Dr. Who episode where it turns out it was an antennae for alien energy.
I looked into stopping over in London for a few days on our flight from Houston to Malaysia last week. However, the Olympics had driven the airfare way up, so it was too expensive. I’ll have to try it another time.
Mary @ The World Is A Book
I’m writing this as I’m also watching our recorded Olympic opening ceremonies so I’m feeling the spirit. 🙂 These are great tips and wonderful pictures, Lisa. My husband and I went to London before we had kids last century. It’s been at the top of my daughter’s wish list so we’re hoping to visit soon. I’m sure anything Harry Potter would be one of the first places we’d visit.
Crystal @ Little Sightseers
I would love to go see a show there! I bet my kids would love Lion King. Thanks for sharing all these tips for London, I’m going to pass this post on!! 🙂
jenny@atasteoftravel
This is a great list of sights to see for any age! Last time we were in London we went to see Buckingham Palace which your children may enjoy. There’s still a few on the list I must do!
Lisa Goodmurphy
The Harry Potter tour was definitely one of the highlights!
Lisa Goodmurphy
It’s a good thing that my teen daughter didn’t start watching Dr. Who until after this trip or she might have refused to go on the Eye!
We had considered going to London this summer but the prices were exorbitant with the Olympics happening – hopefully next year!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Your kids will love London, Mary! Both Katie and Emma want to go back very badly! We are starting to make tentative plans for the end of June next year. Katie thinks she wants to go back to the summer program in St. Andrews so we may go ahead with her and spend a week in London and then drop her off in Scotland.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Crystal – London is a great city for kids – even younger ones! Emma was 6 when we were in London and she loved it!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Jenny! We missed Buckingham Palace on our family trip because they only do tours in the summer and we were there in March. Hopefully we can do it on the next trip (although I’ll have to convince Emma ahead of time that going to Buckingham Palace does not mean that she gets to meet the Queen)!
Hilarye
Awesome list! Your girls are adorable by the way. We are taking our two (LITTLE) girls to Europe for a month next year and London is on our list!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Hilarye! Your daughters will LOVE London! Sounds like you have an exciting trip planned – can’t wait to hear more about it!
Jessica
You really did it all in London! I wanted to go to Greenwich, but we didn’t have time. I guess we’ll have to go back.:)
Lisa Goodmurphy
I definitely think that a return trip is in order! We had 10 days there so we had quite a bit of time but there’s still lots that we haven’t seen yet – we may return next summer. 🙂
Lisa Wood
I went to England when I was 18 and spent two months with family. I remember seeing lots of castles, and lots churches as well as the most amazing pubs! They have the best pubs compared to Australia 🙂
London4Travelers
As a person, who loves London very much I would like to say that parents will never regret about visiting London with their children. This city offers a lot of attractions, activities, special sightseeing tours, interesting places to visit and see with kids. It is always interesting to travel around London with kids.
Andrea, Passports And Pushchairs
We also always suggest kew gardens, and if you do that you could do the Kew Bridge Steam Museum. In Wimbledon there is a great kids theatre called Polka Theatre that has plays for kids of all ages. There is also one in Kilburn called Tricycle Theatre that has childrens programming. There is another playground in Regents Park called Hanover Gate that is supposed to be good and one called Paddington Street Gardens Playground. Battersea Park has a children’s zoo as well. Great city for kids! Richmond Park is a lovely big space as well.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thank you for the suggestions, Andrea! Kew Gardens is one of the places that I’m really hoping to visit when we are there this summer!
P Martin
Your readers may also enjoy the popular online London family guide KIDSINguide! You can find all the top events and activities happening around London, updated daily!
Alexandra
Kew garden is great, and I think, it’s free for teens under 17 years old. Also Diana Memorial Playground, especially for smaller children
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks for the recommendation!!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Love the Diana Memorial Playground! We have been on three family trips to London and have yet to visit Kew Garden – hopefully next time!
Fon
Those are great list. However, I think you missed “National History Museum”.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Hi Fon, I have listed the “Natural History Museum”, however, I’m not familiar with the “National History Museum”. Perhaps you could provide some details?
Marc
London is a great place to visit with kids and there are so much to do and visit without them getting bored. We have traveled with our toddlers several times there and we loved it but we didn’t do as much since they were toddler not we have planned a vacation and we will be seeing more. Thanks for the input.
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
I’m in the process of planning for next month’s trip to London and came across my comment from 4 years ago. “Another time” is finally happening!
ohad
First of all, I wanted to compliment you on the extensive and comprehensive information.
Second, I wanted to ask if you could elaborate on your experiences from the day you traveled outside London (Stonehenge, etc.)?
I just got some conflicting reports from families with children. And it is important for me to hear your opinion “as an expert tourist”
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Ohad. There is a bit about our visit to Stonehenge in this post as we stopped there while on a Harry Potter tour. https://www.gonewiththefamily.com/gone-with-the-family-adv/2011/05/london-taxi-tours-harry-potter.html
Is there a specific question that you have about visiting Stonehenge with kids?
James
London is the best destination to travel with family and kids. I visited with my family to London last weekend. It was fun to travel. I have a suggestion to you always try to choose a hotel in North London from where to travel adventures and attractions are easier. Great content you shared with us.