London end of November with 5 year old

M_A_R_I_E

Hi.

Am after some christmassy ideas for things to do in London (last Sat in Nov) with hubby and our 5 year old son.

We plan to go Hamleys and do some shopping but want something else planned too. Any ideas gratefully received. We like museums but ideally would like something with a christmas feel.

Thanks in advance!

MatyMoo

Probably not very MSE but Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park will be on then

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/winter-wonderland-tickets-article-4789.html

Science Museum & the Natural History Museum are great for children.

He may just find wandering about seeing the Christmas Lights and the shop windows dressed for Christmas exciting - Selfridges are usually worth seeing but many shops go to town at this time of year.

kerri_gt

Oh wow, that brings back memories, I still recall my mum and dad taking me up to London at Xmas time to see the Oxford street lights and a trip to Hamleys (mysteriously Santa always seemed to manage to slip a few bits and pieces I'd seen in Hamley's into my stocking too).

Again not MSE (and I'm not sure exactly what dates you will be in London so this might be on a little late for you) but Sadlers Wells is putting on a production of The Snowman at the Peacock Theatre http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/The-Snowman-2010

Here's a good page about some other Christmassy shows too http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/christmas-pantomimes-london-feature-1457.html

I also found this about Covent Garden (which is great at any time of the year) http://www.coventgardenlondonuk.com/events-entertainment-culture/articles/enjoy-a-very-merry-christmas-in-covent-garden I might even make a visit myself

Have a lovely trip

..sorry...just realised you said you'll be there last Sat in Nov so that would count The Snowman out.

Foggster

We did Winter Wonderland last year and it was goppingly (not a word) expensive! A pick and mix cost £7.00 and it was probably about 250g worth.

Sitting on the top deck of a bus and going around the lights is a fab cheap and very entertaining evening! (and I dont mean a touristy one). We did Ducktours as well, I can see a 5 yr old loving that and it starts and ends up the eye, so an option to jump on that as well.

Hamleys is great but Harrods is excellent and to be able to buy one of their Xmas bears at a very reasonable price would be an excellent momento Harrods Bear

susancs

Selfridges Santa tickets should go on sale soon and the last couple of years they had a train ride to it, think it was £1-£2 to book tickets in advance but the money went to a children's charity. I also second the snowman, went they year before last and it is a lovely show, tickets were only about £10.

maisiescamp

We went in Dec last year with our 4 yr old. We did the Winter Wonderland which was great especially as we pre-booked the Ice skating there as well.

We also did Santa at Selfrigdes, as pp said you have to prebook and the charge a booking fee of approx £2 pp and you get a little xmas themed train ride, see the man himself, get a present and can buy the photo momento for an extra £10.

Harrods does have a fab Christmas dept, and normally good christmas window displays so def worth a look and again as pp said, the christmas lights on oxford street.

minerva_windsong

Definitely Santa at Selfridges!

The Natural History Museum has an outdoor ice rink which is opening up on the 5th of November and runs until January, I don't know if they have any age restrictions but you could maybe combine a go on that with the museum.

riva

Toy museum in Bethnal Green (few stops after Liverpool St, east London), area not pretty but the museum is supposed to be really good and might have events around then.