cheap days out in london with young children?

artichoke

hi

We are visiting relations in South London for half term and i am looking for ideas for cheap days out so that the kids are not in the house all the time driving granny mad...

My kids are rural kids so to a certain extent just being in the city is exciting for them...red buses, underground trains, big buildings etc are all new..

so far i have


day out on public transport with a travel card - train into london, then a journey on a boat along the thames, an underground train, a red bus past Buckingham Palace or to the Tower of London,,,,etc

a day out to China Town.

an afternoon at a council swimming pool,

a day at Dover Castle's Halloween week event (using borrowed English Heritage card)

.....

any other ideas for free / very cheap days out...?

kids are age 5 and 6...

art

p00hsticks

A visit to the science museum and/or Natural history museum (both free)

fiscalfreckles

The Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens is great fun, if the weather is fine. Its a lovely adventure playground, safely fenced in (no adults allowed without children!) and is free. There's a cafe just outside or you could take a picnic. Then you can look round Kensington Gardens & Hyde Park, find the Peter Pan statue, perhaps?

Info here:

A look around Hamleys toyshop on Regents St? They have lots of toys being demonstrated & lots to see. You might end up with expensive Christmas lists though...!

Twentiesgirl

Buckingham palace to see changing of the guards

covent garden to see the street entertainers

the museums and hamleys as mentioned above are worth a visit

starfishpie

Greenwich park is very good. In central London visit Green Park and take some nuts to feed the squirrels, they are very tame and will eat from your hand, my kids are 3 and 6 and they both love it!

Alikay

Covent Garden is good for a wander as well - kids usually enjoy seeing the living statues and other performers, there's a nice cupcake shop in the piazza and a great ice cream shop nearby http://www.scoopgelato.com/

Our children also loved Camden Lock, strolling along the south bank (and a quick peek at the free exhibits in the Tate Modern). Someone else has already mentioned Greenwich - ours particularly loved walking through the tunnel under the Thames from Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs.

Britneyspears

What about the Imperial war museum? or the london transport museum? i also agree with other poster a walk through the foot tunnel and you could travel up to canary wharf we have a museum here (docklands museum) have fun

elainew

We are justback from London with our dd. Science museum is fab and free as is the natural history museum. We went to the changing of the guards which she loved and a walk around regents park and to the play park in it.
Though my dd just enjoyed looking about and seeing new things.

AlisonHarrison

I took my daughter to the toy museum many years ago and she loved it.
The transport museum in covent garden is also very good.

nannasue60

My son took his little girl to a play centre called Gambado I think in South London when they went to stay with friends. She loved it and there's a cafe too. Sounded good for a rainy day.

poe.tuesday

chinatown won't take you a day, it will take you 10 mins but it's right near to Leicester square, Piccadilly circus and then you can walk up to fortum and masons and have a look at their window displays and cut across to regent street and take a walk up there if you like looking at nice shops, hamleys is up the top of regent street - if you don't want to go up regent street you can always walk them down from chinatown to Trafalgar square, go under admirals arch and down the mall to buck palace and round the park to hyde park corner and then up Mayfair - I know it sounds far but is is not really and if your kids are used to walking it will be fine