London is awash with things to do with children and it need not cost a fortune. Read on for our 10 free things to do in London With Kids. I’ve also given a couple of suggestions for activities that cost money under each point. Hopefully this provides a nice balance between free and paying for things to do.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the current Coronavirus Pandemic many attractions are closed or operating restricted hours. Be sure to check their websites (linked) before visiting.

All prices were correct at time of writing.

1. Covent Garden

Convent Garden is a long time favourite of mine. Street performers, gorgeous shops, delicious food and some of the best people watching in London it’s a must visit. It’s also the home to many of the West End theatres as well as the London Transport Museum, so ideal to fit in if you’re doing either of those activities.

Be sure to hunt down Neals Yard, off a tiny side street on Seven Dials – this is one of the prettiest little hidden treasures that you’ll find in London. All the shops in the courtyard are organic and focus on sustainable and ethical practices. To find out more and where to find Neals Yard, click here.

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• London Transport Museum – next to Covent Garden Market this is a must do for Transport lovers (or just about any child or adult who enjoys seeing every type of vehicle their heart desires!) Under 17s go free and it costs the following for everyone else:

Adults £18.50

Concession £17.00

Local Resident £13.50

• How about a (rather large) sweet treat? Then Whipped is your answer. Just a short stroll from Covent Garden, specialising in all things Cheesecake this place will knock your socks off. Don’t miss it!

2. Southbank

The Southbank has developed into a vibrant 2 mile hub over the past few decades. It stretches from the London Eye along to Tower Bridge and is home to many attractions including the IMAX, the National Theatre and the Southbank Centre. You’ll be overwhelmed with pop up restaurants as well as the more established ones, street performers and fantastic views of the Thames – particularly if you look south to Big Ben and Westminster Bridge.

Whenever we visit London, Jubilee Park with its huge play area, obligatory ice cream van and carousel are the first places my children want to visit. Set in the shadows of the London Eye it’s a lovely way to spend a few hours, especially on a sunny day.

There are, as always, many things on the Southbank that cost – such as Shreks Adventure, the Sea Life Centre and the London Dungeon. It is also one of the stops for many of the Thames River Cruises. I highly recommend these Cruises for a fantastic, fun and unique way to see London. There tends to be great deals on them and, on City Cruises (which we can recommend) under 5s go free.

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• Needless to say the London Eye is probably the biggest ‘must do’ on the Southbank, if not the whole of London. Book in advance and get there in plenty of time, the views from the top are spectacular. Find out more and book here.

• The Sea Life Centre on the Southbank is huge, and having been to many all over the World, one of the best we’ve seen. You can get great deals on tickets, or buy multi attraction tickets (so you can combine with a visit to Madame Tussauds for example) and it’s a fantastic way to spend a few hours with children. To find out more click here.

3. Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

I mean, this really is a must see isn’t it? Known to draw large crowds it’s worth getting there early.

Various events can change or cancel the event so check before you go (here) but generally the ceremony takes place, weather permitting, at 11.00am on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday and daily in the Summer.

Accompanied by a full military band it’s quite the sight and full of pomp and ceremony.

It’s also very well located for St James Park, one of the Royal Park I’ll talk about later. Ideal for a picnic lunch after the Changing of the Guard!

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• Why not take a tour inside of Buckingham Palace? With plenty of activities to engage the children this is something for the whole family to enjoy. Click here to read about the wealth of family friendly activities at the Palace. Entry prices can be found here.

• The Churchill War Rooms are just a 5 minute walk from Buckingham Palace and are considered a must see for history buffs. The nerve centre for the British Governments WWII effort you can immerse yourself in what it was like during WWII for those at the very top of British Politics. Ideal for older children and teenagers it is a fascinating way to spend a couple of hours.

4. Sky Garden

Still a bit of a hidden treasure in London is the Sky Garden, which is on the 35th floor of the Walkie Talkie Tower in the heart of the City of London. The highest public garden in the City it’s a sight to behold, and offers superb views of London.

Free tickets must be secured in advance, they are popular and go fast. Or, if you’re willing to pay, you can book a table at one of the restaurants and explore the Sky Garden at your leisure.

It’s worth bearing in mind that there are steps between levels and going in the lift will miss floors, so if you can avoid taking a buggy or pram then do! A sling would work perfectly for a stroll.

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• Food at one of the restaurants in the Sky Garden comes highly recommended and is a wonderful way to secure your tickets to the Sky Garden itself (as they come as part of your table booking). Child friendly and varied there is lots to choose from, to find out more click here. If you fancy more inspiration on where to eat in London with Kids, how about this article on the Best Childrens Afternoon Teas in London? Click here to read.

• Just under 10 minutes walk from the Sky Garden is the Tower of London. A fantastic day out for all the family the Tower of London is one of the City’s most famous sights. See the beefeaters who live there and check out the Ravens who guard the Towers. Take an audio tour of the Tower and get a sneak peak of the Crown Jewels. This is a brilliant visit for young and old alike. To find out more and for prices visit here.

5. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

The home of the Summer Olympics 2012, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has been turned into a wonderful open air escape including play parks, sports venues, waterways, walks and much much more. Located in the east of London it is easily reached via the Jubilee Line.

The options for what to do there are pretty endless, from playing in one of the impressive playgrounds or at the water fountains, to following one of the free trails on their website, or stopping for a leisurely bite to eat at one of the restaurants or cafes.

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• The ArcelorMittal Orbit is one of the most well known sights at the Olympic Park and you can now take a hair-raising trip from the top on a 40 second slide ride! I can’t claim to have done it myself but any thrill seekers would love it. Children have to be 8 years old or over 130cm to ride it. To find out more (including how to enjoy the view without the slide back down!) click here.

• The London Stadium was home to many famous events during the Olympics of 2012 and tours of the Stadium are now possible. Now home to Premiership team West Ham United you can find out about the stadiums history, how it was built and visit the changing rooms along with much much more. To find out more and to book click here.

6. Hamleys

I still remember visiting Hamleys as a child so it’s needless to say, a fantastic experience for any child. Of course, technically it’s free but it might be hard to resist the toys, tech and books spread over 7 huge floors.

Found on Londons Regents Street, the oldest toy shop in the World, is particularly worth a visit at Christmas time when the windows are beautifully decorated (and there are a lot of windows!)

Outside of the festive season plenty of fun is still be be had in this HUGE store. I remember as a child I loved that each floor stocked a different type of toy – for example the ground floor is entirely dedicated to soft toys (and being Hamleys these aren’t just your average soft toy – think life size giraffe and exotic animals). With over 450,000 toys in the store, there is something for everyone.

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• Hamleys is on Regents Street, which is one of the best places to shop in London and one of the most architecturally impressive streets in London. A short stroll away is Liberty’s of London and Oxford Circus. If you want to spend money….this area is the place to do it!

• A few minutes away from Hamleys is Savile Row, renowned for its exquisite tailoring and prices to match. It’s a pretty impressive street and if you have a few pound to spend, you can get yourself a beautifully tailored suit. But window shopping can be just as fun!

7. Science Museum

One of the very best things about London is that so many of its museums are free. The Science Museum, in Kensington, is one of the best.

With 5 floors of interactive exhibits, magnificence displays and fantastic activities you’ll be hard pushed to squeeze it all into one day.

If you have to choose just one area though, I would highly recommend the Wonderlab. It is a complete treat for kids and adults alike you can get involved with fraction slides (otherwise known as a regular slide!), electricity transmission or try your hand at the chemist bar!

Happy to spend a few £££?

• One of my favourite places in London is the Victoria and Albert Museum. Around the corner from both the Science Museum and Natural History Museum it’s a lovely place to explore. Whilst entrance to the rest of the museum is free, the temporary exhibitions they do there are brilliant and do cost but it is always worth it. The list is extensive, but previous exhibitions have included Alexander McQueen, Wedding Dresses 1775-2014, Pleasure and Pain:Shoes, David Bowie and Peter Rabbit:The Tale of the Tail. Many exhibitions are child friendly and the centre of the Museum is a perfect oasis to sit and soak up the sun whilst having lunch.

8. Natural History Museum

Found in one of the most beautiful buildings in London is the huge Natural History Museum. Free to get in and very popular, arrive early and be prepared to queue. However, once you get in there is something for everyone.

Home to some of the most incredible artifacts anywhere in the World, Children and Adults alike will be amazed by what can be discovered in this museum. From dinosaurs, to space, to human origins and our planet – you won’t be short of things to explore! Find out more at their website here.

Happy to spend a bit of £££?

• Around the corner is the Royal Albert Hall which is a sight to behold. But it’s even better to get inside and see a production or concert in person. These vary from pop concerts to classical performances all the way through to the Gruffalo and Harry Potter in Concert. It’s a spectacular place to take in a concert, and the bonus of it being circular? There’s no such thing as a bad seat!

• 15 minutes walk away is one of the most famous shops in London, Harrods. Famed for its high end prices and celebrity clientele it’s a sight to see at least once in your life. Even if a loaf of bread costs more than your usual weekly shop 🙂

9. Camden Market

What started off as a small arts and crafts market is now the biggest market in London and one of the best known in the World. Prepare to have your senses overwhelmed with the incredible sights, smells and sounds of this fascinating place. Even if shopping isn’t your thing, Camden Market is SO much more than that.

Be sure to find the statue of Amy Winehouse, the late singer who was strongly associated with Camden and lived there at the time of her death.

Our children particularly enjoyed all the food on offer (if you can dream it, you can get it here), CyberDog Punk Shop (which has to be experienced to be believed), and spotting real life punks wandering around the street.

Happy to spend a bit of £££?

• Take a trip on a canal boat down Regents Canal. Get a unique perspective of some of Londons loveliest sights, including Camden Market, Little Venice and London Zoo! Fun for all the family this is a fantastic way to get around. For more information, prices and times click here.

• If your children are like mine they ask for ice cream alllll the time! Well, this could be one of the times to indulge their requests. Chin Chin Labs in Camden Market is famous for its incredible ice creams made with liquid nitrogen. It doesn’t stop there…. they also do other desserts and hot drinks. But be warned, this place is popular so be prepared to wait but it’ll be worth it!

10. Royal Parks

There are actually 10 Royal Parks spread across London and all of them are beautiful. A wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of the City, its easy to escape into a green and tree filled world for a picnic, a walk or a play in one of the many play areas.

The Royal Parks are:

Hyde Park – Arguably the most famous of Londons Parks, it is home to the Princess Diana Memorial, the Serpentine and a fantastic playground.

The Green Park – Situated next to Buckingham Palace it is an ideal space to pop to if in the area. Royal Gun Salutes are fired from here on special occasions.

St James Park – This park includes The Mall and Horse Guards Parade, so you may find yourself here even if you didn’t intend to! Never the less its a lovely space to spend some time away from the traffic and noise. There are also resident Pelicans!

Regents Park and Primrose Hill – Regents Park is huge at 375 acres and includes 4 playgrounds, London Zoo and a boating lake. Regents Park also includes Primrose Hill, from which you can get stunning views of the London skyline.

Greenwich Park – This park is at the centre of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, and home to world time keeping – GMT or Greenwich Mean Time. Its a fascinating place to visit. To find out more click here.

Bushy Park – One to visit if you are taking a trip to nearby Hampton Court, it has loads of space to walk or cycle, a great playground and loads of deer to spot (be warned, they can be VERY tame!)

Richmond Park – A Beautiful park with roaming deer and lots of wildlife and wide open spaces this is the place to come to truely escape the hustle of the city.

Kensington Gardens – One of my favourite Royal Parks, Kensington Gardens is home to Kensington Palace (home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children). It also has the fantastic Diana Memorial Park where children can play for hours on play equipment inspired by the story of Peter Pan, including a a HUGE pirate ship. For more on Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace check out our dedicated post here.

Brompton Cemetary – The resting place of Emmeline Pankhurst and 200,000 others Brompton Cemetery is a haven for wildlife and popular with tourists and locals alike.

Victoria Towers Gardens – Tucked away between the Houses of Parliament and the Thames this tiny park is a lovely green space for a breather, a place for the kids to run or to have a play in the small playground.

Happy to spend a bit of £££?

How about hiring some deckchairs and (hopefully) enjoying the sunshine for a bit? Park Deck Chairs are available March through to October at Hyde Park, Regents Park, Kensington Gardens, St James Park and The Green Park.

Find out prices and more here.

Find out about the Parks in detail here.

Conclusion

I hope this blog has shown you some of the brilliant free things to do in London with Children. Yes, there are some things you will probably want to pay for but so much of what is on offer is free.

Hopefully most of the above will reopen soon and we can all enjoy the amazing things London has to offer!

Thank you for reading our 10 free things to do in London with Kids. If you’d like more ideas of things to do in the South East of England with children, then read our post on that topic here.