I am in London for the weekend with a three year old - any suggestions on what we can do ?

Question

I am coming down to London from Birmingham with my four year old on Saturday and we will stay till Monday. The one thing we have planned is to go to Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday. We will be spending time visiting a couple of good friends but Saturday is sort of blank.

Can you suggest any things we could do this weekend (on a single parent budget thanks :-) )

Answer 1

Well there are many things including, Regent's Park Zoo, which child doesn't like the zoo! It does cost £14 for the adults and your four year old might be able to get in free if not then it should cost around £7

Natural History Museum and Science Museum in South Kensington. Both of these are free which is great.

There is one section of the Science Museum that all the kids love, it has shows and interactive things but is also interesting for the adults aswell.

Saturday is also ment to be a nice day so you could go for a stroll through Kensington Park Gardens or if you got to the Zoo then on the north side of the entrance/exit there is Primrose Hill where you can witness some fab views of london, seeing the BT Tower, London Eye, Gherkin & The City even Canary Wharf

Hope This Helps

Sam (A Londoner)

Answer 2

stay in it'll be safer

Answer 3

The Zoo in Reagents Park is always a winner with kids

Answer 4

avoid all the thugs with knives

Answer 5

My daughter is two and a half, she had a lot of fun in the parks especially the Zoo in regents park. Theres is a place in Hyde parke opposite hilton bayswater with a playground for small children. There s also thorpe park with lot of rides wonderful for small children.

Have your pick u ll have a ball London is GREAT

Answer 6

RIDE the bouble decker bus, the babe is free and y can see a ton for 50 quid,..  I do this and it's GREAT have fun!!

Answer 7

Chessington theme park is a theme park but for younger kids!!  Your 3 yr old would love it and so would you! And has mini zoo!  Not in London though however can get overhead train from waterloo staright there takes approx half hr!  Also if you look on there website you should be able to get some discount!  Well worth it especially if you've got the whole day free!  

Answer 8

http://www.londonisfree.com/

Try this website. It has loads of free (and some cheap) things to do in london for people of all ages and should cover all travel information too.

I personally recommend London Zoo but i dont know how much it is.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

London can be cheap, u can get vouchers of the web, think its freedaysout.com

london eye, zoo, museums, window shopping, river boat trip! the possibilities r endless

Have a great time  

Answer 11

I was going to say everything Carrie S said. It will all be cheap or free in most cases and you'll have a fantastic time too!  

Answer 12

The Science Museum in South Kensington is your best bet.  It's only a short walk from south ken tube station and has loads of stuff to amuse the kids.  There's actually a childrens section, but even without it there are lots of interesting things to look at.

Answer 13

The Natural History Museum! I know museums aren't usually for children but in this one there is a children's section where they can play to learn things. It's really good. It's free entry too. Maybe visit the London aquarium too. Children seem to be amazed by fish. x

Answer 14

if it's a nice day then the Princess Diana Memorial Playground is fabulous.  It's free and security entry gated so they can't escape!  Plenty of room for parents to lounge on the grass while kids play in teepees, peter pan ship, sand, water, wooden fort and crawl through bushes - something for all ages of kids.  Go to Bayswater tube.

If it's raining then head to the Natural History Museum.  Again it's free (best to bring a picnic - you can eat it downstairs).  Your 3 year old will love the dinosaurs esp the huge animatronic one.  If you tire of the Nat History Museum then head round the corner to the Science Museum (free).  go downstairs to the Garden zone, put your 3 year old in a waterproof bib (provided) and let them build dams with water and sail toy ships down them, play on instruments and use pulley systems to pull beanbags up a treehouse.  (South Kensington tube).  My little girl also loves a trip to Hamleys.  If you say you'll spend £5 on them then just let them have a look around - there are lots of people demonstrating toys which is a lot of fun.  Again, if it's nice weather then Battersea Children's Zoo in Battersea Park is ideal for a 3 year old.  137 bus from Oxford Street, Marble Arch, Sloane Square or Battersea Park Mainline rail from London Victoria.  They have lots of cute animals including rabbits, guinea pigs and ponies.  They also have a large playground with swings and slides and a dedicated area for the smaller ones.  There's a cafe with ice creams, monkeys in cages lots of cute albino animals and usually some activity to do like making bird feeders or colouring in pictures of birds.  They have otters and meercats including  tunnel kids can climb into and stick their heads up through a plastic dome in the middle of them.

I would also tend to agree with the answerer who said that Carnival is not really for little kids.  I would not bring my 5 year old daughter to it for fear of her getting lost or crushed.  Perhaps leave them with your friends or take turns going to carnival.

Hope you find something to do.

Answer 15

suggestion that the Carnival is not for little children, i know you see lots there but honestly i really think it gets way too packed and after nearly being  crushed there once vowed never to go again.  But its up to you. There are loads of things to do, Aquarium on south bank, London Eye, get a birds eye view. Covent Garden, jugglers, buskers, things happening, plus a nice market for nick nacks for the adults.

As some suggested there is the Zoo, Regents Park is lovely,  and plenty of places to have coffee, eat.