going on the train, coming back the same day. kids are 5 and 6.
ideally cool stuff that’s not wandering around inside museums.

Aquarium, London eye Poole along south bank.

The Tower, The Palaces, The Tate (Art is cool. FACT!), the National Gallery (See previous entry!), take a number 11 from Chelsea to the City, take a Duck Tour, go on the Eye, etc. etc. etc.

Have a great time!

Although its a museum, I would recommend the imperial war museum. Full of cool stuff and free to enter.

Tower of London, the London Eye.

Also the space hop section of the science museum is great its next to the natural history museum both are free.

In the time honoured STW tradition of recommending something that you have specifically said you don’t want i suggest the Natural History Museum. Dinosaurs and a life size blue whale never get old.

thanks all so far…keep em coming!

(Daddy Donkey burrito stand is already on the list, BTW 😉

you’re all probably right about the Nat. History Museum. on the list.

Daddy Donkey burrito stand is already on the list, BTW

Stuff that. Go here;

http://www.poncho8.com/#Our-locations

The bloke that owns it is a top man, and he rides! 🙂

Alternative places to visit,

the olympics site, and tell them that they will be probably still be paying for it till they retire.

The houses of parliment, where all the public servants go, and are totally immune from any cutbacks your children wioll ever experience.

Mrs Windsors house, hopefully to be converted into a hostel for homeless people, when she leaves.

Also visit St Pancaras station and see how victorian and modern design have been blended together,and Euston to how a failure looks.

Then onto Canary wharf, to show the kids the people who almost bankrupted uk plc,

Alternative places to visit,

the olympics site, and tell them that they will be probably still be paying for it till they retire.

The houses of parliment, where all the public servants go, and are totally immune from any cutbacks your children wioll ever experience.

Mrs Windsors house, hopefully to be converted into a hostel for homeless people, when she leaves.

Also visit St Pancaras station and see how victorian and modern design have been blended together,and Euston to how a failure looks.

Then onto Canary wharf, to show the kids the people who almost bankrupted uk plc,

nah.

Science museum, Nat history museum and there are always some household cavalry at horseguards. Kids seem to be quite impressed with them.

Daddy Donkey

Scarily close to my office, scarily often frequented!

Covent Garden for a bit of Street Entertainment

How about a walk then from Covent Garden down to Trafalger Square, then down Whitehall, turn right, past Horseguards (where the beach volleyball is being set up a the moment), up to the Mall, down to Palace then up Consitution Hill to Hyde Park

Of the museum’s, natural history and science have the most for kids their age, and are the best bet if its raining.
If its sunny, open top bus round the central sites or boat trip (or duck tour) down the thames to see them from a different angle.
And London Zoo’s fun (make sure you google some vouchers before you go) and regents park. maybe with a trip on the canals in that area.

Make sure you get the 2for1 discounts you’re entitled to for going by train. see here:

http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/?gclid=CPOG2aSf77ACFYcPfAodJ17FwA

Which station are you going into? , ‘cos London’s a big place if you’re travelling across it too much with kids, and its easy to plan a good day out without spending all day on transport. The museums are best served from victoria, regents park/zoo from paddington, south bank from waterloo etc.

Natural History Museum has a life-size animatronic T-Rex. ’nuff said 🙂

Interactive stuff downstairs in Science Museum good for younger ones too.

(In both cases wait until the afternoon for shorter queues, they won’t have the attention span for much time inside anyway.)

Fun big sandpit/playpark at the south-west corner of St James’s Park just over the road from Buckingham Palace, good spot for picnic lunch.

And don’t mention Hamley’s.

London Eye and the Science Museum. Probably the two best tourist attractions in London.

Avoid Madame Tussauds, it’s absolute rubbish. I’d also avoid London Zoo, it’s expensive and not that good!

Project, are you that much of a miserable asshat in real life as well?

Tate Modern..
Tate Britain…
Wobbly Bridge..
Whitechapel Gallery..
Soho..
Cov Gdn…
Hayrods shopping emporium..
St James Park for a picnic..
Greenwich Market/Park/Cutty Sark thingy… and another museum.
But really I’d go just outside the tourist areas..

Opposite Euston station is Welcome Foundation museum. Free and sometimes has special exhibitions.

Also free:

Grant museum of Zoology just off Gower St, opp Euston station. Quite small but loads of bones and brains and stuff for kids to look at. You can even sponsor items for £15 a year.

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums/zoology

Round the corner, by the Petrie museum, is a student cafe you can use. This museum is more Egyptian and the kids might find it boring.

How about a walk then from Covent Garden down to Trafalger Square, then down Whitehall, turn right, past Horseguards (where the beach volleyball is being set up a the moment), up to the Mall, down to Palace then up Consitution Hill to Hyde Park

I was in That London last Saturday to see the Da Vinci Anatomical exhibition, and The Mall is totally closed off, you have to take a detour to get into the parks. Lots of crowd barrier jobbies being set up with some sort of gate system for the Olympics. I’d avoid with the kiddies, if I were you. I’d suggest The Eye, if the weather’s good, and the Aquarium, which is right next to it. Kids love stroking the rays in the shallow tank, and the sharks are cool.

It’s a bit out of the way, and it’s a museum, but the Horniman is well worth a visit. Great kid-friendly place, Forest Hill, so reachable by bus or train.