Things To Do With Kids in Greater London

The first decision is whether to pay at all. London's biggest free museums are genuinely family-ready: the Science Museum has a dedicated downstairs play space for toddlers and a Flight gallery that holds older children, Young V&A in East London is built for ages 0 to 8 and can be covered in about an hour, and The British Museum works best for school-age children if you pick two or three galleries such as the Egyptian mummies rather than attempting a full sweep. One family guide warns that the Science Museum and British Museum get very busy in school holidays, and the Science Museum expects you to pre-book even though entry is free. For older children and teens, Victoria and Albert Museum, The National Gallery and Imperial War Museum reward longer, slower visits.

Paid attractions cluster on the South Bank. London Eye suits children aged 5 and up who will sit through a 30-minute rotation, and reviewers say to book ahead and aim for clear days. SEA LIFE London Aquarium pitches exhibits at child height and takes around three hours; bring your own snacks. The London Dungeon is for brave families with children aged 9 and over who actually enjoy jump scares, while Shrek's Adventure London lands best with children who already know the films.

Greenwich makes a strong single day: Cutty Sark, a restored tea clipper, sits below the Royal Observatory Greenwich and the free National Maritime Museum, whose AHOY! gallery is aimed at under-7s and needs weekend slots booked in advance.

For outdoors, Kensington Gardens pairs pond wildlife with the free, gated Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, which reviewers say gets extremely busy. Battersea Park and Gunnersbury Park offer lakes, playgrounds and picnic lawns without admission. Further out, Chessington World of Adventures Resort combines rides and animals for ages 5 to 13, though queues and extras add up. A days-out directory argues that outer London, where hundreds of the places listed here sit in Croydon, Bromley, Harrow and beyond, is cheaper than the centre and often quicker by car than by tube.