Children travelling on underground trains

What a useful topic. I hope to visit London one day with my grandchildren ,this thread makes me even more enthusiastic

My granddaughter (5) loves the V&A, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. Do bear in mind that at the moment everything has to be booked, sadly. I am a member of the V&A but still have to book on line.

I agree with GrannySomerset you walk for miles in London! Even catching the tube means a lot of walking to the platform! I remember thinking last time I visited that that was probably why most Londoners are thin!

Sky Gardens in Fenchurch St. (Just around the corner from the Monument) is a great place to visit to see fabulous views of London. It is free to visit, unlike the Shard, and you book on line to get tickets. Great place to have a drink, but of course they are quite expensive.

I would try to do as much of the travel above ground using buses, taxis, the DLR and the Thames Clipper. Slower, but conversely, more to see en route as you go from specific place to place and avoiding the heat and confines of the Tube with the current health risks.

Definitely go on The London Eye for fantastic aerial views or consider getting tickets to visit the top of The Shard in the City.

I recommend Wonderlab at the Science Museum in South Kensington and the National Maritime Musuem at Greenwich (and Cutty Sark as NotSpaghetti has suggested). I also love the London Transport Mueum at Covent Garden. The British Library in the Euston Road is wonderful and has occasional special events for children - The story of Paddington Bear this summer.

NS has also mentioned The Tate. The walk from St Pauls across the Millennium Bridge to get there also gives splendid views along the Thames.

You'll be covering a lot of ground in two days so will need to plan your time well.

The top deck of the No 10 bus from Kensington to Oxford St is a brilliant ride!
You see the Palace, Marble Arch etc.

Just take account of the fact that you walk a considerable distance in London - DS aged six commented that even crossing the road was a long way (we lived in York), so don’t try to do it all. Hope you have a wonderful time.

TFL guidance is to go through the wide gates. What you can do is partly informed by how much you want to spend eg the zoo and London Transport museum are payable, and their interest. My grandson loves the science museum with all its machinery but most kids of that age will get something out of it. If you go to Buck Palace then also go to St James Park - I was a metre away from a heron last week - and through to Trafalgar Square. I would second the Thames Clipper all the way to Greenwich from Embankment or Westminster via Big Ben (still in scaffolding), the London Eye, Tate Modern, the Shard, past the Tower and under Tower Bridge and finally the Cutty Sark. Have a break/ run around Greenwich Park and consider walking under the Thames through the tunnel to catch the Docklands railway. Try and sit at the front as there’s no driver!
If you only have two days then you need to make some choices which will also be informed by the weather. The Imperial War Museum is good but a bit more difficult to combine with other things. Enjoy!

Another vote for The Rainforest Cafe, food is not quite as good as the Hard Rock, but far more fun and interesting for a 10 & 8 yr old.

The South Bank of the Thames is usually buzzy, and has pop-up exhibitions (not sure if Covid has stopped this)

The open top buses are good for when the GC’s ^legs

Have a wonderful day.

Madame Tussauds and the Planetarium are great

The Belfast moored opposite Tower of London was a big hit with ours and then we walked over Tower Bridge, saw Traitors Gate and the outside of the Tower. Did not go in as very expensive so we sat with an ice cream there, it was a great day out enjoyed by all 3 GS age 8 10 12.

Oh my goodness, Grans - THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Am adding all these to my list. Need to route plan now, to pack as much in as possible. Am really excited now

Oh.
Sorry.
Just googled Yayoi Kusama and it’s sold out…
I saw some of her work two years ago and wished my family could see it.
www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/yayoi-kusama-infinity-mirror-rooms

Lucca

Londoners will know but didn’t it used to be fun to visit the Hard Rock Cafe?

Yep a good one.
The Rainforest Café is brilliant too for 8 - 10 year olds.

Mine always liked looking at the taxis and buses a ride on a bus was the best thing ever!

Have a look at this - worldtravelfamily.com/visiting-london-with-children/

I think it’s a good blog.

My children (and later, grandchildren) all loved the Cutty Sark over at Greenwich:
www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark

And, depending on the family, we used to find an art exhibition to visit. They liked the Tate/Tate modern in particular.
Yayoki Kusama is on at the Tate just now. That would be fab!

Crossed post

St Katherine’s what Ellianne ?!

St Katherine's Dicks should be Docks!!!!!!!
Sorry, I'm eating breakfast!

Londoners will know but didn’t it used to be fun to visit the Hard Rock Cafe?

Make sure you get to Buckingham Palace around 10.30 am to get in position for changing of the guard. You could then walk though Green Park and catch an open top London Bus for a tour. Maybe get off by the river and walk around, cross the Millenium Bridge if you don't mind swaying a bit.
The kids might be a bit young gir Shakespeare's globe but it is educational and very entertaining and the guides are student actors. Visit St. Katherine's Dicks for the boats including the Queen's barge. Then the Tower of London is a must for their history at Key Satge 2.
A show in the evening? London Zoo? Canary Wharf (they'll think they're in New York!)
Make the mist of every second.

Thank you, Lucca - brilliant ideas, just what I was hoping for, will add to list and research

Natural history museum? Trip on a boat eg Thames clipper ?

OMG Ellianne, why didn't I think of that!! Thanks so much - what a relief. Can I hijack my own thread now please and ask for suggestions of things to do? We have 2 days at our disposal and the kids want to see Buck palace, see but not necessarily go on the London Eye and I want to take them to the Imperial war museum.

Weather permitting - picnic in a park would be good and other than that I'm a bit stuck. Again, all suggestions very welcome and gratefully received

Sorry. I meant you'll get stuck if you squeeze through together as people often do!
If you hand the kids your debit card to blip after you then of course you will be unnecessarily charged.
Have a fantastic time!