Family days out in London

North Lower Neil

Trying to think of something good to do with our youngest daughter (she's 4) as we have a Monday together just the two of us in a few weeks and I'd like to make the most of it before she starts school and it happens less and only during busy weekends and holidays etc.

Probably in London, we've been to the normal NH Museum & Science Museum before.

Any good ideas?

stoneroses19

Horniman Museum in Forest Hill is one of the best for kids. 

ForeverAddickted

Trip to the Valley?

masicat

Hyde Park is fabulous. Looking at the ‘Timeout London’ website is also worth doing.

Solidgone

Join the Climate Change Protests -it’s her future or the London Museum. 

DaveMehmet

Greenwich is a good day out. There’s a big play area in the park, the indoor market’s open on a Monday, Maritime Museum etc and plenty of decent places to eat.

Bromley Graham

Museum of childhood, bethnal green is good for younger children. A ride on the Clipper boats from Greenwich into London and back or by the DLR is different.  The boats really shift and is fun for kids.

cafcdave123

both of mine loved London aquarium around that age 

ricky_otto

Ye olde axe in shoreditch

orpingtonRED

cafcdave123 said:

both of mine loved London aquarium around that age 

Took my two last weekend, 8yr old and 3yr old. They both really enjoyed it as did I. Penguins, sharks, jellyfish and lots more. Good weather proof option and if it is a nice day you could get the boat along the Thames as mentioned above.
Shrek World is next door if she likes Shrek. Ive not been there but it seemed very popular last week.

Stig

Both the NH Museum and the Science Museum are fantastic, but never go in the school holidays.

bazjonster

Perfect for a 4 year old I should think Neil:

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/openspace/farm

Off_it

DaveMehmet said:

Greenwich is a good day out. There’s a big play area in the park, the indoor market’s open on a Monday, Maritime Museum etc and plenty of decent places to eat.

I second that. Greenwich has to be one of my favourite places. Best view in London from up by the Wolfe statue.

i_b_b_o_r_g

Imperial War Museum,  used to love going there with my dad

Athletico Charlton

orpingtonRED said:

cafcdave123 said:

both of mine loved London aquarium around that age 

Took my two last weekend, 8yr old and 3yr old. They both really enjoyed it as did I. Penguins, sharks, jellyfish and lots more. Good weather proof option and if it is a nice day you could get the boat along the Thames as mentioned above.
Shrek World is next door if she likes Shrek. Ive not been there but it seemed very popular last week.

The aquarium is great, whatever you do, do not go to Shrek.  Absolutely dismal and my 4 year old cried all the way around as we were chased by witches.  Thanks goodness i ised tesco vouchers rather than £90 odd of my own money.

Baldybonce

horse riding at Mottingham farm then drive or bus down to the Barrier and walk along to the Eco park (bugs and things) then cinema at the O2.

iainment

The Clipper from Woolwich is good. A relatively cheap boat trip. 
Then at the Southbank there's the aquarium.
Then go to and up the Monument.
DLR, front seat, back to SE London from Bank.
Greenwich - Maritime Museum and/or Greenwich Park.
If you want a cheap lunch detour to Govinda's in Soho Square.

MrOneLung

Athletico Charlton said:

orpingtonRED said:

cafcdave123 said:

both of mine loved London aquarium around that age 

Took my two last weekend, 8yr old and 3yr old. They both really enjoyed it as did I. Penguins, sharks, jellyfish and lots more. Good weather proof option and if it is a nice day you could get the boat along the Thames as mentioned above.
Shrek World is next door if she likes Shrek. Ive not been there but it seemed very popular last week.

The aquarium is great, whatever you do, do not go to Shrek.  Absolutely dismal and my 4 year old cried all the way around as we were chased by witches.  Thanks goodness i ised tesco vouchers rather than £90 odd of my own money.

Shrek is good. 
Went last year with 7 and 5 year old and they loved it. 

AFKABartram

@North Lower Neil mate, a day out in London with a 4yr old can be done very easily on the cheap. Get the train into Charing X (most kids love train rides), walk past Trafalgar Square and spend a couple of hours in St James Park. Take a bag of bread and some nuts to feed the ducks, squirrels etc, there’s a good under fives playground down the far end by Buck House, have a picnic, walk over to Buck House to see where the Queen lives, see the soldiers etc. If you want to stretch it then walk up to Hamleys for four floors of a toy shop. 

4 years need quality time and interaction more than anything else. Good luck

rina

masicat said:

Hyde Park is fabulous. Looking at the ‘Timeout London’ website is also worth doing.

not really a day out though is it?

Athletico Charlton

MrOneLung said:

Athletico Charlton said:

orpingtonRED said:

cafcdave123 said:

both of mine loved London aquarium around that age 

Took my two last weekend, 8yr old and 3yr old. They both really enjoyed it as did I. Penguins, sharks, jellyfish and lots more. Good weather proof option and if it is a nice day you could get the boat along the Thames as mentioned above.
Shrek World is next door if she likes Shrek. Ive not been there but it seemed very popular last week.

The aquarium is great, whatever you do, do not go to Shrek.  Absolutely dismal and my 4 year old cried all the way around as we were chased by witches.  Thanks goodness i ised tesco vouchers rather than £90 odd of my own money.

Shrek is good. 
Went last year with 7 and 5 year old and they loved it. 

Fair enough, we all see things differently.  

My experience was queuing for an hour for something that lasted a little longer than an hour. Then the 3d bus ride which was great but probably 5mins before you crash and kill a witch meaning that you go into a story where her mates are chasing you for an hour which just scared my 4 year old girl.

amazingly, the first time we saw Shrek was right at the very end when out pops a bloke dressed as Shrek as you are walking out so you can have your picture taken with him and pay them more money to buy it afterwards.

would definitely recommend The Thames Clipper, the Acquarium, Hornimans.  Probably too your but Battersea Park has a good playground, pizza parlour, high ropes, plus loads of space to run in.  Mine also like Mudchute farm

seth plum

Sky garden is free and better than the eye.

North Lower Neil

Cheers for the suggestions everyone.

Hornimans is winning so far I think, not least because they have an enormous rabbit and my daughter is bunny obsessed.

creepyaddick

Solidgone said:

Join the Brexit Protests -it’s her future or the London Museum. 

Off_it

North Lower Neil said:

Cheers for the suggestions everyone.

Hornimans is winning so far I think, not least because they have an enormous rabbit and my daughter is bunny obsessed.

If you've not been before then be prepared for the "weird" factor.

In some places it looks like it's a museum of Victorian taxidermy. Bad Victorian taxidermy. Not quite foxes sitting in deckchairs or playing the banjo, but not too far off it.

North Lower Neil

bazjonster said:

Perfect for a 4 year old I should think Neil:

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/openspace/farm

Tempted by Mudchute Farm too - anyone been?

Athletico Charlton

Yep, for a city farm it is decent enough and free but there isn’t loads of stuff, wiuld maybe take up 45mins-1hour plus a cafe on site.  There is a riding school which i assume you could maybe book before (never tried).  My kids still enjoy the experience of sitting at the front of the dlr thinking they are driving it en route.

Crystal Palace farm is small but decent and free and could be paired with Hornimans if you have a car, plus there are some dinosaurs to look at in the park, a playground and used to be peddelos.

neither Mudchute or CP farm beat the likes of Godstone farm, Hobbledown (Epsom) or the best in good weather, Drusilla’s (down near the coast) which is excellent - think zoo/fair ground rides/water park/adventure playground.

SheffieldRed

Off_it said:

If you've not been before then be prepared for the "weird" factor.

In some places it looks like it's a museum of Victorian taxidermy. Bad Victorian taxidermy. Not quite foxes sitting in deckchairs or playing the banjo, but not too far off it.

Children will remember their first trip to The Den

Stig

Athletico Charlton said:

Yep, for a city farm it is decent enough and free but there isn’t loads of stuff, wiuld maybe take up 45mins-1hour plus a cafe on site.  There is a riding school which i assume you could maybe book before (never tried).  My kids still enjoy the experience of sitting at the front of the dlr thinking they are driving it en route.

Crystal Palace farm is small but decent and free and could be paired with Hornimans if you have a car, plus there are some dinosaurs to look at in the park, a playground and used to be peddelos.

neither Mudchute or CP farm beat the likes of Godstone farm, Hobbledown (Epsom) or the best in good weather, Drusilla’s (down near the coast) which is excellent - think zoo/fair ground rides/water park/adventure playground.

I'm in my mid fifties and still love doing that! Let's face there's only two categories of people that don't: Those that ground down by a daily commute to Canary Wharf and those who were completely soulless anyway.

How did it go, Neil? Did you visit the Horniman's? How did it go down?

NorthheathAddick

MrOneLung said:

Athletico Charlton said:

orpingtonRED said:

cafcdave123 said:

both of mine loved London aquarium around that age 

Took my two last weekend, 8yr old and 3yr old. They both really enjoyed it as did I. Penguins, sharks, jellyfish and lots more. Good weather proof option and if it is a nice day you could get the boat along the Thames as mentioned above.
Shrek World is next door if she likes Shrek. Ive not been there but it seemed very popular last week.

The aquarium is great, whatever you do, do not go to Shrek.  Absolutely dismal and my 4 year old cried all the way around as we were chased by witches.  Thanks goodness i ised tesco vouchers rather than £90 odd of my own money.

Shrek is good. 
Went last year with 7 and 5 year old and they loved it. 

Yep took my littleun for her 9th bday good Friday,she really enjoyed,as me & mum did too...could see why maybe not suitable for a 4yr old tho...

North Lower Neil

Stig said:

Athletico Charlton said:

Yep, for a city farm it is decent enough and free but there isn’t loads of stuff, wiuld maybe take up 45mins-1hour plus a cafe on site.  There is a riding school which i assume you could maybe book before (never tried).  My kids still enjoy the experience of sitting at the front of the dlr thinking they are driving it en route.

Crystal Palace farm is small but decent and free and could be paired with Hornimans if you have a car, plus there are some dinosaurs to look at in the park, a playground and used to be peddelos.

neither Mudchute or CP farm beat the likes of Godstone farm, Hobbledown (Epsom) or the best in good weather, Drusilla’s (down near the coast) which is excellent - think zoo/fair ground rides/water park/adventure playground.

I'm in my mid fifties and still love doing that! Let's face there's only two categories of people that don't: Those that ground down by a daily commute to Canary Wharf and those who were completely soulless anyway.

How did it go, Neil? Did you visit the Horniman's? How did it go down?

It's not until next week so still trying to decide!

My kids love sitting at the front of the DLR, still young enough to believe they are driving it if you tell them to push the handrail at the right time too.