menachem

The rink at Somerset House is fantastic, and we visited Winter Wonderland (with my son, then 16 yo and totally into rollercoaster stuff) L. was underwhelmed and it was prohibitively expensive and that was just two of us.

There's a good sainsbury's on THC.

We like Seven Dials/Covent Garden too, and have for years. I always take him to lunch at Belgo Centraal, haha. An experience in its own right.

menachem

By the way, I'd choose Greenwich instead of Hampton Court: you can get there by fast ferry along the Thames, and it has the Maritime museum which is great, even if you aren't that much into ships and sailing. And DLR gets you back in town fast.

muscles

And you can continue along the Thames to the Olympic venues which may interest the kids

Tulips

I don't agree with bilbo's suggestion of Hamley's instead of Harrods. I can't stand Hamley's; terribly crowded, too many floors. I prefer the toy department at Harrods, and if you've never been there, the food halls are great.

Liberty's is good, a department store with character.
If you want shopping for kids, the Science Museum have a good shop.
Shopping for hubby; Lamb's Conduit Street not far from your flat. Shopping for you; Marylebone High Street, or Mount Street if your budget is endless, and if not, just for window shopping. You can go there after tea at Richoux on Audley Street, it's around the corner. Or Selfridges.

Skating; Somerset House. And eat at the Delauney afterwards, they have 3 kinds of wiener schnitzel, the kids will love it.

hannahb91

Oh, if the older kids are girls end you like shopping, you should go the Oxford St. Primark just for the experience. And maybe find cheap trendy clothes. That was my Primark when I lived in Regent's Park this spring.

laurie_ann

I think someone else above mentioned the Geffrye Museum. http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/ You could check closer in time to your visit as to when it starts but we went one year to see the rooms decorated for historical Christmas. Quite interesting.

PalenQ

http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/

How about the Sherlock Holmes Museum - when I was in London once with a son the other kids ages that was the one things he really wanted to see (but it was closed for some reason - think it just re-opened again after some renovations).

Have the tykes read some Sherlock Holmes before going?

PalenQ

http://www.londonducktours.co.uk/

Kids may love the Duck Tours on the Thames!

Toralina

Wow! Thanks! Keep the tips coming!

menachem

Weird houses:

Soane's Museum, Leighton House