London with little kids
 

I am traveling to Ireland in June for a family wedding. Along with me will be my mother and my two daughters, aged 8 and 6. After the family duties in Ireland, we would like to go to London for a couple of days. None of us have ever been and I want to make it interesting for my kids.

What sites do you think would best appeal to two little girls but also provide the adults with some points of interest? For reference, they love the hustle and bustle of mid-town Manhattan (Rockefeller Ctr., the ferris wheel in Toys R Us, etc.). A friend suggested London Eye and possibly a day trip to Windsor. Thoughts?

Thanks!

Well - w/ only a couple of days don't overwhelm them w/ lots of running around.

A few things - but you won't have time for all of them:

The Princess Diana playground in Kensington Gardens - just a great place and then you can pop next door for afternoon tea in the Orangery.

Windsor. The Castle (the Dolls' house is amazing and the state rooms are very grand) and maybe legoland if your girls are interested

Hampton Court Palace - maybe even a better day trip than Windsor. The Medieval kitchens, costumed guides, the maze, etc

The Natural History Museum - DINOSAURS enough to please any kid.

the Science Museum (right next door to the Nat'l History) w/ lots of hands on feature for kids.

a boat trip on the Thames

taking a paddle boat out on the Serpentine in Hyde Park

Taking a canal boat in Little Venice and getting off inside the London Zoo.

The Eye

Going to a play or musical - mary Poppins, the Lion King or lots of others

A ride in a black cab - kids seem to really get a kick out of that - especially riding in the jump seats.

There are a ton more but this list will get you thinking.

photos sitting on top of (or within the paws of) the lions in trafalgar square.

princess diana fountain was built for children of your age but since you can no longer touch it, it's as much fun as standing next to a drainage ditch. skip it. (not to be confused with the playground that janis recommends).

i would not go out to windsor with only a couple of days. plenty to do right in london.

take the Thames trip (on a good day) to Greenwich. My kids loved the naval museum (very hands on) as well as the observatory..and there are nice grounds for a picnic. If either or your girls are musical, they might enjoy an evensong..the youngest trebles will be 7 or 8. My kids loved the tower of london. They also enjoyed the London eye. They really loved picking out some of the things they had seen. If they insist on a castle, I think Warick is the best close to London for kids..Hampton Court I think is more child friendly than Windsor. My kids also enjoyed the brass rubbbing center in the crypt of St. martins in the Field.

Some of these have already been said..

The Lion King - my 4-year old daughter and I saw it together last May and she still talks about how much she loved it. We strolled around Covent Garden afterwards which was fun.

Natural History Museum - it's free, huge and has so much to see and do.

London Eye - Our kids loved the view. We walked there from Buckingham Palace because our daughter really wanted to see where the Queen lives.

Riding the tube and the upper deck of buses - endless enjoyment for both kids!

A bus tour on a big red bus
Hamleys toy store
Any of the parks
London Zoo
The Tower of London and the Crown Jewels
A boat trip on the Thames

Carolena