small kids in London?
Aug 14th, 2008, 01:33 PM
#41
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I've just come from London with two teens and husband and was surprised too at the cold and the rain that was always present. Also surprised at the crowds everywhere. Before I read to the end of your last post, I was about to advise you to watch out for the crowds on the buses. We took the buses daily and I was always shocked that they were almost always packed, and that moms with strollers and kids really had to hang tight and brave the sardine effect.
The Conservatory at Kew Gardens is a great big structure with lots of things to see for young kids. There's a great carnivorous plant area that my kids would have loved when they were young.
One more thing, isn't the Olympics still being projected on a huge screen at Trafalgar Square? That provided tons of fun not only for us but also for lots of young kids I observed..hanging out, eating snacks, playing with the fountains and watching that big screen.
The Conservatory at Kew Gardens is a great big structure with lots of things to see for young kids. There's a great carnivorous plant area that my kids would have loved when they were young.
One more thing, isn't the Olympics still being projected on a huge screen at Trafalgar Square? That provided tons of fun not only for us but also for lots of young kids I observed..hanging out, eating snacks, playing with the fountains and watching that big screen.
Aug 19th, 2008, 05:24 AM
#43
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Lucky, lucky you. London is my favourite place on earth! Your ideas - and everyone else's - are great. I just have one bit of advice to add.
Regarding the stroller vs backpack for the 2 year old, may I suggest the backpack. I had a 5 year old and 17 month old in London and really battled with a stroller. So many of the shops, museums and underground stations have steps and it is very hard to battle crowds, lug a stroller up and down steps and keep an eye on the 5 year old!
One day we were waiting for a bus in Oxford street and the bus wouldn't let me put the stroller on the bus until it was folded up, but also wouldn't wait for me to fold it up! The five year old and I walked (the little one was in the stroller) from Marble Arch all the way to the London Museum as result!
My very worst experience was trying to get the stroller down the steps at Edgware station. It was very crowded and I was bumping the stroller gently down the stairs (there is no ramp) when I was pushed down the stairs from behind. The stroller and I fell down the stairs and the stroller somersaulted through the air and ended up upside down at the bottom of the stairs. Thankfully my 17 month old wasn't hurt. Not one single person stopped!
Needless to say, I used the backpack from that day on!
I have lived and travelled in many places while I have had a baby or toddler with me, and London is the one place where very few people will help you up or down stairs with a stroller. In fact, it tended to be pregnant women who offered to help!
Regarding the stroller vs backpack for the 2 year old, may I suggest the backpack. I had a 5 year old and 17 month old in London and really battled with a stroller. So many of the shops, museums and underground stations have steps and it is very hard to battle crowds, lug a stroller up and down steps and keep an eye on the 5 year old!
One day we were waiting for a bus in Oxford street and the bus wouldn't let me put the stroller on the bus until it was folded up, but also wouldn't wait for me to fold it up! The five year old and I walked (the little one was in the stroller) from Marble Arch all the way to the London Museum as result!
My very worst experience was trying to get the stroller down the steps at Edgware station. It was very crowded and I was bumping the stroller gently down the stairs (there is no ramp) when I was pushed down the stairs from behind. The stroller and I fell down the stairs and the stroller somersaulted through the air and ended up upside down at the bottom of the stairs. Thankfully my 17 month old wasn't hurt. Not one single person stopped!
Needless to say, I used the backpack from that day on!
I have lived and travelled in many places while I have had a baby or toddler with me, and London is the one place where very few people will help you up or down stairs with a stroller. In fact, it tended to be pregnant women who offered to help!
Aug 26th, 2008, 05:20 PM
#45
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We're home in Boston and I just wanted to let everyone know that all finished well in London. The kids' absolute favorite thing was the double-deckers, so an Oyster card will provide hours of entertainment. My parting words of wisdom are:
Go to the playgrounds! We checked out 11 different playgrounds in the city (we kept a running tally for fun) and they were all fantastic and different, which is very unlike the cookie cutter US playground structures. St. James Park (right by Buckingham Palace), Regents (the other end from the zoo was bigger), and Diana Memorial were the best for "sand-pit" times and Holland was best for a cool structure and hours of action. They all have toilet facilities (amazing) and small snack vendors that were lifesavers.
The London Eye is great in theory, but it moves slowly. My five-year-old was all set about halfway through and had to stay in that glass tube for another 15 minutes.
Carry a raincoat. Once I got over the weather and just carried raingear everywhere, we had a much better time.
The bus is your friend - the tube is really tough with the stairs (see scary Tube story post above) and crowds, but we had lots of luck with friendly bus drivers and saw most of the city that way.
Food can be tricky - it's expensive and when out and about I found the snacks to be fairly high-sugar (biscuits, etc.) and sandwiches are mostly pre-made, which is a drag for picky eaters or allergy kids (mine has an egg allergy and all that mayo was tough!) If you find healthy snacks at the grocery, buy in bulk and carry with you. If you love ice cream (I do), there's a vendor on every corner.
Talk to people. I made lots of quick friends, got ideas and suggestions for fun stuff, and even scheduled playdates during our stay by just chatting with moms at parks. Honestly, I mostly hit it off with ex-pats, but a few of the reserved Brit moms got to talking too. I even introduced a few Londoners to parks and playgrounds recommended on this board!
When you need a break - check out the "Cbeebies Bedtime Hour" on TV - All the shows (only 15 min each!) from 6-7 PM are adorable, calming, and there are no ads. That's the only way I cooked dinner most evenings.
I am forever grateful to this board for giving me resources and the courage to get out there and see the city. We had a fantastic time! - Ann
Go to the playgrounds! We checked out 11 different playgrounds in the city (we kept a running tally for fun) and they were all fantastic and different, which is very unlike the cookie cutter US playground structures. St. James Park (right by Buckingham Palace), Regents (the other end from the zoo was bigger), and Diana Memorial were the best for "sand-pit" times and Holland was best for a cool structure and hours of action. They all have toilet facilities (amazing) and small snack vendors that were lifesavers.
The London Eye is great in theory, but it moves slowly. My five-year-old was all set about halfway through and had to stay in that glass tube for another 15 minutes.
Carry a raincoat. Once I got over the weather and just carried raingear everywhere, we had a much better time.
The bus is your friend - the tube is really tough with the stairs (see scary Tube story post above) and crowds, but we had lots of luck with friendly bus drivers and saw most of the city that way.
Food can be tricky - it's expensive and when out and about I found the snacks to be fairly high-sugar (biscuits, etc.) and sandwiches are mostly pre-made, which is a drag for picky eaters or allergy kids (mine has an egg allergy and all that mayo was tough!) If you find healthy snacks at the grocery, buy in bulk and carry with you. If you love ice cream (I do), there's a vendor on every corner.
Talk to people. I made lots of quick friends, got ideas and suggestions for fun stuff, and even scheduled playdates during our stay by just chatting with moms at parks. Honestly, I mostly hit it off with ex-pats, but a few of the reserved Brit moms got to talking too. I even introduced a few Londoners to parks and playgrounds recommended on this board!
When you need a break - check out the "Cbeebies Bedtime Hour" on TV - All the shows (only 15 min each!) from 6-7 PM are adorable, calming, and there are no ads. That's the only way I cooked dinner most evenings.
I am forever grateful to this board for giving me resources and the courage to get out there and see the city. We had a fantastic time! - Ann
