A weekend in London with a 4yr old

Ours were slightly bigger when we took them to London the first time. Top tip is to get around by bus as you can see loads from the top deck and it’s cheaper/less stressful than the tube with little ones.

Hamleys?

London Eye? Buckingham Palace (even if you're not a Royalist, I think it's nice for kiddies to get to see it just for the memories). A matinee showing of a suitable show (such as Matilda or Lion King) - buy cheap tickets from Leicester Square on the day.

Apparently the Science Museum has plenty for younger kids to explore though so I wouldn't rule that one out.

Due to the recent summer holidays I have recently found myself in London with a 4 year old to entertain. If they love things like trains/buses then the London Transport Museum is easy to get to and straightforward to book, plus it has an 'All Aboard' playzone specifically for small children that she loved.

Similarly the Postal Museum has an absolutely great kids play zone, plus a ride on an underground (and absolutely tiny) mail rail train that blew her mind. You need to book the kids space separately though.

Depending on your tolerance for such things and level of control over your wallet, the Lego Store in Leicester Square is also pretty large and has giant Lego creations (such as an Aston Martin DB7) that kids can sit in. Get there early though if you want to as I gather there can be quite a queue.

To be honest I wouldn't drag a four year old round London unless I absolutely had to. I love London, but all the four years olds I know like things like trampolines, soft play areas and ball pools, which you can get outside London and are probably much better.

Having said that, the aquarium is pretty good.

The thing is that with the main museums being free, you don't have to see all (or even much) of them in one go. Science Museum is worth a look if you're in the area, even if you just do the first three halls after you enter.

Lego store often does have a queue but it tends to move quickly, you'll rarely be waiting more than 10 mins.

Southbank Centre often has things on for kids particularly in the holidays. Unicorn Theatre near London Bridge is just for young audiences, can fill much of a day with a performance there, lunch and a wander about including over Tower Bridge.

Transport museum, downstairs zone in the science museum, zoo. Sealife centre.

Also, get a travel card and see how many modes of transport you can take. Kids love it. Easy to get to double figures..

Train
Underground
Tram
DLR,
Bus
Boat
Cablecar
Wheel
Boris bike
Uber
Etc..

My lad was about that age when I first took him. He loved Buckingham Palace, changing of the guard, Natural History Museum, Hamleys

He got tired and cranky more quickly than I expected, and it was probably quite busy and intimidating, expecially on the underground. Went down again a year or two later and he was fine with it.

You know your kids best, just make sure it's pitched at their level, not what you imagine their level to be.

Greenwich meridian is pretty cool, stand on each hemisphere of the Earth and think about time. Boat down the Thames to get there.

The maritime museum is a bit out of the way but surprisingly good. NHM and science museum are fine if you can get in early whilst they're quiet but rapidly get overwhelmed by people, both of them seem to struggle with kid friendly displays so tend to be about the big hit items and then out I've found.

A walk up Whitehall from HoP went down well with hoppy jr when he was younger.  But mostly don't expect too much from them.

I was going to say science museum, but as said a four year old might be a bit young to really appreciate it. Hard to advise on that one really, depends on the kid I guess.

Check out what's on in the theatres in terms of musicals etc... But that's more of an evening activity I guess?

Edit... At the moment there are things like lion king and frozen doing afternoon showings on some days.

Southbank Centre often has things on for kids particularly in the holidays.

There's also a Giraffe (restaurant) next door, which has a good kids menu, high chairs etc. And a walk along the South Bank (assuming acceptable weather) is lovely.

Seem to remember my kids enjoyed the kids' stuff in the basement of the Science Museum - they were doing a demonstration which IIRC involved fire, which was quite exciting. Plus there's lots of stuff they can play with. Definitely one I'd consider.

Also, get a travel card and see how many modes of transport you can take. Kids love it. Easy to get to double figures.

This is my tip too. Starting central, Thames clipper to millennium dome, nip inside for toilet and food, cable car across the river, DLR (in the driver's seat) back to central. Plus riding the upper deck of buses generally is enough alone to keep a 4 year old happy.

At that age, our one loved buses so a trip across town seeing the sights was what he wanted.

Just remember they get tired quick, and it's a long day. Even the natural history museum can also be two hours on their feet- is a longer walk than they might be used to. Try to be off the feet for as much of the time between "doing things" as possible. And have some hari bo handy

I'd say don't plan much and keep it fluid.

We did it in the summer with our 4 year old.

Open top bus , she loved seeing all the sights from the go jetters

Walk through hyde park and a play and ice cream.

Dip in the memorial fountain and the dropped onto the tube at the barbican and back to our digs.

We had a fair few options but committed to nothing. She was super tired after the excitement of the bus so had a nap for the last few stops to charge up before the park.

By the time we got home she was done.

I was carrying a 3 week old on my chest and I walked 12000steps without us actually trying . God knows what the little one did

I was taken to London at 4. I can remember the bus and taxi rides and shopping on Oxford Street (I was bought a shark-nose Ferrari). The brand new town we stayed in was quite exciting - Stevenage.

The brand new town we stayed in was quite exciting – Stevenage.

Ooff... Some memories are most definitely best left as memories! 😉

Zoo, Natural History Museum, Open Top bus tour

Take him to Tower Bridge and let him jump up and down the glass floor.  And Beefeaters.

To back up all the above, 4 is very young for "the sights". If you (say) get off the tube at Westminster to look at the big clock thing, you'll probably find they'll be knackered by the walk up to Buck Palace. Then there's nowhere to go really. So bus / etc definitely worth a whirl.

We did once stay out at Greenwich which was very nice. DLR into the middle. If staying in town we found Premier Inn Bank (Tower) very handy as it's v close to the fire monument which one of them had just studied at school. But rubbish for the other end of town.

V&A had a full suit of Samurai armour and swords which our two still remember now they're teens.

+1 for Aquarium - sharks..

Duck tour was a good (I hear).

South Bank has river views, street acts, lots of space for just running around and frequent cafe stops.

Hyde Park pirate ship.

We had a mini holiday with our two (then 6 and 2.5yrs) in October half term last year.

We hired a cargo bike from this place and had an absolute blast. It was our only transport for the week - depends where are are staying how feasible that is.

You can just see so much more by bike and go at your own pace, and easily fit in a playground or coffee stop as you go round to break the day up.

As said above the big museums are really full on and not necessarily that geared towards young ones.

Greenwich meridian is pretty cool, stand on each hemisphere of the Earth

surely that’s just time lines, you’d have to be at the equator to be on both hemispheres?

Took our son for a week when he was three and he still talks about it a year and a half later.
Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Transport museum at Covent Garden, boat trip down Thames to Greenwich for maritime museum (great kids dress up and play section, zoo and general main sights if you are in the vicinity. As far as the museums go, don’t try to see everything in it and expect to be rushed round. You’d be amazed at what they already know the main sights at that age.

Take him to Tower Bridge and let him jump up and down the glass floor. And Beefeaters.

Don't jump up and down on the Beefeaters, it really pisses them off!

Hahah wow, some really good ideas in here - thanks so much. Particularly taking on board the fact it'll tire him out quick.

I'm a little worried I'll be half cut so a sit on the bus in the fresh air may be just the ticket!!

Thanks all, really appreciate the ideas, keep them coming if anyone has any others - I've booked Smithfield Premier Inn as its easier to abandon the car in Hammersmith and tube from there

River boat taxi along the Thames. My nephew loved it.

Roof terrace of One New Change. Decent view over London for free.

Feed the squirrels in one of the parks.

Feed the squirrels in one of the park

Ha ha, as a woodsman, my daughter has been indoctrinated to chase them with sticks. Had to explain at 2 and then again at 4 that it isn't the done thing in London, even if they are more willing targets.

Loads of great playgrounds if you are from a rural area and museums are massive places to run. V&A she loved the models in the architecture section. Don't think we were supposed to paddle in the courtyard, but she was in the water quicker than a spaniel 😂

Greenwich is a good shout - there's also an excellent playground in the NE corner of Greenwich Park close to Maze Hill station, a quick and easy train from London Bridge if you're not doing the riverboat thing (or just do it one way). It's a "natural" playground with lots of sand and water so take some spare clothes.

British Museum do a variety of activity backpacks that you can borrow from the Families desk and they have the Museums Little Feet programme for under 5s. IMHO better suited to younger children than the Science Museum...........

surely that’s just time lines, you’d have to be at the equator to be on both hemispheres?

Longitudist!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Hemisphere

Park is quite high up and a nice place to fly a small kite. The maritime museum down the hill is decent too.

If they like suits of amour, it has to be the Wallace Collection https://www.wallacecollection.org. Horse armour and all. Quiet place for a sit down too.

And for humour, take him to the toilet for a coffee at The Attendant in Fitzrovia https://www.the-attendant.com/pages/fitzrovia.

There’s some great tips on this thread. I was about to join the chorus of “it’s a bit much, they’re only 4” then I remembered that’s because my 4 year old would probably tire early and risk a complete meltdown, my 2 year old on the other hand would love a bus ride to the transport museum then spend 6+ hours going round it shouting BUS BUS BUS and have the time of his life.

Interesting little beasts these kids.

https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/garden

Downstairs at the Science Museum is designed with 3-6 year olds in mind. We used to have to drag our kids out of it, not much fun for adults though.

The amphibious Duck tours were great also, much better than the open top busses for kids

Is horrible histories still a thing on cbbc? There are walking tours and boat trips run on by them.

there’s a back room tour at the natural history museum that’s good for all ages.

Science museum would probably be fine, take him up upstairs to Wonderlab and he'll have a blast. Very accessible and just basically fun, I enjoyed myself immensely with my 10yo and a friend recently took her kid who is about the same age as yours.

Wasn't aware of a basement.

Kidzania Westfield's West London perfect for that age.

Maybe not appropriate if you are going later in the year, but as far as I can tell, every 4 year old in London loves running through the ground level water fountains at the likes of the Old Coal Yard (behind KingsX) and the Southbank Center.

<p style="text-align: left;">Brilliant, thanks for the suggestions.</p>

<p style="text-align: left;">I'll hit science museum separately then one Sunday as we're only an hour drive from the west. Had no idea about kidzania, that sounds good</p>