London with kids

Travelling with children? London has more for kids than you might think. Here are 12 family favourites, with ages, prices and opening hours, plus ideas for a rainy day and practical tips.

Checked: 7 October 2026. Prices and hours can change; check the official site before you go.

☔ Rainy day? Go indoors

Natural History Museum
Science Museum
Cutty Sark
SEA LIFE London Aquarium
London Transport Museum
HMS Belfast
Young V&A
Hamleys

☔ Indoor · all ages (dinosaurs and the blue whale suit ages 4 and up)

Photo: Julian Herzog (Website) · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia

Natural History Museum

Dinosaur skeletons, a blue whale in the main hall and an earthquake room make it the favourite museum for children.

🎟️ Price: Free (a free timed ticket is recommended); paid exhibitions cost extra
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–17:50 (last entry 17:30)
⏱️ Visit: ~3 h
💡 Tip: Book a free entry ticket to skip the queue at weekends and in school holidays. The Dinosaurs gallery is busiest at midday.
📍 Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD
Map Website

☔ Indoor · all ages; Wonderlab is for ages 3 and up

Photo: Shadowssettle · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

Science Museum (Wonderlab)

Over 50 hands-on exhibits and live science shows in Wonderlab, plus free galleries with rockets, engines and a children's area.

🎟️ Price: Museum free; Wonderlab from £13.50 (ages 3 and under free)
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:15)
⏱️ Visit: ~3 h
💡 Tip: Book the Wonderlab slot before you arrive, booking ahead is cheaper. It is next door to the Natural History Museum.
📍 Exhibition Road, London SW7 2DD
Map Website

☀️ Outdoor · ages 5 and up (under 5 free)

Photo: [Duncan] from Nottingham, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia

Tower of London

Crown Jewels, armour and ravens in a real castle: Yeoman Warders tell the stories children like best.

🎟️ Price: Adult £38, child 5–15 £19; free under 5
🕗 Hours: Tue–Sat 09:00–17:30; Sun–Mon 10:00–17:30 (last entry 16:30)
⏱️ Visit: ~3 h
💡 Tip: Book a timed ticket, many slots sell out. Go straight to the Crown Jewels first, the queue builds later in the day.
📍 Tower Hill, London EC3N 4AB
Map Website

☀️ Outdoor · all ages (under 2 free)

Photo: Khamtran · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia

London Eye

A 30-minute slow ride in a glass pod over the Thames with a view of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.

🎟️ Price: Online from £29 adult and from £26 child 2–15 (walk-up £39 and £35); free under 2
🕗 Hours: Daily 11:00–18:00 (hours vary by season)
⏱️ Visit: ~1 h
💡 Tip: The sooner you book online, the cheaper. Prices vary with demand; a clear morning gives the best view and shorter queues.
📍 Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB
Map Website

☔ Indoor · ages 4 and up (under 4 free)

Photo: Ethan Doyle White · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

Cutty Sark

A real tea clipper from 1869 you can walk under and on, with family activities and a view from the hull.

🎟️ Price: Adult £22, child 4–15 £11; free under 4
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:15), closed 24–26 December
⏱️ Visit: ~1.5 h
💡 Tip: A day pass with the Royal Observatory (Adult £38, Child £19) is cheaper than two tickets. Book online.
📍 King William Walk, London SE10 9HT
Map Website

☀️ Outdoor · all ages (under 3 free)

Photo: heena_mistry · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia

ZSL London Zoo

The world's oldest scientific zoo, in Regent's Park, with a play area, walk-through areas and many animal talks.

🎟️ Price: Online in advance: adult (16–64) £27.70–£34.50, child (3–15) £19.40–£24.10 depending on the day; gate prices are higher
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–17:00 until 23 October (last entry 16:00); from 24 October 10:00–16:00 (last entry 15:00)
⏱️ Visit: ~4 h
💡 Tip: Buy online in advance; the best-value tickets are online. From 24 October the zoo closes at 16:00, so go in the morning.
📍 Outer Circle, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY
Map Website

☔ Indoor · all ages (under 2 free)

Photo: Txllxt TxllxT · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

SEA LIFE London Aquarium

Sharks, rays and penguins under County Hall, next to the London Eye: a dry-weather-proof half day.

🎟️ Price: Standard ticket online from £28 adult and £25 child 2–15 (on the day £39 and £35); free under 2
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00; may vary by date)
⏱️ Visit: ~2 h
💡 Tip: Combination tickets with the London Eye exist; book online for the lowest price.
📍 County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB
Map Website

☀️ Outdoor · children up to 12 with an adult

Photo: Mark Ahsmann · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia

Diana Memorial Playground

A famous Peter Pan playground with a pirate ship, sand, water and sensory areas, renewed in 2026.

🎟️ Price: Free
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–16:45 until late October, then 10:00–15:45 from November to January (last entry 15 minutes before closing)
⏱️ Visit: ~1.5 h
💡 Tip: Only adults with a child can enter. Combine with Kensington Palace and the Round Pond, a short walk away.
📍 Kensington Gardens, London W2 4RU
Map Website

☔ Indoor · all ages; under-18s free

Photo: Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia

London Transport Museum

Climb into old buses, trams and Tube trains and drive a simulator in a Covent Garden hall.

🎟️ Price: Adult £18.50 (valid 12 months); children and young people 17 and under free with a free timed ticket
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00)
⏱️ Visit: ~2 h
💡 Tip: Add the free timed ticket for each child at checkout. A good rainy-day stop next to Covent Garden's street performers.
📍 Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB
Map Website

☔ Indoor · ages 5 and up (under 5 free)

Photo: Alvesgaspar · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia

HMS Belfast

A real Second World War warship on the Thames, with nine decks to explore, from the engine room to the guns.

🎟️ Price: Adult £26.80, child 5–15 £13.40; free under 5 (prices to 31 March 2027)
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00), closed 24–26 December
⏱️ Visit: ~2 h
💡 Tip: Steep ladders and low doorways: not for buggies. Combine with Tower Bridge, a 10 minute walk away.
📍 Morgan's Lane, Tooley Street, London SE1 2JH
Map Website

☔ Indoor · babies to 14 (adults need a child with them for the play zones)

Photo: Bex Walton · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia

Young V&A

The V&A's children's museum, with toys, play areas and a design gallery that kids can touch and try.

🎟️ Price: Free
🕗 Hours: Daily 10:00–17:45
⏱️ Visit: ~2 h
💡 Tip: No booking needed. It is in Bethnal Green, east of the centre, so combine it with Brick Lane and Spitalfields.
📍 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA
Map Website

☔ Indoor · all ages

Photo: Matt Brown · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia

Hamleys

The world-famous toy shop on seven floors, with demonstrations and a lot to try for free.

🎟️ Price: Free to enter
🕗 Hours: Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00; Sun 12:00–18:00
⏱️ Visit: ~1 h
💡 Tip: Crowded at weekends and in December; go on a weekday morning. Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus are a short walk.
📍 188–196 Regent Street, London W1B 5BT
Map Website

Tips for families

Children travel free on the Tube and buses

Under-11s travel free on the Tube, buses and trams when with an adult; older children need a Zip Oyster photocard or a ticket. Check the age rules on tfl.gov.uk before you go.

Many museums are free

The Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Young V&A and the Diana Playground cost nothing (Wonderlab and special exhibitions are extra). Book a free timed ticket for the busy ones; children under 18 are free at the London Transport Museum.

Buggies and step-free stations

Many Tube stations have stairs only. Check the step-free Tube map on tfl.gov.uk, or use the bus, which has a buggy space, and DLR and Elizabeth line stations that are step-free.

Book timed tickets ahead

The Tower of London, London Eye, SEA LIFE and the zoo are cheaper online and often sell out at weekends and in school holidays. A combination ticket for the London Eye and SEA LIFE exists.

Shorter days from late October

The clocks go back on 25 October: London Zoo closes at 16:00 from 24 October and the Diana Playground at 15:45 from November. Do the outdoor places in the morning.

Eat early and pay by card

Lunch is about 12:00–14:30 and dinner from 18:00; many kitchens close at 22:00, and pubs often stop serving food earlier. Many places take cards only, and a 12.5% service charge is often added.

Plan your trip → Put these places in a day plan with walking times.