London is a child-friendly city and there is always plenty to see and do for children and families.

Walking or running in one of the many parks in London is a great way to relax, or blow of some steam. In Kensington Gardens is a bronze statue of Peter Pan and the Diana Memorial Playground has a huge wooden pirate ship.  Kew Gardens’ Climbers and Creepers is an interactive play area and Kew's Big Tree Book is an excellent introduction to trees in general. 

A walk along the south bank of the river Thames, gives you some fantastic views of London. Taking a leisurely cruise down the River Thames is also a great way to see the city. 

Playgrounds

Coram's Fields is the largest playground and park for children in central London and it is free to use and great for children of all ages.  Active kids will enjoy the Adventure Playground in Battersea Parks, designed for children aged 5 to 16 years. There's also a children’s zoo in this park. 

London is also home to some well-known children's book characters

Attractions for Kids

It is best to arrive early at the Tower of London to avoid queues.  The environment of a real castle with uniformed guards, and its role as a prison for major figures in history will keeps kids fascinated.  And so will the sight of the world's most precious jewels, the Crown Jewels, set into swords, robes, and crowns.  Each year during the summer the floating Puppet Theatre Barge in Little Venice makes a tour of the river Thames.  In Greenwich Park, the National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory and Planetarium are very interesting.

Animals

The London Zoo is located in Regent's Park and has over 750 animal species.  Its ‘Animal Adventure’  is a play area for children.  The London Aquarium is home to 400 species, including sharks, clown fish, lion fish and sideways walking crabs.  Most of London’s city farms are free to visit.   Some offer horse riding, pony-care classes and milking demonstrations, while others offer hands-on work with the animals.

Museums for Kids

A lot of the London museums have interactive displays and special areas and activities for children.  Entrance for children and their parents to a lot of museums is free.  

Many of the big London museums and galleries have free activities for children during the school holidays. Some of the best places for children include the British Museum, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, and the National Gallery. 

In the Natural History Museum you can find out about more about the history and animals of our planet. The next door Science Museum has sections dedicated to aeronautics and computers.  

The Geffrye Museum shows period rooms from 1600 till now and has regular workshops for children. The V&A Museum of Childhood is all about children and has a large collection of dolls, toys and games.

The National Army Museum has a castle fortress and children can dress up in soldier's uniforms.  In the Museum of London Docklands everything is themed around the work and life of the London docks and here kids can pretend to drive a DLR train. 

The London Transport Museum collects anything to do with public transport in London, from uniform buttons to tube trains.  In the museum more than 80 road and rail vehicles are on display.