Navigating an educational trip around London with your little ones can be a challenge, combining their inquisitive nature, ability to demand food at any moment, and the likelihood they will tire out quicker than you expect.
If you want to get off on exactly the right foot, Bubble Planet near Wembley is a great first destination. Part modern art, part wonderful experience. It provides an hour or more of play, art and creativity for all ages, but especially the young.
To keep the kids topped up, nearby Big Moe’s Diner offers American-style pancake and waffle breakfasts in a lively atmosphere. Or there are burgers, steaks and BBQ food if you arrive later in the day or fancy something more substantial.
Back in central London for the more traditional museums, your family can traipse around the British Museum, the V&A or Natural History and Science Museums, all with great child-friendly exhibits. There’s the Wonderlab in the Science Museum, several children’s trails at the British Museum and many more opportunities for them to enjoy the wonders on show.
A Must-Visit: The Young V&A
Kids will also love the free Young V&A, designed with hands-on adventures for children of all ages. It challenges and engages young minds through creativity, play, design and storytelling.
The Young V&A’s galleries are packed with interactive exhibits that blend history with imagination. From the nostalgic and historic value of a plushy Pikachu, old home computers to futuristic innovations like a 3D-printed Hero Arm, providing plenty to get them thinking and playing.
The recent *Making Egypt* exhibition is a standout, offering a playful journey through Ancient Egyptian art and its influence on modern design and into pop culture.
Head south back to the river and families can giggle at the bleak and dark history of the Tower Museum. Or, enjoy the cramped spaces of HMS Belfast on the Thames. Or, enjoy the many galleries of the South Bank, while soaking up the relaxed culture of the many cafes and food stalls in the area, listening to the buskers and bands playing along the river and finding fun pop-up art installations that could be there one day and gone the next.
Fiction and Fun in London
Another must visit is the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street for teens who are fans of any iteration of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective. Down the south end of Baker Street, you are not far from Westminster, which is home to Tate Britain and National Portrait Gallery, which will be of great interest to arty teens.
Young history and military buffs will love the Churchill War Rooms and the Household Cavalry Museum, where you can watch but not touch the impressive animals when they aren’t out on parade.
For food, there are plenty of the usual chains and fast-food joints, but if you fancy something a little more cultural, there’s the Blue Door Bistro with a children’s menu of lighter and larger plates, with perhaps a walk through London’s parks to get some fresh air.
Enjoy London’s Less Well-Known Museums
King’s Cross restaurants offer a welcome respite for families to catch their breath, while visiting some of London’s more peculiar attractions, like the Postal Museum and the Foundling Museum (probably not for the very young). Great places to eat include Fatto a Mano, just for a name that kids will love, plus amazing-looking pizza recipes.
Then, if there’s any energy left, head to the Covent Garden area, where exhibitions like the Paradox Museum offer a fun and twisted take on reality. With the London Transport Museum offering a great time for any fans of Thomas the Tank Engine or locomotives in general.
Or you could head to Battersea and the mighty towers of the old power station where you will find plenty of art events and a lovely Dishoom Indian restaurant with all-day dining and a children’s menu that is gentle on the taste buds.
Wherever you end up in London, there’s usually a point of interest to visit and then somewhere amazing to eat after. Lining them up neatly to make a perfect trip of it can be done, with a little inspiration.
