Best Things to Do in London With Kids

Are you planning a family vacation to London and wondering what are the best things to do in London with kids?  My family and I traveled to Europe recently and spent a few days in London.  Whether you have one day, one week, or one month in London, there are plenty of things to do with kids.  From afternoon tea to the Tower of London, keep reading to find out some of our favorites!  London even has the world’s biggest LEGO store for your LEGO-loving kid!

Best Things to Do in London With Kids

1. Tower of London
2. Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
3. Afternoon Tea (Chesterfield Mayfair)
4. LEGO Store
5. Harry Potter Studio Tour
6. Thames River Boat Cruise
7. Day Trips from London
8. London Eye
9. Tower Bridge
10. Big Ben
11. British Museum
12. Family Friendly Parks
13. Shrek’s Adventure London

Are you thinking of traveling across the pond to London with kids in tow?  If so, you’ll find there are plenty of things to do with kids in London.  My family and I visited London this past summer and my son (who was 6 at the time) is still talking about the things he was able to see and do while we were there.  So without further ado, here is my list of best things to do in London with kids, beginning with my favorite, the Tower of London!

Tower of London

The Tower of London is a must for kids and adults.  The Tower of London is a historic castle that was also used as a prison.  If you go, though, be prepared for long lines.  We ended up booking an all day tour of London on Viator which included tickets to the Tower of London.  There, my son was able to see the Crown Jewels, visit the Armoury, and have a picture taken with a Beefeater.  If your time is limited in London, this should definitely be on top of your list, especially if you are traveling with kids.

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Our all-day London tour also included a viewing of the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.  Timing is critical so if you aren’t taking a tour with a knowledgeable guide, be sure to prepare in advance.  You can click here to see the dates and times of the changing of the guard.

Afternoon Tea

London is known for its afternoon tea.  I wanted my son to be able to experience it, but I wanted to make sure it was kid friendly.  I narrowed it down to the afternoon tea at the Chesterfield Mayfair and the Afternoon Tea London Bus Tour.  Ultimately, I decided on booking the afternoon tea at the Chesterfield Mayfair. I knew that the sweet shoppe theme would appeal to my son, the prices were a bit cheaper, and we had more flexibility.  It turned out to be a great decision.  The Chesterfield Mayfair definitely has a British flair to it and I recommend it if you are looking for afternoon tea with kids.

LEGO Store

The LEGO store, located in Leicester Square in London, is the biggest LEGO store in the world.  I knew my LEGO-loving son would enjoy it, and it would be a fun introduction for him to London, especially since the flight from Arizona is a long one.  We brought back London-themed LEGO sets, too.  Kids (and adults) can have their photos taken in a tube station made out of LEGOs as well as see other iconic landmarks made from LEGOs like Big Ben.

Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour

The Harry Potter Studio Tour is not located in London itself.  Instead, it’s about an hour away from London, depending on traffic.  We ended up booking this tour through Viator.  If you book the tour through a third party, give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the meeting location for the tour.  You will also need to sign up for a specific time.  The Harry Potter Studio Tour is a lot of fun, especially for those who love the series.  We were able to see props, costumes and set designs used in the movies, as well as find out more about the movie making process.  My son was even able to make a guest appearance in one of the videos and “fly on a broom” 🙂  Between traveling to the Studio Tour, traveling back to London, and time spent at the Studio itself, it took all day.  As a result, I wouldn’t recommend booking anything else for that day.  You’ll want to take your time at the Studio Tour especially since there’s so much to see.  And there are plenty of photo opportunities, too!

Thames River Boat Cruise

The Thames River Boat Cruise is a relaxing way to see some of the sights from a distance.  Our all-day London tour concluded with the boat cruise.  Unfortunately, it was raining by then and seats inside the boat are limited.  Nevertheless, it was a more relaxing way to end the day.  The tickets were included in our all-day tour, so that was a bonus.  I do think, though, that if it’s between the boat cruise and a bus tour, I’d rather take a bus tour.

Day Trips from London

There are several day trips that families can take from London, like Stonehenge.  Since our ultimate destination was a cruise leaving out of Southampton, we ended up booking this tour that stopped along the way in Stonehenge.  Other day trips from London, though?  Bath, The Cotswolds, Oxford, and Windsor Castle.

London Eye

The London Eye is located on the South Bank of the River Thames and is basically a large, enclosed ferris wheel.  If you and/or your children are not a fan of heights, you’ll want to skip this.  If not, though, the view is amazing!

Tower Bridge

Whether you want to drive across the Tower Bridge, walk across the Tower Bridge, or have a picture taken with it in the background, the Tower Bridge is a landmark that shouldn’t be missed.  You can even take a tour of the exhibitions.  And if you’re lucky, you can witness the bridge lifting.

Big Ben

Big Ben is currently undergoing renovations and is expected to be completed in 2021.  However, we were still able to see it (scaffolding and all) and take pictures.  My son was extremely excited to see it in person, especially since he remembered it from Mary Poppins Returns.  As for me, I’ll always remember it, thanks to one of my favorite movies, National Lampoon’s European Vacation.  “Look kids….it’s Big Ben.”

British Museum

I’ll admit that I don’t particularly enjoy museums.  When I studied abroad in London many moons ago, I did visit the British Museum.  During this past summer, though, my family and I decided to skip the British Museum due to time constraints.  The British Museum is vast and it could take days to see everything it has.  However, with that being said, there are activities available for kids.  So if your family loves museums, then you’ll probably want to put the British Museum down on your must-see list.  Otherwise, spend time outdoors instead at one of the many family friendly parks in London.  Speaking of which….

Family Friendly Parks

London is known for its family friendly parks.  Some of the best parks in London for kids are St. James’ Park, Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and Battersea Park.  My son loves parks and enjoyed seeing the geese in the ponds.  It’s also a great way to let kids burn off some of their energy.

Shrek’s Adventure London

We didn’t have a chance to check out Shrek’s Adventure London due to lack of time.  But if you are visiting London for several days, then you can consider this as an add-on.  It’s interactive, and includes a 4D ride!

Where to Stay in London

Hotels in London are expensive.  Because we were only going to be in London for a few days, we wanted to stay at a hotel located near a tube station (similar to the subway for those of us from the U.S.) and not too far from major attractions.  As a result, we stayed at the Crowne Plaza London – the City since it’s located next to Blackfriars Station.  I highly recommend staying at this hotel, not just because of its location.  The rooms were bigger than I expected, and very clean.  After traveling to Europe extensively, I’ve learned that many European hotel rooms are very small unless you stay at a luxury hotel.  It definitely beats a youth hostel!  In any case, you’ll want to stay at a hotel that is conveniently located near a tube station, as well as a hotel that is clean and safe.

How to Get Around London

London traffic is terrible.  It can take forever to get from one location to another.  As a result, I recommend traveling by tube as much as possible.  Not only will you save time, but you’ll also save money since cab rides are expensive.  It’s also worth it to download transportation apps on your phone.  I downloaded a free app on my iPhone for London called Tube Map – London Underground and it was a game changer.  It took the stress out of navigating the streets of London and when I typed in our destination, it would tell me what connections we could take and told me the quickest route.  When you’re traveling with younger kids, this is huge.

As you can see, there are several things to do in London with kids!  When planning for trips, be sure to print out my free travel packing list here!