Traveling to London with kids? Here's an insider guide for what to do and where to go, tested by us and proven to be kid-friendly and cool.
Hope & Greenwood
I used to keep a picture in the front of my diary of an old-fashioned sweet shop. You know the kind: shelves stacked with glass jars brimming with brightly-coloured sweets. The Juliette Binoche in me always quite fancied being a ‘purveyor of splendid confectionery’. However these days there would be little point in me following this dream as Hope & Greenwood do it so perfectly.
They have stores in Dulwich & Covent Garden (which would be perfect if you happen to be taking a trip to Benjamin Pollocks as per my last post), but they are also sold in some pretty lovely other places: Liberty, Selfridges, Fortum & Mason (to name but a few) and of course you can buy them online from their site. I find the Miss Hope’s Jolly Mixture a very exciting treat and the Sugar free Gummy Bears a good one to ensure the children don’t bounce off the ceiling with too much sugar! (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Belgo — for mussels and frites! | Coram’s Fields | Blossom Mother and Child |
Bushy Park
Bushy Park is the second largest of the Royal Parks. The park and in particular the grand promenade ‘Chestnut Avenue’ that runs through the centre of it, were designed by Sir Christopher Wren (of St. Paul’s Cathedral fame) as the entrance to Hampton Court Palace (more on the palace soon).
The park is also a deer Park but has a more formal-grounds feeling to it than its neighbour Richmond Park. We love the new Pheasantry Welcome Centre, pictured, (which opened last summer) and has a great café backing onto the Woodlands Gardens (which is a section of the park closed off to dogs but great for small children, with a large duck pond and plenty of tree-stumps to climb). Another top-spot is by the car-park near The Diana Fountain, where there is a model boat pond with some very impressive boats to go and watch terrorising the ducks. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Kew Gardens | No tantrums here… | French bread in London |
Benjamin Pollocks
I grew up in a little farming village about 100 miles north of London and only made very rare trips to the ‘big smoke’ as a child. I remember one very special trip when my Godmother (literally one of the coolest people on the planet) brought me down for a WHOLE weekend in London for my 9th birthday. We saw a show and explored the city and I vividly remember stumbling across the most magical old-fashioned toyshop, which specialised in Toy Theatres.
Recently I had a reason to re-find that store, and the magic hasn’t left the place! Benjamin Pollocks is a delightfully old fashioned place (originally established in the 1880s) in the Covent Garden Piazza. I must warn you — it isn’t buggy friendly as you have to climb a narrow staircase to reach it and the shop is small and crammed to the rafters with toys, but worth the trip indeed. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| London’s Transport Museum | The London Eye | Coram’s Fields |
The Polka Theatre
Did I ever tell you I wanted to be an actress when I was a kid? I know, I know, it isn’t such a strange ambition but I was pretty serious and headed off to stage school when I was 11 to learn my craft. Somewhere along the way stage-fright took over and I decided a life on the stage wasn’t for me. I’m sure my kids (like me) will be big fans of the big screen but I want them to also inherit my love of stage performances too — that’s why I love the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon– a theatre which specialises in children’s productions and caters for a wide age-range (starting as young as 6 months).
The Polka is celebrating its 30th birthday this year and it is no surprise that it is still going so strong. They have a consistent high-standard of performances aimed at children and often have high-profile directors and actors involved. They also have a very good programme of stage-related workshops for slightly older children during school holidays. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Kew Gardens | River Café | Battersea Park |
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is the largest royal park in London, covering 2,500 acres of land and has been a Royal Park since Edward I (1272 – 1307). There are around 650 deer that roam free and stand elegantly among the ferns, blending in to the landscape, which is why it is sometimes known as ‘The Deer Park’. We’re very lucky, as we live a stone’s throw away from the park and go almost daily. So I have some favourite places to mention…
We often park up at Pembroke Lodge* (a lovely canteen/tea-room which used to be the residence of our Prime Minister, Lord John Russell in 1847), and from there walk north to King Henry VIII’s mound, where on a clear day you can see 12 miles to St. Paul’s Cathedral! Or we head east across the road to the ponds. *Note: Pembroke Lodge tends to bring out freshly made (warm!) scones at around 3pm daily, served with cream and jam. There is nothing nicer than a sweet-treat after a bout of fresh air, I find. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| No tantrums here… | Rossopomodoro Pizza | Natural History Museum |
Elias & Grace
Elias and Grace is a small but well stocked children’s shop located on the main strip in Primrose Hill. This trendy boutique has one of the best selection of clothing brands in London, including all our favourite European brands like Simple Kids, Quincy, Maan, Album di Famiglia, Petit Bateau, Pepe Shoes, Bonton, etc. Everything is displayed really well (in sections divided by gender) and they do a really good job of creating ‘looks‘, mixing up the different brands and styles. They also have a great online shop, and they ship internationally. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Primrose Bakery — our favourite cupcakes in London | Daunt Books | Hampstead Heath |
