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.
Coram’s Fields
One of the best things about raising kids in London is the abundant green space and spacious playgrounds. Unlike the many small, paved playground lots you find in most cities, the playgrounds and parks in London are often set inside a beautiful grassy surrounding, removed from the ‘hustle and bustle’ of busy London.
Coram’s Fields is exactly this kind of place. This unique 7-acre park located in the heart of central London, close to the British Museum, is home to grassy lawns (perfect for a picnic), sandpits, a few different playgrounds, a paddling pool (opened in the summer time), a kid-friendly café, and even a little city farm (sheep, goats, ducks, chickens, etc.)! The gated lot provides a safe place for children to run freely and play; adults without children are not allowed to enter.
An entire city block devoted just to kids. Now this is why I love London…
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Villandry | Inn the Park! | Rossopomodoro Pizza |
Belgo — for mussels and frites!
Twenty years ago London had a reputation for having bad food (let’s be honest, ‘bangers and mash’ are not the most innovative of foods). Now however, thanks to an influx of new British chefs, even traditional English food can be tasty. But, what truly makes London’s food so interesting in my opinion, is the growing number of international restaurants in this city. You can now find some of the world’s best French, Italian, Spanish, Indian, Middle Eastern and Chinese restaurants across London. (My only complaint is the lack of good Mexican restaurants!) Seriously, if you’re craving it chances are you can find it!
Belgo is one such restaurant… where you can walk from the rainy streets of London straight into a Belgian world of traditional (and tasty) mussels, frites and hundreds of Belgium’s best beers.
There’s nothing really fancy about it, but the food is good and the atmosphere is authentic. And what’s more? It’s extremely kid-friendly with loads of highchairs and a kid’s menu which includes a mini pot of mussels and an activity kit. And, want the best news? Kids eat completely free!
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Kenwood House | Tricycle Theatre | Melrose & Morgan |
Princess Diana Memorial Playground
One of the most well-known of London’s many playgrounds is the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens. Known to local mums as the “pirate ship” because of the giant wooden pirate ship in the center, this playground is certainly worth the hype.
There’s a ‘beach’ of sand surrounding the pirate ship, as well as various toys, play structures, swings, and a ’sensory trail’ where kids can experiment with different sounds. There’s also a separate section for younger babies, where they can play in the sand without worrying about being trampled by the older kids.
The playground opened in June 2000 in memory of the late princess, and is located next to her Kensington Palace home. Check the website for opening times, as they change depending on the time of year. And I must warn you: on a sunny day it gets very crowded — so crowded you might have to queue to get in!
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Paddington Street Gardens and Playground | Inn the Park! | Daunt Books |
Bugs, Frogs and Fish at the London Zoo…
The ZSL London Zoo is not largest zoo I’ve ever seen, nor does it have a very impressive range of large animals (no elephants or rhinos, etc.). But, for a zoo in the middle of such a dense city like London, the zoo does exactly as it should: it places emphasis on the smaller creatures in this world, like bugs of all sorts, butterflies, fish, reptiles and amphibians, and birds of the jungle. All of these different exhibits, each in their own separate building, are located indoors, which means even on a rainy day you can still enjoy a long day at the zoo!
In fact, I have to say, that I think my kids actually prefer these indoor exhibits. My son, with a particular fondness of sea creatures, could spend hours inside the small but extensive aquarium. He also really loves the reptiles and amphibians, with loads of large snakes, lizards, turtles and frogs. And if you arrive in the later part of the afternoon, as we usually do, you may even get to see these animals at feeding time, which is great fun! (We once spent a good 20 minutes watching a lizard chase around all the crickets in his cage!) (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| The London Duck Tours | Orangery Restaurant | Inn the Park! |
Orangery Restaurant
If you’re visiting London, you’ll probably want to make a booking for afternoon tea to be assured a true English experience. If you’re coming to London with your kids, you should plan on having tea at the Orangery Restaurant in the beautiful Kensington Gardens.
The Orangery, located literally smack in the center of the park, is directly opposite Kensington Palace, and right next to one of London’s most famous playgrounds: the Princess Diana Memorial Playground (known to London mums as the ‘pirate ship’). The location is ideal for an afternoon outing for families, and their ‘kids’ version’ of afternoon tea allows you to bring them along without feeling out of place. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Hanover Gate Playground in Regents Park | The London Duck Tours | Paddington Street Gardens and Playground |
Inn the Park!
My husband took our little family to this restaurant on Mother’s Day this year. It was a lovely (but cold) day, and was a perfect setting for a Mother’s Day brunch. Inn the Park is, as the name implies, in the middle of the lovely St. James’s Park, overlooking ‘duck lake’.
Last week, with the warm summertime weather we were having, we went back for dinner on their terrace, and I was reminded of how much I love this restaurant. The tear drop shape of the building was designed to fit into the ‘gently undulating landscape’ of London’s oldest royal park. You can’t see it from the road, and so it feels like a little treasure once you’re there. Surprisingly, this sleek restaurant is also extremely kid-friendly. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Coram’s Fields | Orangery Restaurant | The London Eye |
Daunt Books
Our first flat in London was located right off Marylebone High Street, and around the corner from London’s most beautiful bookshop, Daunt Books. The year we spent living in that flat I read at least one book a week. I couldn’t get enough. Every time I passed by Daunt Books, there was a new window display of books that sucked me in! And the staff were always so helpful — they got to know my reading interests and would recommend new books to me each week.
The Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street is an original Edwardian bookshop, famous for its Travel section, which is stocked with a unique arrangement of books (guides, novels, non-fiction) organized by country. The long oak galleries and big skylights lend toward the beautiful interior feel of the bookshop. It’s worth a browse inside simply for the beauty. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Petersham Nurseries | Couverture | Gracelands Café |
Brora
Every time we have friends and family visiting us from the States I take them to Brora– the ’shop-supreme’ for famous Scottish Cashmere. It is just one of those shops everyone loves. A v-neck jumper for my husband, a button-up cardigan for my aunt, their cozy cashmere blankets for my mom, gloves and scarf for my sister, hats for my brothers, baby blankets for new babies, etc. etc.
Brora’s aim is to give classic Scottish cashmere a contemporary twist. You can literally get any style of jumper in just about any color.
My favorite section in Brora? The baby and kid’s lines. (You’re never too young for a bit of cashmere)… (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Gracelands Café | Natural History Museum | Kew Gardens |
Villandry
I just got back from a lunch date with a girlfriend… We drank wine, ate mussels and squid, felt very stylish and enjoyed ourselves immensely… even WITH the kids! (That never happens).
We went to Villandry, the gorgeous gourmet food-shop and restaurant on Great Portland Street in central London. Stylish décor, buzzing ambience, great food, charming staff…and VERY kid-friendly. (They even have a “paint your own ice cream” dessert plate for kids, complete with paint brush and “paints” (chocolate, strawberry and white chocolate sauces). (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Paddington Street Gardens and Playground | Belgo — for mussels and frites! | Daunt Books |
Primrose Bakery — our favourite cupcakes in London
Cupcakes are big in America (I’ll never forget my first bite of a Magnolia Bakery cupcake… mmm), and they are becoming more and more popular. Bakeries are opening up across the U.S. selling “freshly made and hand-frosted” cupcakes. They’re the new “it” treat! I just LOVE them! So you can imagine my disappointment when we moved to London 4 years ago and there was nothing here that could compare. Unlike America, handmade cupcakes didn’t seem to be on the rise.
Thankfully, Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas of Primrose Bakery are taking charge, and London now seems to be catching up!
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Melrose & Morgan | Belgo — for mussels and frites! | Tricycle Theatre |
Carluccio’s
With more than 10 different locations across central London, Carluccio’s is a good ‘go-to’ restaurant for decent food, friendly service and great accommodations for kids!
Carluccio’s Italian restaurants are kid-friendly without being obnoxious, and comfortable without losing their charm. It’s a great family dinner spot where you can share a bottle of wine with your husband, while your kids stay entertained!
The kid’s menu, which includes breadsticks, entreé, a drink, and ice cream for dessert, comes as an activity set with cute wooden coloring pencils, a color-your-own puzzle kit, and fun games. It’s super cute, and my kids LOVE it! (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Ottolenghi | Hearts will Melt… | Caramel Baby |
London’s Transport Museum
I recently took my kids to the London Transport Museum and was really, really impressed, both with the displays and with the hands-on children’s activities. The museum, which gives a very detailed history of London’s public transportation, is located in Covent Garden, right in the piazza. The museum takes you through time and shows you how vehicles have developed to their modern-day form. On display is an original steam locomotive from the 1800s, horse-drawn trams, London’s first motor bus, and an electric trolley bus from the 1930s.
Several of the buses and transport vehicles are available to climb on. Kids can sit in the driver’s seat of a London bus (old and new) as well as pretend (through interactive video) that they are driving the tube through an underground tunnel. Needless to say, my kids loved it!
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| The London Duck Tours | Carluccio’s | The London High Street |
