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.
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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| Hope for your feet… | Gracelands Café | Kew Bridge Steam Museum |
Blue Daisy
Last year around this time, my local art store closed. Bummer, I thought. Until I saw what replaced it… Blue Daisy — a great children’s store in Hampstead with everything one could possibly need for newborns up to pre-schoolers.
They stock all my favorite and necessary items, like the Beaba Baby Cook and silicone spoons, the Mokopuna merino wool baby clothes, the Swaddle Designs swaddling blankets, Sophie the Giraffe, bottles, bibs, bath toys, buggies, wooden toys, etc. etc. Need a Bumbo or Baby Bjorn baby chair? Or how about the Phil & Teds Me Too chair? They have it at Blue Daisy. Seriously, if you want it, chances are they have it. (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Hampstead Heath | Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre | Daunt Books |
Couverture
I have always loved the shopping of Notting Hill. Whether it’s the great finds on Portobello, the trendy restaurants on Westbourne Grove, or the great boutiques along Ledbury Road, Notting Hill is one of those areas that has it all. But in the last two years, it has become the place to shop for your trendy tot in need of a fashion fix! I was already thrilled about the arrival of Caramel Baby and Petit Aime on Ledbury Road, but then I took a stroll down Kensington Park Road a few weeks ago and discovered yet another favorite find: Couverture!
Couverture is the kind of shop that makes you want to run straight home, replace your dingy pillows with new ones, hide all your cheap, plastic toys, make your home a bit more chic and minimal, AND give your wardrobe a re-think! (more…)
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Daylesford Organic | Kidsen | 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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| Ottolenghi | Rossopomodoro Pizza | Petit Aimé |
Petit Aimé
Imagine… all your favourite French brands beautifully displayed in one place… without having to go to France! C’est magnifique!
Fans of the lovely women’s clothing boutique, Aimé, on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill will be psyched to know that the owners (two French sisters…and mothers) have opened up a children’s boutique right next door, called Petit Aimé.
Prepare yourself to love everything. From the intricate and colourful displays to all the gorgeous brands (BonTon, Makié, Oona L’ourse, Tuff, Noro, Isabel Marant, etc.). They also sell a fun collection of toys from Vilac, Tse Tse, Petite Pan, and others.
It’s beautiful, it’s French, it’s chic! It might possibly be my new-found treasure trove…
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Couverture | Gracelands Café | Daylesford Organic |
A week in London
Monday:
Head to Lazy Daisy Café on London’s famous Portobello Road for a quick lunch. They’re all set up for kids, with a basket of toys and even changing tables (nappies and wipes) in the bathroom! If it’s a sunny day, you can even sit outside. After lunch, walk a few blocks south on Portobello Road to the Electric Cinema. They have a 3:00 screening slot set up for mums and their babies under 1-year-old. You “valet park” your buggy, take your seat at one of the cozy armchairs, and enjoy a coffee and treat. Your baby sits on your lap, and no worries if they scream– it’s actually called “Electric Scream” because it is to be expected! This is the perfect way to stay up-to-date on recent films, and is a fun way to meet other mums with babies. (Buy your ticket early on Monday because they always sell out)!
