OK, so: Hi!

I live in south-west London with my partner and our two small girls - one school-age, one pre-school - I’ll call them Anna and Elsa for the purpose of this website, because they’ll like that. Although neither of them has magical snow powers.

I grew up in London and so did my wife; we both know most of the London tourist attractions pretty much inside and out (the good ones, anyway).

In particular we know the family venues really well: for example, we were both taken to the Natural History Museum ourselves when we were kids, and now here we are taking our own kids! So that means that we’re able to tell you what they’re like both from an adult viewpoint and from that of a child.

I’m hoping this website will provide a useful resource for families visiting from outside London - either from elsewhere in the UK or from overseas. For years I’ve been thinking “we must tell so-and-so about that when they visit!” and so I thought I might as well write it all down so that others can benefit. And also so I don’t just forget it all…

Anyway, these are our honest reviews of some places in London that are good to go with kids. We don’t get freebies and we’re not influenced by advertising - we’re just a regular family that wants to see visitors to our city have a wonderful time and not get ripped-off.

Some of our favourite things for families in London....

The roaring Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur at the Natural History Museum

The animatronic T. rex leaning forward with its mouth open, showing rows of teeth

“Mrs T-Rex”, the animatronic T-Rex.

Bubble Explorers at the Science Museum

A presenter in a red shirt holding up a tennis racket covered in a mass of shimmering bubbles

A presenter holding up a tennis racket covered in bubbles at the museum’s bubble show.

Everything at the London Transport Museum

Old double-decker buses, a tram and an old taxi lined up under the museum's iron and glass roof

Old buses and a taxi in the London Transport Museum’s main hall.

Cat Mummies at the British Museum

Mummified cat at the British Museum

An ancient Egyptian cat mummy in criss-cross bandages.

Paddling in the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, Hyde Park

A boy in swimming trunks wading up through fast-flowing water in the Diana Memorial Fountain, with picnickers on the grass behind

Paddling in the Diana Memorial Fountain.

Travelling by Tube (outside the rush hour)

A London Underground worker in an orange hi-vis vest, with a tall red mohican, standing on a platform beside a red and white train

A Tube worker with a tall red mohican, on a platform beside a train.

Watching Breakdancing outside the Southbank Centre

A breakdancer balancing on one hand in front of a crowd on the riverside walk

A breakdancer on the riverside walk.

Watching world-class ballet for £10 a seat or less at the Royal Opera House

Alice in a lilac dress lying in the splits with her head through a small door, looking startled

Sarah Lamb as Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Going on rides and seeing the animals at Chessington

Children in small wooden boats with white sails going round a ride, some of them with their arms in the air

Seastorm’s boats mid-ride.

Update

It’s a few years later now and our kids are nearly grown up! I’ve updated these articles and fact-checked them to make sure the info is still current. I hope you still find them useful.