London with boys aged 4 and 7

[colsy]

Londoners/London visitors: we are planning a trip to London soon with our boys, aged 4 and 7. We've got three days there. We want to take things slowly and do just a few things rather than rushing about trying to fit in everything we can. What are your top things to do with kids this age in London? (Ideally free of charge - or at least not super-costly.)

We've got accommodation, so don't need hotel suggestions - but some ideas for good-quality but family-friendly restaurants would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[pillarbox_red]

My son enjoyed all the sight seeing:
Big Ben
Buckingham Palace
Trafalgar Square
Downing Street
Horse Guards
Tower Bridge & Tower of London
A wander down the south bank, looking at the boats on the river and seeing the Eye. There is often quite a few street entertainers around that kids love to watch.
He loved the Princess of Wales Memorial Park in Kensington Gardens. Definitely worth a visit, it's a fab park.
National History Museum is free and I believe the Science Museum is too but we haven't been.
We went to the Transport Museum
which was really good but it cost to get in.
We also went on a Duck Tour (boat type bus things that go from the road onto the river) this was a huge hit with DS.
If you can stand being asked for every toy in the shop, Hamleys is great too.

As for food, we just ate at TGI Fridays one night and Pizza Hut the next - DS is quite fussy and these are fail safe places for us.

 

[morri]

We just went to the parks there, they are nice. (part from a cnvention) and the natural history museu,m.

 

[Cassie123]

We did the Natural History Museum with our then 4 year old. It is still one of the best things ever and is still talked about regularly 6 months later! We also went to pizza hut and the science museum.

 

[Button#]

The maritime museum in Greenwich is fab for kids with the cutty sark next to it as well.

 

[Wombat]

Definitely:

a boat ride
natural history museum (dinosaurs! both of mine loved it!)
a ship next to Borough market (forgot the name)
london aquarium


If you get a chance - go see "Lion king" musical! They still remember it (we went to London 3 years ago). They wresting with their mouth open the whole time.

 

[wishingonastar]

Science museum

Natural history museum

Princess Diana memorial park (fabulous play park though check opening times as it's gated with security so only go when open!)

If you're in UK and collect clubcard points you can exchange these.for stuff to do.

If getting train you can go to the London by train website which let's you print tickets to get child in free to say thanks for getting train (we did London zoo)

Kellogs products have child goes free vouchers printed on a lot of them

 

[wishingonastar]

Oh and garfunkels is reasonable price and family friendly

 

[Pearls18]

Rainforest Cafe is a fun place to eat (although pricey) or Disney cafe in Harrods. We love the museums (when we lived in London we frequently visited, never got bored), didn't think much to the aquarium, Ripley's or M&M world. I'd probably try the dungeons next time, not been with the kids before. My boys are a tad younger and I think they would appreciate London eye now.