Kids Go Free In London
20 Child-Friendly Holiday Outings With No Admission Charges
London has some great family days out, with free attractions open to tourists and locals alike. End holiday boredom, save money and go green by using public transport.
London can be an expensive place to entertain children, but family days out needn't break the bank. Many places offer free admission. Here are just twenty of them.
Visit a City Farm
City farms give children a chance to learn about nature. Some have farm shops, aviaries, petting zoos and playgrounds. For opening times and details, call or check the websites before traveling. Stepping Stones Farm, Stepney Way, E1, phone 020 7990 8204, and Spitalfields City Farm, Buxton Street, E1, are both near the District and Hammersmith and City Lines. Mudchute Park and Farm, Pier Street, E14, and Newham City Farm, Stansfield Road, London E16, are on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). Freightliners City Farm, Sheringham Road, N7, is on the Piccadilly or Victora Line. Deen City Farm, 39 Windsor Avenue, SW19, is on the Northern Line.
Parks and Open Spaces
London's parks are great places to picnic and play. At Richmond Park in West London, on the District Line, you can see deer and squirrels. Why not have a nature expedition and make an expedition diary to record what you see? At Crystal Palace Park in South London, huge Victorian dinosaur sculptures tell us how our ancestors saw prehistoric life. Fifteen species are represented, so you can hold your own dinosaur hunt.
Kensington Gardens, on the Central, District, and Circle lines, has a statue of Peter Pan, hero of books and films. There's a pirate ship to play on in its Princess Diana Memorial Playground, plus free concerts, story sessions and guided tree walks. St. James's Park and Green Park are near the Jubilee, Piccadilly, Victoria and District and Circle Lines and are rich in wildlife including playful squirrels.
High Tech London
There's a charge to visit the Thames Barrier but you can see the outside free from the Thames Barrier Park, near Pontoon Dock DLR station, open daily 7 am-sunset. There's a five a side football and basketball court and a fountain piazza where splashing around is encouraged.
To see the city of the future, go for a walk around Canary Wharf on the DLR - the huge offices and expensive apartment blocks are like something from a science fiction film. Each summer since 1996 (9-15 June in 2008), Canary Wharf hosts free motor show MotorExpo, with over 250 luxury vehicles, in the huge entrance lobby of One Canada Square. Boys of all ages will love it. The DLR itself, although not free to ride, is great fun, with elevated sections high above the ground offering a unique view of Docklands for the price of a ticket.
Child-Friendly London Museums
Many museums offer children's' activities. In west London, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, near South Kensington Underground on the Cromwell Road have dinosaur bones and interactive displays, an earthquake simulator, a real Moon landing module, and lots more. The Victoria and Albert Museum, right next door, has activities and gallery talks all year round plus a pretty courtyard for a picnic. A useful local website provides opening hours and links.
In the East End, the V&A Museum of Childhood, on Cambridge Heath Road, London E2, near Bethnal Green Underground, has toy and game collections. It's open 10 am -5.45 pm daily except 25 -26 December and 1 January. On Kingsland Road, the Geffrye Museum has plenty of activities for children, and a Kids' Zone on its website. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 12 noon-5 pm, it's a 15 minute walk from Old Street Underground, on bus routes 149, 242, 243,67 and 394.
Music and Crafts
Major city-centre arts venues like the Royal Opera House, the Barbican Centre and the Wigmore Hall offer free foyer concerts, music events and craft days for children, including those with physical challenges.
Need more ideas? London's Time Out magazine carries a weekly updated list of free childrens' events including music, crafts, and storytelling. Check it for free on their website.
