London with kids

12 activitiesGetting around 3-day itineraryChecked Oct 4, 2026

London with kids is easier than its size suggests. The city is mostly flat, the big museums are free, and children under 11 ride buses and the Tube without paying when they travel with an adult. The hard part is distance. Sights that look close on a map can be 40 minutes apart, and many central Tube stations have stairs and no lift, which matters a lot with a pushchair.

Plan by neighbourhood and you avoid most of that. South Kensington gives you two free museums side by side. The South Bank puts the aquarium, the London Eye and the river boats within a few minutes' walk. Keep the paid landmark sights for children old enough to care, and book timed tickets online, because walk-up prices are noticeably higher. Every fact on this page was checked against the attractions' official sources.

Things to do in London with kids

Zoo

London Zoo

child from £19.40

A full half day that works from babies to ten-year-olds, with indoor play if it rains.

Enjoys from 13h – 5hStroller OK

0-2 · Great3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Aquarium

SEA LIFE London Aquarium

child from £25

An hour to ninety minutes indoors, fully step-free, right next to the London Eye.

Enjoys from 11h – 1h30Stroller OK

0-2 · Great3-5 · Great6-10 · Fine11+ · Fine

Observation wheel

London Eye

child from £26

Thirty minutes in the capsule, but pushchairs must be folded before you join the queue.

Enjoys from 445 min – 1h30Folded only

0-2 · Tiring3-5 · Fine6-10 · Great11+ · Great

Castle

Tower of London

child from £19

Best from age six. Cobbles everywhere and no pushchairs inside the White Tower.

Enjoys from 62h – 3hStroller in part

0-2 · Tiring3-5 · Tiring6-10 · Great11+ · Great

Free museum

Natural History Museum

No ticket needed

Free, huge and very busy at weekends. Book the free ticket to skip the entry queue.

Enjoys from 32h – 3hStroller OK

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Great

Free museum

Science Museum

No ticket needed

Free with a pre-booked ticket. The Garden in the basement is made for ages 3 to 6.

Enjoys from 32h – 3hStroller OK

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Great

Museum

London Transport Museum

child from £0

Children 17 and under go free, and under-7s get their own play zone of mini vehicles.

Enjoys from 21h30 – 2h30Stroller OK

0-2 · Great3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Day trip

Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter

child from £47

A full day out of London that only pays off if your child knows the films.

Enjoys from 73h30 – 4h30Stroller in part

0-2 · Tiring3-5 · Tiring6-10 · Great11+ · Great

Boat ride

Thames cruise, Westminster to Tower Bridge

A 35 minute sit-down that doubles as transport from Big Ben to Tower Bridge.

Enjoys from 335 min – 1h10

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Cable car

IFS Cloud Cable Car

child from £3.50

A cheap thrill across the Thames in east London. Under-5s ride free.

Enjoys from 320 min – 40 minStroller OK

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Free playground

Diana Memorial Playground

No ticket needed

A free pirate-ship playground for under-13s. On sunny days the queue starts at 10:00.

Enjoys from 11h – 2h

0-2 · Great3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Skip

Theme park

LEGOLAND Windsor

child from £32

A whole day outside London, best for ages 3 to 10. Children under 90 cm go free.

Enjoys from 36h – 8hStroller OK

0-2 · Tiring3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Getting around

Step-free access. Transport for London says just over a third of Tube stations are step-free. Several stations families use most are not, including South Kensington for the museums and Covent Garden. All London bus routes run low-floor buses, which makes the bus the simplest option with a pushchair.
Pushchairs on buses and the Tube. On buses you can use the wheelchair space when it is free, but wheelchair users have priority by law, so you may need to fold the buggy or move. Most Tube trains have multipurpose areas suitable for buggies. The Central, Bakerloo and Waterloo & City lines do not.
Child fares. Children under 11 travel free on buses and trams. Up to four children under 11 travel free with a fare-paying adult on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line. For ages 11 to 15, ask staff at a Tube station to add the Young Visitor discount to an Oyster card, which gives half adult pay as you go fares for up to 14 days.

All transport notes

Itinerary

3 days in London with kids

South Kensington museums and the playgroundTwo free museums in the morning, then the pirate-ship playground in Kensington Gardens.

South Bank, the river and the TowerAquarium and London Eye, a one-way boat to Tower Bridge, then the Tower for over-6s.

London Zoo and Covent GardenA morning at the zoo, then the Transport Museum's old buses and play zone.

Open the full plan

London with kids: common questions

Do children pay on the London Underground?

Children under 11 travel free on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line with a fare-paying adult, up to four children per adult. Buses and trams are free for under-11s. Ages 11 to 15 can get half adult pay as you go fares with the Young Visitor discount, set on an Oyster card by station staff.

Is London easy with a pushchair?

On the street, yes, because the centre is mostly flat. On the Tube it is harder, since only about a third of stations are step-free and South Kensington and Covent Garden are not among them. Buses are all low-floor and are usually the easier choice.

Which London attractions are free for kids?

The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum are free for everyone, though the Science Museum requires a pre-booked free ticket. The Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens is free for children up to 12. The London Transport Museum is free for anyone 17 and under, with adults paying £27.

Is the Harry Potter studio tour worth it with young children?

Only if they know the films. It is outside London, takes most of a day, and adult tickets cost £58.50 in 2026. For fans from about seven it is the best day of the trip, and for under-6s it is long and tiring.