Tracy Tristram- Tracy Tristram
Things to do in London this weekend with kids
We're turning our mind to a whole load of family fun when it comes to things to do in London with the kids this weekend, and with Halloween screaming into town in just a few weeks, there's plenty of ghoulish adventures to be had.
Pick a pumpkin or two
Pumpkin season is upon us so check out the London for Kidz guide to where the patches are at around London, and then go have a gourdeous time with your little monsters.
www.londonforkidz.com/post/pumpkin-patches-near-london
Head to Chiswick for a Spooky Halloween Trail
From 4 to 31 October 2022 Chiswick House & Gardens is getting in a Halloween mood with a spooky, illuminated Halloween trail that features haunted woods complete with neon cobwebs, witches, ghouls and all things fangtastic for families. Look out for delish, decadent treats along the trail! www.chiswickhouseandgardens.org.uk/event/halloween-at-chiswick-house-gardens/
Shop at a Farmer's Market
Shady tree lined Phillimore Walk is the perfect place for a farmer's market and that's what you'll find there this Sunday: rain or shine. We're talking fresh food in the fresh air including from freshly caught fish and shellfish, seasonal fruit, vegetables, pies, bread, seasonal game, free range and organic eggs plus poultry, meat, preserves, flowers and much more. Happy browsing!
When: Every Sunday, 10am-2pm
Where: Phillimore Walk, High Street Kensington W8 7RX
Cost: Free admission
www.lfm.org.uk/markets/high-street-kensington/
Have an awesome time at Lego Club
It's free and it's awesome: yep, it's the weekly Lego Club held at Blackfen Community Library every Saturday. Unleash your inner Master Builder and have a fun, family time whipping up creations galore. If the whole team are on board then make sure to book a family table to play and create together on.
When: Every Saturday, 10-11am
Where: Blackfen Community Library and Rooted Coffee House, Blackfen Road, Blackfen DA15 9LU
Cost: Free but make sure to register.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saturday-lego-club-for-kids
Go behind the scenes at Westminster Abbey
One to do with the older kids who love to investigate and explore a historic London spot, the Explore Behind the Scenes tour of Westminster Abbey is a must. This 75-minute adventure will take you to areas not normally open to the public and you'll get to check out the lost medieval sacristy, recently revealed during one of its biggest ever archaeological projects. Because of the nature of the tour children need to be 15 for this one, folks, so tip your teens out of bed and get some tix, stat.
When: Saturday 8 October (and other dates throughout October),
Where: Westminster Abbey, 20 Deans Yard, London SW1P 3PA
Cost: £15 per person payable at the Abbey.
www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-events/special-tours-and-events
Check out a quirky, free museum
An aquarium, a butterfly house (closed for refurb right now) and the vast collections of well-travelled Victorian tea trader and philanthropist Frederick John Horniman, this wonderful gem of a museum is a treasure trove packed with anthropology, natural history and a stack load of curiosities. It's free to get into the museum and gardens but do book your spot ahead of time.
When: Open daily except Wednesdays
Where: 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ
Cost: Free (small charge for the aquarium, butterfly house and some exhibitions). Donations welcome.
Keep the kids busy with messy play
We love, love, love everything about Art Play nestled in the Shoreditch part of the city, and can highly recommend its cool weekend classes. These child-led sessions provide your little ones with the freedom to explore and create through sensory activities (and you don't have to do the clearing up!). All the wins.
When: Every Saturday, various times
Where: Art Play, 56 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EZ
Cost: Various depending on class.
Get down to a city farm
We've got not 1, not 2, not even 3 but 10 udderly fabulous farms and animal sanctuaries for you to check out in and around London this weekend and beyond.
www.londonforkidz.com/post/10-city-farms-in-london-plus-animal-sanctuaries
Take a flight with the Red Arrows!
How cool is this happening over at the Science Museum? Fly Kids is a pay-as-you-go flight simulator that lets your child experience the sights and sounds of flying with the Red Arrows during one of their aerobatic displays, and is suitable for little ones age 2 to 5 years. For the bigger kids there is the equally as cool Red Arrows 3D. When: Open daily, 10.20–17.00. Last ride at 17.00
Where: Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
Cost: It's free admission into the museum, but Fly Kids is £2 per child and Red Arrows is £5 per child.
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/fly-kids
Discover London's dark history
If it's a day out with a difference you're after when it comes to things to do in London with kids, then Clink Prison Museum is exactly the kinda gruesomely good adventure you're after. Read our review on one of the best museums in London when it comes to hands-on, historic family fun and then get yourselves over there this weekend. When: 10am-6pm daily Where: 1 Clink Street, London SE1 9DG (nearest station: London Bridge)
Cost: From £6.50 per person
Check out the oldest natural history collection in the UK
Pickled brains, bones aplenty and over 68,000 zoological specimens: For an unusual day out in London with kids it doesn't get much quirkier than this! Head over to The Grant Museum of Zoology for a fascinating journey around the animal kingdom through a heap of family activities: all for free!
When: Every Saturday 11am-5pm
Where: Grant Museum of Zoology, Rockefeller Building, University College London, 21 University Street, WC1E 6DE
Cost: Free, and no booking currently required
www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/grant-museum-zoology
Tee off for an above par family adventure
We just published a whole guide on the best crazy golf, pitch and putt and foot golf spots around London. Book ahead before you go to save disappointing your little birdies if there's no availability. www.londonforkidz.com/post/adventure-crazy-golf-spots-in-london
Go on a free walking tour
The City of London has been plagued by disaster for Centuries and this free walking tour will take you to some of the historical sites you might not otherwise know about. From Pudding Lane (where the Great Fire of London started) to Roman ruins, mass plague graveyards to execution sites from the middle ages, this is a fascinating, guided tour not to be missed. When: 8 October, 2.30pm sharp
Where: Monument Station: look out for your guide carrying a green umbrella
Cost: Free
www.freelondonwalkingtours.com/tour/fire-pestilence-and-plague-tour
Take your Monopoly skills to the next level
Located in the heart of London, Monopoly Lifesized is an immersive, on-your-feet version of the world’s favourite family game brand played on a 15m x 15m lifesized Monopoly board! Try the Junior Monopoly Board to find out who is going to be Monopoly Champ on this race against the clock to solve a mystery, crack some codes and, of course, buy some of London's most iconic buildings. Bagsy Mayfair.
When: Check website for game times.
Where: 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7PS
Cost: From £32.50 per person www.monopolylifesized.com
Need more inspo when it comes to things to do in London this weekend with kids? Then how about:
Family guide to the Tower of London
Hobble on down to Hobbledown Adventure Farm
Nice buns, hun: best burgers in London
Best museums in London for families
Head over to Wands & Wizard Exploratorium
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