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Things to do in that London

JTC

JTC

PFM Villager...
I'm heading down to London with my elder son (nearly 9) for a couple of days, and I'm looking for suggestions for interesting things to do in or around the centre. I'm wondering about the London Eye, maybe some of the museums, but anything a little less obvious would be welcome. I'm planning Greenwich Maritime museum for Saturday, so something contrasting would be good. Especially if it avoids toy stores or anywhere that stocks Lego ;)

I also might have to be a bad dad and meet with a client in Hammersmith for around an hour on Friday, and wondered if there were any interesting things that we can do afterwards in the locality. He'll be okay with his iPad in the office whilst I do my bad dad work thing...

ta
 
Something food based that to a nearly 9year old seem the hight of sophisticated dining and something he can photograph while eating and later boast about to his friends back home?
 
JTC said:
I'm heading down to London with my elder son (nearly 9) for a couple of days, and I'm looking for suggestions for interesting things to do in or around the centre. I'm wondering about the London Eye, maybe some of the museums, but anything a little less obvious would be welcome. I'm planning Greenwich Maritime museum for Saturday, so something contrasting would be good. Especially if it avoids toy stores or anywhere that stocks Lego ;)

I also might have to be a bad dad and meet with a client in Hammersmith for around an hour on Friday, and wondered if there were any interesting things that we can do afterwards in the locality. He'll be okay with his iPad in the office whilst I do my bad dad work thing...

ta
Click to expand...

Whilst you are in Greenwich my tip would be to make sure you pay a visit to the indoor market in Greenwich village. Really interesting range of stuff on sale and stalls selling food from all over the world.
 
Take him to see the Lion King. There's a themed restaurant nearby that is also fun. Also, you have to take him to see Hamley's:) Probably worth swinging by Covent Garden as they have street acts that can be entertaining.

Also, Science Museum at South Ken, and then walk up to Harrods. Hopefully they still have Lego there.

I didn't make enough time for my kids when they were 9. Now they're older I occasionally meet up with them in old haunts and bars in London.
 
The Science Museum and Natural history Museum are two museums kids enjoy a lot - also worth a visit is the London Acquarium.
 
Is there anything on a Ken Olympia that he might be interested in after the meeting?

I would also go to Chinatown and look in the resto windows, then go and have lunch. An 8 yr old boy will love seeing a bloke chopping up ducks with a bloody great cleaver, then going on to eat one.

One of my finest memories of a trip to London when I was a similar age involves an Italian resto, a proper one run by a family and not a chain. At that time I liked spag bol (come on, spag bol is sophisticated when you are 7 or 8!)and so we ordered it. A full scale adult portion arrived and I started wading through it. By the time I got to the end of it a small crowd of Italian mammas and aunties had assembled to marvel at this lovely little boy who was so well behaved and so obviously enjoyed their lovely food. It bloody was lovely too, the fact that I can remember it 40 yrs on tells its own tale.
 
Further votes for the Science/Nat Hist Museums and the London Eye - queuing can be a PITA but Saturday is supposed to be sunny so it'll be worth it for the views. Taking the Thames Clipper is a cool way to get to it if you want a boat trip as well.

I'd also add HMS Belfast to the list of possibles and if burgers are more your son's thing, there's plenty of decent options (Five Guys, MEATMarket, Byron, Jamie Oliver's Diner to name but three).
 
Second the Belfast, that's quite neat and we were there over the winter with my 6 year old. Some other things not mentioned are....

RAF museum in Hendon
London Transport Museum
Imperial War Musuem (we're there yesterday but it's a bit heavy)
London Zoo (the weather is awesome here right now)
Or a nice walk on Hampstead Heath or around Regents Park

Lots of activities at the Science Museum but that will be heaving with term break.
 
Purchase an Oyster Card for the lad so that he can do what grown ups do when travelling around The Great Wen and also have a souvenir of his trip.
 
We have had success in the past with my kids (8 and 7) at many of the places listed as well as Kew Gardens (benefits from good weather I think), Hampton Court, Tate Modern, Yo Sushi and the cinema in Westfield (there's your Hammersmith option, but watch out for the Lego shop), St James Park, St Pancras Station (not a bad Italian in there, they are pretty good with kids, setting is excellent and kids can pretend to be sophisticated - downside it's a chain - Carluccios). Just read Gangster Granny by David Walliams so planning a trip to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels next time.

If you are going to Greenwich consider taking the TfL bus/boat from Westminster pier, then back through Canary Wharf (DLR), new Jubilee Line and emirates cable car thing, that was a memorable day for ours.
 
by the way the Royal Palaces (Hampton Court, Tower of London, St James Palace, there are a couple of others) each tend to have a hefty entrance fee but if you pay a bit more (off the top of my head it's about £50 for a family) you get a year ticket which we can reuse and is transferable between them.
 
Agree that the Thames Clipper is the way to go to get to Greenwich. Maybe a trip up the Shard (if heights aren't a problem).
 
Thanks, lots of great suggestions. I'm very keen on the Clipper->Greenwich idea. Got to figure out the food side - he is an embarrassingly fussy eater ("I don't like this pizza, it's the wrong shape") for which I take no responsibility (blame his mum!) but pasta is a favourite...

auric said:
Purchase an Oyster Card for the lad so that he can do what grown ups do when travelling around The Great Wen and also have a souvenir of his trip.
Click to expand...
Good idea; I meant to check into this... I assume that 9 year olds have to pay the same for transport as do adults? Or is there a child version? I already have a very healthy Oyster balance (thanks, work ;-) so I'm covered :)

john
 
Indeed, i'd also say greenwich is a good bet. Get the combined ticket for the cutty sark, maritime museum and observatory. The cutty sark exhibition is probably good for a 9 year old, and walking around under the ship is memorable.

Definitely make it to the observatory, if only to see Harrison's clocks (the H1 -> H4 progression is on display there I believe). I also find the old vacuum pendulum clock there fascinating.

Other things over there, you could take the cable car across the river (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/emirates-air-line/) and come back into the city via the docklands railway (sit at the front of a driverless train is fun if you've never done it before)

I've not tried the glass walkway across tower bridge - heights aren't my thing, but that's worth a look.

I've a feeling you'll fill 2 days with ease!
 
The London aquarium, eye and dungeon are all together on the south bank. You can get a ticket that covers all three for a small fortune (we had annual merlin passes when we did them so it was a cheap day out for us :))

There were also entertainers along the south bank too (a fair bit cheaper than the above).

Be careful if you are near Leicester Square most kids get drawn to M&MWorld
 
The Tower Bridge suggestion sounds good - bit scary though ;)

Is the London Dungeon worth doing? I hear conflicting opinions in the office here, though I think I loved it when I did it back in the 80s as a youngster....
 
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