Science Museum
If you haven’t already been, the Science Museum should be at the top of your “to do” list of London family destinations. We were lucky enough to be invited to check out its attractions for ourselves this week – and we were not disappointed with what we discovered…
Read MoreNatural History Museum
Going to see the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum is a rite of passage for any child; I can still remember my first trip there in the mid-1980s, and this week it was MJ’s turn to see T-Rex and his friends for the first time.
Read MoreStepney City Farm
Babydaytripper likes nothing better than a city farm and so this week we set off to explore the one in Stepney, East London. We found Stepney City farm nestling between urban buildings and a Crossrail construction site, close to the historic St Dunstan’s church, home of the famous “bells of Stepney” in the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons.
Read MoreBDT goes large: National Railway Museum, York
Babydaytripper has gone large this week with a review of the National Railway Museum in York, instead of the usual London-based day out. Normal service will resume next week. In the meantime, and given we’ve been out and about a bit further afield over the summer, here’s the first of our new series of reviews of baby friendly destinations outside the big smoke…
Read MoreBritish Museum
In my opinion, everyone should go to the British Museum at least once. I hadn’t been for a while, and was in the area with MJ, so we made an impromptu trip to have a look at the Olympic and Paralympic medals. Whilst we were there we took a quick tour of the permanent collection and had a look at what else was new.
Read MoreWhat’s on at the weekend? – Paralympics special edition
It seems like ages since the Olympic Games finished, but thankfully the Paralympics are finally here to perk things up again. Head along to one of the big screens located across London to watch the action, or take in one of the London 2012 Festival events. And when you’re tired out from admiring all of that sporting prowess, pop over to King’s Cross for this weekend’s ice cream festival…
Read MoreNational Army Museum – Kids’ Zone Soft Play
The galleries of the National Army Museum in Chelsea take visitors on an interactive journey through British military history – but it’s the Museum’s fantastic soft play area which has families with small children heading there in their droves.
Read MoreMudchute Park & Farm
The spotlight has been on East London for the past two weeks, with more visitors exploring the area than ever before. To fill the gaping hole left by the end of the Olympic Games, and before the crowds arrive for the Paralympics, this week’s post is a review of Mudchute Park & Farm on the Isle of Dogs, London’s largest city farm…
Read MoreWhat’s on at the weekend? – 18, 19 August 2012
The weekend’s set to be a scorcher – need ideas for family-friendly fun in the sun? Look no further, we’ve rounded up what’s on outdoors this weekend in London.
Read MoreOlympic Park – visiting with a baby (Part 2)
You may recall that we first visited the Olympic Park in February (click here) to attend a test event at the Velodrome. This time, we didn’t attend an Olympic event, but had tickets to spend the day visiting the Olympic Park itself. It’s amazing how much work has been done since February to convert what was still mostly a building site back then into the final park. The result is overwhelmingly impressive, although there are a few areas where there’s room for improvement. Here’s how we rated our experience…
Read MoreBT London Live – Hyde Park
It was the first proper day of the Olympics in London today, so we decided to get a free taste of the action. After watching the men’s cyclists set off from The Mall in the road race, we headed to Hyde Park, where BT is hosting the free London Live festival every day during the Olympic Games.
Read MoreSummer in London: 10 budget family activities
It’s the start of the school holidays and Olympic mania is about to descend on London. What activities do you have planned for the summer? We’ve compiled our top ten list of budget activities for all the family…
Read MoreCoram’s Fields
This week we spent a sunny afternoon at Coram’s Fields. Located in the heart of Bloomsbury, Coram’s Fields is a park and playground reserved exclusively for under 16s – in fact, adults are not allowed into the park at all unless accompanied by a child. The park is named after shipwright, sailor and philanthropist, Captain Thomas Coram, who created the Foundling Hospital for abandoned children in the eighteenth century following a long campaign to obtain the necessary Royal Charter (see our review of the Foundling Museum). The Foundling Hospital stood on the site of the present day park until the building was demolished in the 1920s – the land was saved thanks to fundraising and charitable donations so that it could be preserved for the use of children living in or visiting London.
Read MoreGreen Park and St James’s Park
At last! Summer is here (even if it may have departed again by the time I publish this post) and so what could be better than a picnic in the park? Before Jubilee fever grips the country this weekend, we decided to explore two of central London’s most famous Royal open spaces: Green Park and neighbouring St James’s Park.
Read MoreBattersea Park and Battersea Park Children’s Zoo
If you read this blog regularly you will know that we generally try to review destinations that are free or have low cost admission. This week, however, our trip coincided with a special occasion and so we decided to splash out on a visit to the (really quite reasonably priced, all things considered) Battersea Park Children’s Zoo.
Read MoreDulwich – Picture Gallery and Park
We were hoping for a bit of fresh air this week, but the incessant rain meant another museum-based babydaytrip. Nevermind, there are more museums and galleries in London than you can shake a stick at and this week it’s another good one, Dulwich Picture Gallery. The rain cleared whilst we were inside the Gallery, so we headed across the road for a stroll in Dulwich Park once we were done – bonus!
Read MoreHorniman Museum and Gardens
I have to declare an interest in the subject of this week’s post: the Horniman is my local museum and my son and I have spent many a happy hour there. Behind its attractive Arts and Crafts exterior, this quirky South London museum houses the eclectic collections of the tea merchant and philanthropist, Frederick John Horniman. With 16 acres of gardens, an aquarium, and its famous, stuffed Victorian Walrus (yes, really), the Horniman Museum is a great, family-friendly destination.
Read MoreSpitalfields City Farm
Mention Brick Lane and you might be thinking about curries, trendy boutiques, vibrant nightlife or the famous 24-hour bagel shop. Or at least I do, but maybe that’s a sign of a misspent youth. When I’m in the area these days, I’m less likely to be found checking out a new bar, and more likely to be taking a short detour down a side street to the Spitalfields City Farm…
Read MoreCrystal Palace Park
After our successful trip to Greenwich Park a couple of weeks ago, this week we set off to explore another of London’s fantastic, green spaces: Crystal Palace Park. Although the Crystal Palace that gave the area its name is long gone, the Park retains a number of quirky attractions that make it worth a visit.
Read MoreGreenwich Park and National Maritime Museum
If you live in London, the chances are that you have been to Greenwich at some point. One of the capital’s prettiest and most historic areas, with its bustling market, quirky boutiques and riverside location – it’s an appealing, if touristy, place to hang out. But unlike many areas of London, Greenwich’s charm only increases once you have children, with its fantastic park and Royal Museums offering all you could need for a family day out. The Borough was bestowed with Royal status this year to mark the Queen’s Jubilee and Greenwich Park will host the Olympic equestrian events this Summer, making 2012 the perfect opportunity to discover (or rediscover) Greenwich’s charms. There’s too much to do in one day, so this time our babydaytrip took in Greenwich Park and the National Maritime Museum.
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