Around Town

Skint mate from college | Grandparents | Teenage relative | Party animal | Friend with kids | Mum and dad | Long-distance lover | Seen-it-all-before cynic

Friend with kids
Landmark
The only landmarks most young children are interested in are those involving slides, and you'll want the buggers to get rid of all their energy so they'll sit still during lunch. The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens is one of the most imaginative, with a pirate ship and Tee Pee village to explore; Corams Fields (93 Guildford St, WC1) has everything from baby slides in sandpits to a helter skelter, as well as a small zoo. All adults must be accompanied by children. If you want them to actually look at something, try the Elfin Oak and Peter Pan statues in Kensington Gardens.

Museum
You can't go wrong with the Science or Natural History Museums, which is why they're always packed. Go off-piste with the Imperial War Museum (Lambeth Rd, SE1) which offers guns, planes and tanks as well as the fantastic 1940s house, or, further afield, Stratford's Discover (1 Bridge Terrace, E15), where children are encouraged to make up stories by dressing up, making puppets or just running around yelling.

Lunch
Time Out judged Gracelands (118 College Rd, NW10) to be London's best Family Restaurant in our 2006 Eating & Drinking Awards, and kid-friendly mini-chains Giraffe, Tootsies Grill (beefy burgers), and Tas (top Turkish) have branches near the major museums.
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Shop
Hamley's (188-196 Regent St, W1) has the thrill of the toy shop scene in 'Big', while Harrods food halls add a touch of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' to the experience. Jaguar pedal cars too indulgent? The Science Museum shop offers great quirky (and educational) toys.

Bar
At weekends, Smollensky’s On The Strand (105 Strand, WC2) offers balloon modelling, jesters and face-painters; exhausted parents, meanwhile, can neck cocktails. Otherwise, Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes (Tavistock Hotel, Bedford Way, W1/www.bloomsburybowling.com) is a cracking new retro ten-pin bowling alley/diner.

Evening
Perennials such as 'Wicked’ or ‘Billy Elliot the Musical' at the Victoria Palace Theatre (8 Victoria Street, London, SW1) are genuinely thrilling. London first purpose-built children’s theatre The Unicorn (Tooley Street, SE1) is an obvious option but if there's nothing on there The Polka Theatre (240 The Broadway Wimbledon London SW19) is always worth a look too.

Skint mate from college | Grandparents | Teenage relative | Party animal | Friend with kids | Mum and dad | Long-distance lover | Seen-it-all-before cynic