Kids

Parks and nature | Museums and galleries | Workshops and activities | Trips out of town

Parks and nature

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo
This friendly zoo is pitched just right for small children. The most entertaining residents have to be the playful otters. Other friendly creatures include talking mynah birds, cuddlesome sheep and wide-eyed monkeys. The shop’s strong on pocket-money toys, and there’s space for a picnic if you don’t fancy the Lemon Tree café.
Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, Queenstown Rd, SW11 (020 7924 5826/www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk). Battersea Park rail.

Battersea Park Children's Zoo

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
The world-famous welfare centre is open to casual visitors. There’s a souvenir and accessory shop, a café and a collection of tributes to dogs and their owners. If you’re thinking of picking up a new pet, though, bear in mind that the adoption process can take several visits.
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, 4 Battersea Park Rd, SW8 (020 7622 3626/www.dogshome.org). Battersea Park rail. Feature continues

Crystal Palace Park
A large landscaped green space that stretches down the hill from the site of the Crystal Palace (which was moved to a permanent home here in 1852 and burned down in 1936; the woebegone terraces remain), Crystal Palace Park also has a maze, a children's play area and a café as well as the famous concrete Victorian dinosaurs and enough open space to wear out the liveliest kids. A bowl hosts open-air concerts in the summer.
Crystal Palace Park, Thicket Rd, SE20 (020 8778 9496/www.bromley.gov.uk). Penge West or Crystal Palace rail.

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground
With its pirate ship, play sculptures and well-heeled facilities, this has become an established favourite, and can consequently get very busy. Lots of the equipment can be used by children with special needs. You could also wander over to the Serpentine to check out the once-notorious Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain (Near West Carriage Drive, Hyde Park).
Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, Nr Black Lion Gate, Broad Walk, Kensington Gardens, W8 (020 7298 2117/ 2141/www.royalparks.org.uk). Bayswater tube.

Gorilla Kingdom
Gorilla Kingdom is London Zoo’s biggest project in 40 years, a £5.3 million home for three primates called Bobby, Zaire and Effie. The environment has been carefully planted and crafted to look as much like a forest clearing in Gabon as possible, with the addition of a moat, ‘enriching’ gym, and a crowd of Colobus monkeys zipping about.
London Zoo, Regent’s Park, NW1 4RY (020 7722 3333/www.zsl.org). Camden Town tube.

Gunnersbury Triangle Nature Reserve
This secluded natural habitat, cut off from the harsh realities of Chiswick by railway lines, is home to several rare species, including bats.
Gunnersbury Triangle Nature Reserve, Bollo Lane, W4 (020 8747 3881/www.wildlondon.org.uk). Chiswick Park tube.

Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park
A more intimate atmosphere than the rolling acreage of Richmond Park in which it's set makes the Isabella Plantation a magical place for a family walk. Established during the 1950s, the ornamental woodland garden consists of clearings, ponds and streams and is planted with ferns, exotic trees and shrubs.
Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park (nearest gates Ham or Ladderstile), Surrey (020 8948 3209/www.royalparks.org.uk) Richmond tube/rail then 65, 371 bus.

London Wetland Centre

London Wetland Centre
A 105-acre city wildlife area of lakes, reedbeds and marshes created by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. A three-storey tower gives excellent views of the wild areas while six other hides offer more cover for watching the wetland wildlife, especially ducks and wading birds. Facilities include a café, theatre and the Explore children's adventure centre. Free guided tours take place twice a day.
London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth's Walk, London, SW13 (020 8409 4400/wwt.org.uk). Hammersmith tube then Duck bus (283).

Queen's Park
Parents with wandering offspring can find peace of mind at Queen’s Park, where wardens are much more visible than their equivalents in London’s larger parks. There’s a playground with a giant sandpit and adjacent paddling pool, a miniature farm, a nature trail and a pleasant, refurbished café. There’s also a programme of lively kids’ entertainment at the bandstand.
Queen's Park, Kingswood Avenue, NW6. Queen's Park tube/rail.

Parks and nature | Museums and galleries | Workshops and activities | Trips out of town