Discover the best activities and events in London for the under-threes
When you've got a baby in tow, it's tempting to stay close to home. But London's absolutely packed with places that'll give you a warm welcome, offer a refreshing change of scene, and get your little one enjoying culture before they can even toddle.
Many of the capital’s parks, theatres and museums put on events and activities designed to delight under-threes. Some are geared to grown-ups with babes in arms, others are tailored to appeal to active crawlers and the newly walking. Our list of London’s best activities for babies and toddlers reveals a whole new side of London that you’ll only discover once you have little ’uns in tow. Alternatively, there are plenty of ways to explore the city on a budget with the best free things to do with kids in London, or find some rainy day fun at London's best soft play centres.
Recommended: Read the rest of our list of 101 things to do in London with kids.
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Not all children’s entertainment has to be corny and colourful, as Bach to Baby proves. Trained musicians perform child-friendly classical concerts in spaces all over London. There’s no need for shushing your sprogs, either – toddlers are free to get and up move about and babies are content to sit on laps as the classical music floats around them.
£15, free for children
Ages 0-4
For very small children, it’s the doing, not the looking that amuses and inspires. As a result, this busy museum’s hands-on galleries win the day. The Garden is a free play zone where young ’uns can don aprons and mess about with water and boats, jump around exploring light and shadows, and discover the science of sound through all kinds of fun activities. They’ll be captivated for hours.
Free, booking required
Ages 3-6
This theatre will thrill tiny ones with its whimsical, creative puppet shows tailored to specifically to under threes. Many of them take inspiration from picture books, like 'Wow! Said the Owl,' offering creative reimaginings of stories they'll already know and love. Others are complete one-offs but promise to be just as engaging.
£14, £12 child or baby.
Ages two and above
London’s dedicated Children’s Story Centre is a colourful gallery inspired by kids’ books, with special exhibitions and events linked to favourite authors and illustrators. Children can play inside and outside, exploring a secret cave, sliding down a magic tower and dressing up. There are places to hide in, treasure to seek and the chance to fire young imaginations to create their own stories. Add on one of the special exhibitions or story-telling sessions to your ticket for an additional cost to inspire the little ones even more.
£10, £5 one-year-olds, free under-ones
All ages
This family-friendly disco crew references the rave culture of the early ’90s, but happily, its events around London and at festivals are thoroughly wholesome affairs. Suitable for babies and children of all ages, Big Fish Little Fish daytime gigs give parents a chance to enjoy good music in a setting that the whole family can enjoy, complete with activities like synthesizer workshops and hula-hoop demonstrations. Check the website for upcoming dates across London and festivals all over the UK and beyond.
Prices vary
All ages
Located next to Kensington Palace, this play area has a ‘Peter Pan’ theme and a fabulous wooden pirate ship as its centrepiece. Specially designed to suit children of all physical abilities, the playground includes a beach, sculptures, teepees for make-believe games and a sensory trail. It’s free to enjoy, but at busy times, there might be a queue to get in, so head down early if you want to nab your spot.
Free
Under-13s
Covent Garden’s LTM is a joyful place, and its All Aboard play area for babies and under-sevens takes the hands-on experience even further. Wannabe bus drivers can get behind the wheel of a real bus, repair a mini tube train, or sail on the Thames Nipper, a recreation of the Thames Clipper riverboat service. Kids been inspired by buskers on the way to the museum? They can try their hand at performing, too, at the make-believe busking spot.
Free with entry (£24.50, £23.50 concs, free under-18s, with unlimited re-entry for a year)
Ages 0-7
Not far from Crystal Palace Overground station is the famous park. Once upon a time, this lush green space down south was a cultural haven for Victorians. Sports, music and art all happened here, and when people weren’t doing one of them, they were most likely marvelling a the full-scale model dinosaurs, which have been here since 1854. Thanks to a restoration project in 2002, the dinos are still going strong, even if a little out of date scientifically. That won’t bother the kids, though, who’ll likely be too busy being in awe of this real-life (but much safer) Jurassic Park. When you’re done dino hunting, there’s a maze and farm elsewhere in the park.
Free
All ages
Just stepping into southwest London's freshly-renovated Polka Theatre is an adventure in itself, with its brightly coloured decor, train-themed cafe play den and sensory garden. But if your interests stretch to seeing a show, you'll find plenty of tot-friendly offerings here that are tailored to under-threes.
£14, £12 concs, £1 children under one
All ages
Time was that King’s Cross and St Pancras were surrounded by grimy warehouses, all gradually falling into disuse and being turned into ad-hoc nightclubs. Now, though, the vast piazza spaces look positively continental, with Granary Square’s rows of pop-up fountains and Lewis Cubitt Park offering great, architecturally designed spaces to run around. Even in winter, it’s worth taking a towel – kids can’t resist running through the spouting water jets that rise up from the ground. While you’re here, seek out Handyside Gardens, a pocket park nearby with a charming play area designed especially for children that's perfect for them to dry off in before heading home.
Free
All ages
There’s many a natural wonder to be enjoyed at Kew, from the magnificent treetop walk with a bird’s-eye view over the park to the not-so-sweet, rare flowering titan arum plant (no, seriously, hold your nose). But if you have younger visitors in tow, head to the huge Children’s Garden. It’s the size of a whopping 40 tennis courts so there’s plenty to see and do here. The space is packed with hidden play areas themed around earth, air, sun and water – all the things plants need to grow.
Free with Kew entrance ticket £20-£22, £18-£20 concs, £5-£6 child, under-fours free, booking essential
Ages 2-12
The reopened and renamed Young V&A is home to one of the world’s finest collections of children’s toys, doll’s houses, games and costumes. The colourful exhibits are bound to thrill little ones, and the museum has lots of hands-on stuff dotted about the many cases of historic artefacts for the sprogs to have a go on.
Free
All ages
See new releases without antagonising either your baby or your fellow cinemagoers at Everyman's special screenings. A couple of times a week, you'll find movies shown with the volume turned down, dim lighting, plus a hot drink and a slice of cake thrown in with the cost of your ticket. Optimise your experience by bagging one of the squashy leather sofas.
£14.55 for one adult and one toddler.
Babies
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