Best Things to Do in London With Kids
London family days: the Tower of London (booked), a Thames river boat that is transit and sightseeing, the Natural History Museum (free, and timed-entry on peak days), Warner Bros. Studio Tour — The Making of Harry Potter (Leavesden — a half-day commitment), and the London Eye only if the queue math works. The city is the activity; do not buy five theatres.
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1Area photo: Ilya Grigorik / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Tower of London
A real fortress with a crown-jewel line and ravens. Join a Yeoman Warder tour at the start — that is the storytelling. This is the paid historic site most families should buy before a second palace.
Watch out: Book a dated ticket. The Jewel House line is the bottleneck. It is a lot of standing. Under-6s get the ravens and then need a snack. No drone-parent photography of the jewels.
2Area photo: Ilya Grigorik / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Thames River Boat (Clipper or sightseeing)
The sit-down city view. An Uber Boat / Clipper between Westminster and Greenwich can be transit with a view; a hop-on sightseeing boat is the narrated version. Either beats dragging kids through another Tube interchange at 4pm.
Watch out: Open-air decks are cold even in June. Sightseeing boats are slower and more expensive than Clippers. Greenwich adds the Cutty Sark / market if you have the afternoon.
3Area photo: Ilya Grigorik / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Natural History Museum
The blue whale, the dinosaurs, and it is free. This is how you do a London indoor day without lighting money on fire. Book a timed entry when the site asks for one — peak weeks do.
Watch out: Hintze Hall is a crush at 11am. The paid exhibitions are optional. Eat before you go; the cafes are a queue. Science Museum is next door — do not do both with under-8s.
4Area photo: Ilya Grigorik / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (Leavesden)
The sets are the real sets. If anyone in the family is actually a Potter person, this is the best ticket in the metro area. It is not a theme park and it is not in Zone 1.
Watch out: Book far ahead. Leavesden is a train + shuttle. There is no ride. Little kids who have not seen the films will be walking through rooms. Food is on-site and average. This is a dedicated day.
5Area photo: Ilya Grigorik / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)London Eye
A slow capsule with a view. Worth it if you did not already get the skyline from a river boat and the kids want a 'ride.' Skip it if the budget is tighter than the Tower + Potter math.
Watch out: Fast-track exists because the standard queue can be ugly. Grey weather is a grey view. Combo tickets with the Dungeon scare little kids — read the bundle.
Frequently asked
Is the Harry Potter studio tour OK for a 6-year-old?
If they know the films and can walk for hours, maybe. If they just like wands in a gift shop, skip it and do the Museum + a boat.
What is actually free with kids?
Natural History Museum, Science Museum, the British Museum (overwhelming), many parks (Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens playgrounds), and street-level wandering. Budget still goes to lunch and the Tube.
Tower or Westminster Abbey?
Tower with kids. Abbey is quieter and more church. Do Abbey if you have a teen who wants it, not as the first historic ticket.
Activity budget for 5 days?
Plan $700–$1,200 for a family of 4 doing the Tower, a river boat, and Warner Bros. Museums can stay free if you skip paid exhibitions.
Same destination, where to stay
Booking these activities? Pick the right resort first.
Activity days work best when your resort is the right launch pad. Our London family-resort guide ranks the whole-family-experience winners.
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