Covent Garden / Bloomsbury
The Phoenix Garden · Photo: Ewan Munro from London, UK
Street performers on the piazza, paper toy theatres in an old-fashioned toyshop, a pocket wildlife garden off Charing Cross Road, then a long lunch and play at Coram's Fields, the Bloomsbury park where adults can only go in with a child. Ends next door at the Foundling Museum if energy allows.
10:00–10:50 (50m)
Licensed street performers draw crowds through the day.
The historic market hall and cobbled piazza in the West End, where licensed street performers draw crowds through the day. Families tend to combine it with the London Transport Museum on the same square and a bite to eat in the surrounding streets.
Photo: coventgarden.london
10:50–11:15 (25m)
Toy theatres and pocket-money toys; opens 10:30 Mon-Sat, 11:00 Sun.
An old-fashioned toyshop upstairs in the Covent Garden Market building, known for its paper toy theatres and traditional wind-up and pocket-money toys. A fun ten-minute browse that pairs with the street performers in the piazza.
Nature & gardens · 11:25–11:55 (30m)
Volunteer-run wildlife garden behind the Phoenix Theatre; a quiet green breather.
A volunteer-run community wildlife garden tucked behind the Phoenix Theatre, just off Charing Cross Road. It is a quiet green pause from the West End crowds, with occasional children's storytelling and nature sessions.
Photo: Ewan Munro from London, UK
Park · 12:10–15:15 (3h5m)
Lunch at the cafe, then playgrounds, an under-5s zone and sports space. Free; only open to adults accompanying under-16s.
Photo: Matt Brown
Museum · 15:20–16:15 (55m)
Optional for 6+: the story of the Foundling Hospital told through objects and tokens. Lift access and baby changing; no cafe.
A small museum telling the story of the Foundling Hospital, London's first home for abandoned children, through objects, art and the tokens left by mothers. Under-21s go free, there is lift access for buggies and baby changing on the ground floor. There's no cafe, but picnics can go to Brunswick Square opposite.
Photo: Alan Stanton
LondonSouth Kensington / Hyde Park
A morning with the dinosaurs, then a walk up into Hyde Park for lunch by the Serpentine, half an hour in a rowing boat or pedalo, and an afternoon on the pirate galleon in Kensington Gardens. A good shape for a dry day with under-8s who need to burn energy after a museum.
The Natural History Museum → Serpentine Bar & Kitchen → Hyde Park Boating on the Serpentine → Diana Memorial Playground
LondonRegent's Park
A loop of The Regent's Park built around its playgrounds: a three-zone playground with a willow tunnel, a pedalo or rowing boat on the lake, a picnic on the grass, a treehouse sand pit and a zip wire to finish. Short hops all day and only the boats cost money.
Marylebone Green Playground → The Regent's Park Boating Lake → Hanover Gate Playground → Gloucester Gate Playground
LondonSouth Bank / Westminster
A riverside playground in the shadow of Parliament, a slow turn on the London Eye, the log-and-net playground behind it, then over the river for lunch in a church crypt and a gentle afternoon in the National Gallery's family spaces. Iconic London, sized for younger children.
Horseferry Playground → London Eye → Jubilee Gardens Playground → Café in the Crypt + 1 more
