Free Things to Do in London with Kids

Just off the King's Road in Chelsea, the National Army Museum has a popular indoor play area called Kid's Zone. When you arrive, book a play session for a small charge (still free for under 1s.) The earlier times are always popular so after lunch is a good time to visit. This indoor play space is for under 10s and includes a climbing upper level, spiral slide, rocking horses, a play kitchen and soft play for under 2s.

The museum itself has lots of interactive ideas to help young visitors learn while exploring.

At 2.30pm every day the pelicans in St James's Park get fed fish. The park is quite big so you need to head for the opposite end to Buckingham Palace and they are fed from behind Duck Island Cottage, near Horse Guards Parade. The pelicans know when it's time as they wait there and keep watch for the man with the fish. Throwing the fish out takes 5-10 minutes but it's fun to watch and you're in a park so can have some outdoor 'run around' time too. After playing tag, we like to act out the Billy Goat Gruff story at the bridge.

The British Museum is free to visit so never feel your visit has to be an endurance test as it's in a central location and you can pop back as often as you like. Many just want to see the Egyptian mummies or the Rosetta Stone but there are daily free handling sessions and the Children's Multimedia Guide could give you longer to explore on a rainy day. Weekends and school holidays mean lots of free workshops too.

• See the British Museum Visitor Guide.

This is the place to discover the history of London from prehistoric times right up to today. It's a chronological journey through this great city's history with displays you can interact with along the way. Sit in the Saxon building, try on a fireman's helmet from the Great Fire of London, and head downstairs to the Modern Galleries which include a recreated Georgian Pleasure Garden and the popular Victorian Walk. My daughter's favorite exhibit is a dead cat under a glass floor (by the printing press) in a collection of objects found when excavating for the museum's extension in 2010.

• See the Museum of London Visitor Guide.

Beachcombing is popular at the seaside and as London has the river Thames running through you can still enjoy some foreshore foraging. It's a tidal river so check the tide tables and safety advice then head off with a plastic bag for your collection. You're most likely to find broken clay pipes which are hundreds of years old which while abundant, are still a great piece of London history to take home for free. Find out all you need to go with this guide to Mudlarking in London.

I’ll admit it's not what you’d expect to find in a south London park but this was where the Great Exhibition of 1851 (that took place in Hyde Park) moved its huge glass building to, hence the name 'Crystal Palace'. During the park's renovations, Professor Richard Owen created these giant dinosaur sculptures in 1852 based on the best scientific information available but many now giggle at the 'anatomically incorrect' dinosaurs. I wasn't around at the time so can't comment. There's a free dinosaur audio trail to enhance your visit and the park has lots more to see including a playground, cafe, go-karts, a farm, a museum, a boating lake and a sphinx, plus you can see the remains/site of the crystal palace.

The Bank of England Museum is way more cool that you might expect. It's housed within the actual Bank of England and tells the story of the Bank and the UK monetary system. I love working the inflation hot air balloon and trying to lift up a gold bar. Where else can you do that? (Note: Nowhere else!)

The Imperial War Museum gives families the opportunity to see planes, missiles, tanks and other large-scale military exhibits in one building. You can learn about spies and climb through a bomber plane fuselage, experiences the trenches of WWI and see the Children's War exhibition which shows how youngsters were affected by war. The cafe has kid's meals and the shop has something for everyone.

Tate Modern is the national gallery of contemporary art and is housed in a former power station so the 'Turbine Hall' is a large indoor space and many small people love the slope. All of the Tate galleries are very family friendly and it's not a quiet place so children can be themselves.

The Under 5s Zone is great for little ones to explore and every weekend families are welcome in the Clore Learning Centre to create artworks in the 'Open Studio'. The Interactive Zone in Level 5 will entertain and challenge all age groups with games and multimedia ideas. And don't forget to go out on the balcony at Level 4 to look across the river Thames to St. Paul's Cathedral. While visiting the permanent exhibitions is free, if you choose to buy a ticket for a special exhibition under 12s can visit for free if they are with an adult.

• See the Tate Modern Visitor Guide

While possibly not as kid-friendly as Tate Modern, Tate Britain is still a brilliant place to take the family. This is the national gallery of British art from 1500 to today and it's always free to visit. It has a really diverse collection from classical paintings to crazy contemporary sculpture so come and be inspired. Sketching in the galleries is encouraged so bring a pencil and pad and see what you can create. The shops here are fantastic too.

• See the Tate Britain Visitor Guide