Top 10 Free Things to Do in London with Kids

Family fun at no expense

I love going to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace with my daughter. We take a picnic and get there early so we can get a good spot. We've watched from many locations - right outside Buckingham Palace, waited at one of the gates, stood outside Green Park, from the Victoria Memorial in the middle of the roundabout in front of the palace - but I think I like watching on The Mall best as you see the Guards marching for much longer.

• Changing of the Guard Photos
• When is the Changing of the Guard?
• Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace DVD Review
• Guards Museum - dress up as a Guard!

The Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, next to Kensington Palace, the former home of Diana Princess of Wales, is a fabulous children's playground for kids up to 12 years. There's loads for kids to do in the Diana Memorial Playground including playing on the enormous wooden pirate ship.

• Diana Memorial Playground
• Kensington Palace
• Kensington Roof Gardens
• Peter Pan Statue
• Whole Foods Market
• 23-24 Leinster Gardens Fake Houses

Kid's Zone is a fantastic play area for children under ten years old, within the National Army Museum. This place is cool! It's all about discovery and the kids can go wild in a safe environment. Just ask at the information desk for a free timed ticket and you'll get 50 minutes play time (10 minutes is for tidying up between sessions). The castle fortress is a lot of fun. Kids can dress up in soldier's uniforms, scale the rock climbing wall, crawl through tunnels, and whiz down slides. There's even a soft play for babies so you take the whole family.

Top Tip: There's a Costa Coffee cafe at the museum so parents are happy too!

• Kid's Zone at National Army Museum
• National Army Museum Guide

The Museum of London Docklands has a lot for children and my favorite area is Mudlarks. This is an informative and interactive play area for the under 12s, with a soft play section for under 5s. Everything is themed around life in the London docks so the big kids can weigh cargo or load a tea clipper while the small kids get to crawl around with large foam bananas and a London bus, plus they can pretend to drive a DLR train.

Talking of trains, to get to the Museum of London Docklands you need to take the DLR (Docklands Light Railway). Get a seat at the front as these trains don't have a driver and you, or your little one, can pretend to drive the train!

• Museum of London Docklands: Mudlards Play Area
• Museum of London Docklands

Coram's Fields is a unique seven acre playground and park for children in central London. It is free to use and provides a safe and stimulating environment where children can play freely. Adults are only permitted with a child and there is always staff available to ensure all is well.

The nearby Foundling Museum is always free for children and free for adults accompanying children during all Family Fun activities. Family Fun takes place in the Foundling Museum Education Center on the first Saturday of every month and is suitable for children aged 3-12, unless otherwise stated.

• Coram's Fields
• Foundling Museum

The best news is children under 17 go free to Kew Gardens! The Gardens are 300 acres. To get an idea of walking times between landmarks see the strolling map. If you are visiting with small children be prepared to double these times.

Climbers and Creepers is Kew's interactive play area for 3-9 year olds. Explore the Gardens first as once the kids get here they won't want to leave!

Try the Kew's Big Tree book which is aimed at children but is an excellent introduction to the trees at Kew Gardens and trees in general.

• Visiting Kew Gardens with Children
• Kew Gardens Visitor Guide
• Kew Gardens Highlights
• Kew Gardens Visitor Tips
• Kew Gardens Photos

This bronze statue of Peter Pan is in Kensington Gardens, next to Hyde Park. The exact location was chosen by Peter Pan's author, J.M. Barrie. Barrie lived close to Kensington Gardens and published his first Peter Pan story in 1902, using the park for inspiration. In his Peter Pan tale, The Little White Bird, Peter flies out of his nursery and lands beside the Long Water lake, on the spot where the statue now stands.

• Peter Pan Statue in Kensington Gardens
• How To Find The Peter Pan Statue
• Kensington Palace Visitor Information

The Horniman Museum is a real find. Tucked away in the depths of south London, the Horniman Museum has exhibitions of the natural and cultural worlds. And it has an aquarium. And it's all free. Really, this place is worth the trip - it's actually only 13 minutes by train from London Bridge train station. You could go to The London Dungeon in the morning (as it's under London Bridge station) then jump on a train to Forest Hill and have more fun at the Horniman Museum. Now just how much fun can you handle in one day?

• Horniman Museum Guide
• Horniman Museum Review
• Horniman Museum Photo Gallery

All of the big London museums and galleries have free activities for children during the school holidays and most have free family trails available all year round.

Some of the best places for children include the British Museum, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, and Trafalgar Square's National Gallery which always has free family activities, plus ArtStart -- a multimedia system that allows you to search the collection and helps you plan your visit.

In South Kensington you've got the big three: the V&A, the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum.

In east London, there's the Geffrye Museum which has regular children's special days, and the Museum of Childhood which is all about children.

London has many city farms; most are free to visit, but welcome donations.

• Hackney City Farm has an award-winning cafe, as well as pigs, goats, sheep, and more.
• Mudchute Park and Farm is the largest urban farm in the London area with 34 acres of open parkland. It also has horse riding, a tea shop, educational facilities, farm animals, and a shop.
• Kentish Town City Farm has a wide range of livestock, poultry, and horses, and offers pony rides on Saturday and Sunday, 1.30pm-2.30pm (for £1).
• Vauxhall City Farm has donkey rides, pony-care classes, and milking demonstrations, all available on request, as well as a range of talks on the farm and lots of hands-on-work with the animals.

See a full list of London City Farms with a map.