Located in Canary Wharf is the Museum of London Docklands. If you’re visiting the Museum of London Docklands with little kids, the Mudlarks Gallery is a must-do. This interactive soft play area is designed especially for babies, toddlers and young children (up to age 8) and it’s so much fun! In this review, I’ll share everything you need to know about Mudlarks Museum of London Docklands’ soft play experience, including what to expect, how to book, and whether it’s worth visiting with kids.
We first visited The Museum of London Docklands family gallery when my boys were 11 months old and 4 years old and have been many times since.
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What Is Mudlarks at the Museum of London Docklands?
Mudlarks is the name of the family gallery at the Museum of London Docklands. It has been especially designed for children under the age of 8 to enjoy with lots of hands-on, sensory activities and fun things to explore. Mudlarks even has a small soft play area, which my kids love. There is also a small, padded soft area for babies to enjoy. This is perfect if you’re visiting with a toddler and a baby!
Do you Need Tickets for Mudlarks?
Yes, while the Museum of London Docklands is free to visit, the Mudlarks Family Gallery, including the soft play, requires tickets.
You book and entry time, and get a 45-minute play session. Mudlarks costs £3.50 per person, including adults and is free for babies under 9 months.
I don’t like it when adults also have to pay to go into something for children; however, as entry to the main museum is free and visiting can take up most of the day, £3.50 per person is a very reasonable price.
It does sell out, especially at peak times, so it is best to book in advance, and you can do so on their website linked here.
Mudlarks Museum of London Docklands Review
The Mudlarks play space has been perfectly designed for young children. While the soft play area is fairly small compared to a suburban soft play, it was perfect for my 4-year-old to go in alone while I kept an eye on my younger one.
The baby soft play area has a lot of sensory items, which are ideal for pre-walkers to enjoy.
Along with the soft play, there are a lot of interactive toys, such as the Docklands activity table. This has boats you can push around and magnetic winches to move the cargo.
There is also a fun water table with little boats, giant weighing scales to balance, building blocks and wheelbarrows. The diver’s helmet is designed to be pulled down over your head, and my boys loved it.
All of these are great for building fine motor skills in little ones while learning through play and burning some energy at the same time!
While you’re in your session, the doors are shut, meaning no little ones will wander out. This is ideal when you’re on your own, trying to watch two kids under 5!
Parent Tip: Shoes need to be removed in the soft play, and the floor around the water area gets wet. So, you’ll have to put their shoes back on or they will get wet feet. So, bring spare socks just in case!
We combined visiting Mudlarks with exploring the rest of the Museum of London Docklands, and it filled most of the day! We’ve now don’t his many times and it is always a great way to spend a day in London.
Thank you fo much for reading our review of the Mudlarks soft play at the Museum of London Docklands, we hope you have a great time there!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
FULL REVIEW OF THE LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS
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FULL GUIDE ON THINGS TO DO IN CANARY WHARF WITH KIDS
Happy Exploring,
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