PERFECT 4 DAYS IN LONDON WITH KIDS ITINERARY

We have lived in London for just over a year and have loved exploring this amazing city. In this detailed guide, I’ll be sharing a perfect 4 days in London with kids itinerary. London is a big city, and we are lucky to have so many family-friendly things to do. I have packed a lot in to this kid-friendly London travel guide.

We’ll cover everything from iconic London landmarks to hidden gems that will help you see the best of London in 4 days as a family. So grab yourself a cup of tea (or glass of wine) and let’s go!

WHERE TO STAY IN LONDON WITH KIDS

I always recommend staying centrally when visiting a big city. While staying in a suburb might be cheaper, it wastes a lot of time travelling and with kids, cutting down unnecessary travel time is always a win.

Some central and family-friendly areas include Westminster, Covent Garden, Kensington, Chelsea, Belgravia, Mayfair, Notting Hill, Canary Wharf, or Marelybone. Greenwich, Richmond, Battersea, and Chiswick are also lovely areas but slightly further out.

London has a fantastic public transport system, so make sure you stay within walking distance of a train or tube (underground) station. If you’re visiting with young children and have a pushchair (stroller) also check if the station is accessible and some don’t have lifts (elevators).

PERFECT 4 DAYS IN LONDON WITH KIDS ITINERARY

DAY 1 – ICONIC LONDON LANDMARKS

I’m starting my 4 days in London with kids itinerary with my very favourite day in London. If we only had one day, this is how we would spend it. It’s perfect for a first time in London as it covers so many of the iconic London Landmarks and lots of the must-see London spots for kids.

FIRST STOP – BUCKINGHAM PALACE

No London itinerary would be complete without visiting Buckingham Palace. Watching Changing of the Guards is one of the best free, family-friendly activities in London. It takes place every other day at 11 am. You can check the schedule HERE. Arrive about half an hour early to get a good view!

STOP 2: ST JAMES’ PARK

St James’ Park is a beautiful Royal Park with breathtaking views. Kids will love burning some energy in the playground and if you are visiting on a warm day, this is the perfect place for a picnic.

The park is also home to wild pelicans, we always make a game of trying to find them! You’ll also likely see parakeets and a range of ducks, squirrels and other birds.

STOP 3: HORSEGUARDS PARADE

At the far end of St James’ Park, you’ll see a beautiful building, walk through the archway to a road called “Whitehall”. Here you’ll find the Horse Guards Parade. Both my children have always loved to see the horses here.

TIP: Downing Street (home to the British Prime Minister) is just a few minutes out of the way here. You can’t see much due to the big gates and security, but if you want to see it, this is the time!

OUTSIDE BUCKINGHAM PALACE | ST JAMES’ PARK | HORSEGUARDS PARADE

STOP 4: TRAFALGAR SQUARE

Trafalgar square is another iconic London Landmark. Kids will love to see the giant Lion Statues. You’ll also find the National Gallery here, this is a free gallery and a great option, especially on a rainy day.

STOP 5: LEICESTER SQUARE

If you’re feeling tired at this point, I would skip this stop. However, Leicester Square is home to the LEGO Store and M&M’s World which are kid’s favourites! There’s also a cute movie character sculpture trail. Most of them are quite close together so ideal for little kids. My son liked Batman, Bugs Bunny and Paddington the best! Find out more about the trail HERE.

FINAL STOP: COVENT GARDEN

This is one of our favourite places in London. There’s plenty to see here. Kids (and adults) will love to watch the street performers and there are plenty of shops and two markets where you can pick up gifts and souvenirs.

This is also a great place to get dinner. Our favourites include: Franco Manca, Maxwells, Wagamama and Pizza Pilgrims. Seven Dials Market is slightly away from the main square but also has lots of family-friendly options.

COVENT GARDEN | TRAFALGAR SQUARE

DAY 2 – LONDON BRIDGE

The second day of your family-friendly London trip involves slightly less walking. This day is an easy walk from London Bridge Station.

FOOD TIPS: There are many restaurants around London Bridge. 1751 Distillery is a family-friendly restaurant, there’s also a Pizza Pilgrims and 5 Guys Burger. On a nice day, grab a sandwich from Pret and eat on the lawn in front of Tower Bridge. Borough Market is also right by London Bridge Station. I often avoid it with the kids as it’s so crowded but I know this is a popular place for tourists to visit!

FIRST STOP: HAYS GALLERIA

Just opposite the Tooley Street exit of London Bridge Station is Hays Galleria. Kids will love the boat sculpture inside here. This is also a great place to grab a coffee.

Walk through Hays Galleria and you’ll come to the River Thames.

TOWER BRIDGE | INSIDE & OUTSIDE THE TOWER OF LONDON

STOP 2: TOWER BRIDGE

NOTE: People often confuse Tower Bridge and London Bridge. Tower Bridge is the beautiful one you’ll see in Instagram Photos, London Bridge is actually nothing special!

Walk along the river towards Tower Bridge. This is another iconic Landmark and a must-see when sightseeing in London with kids. You can even go inside Tower Bridge and walk across the 42-meter-high glass floor will give you unique views of London! Or you can walk across the main part of the Bridge for free!

TICKETS: Open Daily. Adults tickets are £13.40, Children £6.70 and under 5’s are free.

BOOK TOWER BRIDGE TICKETS HERE

TIP: There is an elevator up to Tower Bridge located on Dutchess Walk, opposite a cafe called by CHOLE. this is really useful if you have a pushchair (stroller).

STOP 3: TOWER OF LONDON

The Tower of London is one of the best things to do in London with kids! We had so much fun when we visited here and would highly recommend it. You’ll want to spend a minimum of 2 hours here. 3-4 hours would be ideal, especially if you want to stop for a drink or food while you’re there.

TICKETS: Open daily. Adults tickets are £34.80, Children £17.40 and under 4’s are free.

BOOK TOWER OF LONDON TICKETS HERE

READ MY FULL GUIDE AND TIPS ON VISITING THE TOWER OF LONDON WITH KIDS HERE

STOP 3: A VIEWING PLATFORM

There are a few viewing platforms/observation decks in London, and most likely, you’ll only be able to do one or two of these, I’ll give you my advice and you can choose the option that works best for you! The most famous is The Shard, this is also quite an expensive option and wouldn’t be our first choice.

Our favourite is The Sky Garden, Horrizon 22 is also a good option. I would recommend booking tickets for one of these! They are both free and offer amazing views! If you don’t manage to get tickets, have a look at The Garden at 120. This is another free option that we love. You don’t need to book in advance. It’s not as high but you still get great views. If you can do The Sky Garden and The Garden at 120, that would be amazing!

VIEWS FROM THE SKY GARDEN | THE GARDEN AT 120

FINAL STOP: THE CITY

The Sky Garden and The Garden at 120 are both located in the City of London. This is predominantly a business area but there are some beautiful buildings here. If you have time/ energy left, I would see St Paul’s Cathedral. It’s about a 20-minute walk or 5 minutes on a bus (every kid wants to ride on a London Bus right?) The Reflection Garden is a beautiful viewpoint!

DAY 3 – WESTMINSTER & SOUTH BANK

Day 3 features some great kid-friendly activities in London as well as some culture! The closest train Station to start this day at is Waterloo or Waterloo East.

FIRST STOP: THE LONDON EYE

The London Eye is such a cool activity, we loved our experience here. You get great views over London in a unique way. If you’re visiting London on a budget, you could skip going on here and just see it from the ground.

Tickets Are much cheaper if you book online in advance. Prices vary depending on the date and time; however, they start from £29 for adults £26 for children, with under 2s going free.

KID TIP: There is a great playground called Jubilee Gardens located close to the London Eye.

BOOK LONDON EYE TICKETS HERE.

STOP 2: OTHER LONDON ATTRACTIONS

There are a few other London kids attractions close to the London Eye. You have the option to buy a combo ticket, which saves you money! These include The London Sea Life Aquarium, Sherk’s Adventure, The London Dungeon and Madam Tussauds. It also includes a hop-on bus tour. We haven’t done any of these but I have heard great things about Shrek’s Adventure!

NOTE: Madam Tussauds is not within walking distance of the London Eye.

BOOK LONDON EYE MULTI ATTRACTION TICKETS HERE

STOP 3: BIG BEN & THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

From The London Eye, you’ll get excellent views of The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, but if you’d like a closer view, walk over Westminster Bridge. Here you can also see Westminster Abbey, one of London’s most famous churches.

ALTERNATIVE OPTION

If you choose not to do one of the additional options for the London Eye ticket, you will have some extra time on this day. I did an Afternoon Tea on a London bus experience (without my kids) and really enjoyed it. There are also some similar experiences aimed at kids.

Why not consider, a Pepper Pig-themed tour (for ages 2+) or a Paddington Bear-themed tour (for ages 5+)? Both these offer a delicious afternoon tea while cruising around some of London’s most famous sights. Both these options currently depart from Locations within walking distance of The London Eye.

DAY 4 – KENSINGTON & MUSEUMS

This is the final day of our 4 day London itinerary with kids! The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is one of the most beautiful areas of London. It’s also where you’ll find some of the best London museums for kids. Best of all, these great Museums are mainly free!

The most popular options for families are the Museum of Natural History and The Science Museum. Both of these are free but you do need to book an entrance time in advance on their websites.

You can spend a whole day in either of these museums or if you’re more selective on which areas you visit, you’ll be able to do both in a day. They are located on the same road.

Personally, I much prefer the science museum. The History Museum always seems to be extremely busy and the dinosaur exhibit (which is the main one kids will enjoy) is poorly laid out.

READ OUR FULL GUIDE ON THE SCIENCE MUSEUM HERE.

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM | THE NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM

The Victoria and Albert Museum is also free and located on this road. This isn’t as child orientated but their cafe is extremely beautiful! If you’d like another free museum in this area which is much less crowded, take a look at the National Army Museum, it is smaller but a lovely way to spend a couple of hours.

READ OUR FULL GUIDE ON THE SCIENCE MUSEUM HERE.

BONUS: DAY 5

While four days in London with children is enough time to see most of the sights and get a good feel for the city, there is still so much more to see! If you have an extra day in London, I recommend either Greenwich or Notting Hill.

THE VIEW FROM THE TOP OF GREENWICH PARK | COLOURFUL HOUSES IN NOTTING HILL

Greenwich has lots of amazing activities for kids, including a free maritime museum. There is also a lot of history and culture there.

Notting Hill is best known for its beautiful coloured houses and the vibrant Portobello Road Market.

Richmond is also a popular choice for Ted Lasso fans, and kids will enjoy seeing wild deer in Richmond Park.

READ MY FULL GUIDE ON GREENWICH HERE
READ MY FULL GUIDE ON NOTTING HILL HERE

Thank you for reading our guide on our perfect 4 days in London with kids itinerary. I hope we have helped you to find lots of kid-friendly activities in London and you have an amazing time!