The text for the post on Budget-Friendly Ways to Keep Children Entertained in London was provided to me.
As any parent knows, keeping children entertained in a big city like London can quickly become expensive. From theatre tickets to museum entry fees, the costs can really add up, particularly if you have several children. However, there are plenty of budget-friendly activities and attractions across London to keep children engaged and happy without spending a fortune. Below, we’ll explore some of the best options for entertaining children on a budget in the UK capital.
Exploring the Great Outdoors
Whether you’re a foster carer fostering in Croydon or you’re looking for things to do with your nieces and nephews, you can find plenty of cheap and fun things to do outdoors. One of the best things about London is the number of parks and open spaces available to enjoy for free. Taking children to run around and play in the fresh air is a simple way to fill time that doesn’t cost a penny. Iconic options like Hyde Park, Regents Park, and Hampstead Heath offer plenty of room to roam and explore. Pack a picnic or ball games to make a day of it.
Wander Around Museums
Many of London’s biggest and best museums are completely free to enter. That means you can enjoy world-class exhibits and galleries without paying a thing. Great options for families include the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A Museum of Childhood, and British Museum. These massive museums can easily fill an entire day, especially if you participate in a free event or activity.
To avoid crowds and keep children engaged, download activity sheets or guides for the museum before visiting. Bring sketchbooks and pencils for doodling, too. Most museums also have cafes to take a break. With so much educational entertainment available for free, museums are ideal for budget days out.
Take Transit Day Trips
Another budget-friendly way to keep children engaged is taking transit day trips. With an Oyster card or contactless payment, you can hop on buses, trains, tubes, and DLR lines all around London and beyond for a capped daily fare.
Ride to neighbourhoods like Camden Town to explore the lively markets and quirky street art. Take the DLR to Greenwich to stand at the Prime Meridian line and visit the Royal Observatory. Or use the overground train to Hampstead Heath or Richmond Park and let the children run free.
Pack snacks and make an adventure of crisscrossing London via public transit. Hitting multiple neighbourhoods and sights in a day keeps it exciting. And sticking to buses and trains contains transport costs.
Seek Out Free Events
From festivals to fairs, free events happen year-round across London. Looking out for these family-friendly activities can keep the children entertained without spending much. Markets, concerts, workshops, street performances, and more happen regularly.
Check the websites for Southbank Centre, Somerset House, Olympic Park, and local boroughs to see what’s coming up. Time Out London also lists many free events and days out with children. Attending cultural festivals and street parties lets children have fun while learning and exploring the diversity of the city.
Entertaining children in London doesn’t have to mean overspending. From exploring parks and museums to transit day trips and free events, budget-friendly options abound. Taking advantage of the city’s open spaces, free cultural attractions, public transportation, and special events allows children to enjoy all the magic and adventure London has to offer without breaking the bank for parents.
Beautifully written and true! Siiri and Kersti came with us first when they were 6 and 8 and continued almost every year later. OK, our businesses covered most of the expenses, but we still did very similar things. We did have the same private guide (same price as FOUR bus tickets) but their favourite ‘thing’ was to go and watch the Buck Palace guards get ready at their barracks and get on their horses etc and then run with the lady guide as fast and far as they could alongside them! Oh, it was a different world – they always flew back to Oz on Qantas on their own for grandparents to take over whilst we usually went to the Med! Memories!!!
Thank you for sharing these memories! I can remember watching the guard change at Buckingham Palace when I was a teenager. Just for the sake of having done so. But as a child it must have been quite something 🙂
Ideas for parents with things to do in London for kids is a great idea. We enjoyed our stay in London tremendously
I love visiting London!