4 days ago
A first-timer's guide to London with kids
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In contrast, I had to bribe them with promises of ice-cream sundaes to leave the Science Museum, which had a hands-on video game experience as well as one called Wonderlab that's dedicated to bringing science and math concepts to life. My kids made cloud rings, tried their hand at water drop photography and even participated in a presentation on probability.
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There are also special activities for kids at the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Britain, both of which are free to visit. The former offers cool sensory bags for littles and activity booklets to help them explore the collection, while the latter has a Play Studio as well as a Story Space for families (open on select dates).
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London is an expensive city, but there are also many great free and low-cost tourist attractions, especially if you plan ahead and book reservations in advance.
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Most museums and galleries (including all the ones mentioned above) offer free general admission for their permanent collections. There are also lots of fun — and free to visit — markets in London. My kids loved spending a Saturday morning sampling cheese and pastries at Borough Market, and if we had more time in the city I would have taken them around the stalls at the Camden and Portobello Road markets.
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We also found ways to save without skipping out on experiences entirely. Instead of queuing for the pricey London Eye, we booked tickets to Horizon 22, a free viewing platform on the 58th floor of a skyscraper that offers dramatic, 300-degree views of the city. And in lieu of a fancy Thames River sightseeing cruise, we went for a ride on the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. An unlimited all-day, hop-on hop-off ticket purchased in advance was £50.80 (~$94 CAD) for our family of four, and the boat stops at sites like Greenwich, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey.
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