19 August 2008

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What's on for kids that's FREE

How to have a great day out in London without breaking the bank!

All over London you will find free activities for children of all ages; craft activities, storytelling, music workshops, sport taster sessions...

As London is one of the most expensive cities in the world its refreshing to know that there are actually quite a lot of things you can do which are not only fun but very inexpensive or even completely FREE! With just a little planning you can have a great day out and spend very little money.

Remember that on bank holidays you can usually park for free (not in residents permit bays though) and that you get very cheap children's travel on London Transport. If you are travelling into London by train there are always deals to be had on family tickets and travel cards, as well as many offers and discounts and 2-for-1 offers to various attractions including places such as London Zoo, Madame Tussauds and The Tower of London.

You can also find similar deals at London's restaurants. Even better is to find a restaurant which offers free kid's meals. Belgo is one of our favourites - 2 kids can eat for free from the mini Belgo menu when an adult has a main course You will find offers at many other places such as Maxwells, Sticky Fingers, Naked Turtle etc. When the weather is fine pack a picnic and find some green space to spread out your rug.

Nature for free

We have acres of open spaces and parks in London parks where you can see the changing seasons, enjoy a picnic, play games, and you will often find that parks have great little cafes where you can rest your legs, warm up or find some shade.

Street Theatre

You can spend a very happy afternoon loitering in the streets around Covent Garden watching the amazing acts. This isn't strictly free - you should really give something to these hard-working performers. It's still great value entertainment though!

Museums

There are lots of wonderful museums which have free entry: here is a taster list:

• Imperial War Museum: Nearest Station - Lambeth North tube. The story of 20th-century warfare on the home front and on the front line. Displays include the Blitz and Trench Experiences and the current Women and War exhibition which tells the story of servicewomen, nurses, land girls, factory workers, pilots and peacekeepers.
• The Natural History Museum: Nearest station - South Kensington tube. Hundreds of exciting interactive exhibits with sections on ecology and the animal world, along with the new Earthquake Experience and the Dinosaur Gallery. Highlights include the new tyrannosaurus rex, which moves, roars - and smells! The adjoining Darwin Centre allows visitors to meet Museum curators and researchers, to find out about their work, recent scientific discoveries and the Museum's vast collections. The museum is open Monday-Saturday 10:00-17:50 and Sunday 11:00-17:50.
• The Royal Airforce Museum: Nearest station - Colindale or Mill Hill tube. Britain's National Museum of Aviation. Features over 70 full-sized aircraft including a unique collection of British, German and Italian planes. The Museum also houses a flight simulator, 'Touch and Try' Jet Provost Trainer and Sunderland Flying Boat 'walk through' experience. Open: Daily, 10:00-18:00.
• The Science Museum: Nearest station - South Kensington tube. The world's most comprehensive collections of science, technology and medicine. Features include a Space Gallery, where you can see the Apollo 10 command module and the new Wellcome Wing, boasting Digitopolis - an entertaining look at modern technology and the IMAX cinema. Launch Pad, the interactive area, is always popular with children. It is open daily 10:00-18:00.
• The Theatre Museum: Nearest station - Covent Garden tube. Five galleries illustrate the history of the performing arts in the UK. The collection includes displays on theatre, ballet, dance, circus, puppetry, opera, musicals, rock and pop. There's usually a daily workshop on performing arts subjects, such as pantomime and making a play. Open: Tue-Sun, 10:00-18:00.

• The Victoria and Albert Museum: Nearest station - Cromwell Road tube. From puppet making to turban tying, there's always a huge range of activities for children of all ages. Embark upon an adventure across the museum with the museum's Backpack Tours and Activity Cart, both filled with exciting hands-on activities including jigsaws, stories, puzzles and construction games. Backpack Tours take place every Saturday afternoon and additional days during school holidays. Activity Cart for Families - every Sunday from 10:30 with a special event every first Sunday of the month, and additional days during school holidays. It is open daily 10:00-17:45, except Wednesdays and the last Friday of the month when it stays open until 22:00.
• The Horniman Museum: Nearest station - Forest Hill. A unique range of exhibitions events and activities which illustrate the cultural and natural world. The collections cover anthropology, natural history and musical instruments. Provide. A full range of events and activities take place for different audiences including storytelling and art and craft sessions for children and courses and workshops for adults. Open daily 10.30am - 5.30pm.

We'd love to hear your suggestions for things to do in London that are inexpensive or even FREE - please email us at WhatsOn4Kids.com

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