27 Things To Do With A Baby In London
Gallery
Planning on visiting London with a newborn and feeling a little daunted? Don't be - there's heaps more baby fever to discover in the capital than you might have originally thought!
From interactive art galleries, adorable city farms and eclectic adventure parks, our list won't leave you short of things to do in London with a baby. Follow our North, South, East, West and Central London guide to find the best ideas near you!
West London
Fyn Play (Sensory Play)
Get curious at Fyn Play's sensory play class in St John's Wood! This free development play group for babies and toddlers aged 8-24 months will encourage your child to explore their senses using a variety of creative materials. Check out Kidadler Rebecca's raving review here.
Amanda's Action Play
Amanda's Action Club is a wonderfully energetic parent-child activity, where fun, fitness and funky music collide in an explosive celebration of family-focused play that will please little ones and adults alike. Take your baby from 3 months along to these wonderful classes using music and action to help kids learn and get active through play!
With regular events around London, Amanda is currently popping up at kid-friendly coffee shop The Parent Hood in Chiswick. Read all about why you'll love her classes here!
The Garden at The Science Museum
The Science Museum's wonderful interactive exhibitions make it one of most children friendly museums in London. Introduce your baby to 'The Garden' play area in the basement and discover a whole new world of sensory delight tailored to your youngest learners.
V&A Museum of Childhood
What was it like to be a child in the past? Dive into a world of nostalgia and history at the V&A's Childhood Museum and let your little one explore cuddly toys, games and dolls houses dating back up to 300 years!
Play Base
Play Base at the National Army Museum in Chelsea is an immersive experience for children to explore being a soldier for the day! Their Tiny Troopers sensory programme is tailored specifcally to under 5s, making it one of the most age-inclusive and unique museums in London.
South London
Under 1 Roof's Soft Play & Palace Gardens
Under 1 Roof were not wrong describing themselves as 'a kid's urban oasis'. Situated between Woolwich and Plumstead, Under 1 Roof aim to encourage imaginative play and help toddlers and babies learn through physical play and socialisation.
As well as their soft play section, they have also recently upgraded their Palace Gardens play area which has been specifically designed for under 5s in an amazing palace-themed space.
Rug Rhymes
If you're trying to get your toddlers interested in reading, this relaxing storytelling workshop at the Southbank Centre’s National Poetry Library is the perfect way to do it. Get snug on the rug for a session of nursery rhyme singing and poetry sharing that will introduce your tiny tots to the magic of stories!
Battersea Arts Centre
Every month Battersea Arts Centre host their Family Saturdays with plenty of arts and crafts, face painting, toys swaps and much more for kids of all ages. For babies and toddlers, they run specific storytelling sessions and host a magical indoor play space like no other! undefined
Crystal Palace Park
Crystal Palace Park is a somewhat hidden gem in South London and one of the most magical places I explored as a toddler. Encourage your babies to spot the life-sized dinosaur sculptures that lurk amongst the trees, visit some (live!)
animals at the Children's Zoo and get your older ones playing a game of chess on the giant chess board!
London's National Maritime Museum
Learning through play is one of the best things to do for kids in London; head to Greenwich's Maritime Museum and explore their amazingly interactive AHOY! Children's Gallery, bringing to life a whole sea of maritime themes in their immersive play gallery.
Greenwich Park
Afterwards why not step into the gorgeous Greenwich Park? Along with panoramic views of the city and heaps of history, this royal park is perfect for families with 183 acres of green space to explore, sand pits and pedalos to throw yourself into and even a 'secret garden' to discover!
Horniman Museum and Gardens
The Horniman is one of the most eclectic museums in South London and nature-lovers paradise with a Butterfly House, aquarium and interactive animal walk. Meet some adorable alpacas, goats, sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and more before heading to the Hands on Base collection, where toddlers can use all their senses to learn about the museum’s artefacts.
Battersea Park
Battersea Park's 200 acres are jam-packed with family fun to explore from a great toddler playground, awesome adventure park, impressive pirate ship and even a fun train to hop upon! If the whether is nice why not visit the Children's Zoo or head out onto the boating lake?
North London
London Zoo
London Zoo is home to over 20,000 animals, and little ones will be wide eyed as they explore the land of lions, waddle along to Penguin Beach, or swing into Gorilla Kingdom. Kidadler Olivia says: "It was a perfect day out for our 19 month old...
Highlights included meerkats, gorillas, aquarium, rainforest walk and butterfly house," while Shari recommends farm area with its own petting zoo.
The Postal Museum
As well as wonderful exhibitions and regular free workshops, the Postal Museum in Clerkenwell also has its own soft play area complete with a miniature town, railway and even a mail train ride that you can access for just a fiver making it one of the most unique museums in London!
Coram's Fields
Designed by kids for kids, this is one of the only parks in London that aims to include older ones plus babies and toddlers alike.
Stop off at the Saint Pancras-based city farm, set up a picnic in the open fields or play in the adventure playgrounds and sandpits, each one designed for a different age range so even the littlest ones will be entertained!
East London
Hackney City Farm
City farms are one of the best things to do with kids in London and perfect for your baby's first day out. With its flock of farmyard animals, gorgeous garden and Italian cafe with homegrown veg, Hackney City Farm's community hub makes for a great family escape without having to leave the capital.
Mudlarks at the Museum of London Docklands
The Museum of London Docklands features one of the most educational soft play areas, incorporating the museum's stories in a hands-on environment tailored to your littlest learners! Mudlarks offers a wonderfully stimulating environment that supports your baby's development in the best way - through play! Check out the rest of the museum's great events whilst your there.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Head to the home of London’s 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which also happens to have some of the best things for kids to do in London.
Their Tumbling Bay Playground is an adventure playground like no other complete with treehouses, rock pools and water fountains as well as awesome arts and nature trails to explore amongst its 560 acres of parkland.
Find out all you need to know about the park in our blog post here!
Discover Children's Story Centre
Stratford's wonderfully imaginative Discover Story Centre hosts London's only interactive story trail and garden, with inclusive and immersive play areas that will leave your baby (and you!) completely mesmerised!
Mile End Park
The Children's Play Pavilion at Mile End Park is an absolute gem for babies around Tower Hamlets. Its dry river bed provides the perfect sandpit complete with bridges, boats and castles as well as awesome water fountains and an inclusive Stay and Play.
Mudchute Farm
Tucked beneath Canary Wharf - the last place you'd think to find some nature - is the adorable Mudchute Park and Farm. Head to this little Local Nature Reserve, pick up a £1 bag of feed and get greeting some of London's loveliest farmyard animals!
Central London
Kensington Gardens at Hyde Park
Famous for its play area, families all over London flock to Kensington Gardens to enjoy a full day of fun. In this kid's corner of the huge Hyde Park, the Princess Diana Memorial Playground features a pirate ship and artificial 'beach' with running water features to dip your toes into when the sun in shining.
Taking inspiration from the beloved Peter Pan, this Kensington Gardens playground will make your little ones never want to grow up.
Squish Space at the Barbican
The wonderful Barbican centre's indoor playground is a multisensory, soft play dream for under 5s and a total hidden gem in central London!
Tate Modern play area
The Tate Modern is one of the city's best art galleries for kids and features a small play room for your little ones to get creative in themselves! Find it on the ground floor as you head towards the loos.
London Transport Museum
Another of London's best museums for children, the Transport Museum in Covent Garden includes tonnes of family activities and contraptions to clamber on. Head to the All Aboard playzone dedicated to 0-7 year olds!
Sea Life London Aquarium
This London institution features an array of aquarium adventures to explore with toddles and babies from their Coral Kingdom, Ocean Tunnel, Rainforest Adventure and much more to introduce children to the underwater world from their earliest years!
For more baby and toddler fun, head to Kidadl.com.
Covent Garden North London Greater London East London Greenwich South Bank London Highbury Finchley Woolwich Central London South London United Kingdom England St John's Wood West London Crystal Palace Kensington Stratford Canary Wharf Battersea Hackney Chelsea Bankside
Get directions
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
With over two decades of living in Cyprus, Chrissie Stephen has gained valuable experience in founding one of the first Rainbow Guide units on the island and raising her three children there. Her current residence is in southwest France where she now spends her time with her four grandchildren, enjoying the opportunity to relive her childhood with them. With her enthusiasm for childcare and diverse background, Chrissie brings a unique perspective and passion to any team she joins.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
