Granary Square

Explore the virtual pools, a giant word search, a maze and more.
Have some aquatic fun with the water jets and two pools.
Don’t miss out on PlayKX's children-guided and led activities and play in the open space, interacting, learning and having fun, all for free.
Discover the amazing food by Granary Square, like the Brasserie and other family-friendly restaurants and cafés.

Granary Square, located in Kings Cross, London, is an open space filled with loads of free things for families and kids to do, and is a great way to spend an hour or two in the capital.

One of the main features of Granary Square is the choreographed water jets. At the Granary Square Fountains, your kids can run through, splash and dance in them. You’re going to have to pack a towel and a change of clothes, but it’s worth it. You can sit back, relax on one of Granary Square’s benches, and enjoy watching your little ones running around at one of the best splash pads in London. The jets have colour-changing lights in them and look amazing at night, especially around Christmas, where a beautifully decorated tree is brought in too.

There are two pools at the Square, and each one spans the width and length of one of the iconic fountain bays, existing alongside other artful and playful installations. Some of the installations include a giant word search, a 2D maze and a series of hopscotch paths that provide endless fun.

Also available near Granary Square Plaza are amazing events run at PlayKX, who host of fun activities for the kids, led by experienced playworkers. The PlayKX team creates a special experience that gives children lots of space to run freely, explore and interact with one another during playtime.

If the kids are still wanting to run around and have energy left to burn, then just off the northern end of the Square is Handyside Gardens. Here there is a children’s play area, which is complete with things to climb, along with swings, a slide and a sandpit. Plus, there is a water channel that runs through the park, perfect for any little adventurer to splash about in. The fun can continue after school, as the play park is lit on darker winter evenings.

If that's not enough, there is also table tennis nearby (no need to book, just show up), along with Harry Potter's Platform 9 ¾ just inside nearby King's Cross station. Alternatively, the kids can reconnect with nature at nearby Camley Street Natural Park, a two-acre nature reserve right in the heart of London, offering kids the chance to explore wildlife and the natural environment, with wetlands, ponds, meadow habitats and woodland all sitting gracefully within the park.

If you’re looking to learn more about the area, the knowledgeable staff at the King’s Cross Visitor Centre are always happy to help and give a free guided tour to you and your family. They’ll take you around the public areas of the site and you can learn about the industrial heritage of the area, and the development of the site in the coming years.

What to know before you go

There is a set of fountains situated on the left of the square that tend to be less busy and get less traffic than the one in the centre of the square and the one on the right.
PlayKX sessions now run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 11am – 4pm.
There are plenty of places to relax and recharge nearby, including restaurants, a weekend market, and the Coal Drops Yard shopping area, which has over 50 shops and restaurants in a picturesque setting.
There are lots of Kings Cross restaurants that do family-friendly food and drink, including Happy Face Pizza, Dishoom, Drake and Morgan, Leon, and more. There's also the Granary Square Brasserie, which serves great food in a wonderful setting.
There are toilet facilities, including accessible toilets and baby-changing facilities along the southwest edge of the Square just next to the steps down to the canal. More toilets and baby-changing facilities can be found at West Handyside Canopy beside Waitrose and at Coal Drops Yard.
The area is buggy and wheelchair friendly.
King’s Cross offers a free, public WiFi service, available all day every day.

Getting there

King’s Cross Tube station has links to six lines: the Northern, Piccadilly, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Victoria lines.
If travelling by rail, there are two major rail terminals right by Granary Square: King’s Cross and St Pancras International. Euston station is also only a 15-minute walk.
If walking from the two main stations, you should head to the top of King’s Boulevard and then cross Regent’s Canal, then you’re there!
If travelling by bus, King’s Cross is reachable via plenty of bus routes, including the 10, 17, 30, 45, 46, 59, 63, 73, 91, 205, 214, 259, 390 and 476.
Granary Square is accessible via bike too. There is a bike interchange between King’s Cross and St Pancras stations at Evans Cycles. This makes bike parking at the stations easy and secure for your journey to Granary Square, just a stone’s throw away.
If travelling by car, there is a 250-car bay, known as Handyside Car Park, located in the Tapestry building. The Plimsoll Building and at West Handyside Canopy have parking bays for visitors with a disability.