Family Day Out For £40

Explore London's Open Spaces in the Morning

Start your day with some fresh air in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.

Visit the popular Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Playground, where kids can climb the giant wooden pirate ship and explore the sensory trail, beach and tipis.

Take your rollerblades and join skaters of all ages on the nearby Broad Walk.

Wander across Kensington Gardens to Hyde Park and the magnificent Serpentine lake.

The lake is home to a large number of birds, many of which are winter visitors to the park. You're likely to see ducks, geese and more exotic looking species like Great Crested Grebes.

Lunch in London for Less

Take a packed lunch and eat it in the park, or head to the Science Museum's indoor picnic area.

Enjoy London's Museums for the Afternoon

Walk down Exhibition Road to South Kensington's brilliant child-friendly museums.

The Science Museum and Natural History Museum both offer free entry (apart from some temporary exhibitions).

Science Museum

The Science Museum is packed full of fun family activities.

The Garden, aimed at three to six year olds, is a multi-sensory area where children can explore floating and sinking, shadows and reflections, music and giant building blocks.

The Launchpad gallery is great for older kids, with 50 interactive exhibits, plus electrifying shows and demos, all based on the wonderful world of physics.

Natural History Museum

Next door at the Natural History Museum, get up close to a terrifying T-Rex and find out how baby dinosaurs were born.

Visit Investigate, the science lab for seven to 14 year olds, and get your hands on geological specimens in the Earth Lab.

Under-7s will love the free Explore Backpacks, which contain an explorer hat, binoculars and drawing materials.

Spend the Evening in Covent Garden

Catch the Tube to Covent Garden to watch the colourful street performers.

Mime artists, acrobats and bicycle stunt performers are among the regular acts that appear in Covent Garden's piazza.

Dinner

There are loads of fantastic places to eat in Covent Garden, from small cafes to classy restaurants.

Alternatively, check out Wahaca, where you can sample Mexican street food in a lively atmosphere.

Or enjoy real Indian food in Masala Zone. The restaurant has more than 200 brightly coloured puppets hanging from the ceiling, depicting an Indian wedding scene. 

Family Travel Tips

They can also travel free on the Tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and London Overground when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket, pass or Oyster card.

Under 16s

Young people under 16 can register in advance for an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard.

The card allows them to travel free on buses and trams, pay half the adult rate on the Tube, DLR and London Overground, and buy half price Travelcard season tickets.

The Oyster daily price cap means that they can travel on services where pay as you go is available all day for a maximum cost of £1.

More travel information

Costs

• Dinner for four with drinks at Crème de la Crepe – around £35
• Tube fare for two adults from South Kensington to Covent Garden using an Oyster card – £3.20
• Everything else – free!