If six weeks of entertaining the kids this summer is threatening to drain your bank balance, we’ve got you covered.
This city has plenty to offer for free, including some gems you might not be aware of. Our top tip for getting maximum fun out of a minimal or non-existent budget is to get organized! There’s plenty to do but some of the best free activities book up fast.
First up on the list is a trip to Horizon 22 – London’s highest free viewing platform. Situated on the 58th floor of a tower block at Bishopsgate, you could easily spend an hour up here taking in the view. On a clear day you can see beyond Wembley and the views of the Thames and Tower Bridge are spectacular. Sky Garden is another great free view. Located in the Walkie Talkie building on Fenchurch St, there are three stories of landscaped gardens and fabulous observation decks. Book well ahead!
Did you know at 2.30pm every day the park keeper feeds the pelicans at St James’s Park – head to the Horse Guards Parade entrance to the park and get close to the bridge to Duck Island.
On a hot day, Kings Cross has plenty to offer. This summer you can play boules there, play in the fountains at Granary Square, check out the free film screenings (from July 18th) with the Open Air Film Festival and watch live coverage of the Olympics on a big screen. There’s also a free music festival there (August 15th-26th) with folk, jazz, classical and more.
The Wellcome Collection in Euston has a brilliant exhibition on for the rest of the year. Jason and the Adventure of 254 is a whimsical look at the way society perceives disability; the place is packed with colourful sculptures, including a giant patient in a hospital bed. You can touch everything in the exhibition and there are plenty of interactive push-button lights.
Closer to home, Clissold Park’s Splash Pad is great fun for little ones. There’s a whole load of water play equipment and a giant bucket that fills up and empties on their heads! You need to book in advance to be guaranteed a slot. Bookings open five in advance from 10pm.
London’s farms are also a great way to entertain the kids for free – we love Freightliners in Liverpool Road, Islington and Hackney City Farm in Haggerston Park.
Among London’s free museums are The Museum of the Home in Hackney and the brilliant Young V&A (AKA the Museum of Childhood) in Bethnal Green. The Natural History Museum, The Science Museum, the Design Museum, the V&A, The British Museum, The Horniman Museum (stuffed animals galore) and the Grant Museum of Zoology (featuring loads of extinct animals and a jar of moles!).
The Riverside Terrace of the Southbank Centre is being transformed this summer with the ‘Appearing Rooms’ installation by Jeppe Hein. Shooting jets of water create rooms that disappear as quickly as they emerge. Dress the kids in their bathers and in shoes they can get wet!
If you’ve a top recommendation for free things to do in London this summer that’s not featured in this article, please let us know!
