London with Kids: A Complete Family Guide

London has a reputation for being expensive, and parts of it are. But the things kids remember most, a blue whale skeleton, a ride on the top deck of a red bus, a playground built around a pirate ship, cost nothing or close to it. This guide covers the logistics that actually trip families up: the UK ETA, how kids ride transit free, where to stay, and how to see a lot without losing your mind or your budget.

Rules that change: Entry requirements, transit fares, and museum booking rules change. Confirm the details for your dates on gov.uk, tfl.gov.uk, and each museum’s own site before you go.

Do US kids need an ETA for the UK?

Yes. The UK now requires most visa-free visitors, including US citizens, to have an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before traveling. According to gov.uk, every traveler needs their own ETA, including babies and children, and you can apply on a child’s behalf.

How it works for families:

1. Apply only through the official gov.uk service or the official UK ETA app. Copycat sites charge extra.
2. Have each child’s passport handy. The ETA is linked to the passport they’ll travel on, so if your child gets a new passport, plan on a new ETA.
3. Apply well before your flight, not the night before. Most decisions come back quickly, but you don’t want to find out at the check-in desk that one kid is missing.
4. Check the current fee on gov.uk. It has gone up since launch.

An ETA covers visits of up to six months, but it doesn’t guarantee entry. If you’re also transiting through a UK airport and passing through border control, you need one for that too.

Is London good for kids?

London is great for almost every age, with a few honest caveats.

• Babies: Very doable. Museums have changing facilities, parks are everywhere, and buses take strollers. The hard part is the Tube’s stairs.
• Toddlers and preschoolers: Fantastic for parks, playgrounds, dinosaurs, and buses. They won’t care about the Crown Jewels. Plan one big thing a day.
• Big kids (6–10): The sweet spot. They’re old enough for the Tower of London’s stories, the Science Museum, and long walks, and they still ride transit free.
• Tweens and teens: Theater, markets, Harry Potter locations, and the freedom to navigate the Tube themselves. Let them run the map.

Who should wait? Families who mainly want quiet nature or beach time. London is busy, and summer queues test patience.

Best time to visit London with kids

Pack a rain layer no matter the season. London weather is less dramatic than its reputation, but it changes fast.

How many days do you need in London with kids?

Coming from the US, count your first day as a jet lag day. Our kids jet lag guide has a plan for shifting little body clocks.

Where to stay in London with kids

Pick your area by which Tube line you’ll ride most, not by the cheapest rate.

Lodging types: Apartment rentals and aparthotels with a kitchen and washing machine are worth it for families. Hotel rooms in London are small, so check whether a “family room” really sleeps four. Ask for a room near the lift if you have a stroller.

Best things to do in London with kids, by age

London’s free museums with kids

London’s national museums have free general entry, which changes how you plan. You don’t have to “get your money’s worth,” so you can visit for 90 minutes, leave when the meltdown starts, and come back tomorrow.

1. Natural History Museum: Go straight to the dinosaur gallery at opening, before the line builds. General entry is free; booking a free ticket is recommended at busy times, and walk-ups may wait longer.
2. Science Museum: Free entry with a free timed ticket. Wonderlab, the interactive gallery with live shows, costs extra and is worth it for ages 5 to 12.
3. Victoria and Albert Museum: Free, beautiful, and less crowded. Look for family trails at the info desk.
4. Young V&A in Bethnal Green: Free and designed for kids from babies to 14. Great on a rainy morning.
5. British Museum: Free general entry. Go for the mummies, then leave. Two hours is plenty for most kids.
6. National Maritime Museum (Greenwich): Free, with hands-on galleries and a huge park outside.

Paid special exhibitions sit inside many of these museums. Skip them with young kids, the free galleries are more than enough.

Parks and playgrounds

The Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens is the headliner, a big wooden pirate ship with sand and water play. It’s for kids with their adults, so plan on joining in. Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, St James’s Park (pelicans!), and Greenwich Park are all free and huge. A park break between museums is the single best meltdown prevention tool in London.

Paid attractions worth it for families

Pick one or two, not five. The Tower of London is a strong pick for kids 7 and up. The London Eye works for all ages but has long lines in summer, so book a timed slot. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour, the Making of Harry Potter, is outside the city in Leavesden and needs advance tickets. Check each attraction’s site for current prices and family tickets.

A sample 5-day London itinerary with kids

Day 1: Arrive and stay awake. Drop bags, walk to a park, get outside in daylight. Early dinner, early bed.

Day 2: South Kensington. Natural History Museum at opening (9:45 arrival). Lunch picnic in Hyde Park. Nap or rest at the apartment. Diana Memorial Playground late afternoon.

Day 3: Royal and river day. Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace (check the schedule, it doesn’t run every day). Walk through St James’s Park. Lunch, then a river boat from Westminster to the Tower. Tower of London for older kids, or a playground and ice cream for littles.

Day 4: Easy day. Science Museum morning. Long lunch. Afternoon off: pool, nap, or a slow bus ride on a double-decker route through the center.

Day 5: Greenwich. Boat or DLR to Greenwich. National Maritime Museum, then roll down the hill in Greenwich Park. Pack a snack bag, it’s a long, happy day.

Build in a 2 p.m. rest every day for kids under 5. Museums are free, so leaving early costs you nothing.

Getting there and getting around London with kids

From Heathrow

The Elizabeth line and the Piccadilly line both run from Heathrow into central London and are much cheaper than a taxi. With luggage and a stroller, the Elizabeth line is roomier. Use TfL’s journey planner to compare.

How kids ride TfL for free

The under-11 rule comes from TfL’s Zip Oyster page: a fare-paying adult can travel with up to four children under 11 free. Kids that age only need a photocard if they’re traveling without an adult.

For ages 11 to 15, TfL’s Young Visitor discount gives half the adult pay-as-you-go rate for up to 14 days. Staff add it to an Oyster card at stations and visitor centers, and your child needs to be with you. Adults can simply tap a contactless bank card or phone, which caps daily spending automatically.

Strollers and the Tube

Many Tube stations, especially older central ones, have stairs and long escalators instead of lifts. What works:

1. Download TfL’s step-free Tube map and plan around step-free stations.
2. Use buses. They take strollers, kids under 11 ride free, and the top deck is the best tour in town. Wheelchair users have priority in the bay, so be ready to fold.
3. Bring a light, one-hand-fold stroller or a baby carrier. Leave the big jogging stroller home.
4. Stand on the right on escalators. Londoners will remind you.
5. “Mind the gap” is real. Hold small hands when stepping on and off.

Car seats in London

You won’t need a car in central London. UK rules on child seats in taxis are different from private cars, so check gov.uk’s child car seat rules if your kids are small, and see our traveling with car seats guide if you’re renting a car for a day trip.

Saving money in London with kids

1. Build days around free museums and parks. You can fill a week without paying an entry fee.
2. Let kids ride free. Under-11s cost nothing on most TfL services with you, which makes the bus a free sightseeing tour.
3. Add the Young Visitor discount for 11–15s. It halves their pay-as-you-go fares for two weeks.
4. Rent an apartment with a kitchen. Breakfast and a few dinners at home save a lot.
5. Picnic. Supermarket meal deals and park lunches beat sit-down restaurants for little kids anyway.
6. Use refill points. Carry water bottles; many museums have fountains.
7. Pick one paid headliner. One big attraction is plenty for kids under 8.

Our family travel on a budget guide has more ways to cut costs.

Safety and practical tips for London with kids

• Traffic comes from the right. Cars drive on the left. Many crossings have “LOOK RIGHT” painted on the road; teach kids to read it.
• Crowded platforms: Keep kids behind the yellow line and hold hands at busy stations like Oxford Circus and King’s Cross.
• Lost kid plan: Teach kids to find a member of staff in a museum or a TfL employee in uniform. Put your phone number on a wristband.
• Pickpockets: Keep phones zipped in busy areas like Leicester Square and the South Bank.
• Rain: A packable jacket per person beats umbrellas, which are hard with a stroller.
• Emergency number: The UK uses 999 for emergencies. Teach older kids.
• Passports: Each child needs a valid passport and their own ETA. If you’re still sorting passports, start with our passports for kids guide.

Your next step for London with kids

Tonight, apply for everyone’s ETA on gov.uk, then pick your neighborhood based on the museums you most want to visit. If you’re adding Paris on the Eurostar, our Paris with kids guide picks up where this one leaves off, and the packing list builder will sort the rain gear.