The Ultimate 3 Day Itinerary for Visiting London with Kids

Are you planning a trip to London with kids? We braved the city with a baby and toddler and had a fantastic time! There are so many things to do with young kids, and London is the perfect place for a family vacation! Be sure to check out my tips so you can start planning your upcoming trip!

London is an incredible city, with so much to see and do!   You could easily spend a week and still have things unchecked on your bucket list. What’s even better? There are so many child-friendly activities that are perfect for the entire family!

We spent three full days in London with a toddler and baby, and with our jam-packed itinerary, there were so many things we were unable to see. If you only have a few days, sit down and plan your itinerary before your big trip! Prioritize those bucket list items!

London is one of the best places for a family vacation! Here is our three-day itinerary; if you keep reading, you’ll find my brief description of each activity!

Getting around London with a baby and toddler

The Tube

When visiting London with kids, public transportation is necessary. The tube (the London underground) is probably one of the easiest and quickest means of transportation.

However, it’s imperative to note that many tube stations do not have elevators. Traveling to London with a baby stroller can be problematic. Some of the stations have a lot of stairs. If you’re bringing a stroller and want to avoid the stairs, search the tube map and look for the stations with the handicap icon. Another consideration would be to get a very light, compact travel stroller that you can easily carry.

We avoid traveling with strollers and prefer the convenience of carriers. Check out my recommended carriers here!

Our initial experience with the tube station was far better than our experiences in other countries such as France and Italy. While my husband was trying to figure out which ticket to purchase at the kiosk, a surprisingly friendly worker discouraged us from buying certain tickets, informing us that we would be spending too much money. Instead, he recommended that we use the contactless payments with our credit/debit cards, which will be tapped at the daily rate (which I think was 8 or 9 pounds) for the day.

The contactless payment was so convenient! We didn’t have to worry about the tickets becoming warped or lost. He also informed us that kids under 11 travel free.

By Bus

London has a vast bus system, which I found somewhat confusing. It is essential to keep track of bus numbers and routes between the public transportation buses and the variety of hop-on and hop-off bus tours. 

Of course, one can’t travel to London without experiencing a ride on the red double-decker bus! The buses are a great way of getting around London with a baby or toddler because you don’t need a car seat. In contrast to the Tube, riding a bus is a great way to see more of the city!

Our Best Things to See three-day itinerary for London with kids

Day 1

• ​Breakfast

• Harry Potter Studios

• Early night to recover from traveling

Day 2

• Explore and walk around

• Piccadilly Circus

• Leicester Square

• Buy some Candy treats at the M&M store

• Explore China Town

• High Tea 

• Buckingham Palace

• St James Park

• Horse Guards

• London Eye

• Take a photo with Big Ben and Westminster Palace on the Westminster bridge

• Sea Life Aquarium

Day 3

• Borough Market

• ​Walk through Whitehall Gardens

• Harry Potter city walking  tour with Thames boat ride

•  Dopamine Land (If the Dopamine center is no longer in the city, consider one of the museums listed at the bottom of this post)

• Play and Explore Regents Park

• Take a ride on the Double Decker bus

Note: Some links may be affiliated links. That means I may make a commission if you use my links to purchase at no extra cost to you! I only recommend products and services that I personally love and believe in. Full disclaimer here.

Things to do in London with a toddler

Harry Potter Studios Tour

I am a huge Harry Potter fan, so we prioritized a day for the Warner Brother’s Harry Potter Studio tour, which was incredible! From the interactive exhibits to the set designs, it was like stepping on the set! The entire tour was very well done. We saw children of all ages enjoying the experience.

I would suggest to spend at least 3-4 hours at the studio.

Harry Potter Studios is located about 20 miles outside of London. The best tube station is Watford Junction. When booking your tickets, many tours include transportation, whether by train or bus. These tours can total 7 hours.

Not only did we book last minute, but we had to book with two different tours (or so we thought). Because of this, we chose to take the train independently and arrive early with the hopes of entering together. 

When getting on the train, be aware of the considerable difference between the direct and non-direct routes. We took the direct route there, which took under 30 minutes, and the non-direct return, which took closer to an hour. 

Once you arrive at the Watford Junction, you will have to take the Harry Potter Bus to the studios. You will need to show your tickets to get on the bus. 

Note: The Studios tour tickets are booked out months in advance. We could not purchase our tickets through the website because they were booked out. If they are booked for your family trip to London, Purchase the Harry Potter Studio Tickets here

For a long, be sure to have all of the kids’ essentials with you in the diaper bag! Check out my Ultimate Essentials Checklist for Babies and Toddlers.

Be sure to check out my Ultimate Guide to Harry Potter Studio Tour London Review and Tips!

Explore Piccadilly Circus

This is a really neat section of London. The Broadway theaters and lights reminded me of New York City. It is a great place to walk around, shop, and eat at a delicious restaurant.  If you have older children, you can even catch a show at one of the many theaters in the West End area. Because we were traveling to London with a baby and toddler, seeing a show was not part of our itinerary.

Leicester Square

Leicester Square is a short walk from Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, and SOHO in the West End. The square is quite large and has so much to offer. It can be an enjoyable walk. You can find LEGO and MnM stores, restaurants, shopping, and even theaters here. We even caught some street performers.

Note: There is also a huge Lego store

Stop at the M&M shop

This store is massive, with several floors! There are so many different M&M containers that my son went nuts! A word of caution: there are self-serve candies where you can mix and match the colors; they price these by weight. We avoided these.

You can purchase a variety of souvenirs and clothes. You can even have the candies custom-made!

Be sure to walk down to the bottom floor, and take a photo with the red phone booth!

Walk around China Town

China Town was a really neat area. My toddler loved all of the traditional lion statues, and the decorations overhead. We explored a couple of grocery stores looking for baby food; we didn’t find any baby food, but it made for an interesting grocery trip. 

It’s worth a walk-through if you’re in the Leicester Square area.

High Tea

No trip to London is complete without afternoon tea! Of course, traveling to London with a toddler requires some selectiveness. There are several great kid-friendly options for afternoon tea! I contemplated the Bear tea, but being a huge Harry Potter fan, I chose this walking tour

It was a fantastic and very interactive experience. We wore capes, played with wands, and even made potions. The experience was great, and the food was delicious. I did bring some baby food for our little girl. Book the Wizard Exploratorium with the Cauldron Co.

Be sure to check out my Review: Wizards & Wands Tea in London with Kids

Buckingham Palace

The Buckingham Palace, home of the royal family, is an iconic landmark of London. Tours of the palace and gardens are only available on certain dates. I would also recommend booking these tickets months in advance.

Our trip to London was fairly last minute, so we were unable to book a tour. However, the exterior was incredible, and seeing the well-decorated guards was
neat. 

 If you cannot book a tour, I suggest you visit. You may be able to catch the Changing of the Guards ceremony! You can look into purchasing tickets, as well as check out important dates here.

St James Park

St James Park is stunning and is right up to Buckingham Palace. We always try to prioritize parks when we travel with a baby and toddler. 

It is well-maintained and great for picnics or kids to run around.

Regarding wildlife, you can find ducks, geese, and pelicans! In fact, there is a cute little cottage that used to belong to the royal duck keeper, where the pelicans like to hang around. Mid-afternoon, they feed the pelicans fresh fish. We were only able to catch a glimpse; the viewing was a bit congested.

St. James is a great spot to see some of the royal ceremonies and special events. 

Horse Guards

I was not familiar with the horse guards! The Horse Guards Parade Grounds is quite beautiful. It’s in St James Park and is a lovely walk from Buckingham Palace. Tourists can walk through from the Whitehall.

From my research, the changing of the horse guards ceremony occurred at 11:00. We missed the ceremony; however, my kids still loved seeing the horse guards up and personal. They have security, which will help you take photos from a safe distance. 

The London Eye

The London Eye is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel and is called the “eye” because of its impressive views. The capsules are made of glass, which enhances the viewing experience. The ride lasts about 30 minutes. Sadly, we were unable to ride. My husband and I weighed the decision; our toddler didn’t want to ride, and ultimately, it wasn’t worth an epic meltdown.

It is pretty neat to see the wheel in person. It is located in the same area as Shrek and the Aquarium. 

To purchase tickets ahead of time, click here.

Big Ben and Westminster Palace

Walk the Westminster Bridge to see Big Ben and the Westminster Palace (also called the Houses of Parliament). The bridge is open to vehicles and pedestrians. It can be quite crowded, but if you can sneak in some selfies and photos, you will have a beautiful view! Be sure to spot the London Eye, which looks amazing against the Thames River!

Sea Life London Aquarium

If there is an aquarium on our travels with little kids, we try to prioritize it. We are familiar with the Sea Life brand, which is the one in Constance, Germany. Aesthetically, they are very well done, and pretty interactive for the kids.

We were easily able to purchase tickets at the counter; however, once you purchase the tickets, you walk through to join a line to get through security. The line was so crowded and slow, that we almost left. The concern was that the aquarium was going to be highly congested. 

Thankfully, the line was only bad because of the one security checkpoint. Once we passed through security, it was fine.  We spent a little under an hour, mainly because my son gets very excited and tends to rush through things. There is also a tiny gift shop at the end.

You can purchase tickets there; however, if you prefer to purchase them beforehand, you can do that here.

They did have combination tickets available to be combined with the London Eye at a small discounted rate.

 

The Aquarium is located near the Waterloo station

Borough Market

After living in Germany for a bit, I have really grown to appreciate and love local markets. Borough Market is an iconic landmark in Central London, and it has been since the 1750s! What’s even more impressive is that there are more than 100 vendors! Here, you can find all sorts of artisan foods. 

Sadly, we were pressed for time and couldn’t fully explore the market. Several restaurants are also in the same area. 

Note: The Borough Market is open select hours on certain days of the week.

Take a Walking Tour

Walking and food tours are two of my favorite ways to see a city. This is another reason why we prefer to have the kids in carriers over
strollers. 

It’s a great way to learn and explore. I booked a Harry Potter-themed walking tour, which I would absolutely recommend if you’re a fan.

Check out the tour here: Magical London: Harry Potter Walking Tour

Boat ride down the River Thames

If your younger kids love boats , this can be a good option. We rode the boat for about thirty minutes. We stayed inside because the weather was pretty bad. There is so much seating inside the boat, as well as a little cafe. 

I purchased this as part of our walking tour. It was nice to get off our feet and out of the rain for a little bit. You can purchase a hop-on, hop-off day pass here.

Note: A family in our walking tour group had a stroller. They seemed to manage the stroller on the Clipper boat pretty easily. 

Whitehall Gardens

This beautiful garden is a great place to sit and enjoy the flowers. It was rainy while we were there, so we quickly walked through. On a pretty day, it would be an excellent place for a toddler to get out of the carrier and walk around. 

Dopamine Land

I hesitated to include this in my post because it is a Fever Original Event that moves around to different cities. We enjoyed the experience, and it was a nice, fun break for my toddler. If it is available when you visit London with kids, I highly recommend it! 

Essentially, the rooms were separated to allow you to experience different sensations. From a ball pit room to a room for pillow fighting, it made for a unique experience. For more information, check out the Dopamine Land Site

The Regents Park

Regents Park is gorgeous and massive, spanning over 400 acres. If you’re traveling to London with a baby and toddler, this park is a perfect escape! The vast open areas are perfect for an escape away from the city and offer a safe space for young children to play.

This park is filled with birds, including various geese and ducks. It looked like many of them were tagged. They were very friendly and were found walking all over the
paths. 

Hop-on Hop-off Double-Decker Bus

I briefly mentioned these buses previously as a means of transportation; however, they can be an excellent way to do things in London with kids. My son loves sitting on the top of these double-deckers and loves the audio tour boxes. 

They are a great option for seeing the city and getting from one place to the next when traveling with younger children. 

We decided to take the bus instead of using the train station for the last leg of our final day. It took longer, and we didn’t fully utilize the hop-on-hop-off tour service, but seeing a little more of the city was nice. 

We have also had many successful naps on these buses while traveling.

Purchase the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tickets here

I would have loved to have included additional toddler-friendly activities
in my itinerary had, we had extra days.

I would have added these to my itinerary if we had had a few extra days!

• London Transport Museum

• Natural History Museum

• The Science Museum

• Westminster Abbey

• Shrek Exhibit

• London Zoo

• Tower of London

• Walk the London Bridge

• The Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens

Additional Tips for Traveling to London with Kids

Is London stroller-friendly?

Most people who were in London with a baby or toddler had strollers. Plan to do a lot of walking. It is important to note that the metro is not always stroller-friendly. 

We prefer to travel with the kids in our carriers. 

Plan for the rain

Bring ponchos and rain gear. Half of our trip was sunny, and the other was rain with wind. If your itinerary is flexible, you may want to work around the rain. Otherwise, just be prepared with the gear!

Baby Food

We had such a difficult time finding baby food packets—it was unbelievable! We walked into countless grocery stores, including one in Chinatown, where most did not have baby food. Thankfully, I could purchase yogurt, muesli, etc.; however, it’s not ideal for eating on the go. When we finally found a grocery store, I stocked up. 

Admire the beautiful memorials.

London has so many beautiful memorials. The intricate details on many of them were gorgeous.

Was three days in London with kids enough?

We had an incredible trip, and it was packed full. Ideally, we would have had at least two more days, especially when Harry Potter was included.

Harry Potter in London Related Posts:

• The Ultimate Harry Potter Weekend (with little Kids)
• Review: Wizards & Wands Tea in London with Kids
• The Ultimate Guide to Harry Potter Studios Tour London

My final thoughts on traveling to London with kids

Our first trip to London was fantastic. I was so surprised to find so many child-friendly activities that were enjoyable for the whole family. My only complaint is that we did not have a more extended trip!

London is a great city to add to your bucket list, and it’s one you can visit when the kids are young. We definitely kept it fast-paced to ensure that we could see as much as possible. I hope you find my London itinerary inspiring and that it gives you a great idea of planning your family trip to London!

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The Best Toddler and Baby Packing List (with free printables!)

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