As we got ready to spend two months in London with our baby, I began researching fun things for us to do as a family. London is a huge city with lots of activities for every age, but I wanted to know: what are the best things to do in London with a baby?
Of course, one of the best things about travelling with a baby is that you can just bring them along on all of your regular sightseeing. Baby C in her stroller or carrier was happy to hang with us at museums, cafes, galleries and shops.
But after spending over two months in London with our little one – five weeks when she was 10 months old and another four weeks when she was 13 months old – I realized that taking part in activities that were specifically for babies were some of the best parts of our London trip!
During my research, I found a lot of activities in London that were kid-friendly, but not necessarily baby-friendly. A baby who isn’t walking or talking is looking for very different things than a toddler, preschooler or school-age child.
A baby might not need to run around, but they still want to get their wiggles out. They can’t sit at a table and colour, but they still want to get involved and play. And, let’s be honest, us parents love watching our babies try out these activities too!
So after scouring the internet, we set out to try some of London’s best baby activities during our time in the city. We had such a blast and I’m so excited to recommend my favourite things to do in London with a baby to you and your family.
And don’t miss all of my tips for visiting London with a baby, such as the best ways to get around, what to pack and where to eat!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
1. See a show for babies at Unicorn Theatre
One of my favourite things to do in London is see a show in the West End. But at less than a year old, Baby C was a bit young for your average 2.5 hour musical.
Luckily, there’s Unicorn Theatre, a children’s theatre that produces shows for kids of all ages. And they even have shows specifically for babies!
We got to see two shows at Unicorn Theatre: Scrunch, a Christmas-themed show for babies 6-18 months old and Squirrel, an interactive puppet show for children 6 months to 4 years old.
We saw Scrunch when our daughter was 10.5 months old. It was her first experience with live theatre and she was mesmerized! I thought she’d get bored or distracted but she followed along with the 25 minute performance, laughing and clapping.
The theatre space was very baby-friendly. We were seated on the floor with cushions and the performance was very low-key and melodic. Babies were welcome to move around, nurse and make noise.
At the end of the performance, there was 15 minutes of playtime where each baby received some materials from the show and could explore the space. Baby C loved crawling over to other families and scrunching up her own wrapping paper.
The other show we saw, Squirrel, was designed for slightly older kids so was even more interactive. The children were invited onto the “stage” (just an open area of the floor, not a raised platform) where there were acorns, cones and blocks for them to play with.
Once again, Baby C had a blast!
As a big theatre lover, it made me so happy to watch my daughter experience theatre for the first time and enjoy herself so thoroughly. I loved how Unicorn Theatre designed shows and an environment perfect for little ones.
Check what’s on at Unicorn Theatre and book your tickets here!
2. Dance along at Wordplay at Southbank Centre
Every two weeks, Southbank Centre hosts Wordplay, an interactive live music event for babies 0-2 years old. Best of all, it’s free to attend!
Because it’s free – and so much fun – Wordplay gets pretty busy. We went to one of their sessions in March and it was packed. It felt like there were easily over 100 kids there (check out the stroller parking lot below!).
Luckily Wordplay is held in a big ballroom, so there’s lots of space for all of the little ones and their adults. There are some cushions, benches and lots of floor space to sit.
The program is led by a singer-songwriter, a performer and a harpist who perform interactive, original music. All of the babies were having a blast dancing along, doing the actions and getting lifted up, kissed, tickled or moved when the songs called for it.
If your baby is into music, I’d highly recommend attending Wordplay! Baby C loved bopping around to the tunes and was fascinated by all the other kids.
They also hold a session for older kids (3-5 year olds) after the baby session and then there’s free playtime, so you can make a whole morning of it!
Click here to learn more about Wordplay and check dates.
3. Be wowed by Adventure Babies at the Natural History Museum
Probably my favourite baby-friendly activity in London was Adventure Babies at the Natural History Museum. This sensory-storytelling event was so impressive, so engaging and even had me tearing up at one point.
Our session had a jungle theme and started with an interactive story. The presenter read a story with different animal puppets and each baby was given a bag of props to play with as the story was told.
After the story, the babies were welcome to explore the space where different play zones had been set up. There were lots of cool things Baby C hadn’t played with before, like a tunnel, tent and pool full of feathers. There was also a messy play zone.
We then gathered back in a circle for the real wow moment: a parachute was lifted over the babies who were sitting on a bed of fibre optic lights. The presenter turned on a bubble machine and started playing “The Circle of Life” from The Lion King.
Yes, this is when I was getting misty-eyed! Baby C was so enchanted by the parachute above her head, lights at her feet and bubbles coming towards her. It was so magical and an experience I’ll never forget.
Once the 45-minute session is over, you can continue exploring the rest of the Natural History Museum. Baby C (and her parents) really loved the mammal section and the dinosaur exhibit.
Adventure Babies is held regularly but does sell out quickly. They have sessions for pre-crawlers (usually up to 1 years old) and a more general session for kids up to four years old.
Check dates and book your tickets here. Note that while entrance to the museum is free, you do have to pay for Adventure Babies.
4. Play at Tots at the Docks at London Museum Docklands
Once a month, London Museum Docklands hosts Tots at the Docks, a free drop-in play session for children under five years old. The basement of the museum gets completely taken over by toys, games and activities.
We went to the February session of Tots at the Docks and I was really impressed by the three large rooms that had been transformed into play spaces.
One room was for older kids, with tables, chairs and crafts set up, while another was perfect for babies, with lots of blocks, soft toys and sensory objects.
We headed to the baby-friendly room where Baby C enjoyed trying out the new toys and smiling at other families. There were enough families there that it felt lively, but never too crowded.
We made a whole day of our visit – getting lunch at Market Halls, walking along Canary Wharf (eyes peeled for the big rubber duck!) and touring the museum in addition to going to Tots at the Docks.
The museum itself is quite cool too. Most of the exhibits on London’s dockland history will be for adults but there are some interactive zones for kids, plus a recreated dock town that babies will enjoy toddling through.
Check date for Tots at the Docks here.
5. Explore Young V&A with your little one
You may have heard of the V&A or Victoria and Albert, an art museum in the Kensington neighbourhood of London. But did you know that the V&A is actually comprised of a few museums around the city, including a kids’ museum called Young V&A?
Young V&A, formerly the V&A Museum of Childhood, is a museum for kids. It’s incredible and, unbelievably, it’s free! If you are a parent visiting or living in London, do not miss this place.
Almost everything in Young V&A is interactive. There are more traditional museum exhibits with items behind glass, but even these are made for a child audience and usually have interactive elements.
But the real highlight is the hands-on play areas, including a special zone for 0-2 year olds!
This baby zone was amazing. The entire space was perfectly created for infants. Everything was sensory and safe; there was even a gate on the room that closed so no babies could crawl out.
It was so nice to know that Baby C could crawl around and experience the space without having to worry about her falling, getting into something dangerous or being trampled by a big kid.
Besides the 0-2 room, there was another area with blue foam blocks that you could use to create towers and objects. Baby C was mesmerized by the kids building in there and crawled over to help.
There were lots of fun exhibits to walk through, meaning Colin and I got to do some learning as well. There was also a stage with a giant screen that Baby C loved to crawl up the steps towards!
For older kids, there are rooms with arcade games, arts and crafts tables, magnet walls, and lots of exhibits on dolls, stories, toys and games.
6. Laugh at a BYO-Baby comedy show
We went to a BYOB (bring your own baby) comedy show while we were living in Brighton. But I’m including it on my list of things to do in London with a baby because the same group that put on our show in Brighton organizes shows all across the UK!
The premise is pretty simple: you get to watch a comedy show and you get to bring your baby along with you. And it’s specifically for babies only (under 15 months) because the comedy material is for adults.
The idea is that you get to enjoy some adult humour with your baby along for the ride, since they won’t understand the jokes anyway. So no, these aren’t jokes aimed at kids. It’s to make the parents laughed!
We loved going to a BYOB comedy show in Brighton. It was so nice to be in a space with tons of other families where the babies were welcomed.
All throughout the show babies were crying, crawling around, nursing, having their diapers changed and just generally being babies. And no one minded, because that was the whole point!
Yes, it can be a little bit hard to concentrate on the comics who are performing while you wrangle your baby. But even if you miss a few of the jokes, it’s worth it to have a fun time out!
Find a show near you and book tickets here.
7. Hang out at your local library with your baby
This is an easy baby-friendly activity you can do almost anywhere, but I was a big fan of the local libraries we visited in London. We frequented Artizan Street Library when we lived in Spitalfields and Brixton Library when we lived in Brixton.
These London libraries were great because they were free to visit, indoors and temperature-controlled, and had huge kids’ sections. There were tons of books for kids of all ages, plus soft areas for little ones to read and play.
The Artizan Street Library in particular was amazing for babies. There was a huge space with books all around it and cushions in the middle. There was a small stage, puzzles and toys, and the librarians always brought out more activities for the kids.
On certain days of the week, community members would take over the kids’ space and bring in even more toys. Honestly, books were the least interesting part of our visits!
I loved that we got to meet local families and find new playmates for Baby C. We became regulars at our library, running into the same kids and their parents/nannies. Some of the older kids really enjoyed reading to Baby C and doing puzzles with her, which was so sweet.
I know a library isn’t going to be at the top of anyone’s London bucket list. But it’s a great (and free) place to let your little one wiggle around for an hour or two, play with other kids and escape any bad weather.
8. Meet animals at a city farm
Before visiting London with a baby, I had no idea that London had city farms. But they do, and they’re awesome!
A city farm is just as its described – a small farm in the city. The ones we visited were mostly centred around farm animals, but they also had plants, greenhouses and gardens.
We visited Hackney City Farm and Spitalfields City Farm. We actually loved Spitalfields City Farm so much that we went twice! Both were free to visit, but donations are highly encouraged.
We had a blast walking around the farm with Baby C and looking at the different farm animals.
All of the animals had info sheets telling you their names and their histories. It was very cute to learn about new furry and feathered friends, like Jemima the duck who was born with one eye or Holmes the pig who liked to grunt hello.
Even though she was just a year old, Baby C really loved looking at the animals. They were mesmerizing to her. And even us parents liked seeing the animals, so this really is an activity for all ages!
Spitalfields City Farm also had a playground with wooden play equipment and some bikes and tricycles. On our first visit, they were hosting special messy play for kids, which was fun (until Baby C tried to eat the mud).
Both Hackney and Spitalfields City Farms have a few shops and cafes/restaurants on the grounds as well, so you can spend some more time enjoying the farm and contributing to it. All in all, a wholesome, affordable and fun family-friendly activity.
9. Stop at a baby play area during your museum visit
We visited a lot of museums while we were in London. There are so many high quality museums in the city and most of them are free to visit.
Of course, your baby can join you on a museum visit. But many museums actually have dedicated spaces for kids where they can play – and many of those spaces work for babies too.
Here are a few of our favourites:
- Tate Britain: We visited the Play Studio at Tate Britain where Baby C had a blast with the blocks and floor tiles that changed colours. There were tons of other activities, books and toys for older children too. Tate Britain also has their Story Space events.
- Museum of the Home: As you’re going through homes from different eras, make a stop at the Reading Lounge and Sensory Den. This is a great spot to relax and I was so impressed by their diverse kids’ book collection. And, being Museum of the Home, they also had lots of play furniture, like a mini kitchen. There’s also the Mini Playhouse for slightly older kids.
- London Transport Museum: A lot of the London Transport Museum is kid-friendly, with kids being able to get on old-timey trains and buses, but you don’t want to miss All Aboard, the play zone for 0-7 year olds. Baby C liked checking out the kid-sized Lost & Found desk. We also met Santa at the London Transport Museum and they do special singing and story sessions for under 5s.
10. Take in the view of London with your baby
I’ve been to a few free viewing platforms in London, including Sky Garden, Horizon 22 and The Lookout. Baby C and Colin joined me for two of those and I’d say the most baby-friendly London viewpoint is The Lookout, but it depends what you’re looking for.
All of the free observation decks in London will provide you with great views of the city and the River Thames. You can’t go wrong with any of them!
We visited The Lookout and Horizon 22 when Baby C was almost 14 months old. At that age, she was wanting to crawl/toddle around, so having more space was ideal.
We visited The Lookout at 10:30am on March 11 and it was not busy. There’s not much to do at The Lookout besides look out so Baby C had tons of space to roam around.
So if your baby prefers more space and quiet, I’d recommend booking The Lookout (it’s free, but you do need to book online in advance) and for a less busy slot (mornings, non-weekends, non-sunset hours).
However, if your baby isn’t crawling/walking and you’d prefer to have more things to see and do at your viewpoint, head to Sky Garden or Horizon 22. Both of these observation platforms are busier, have more areas to take in the view, and also have cafes where you can sit for a drink or snack.
Sky Garden also, as its name implies, has an impressive green space inside. If that’s something your baby might be fascinated by, choose that one. It’s also the most popular viewpoint; I visited in January a few years back and had to line up for a long time, despite booking ahead online.
All to say, I think going up to one of London’s free viewing decks is something both babies and parents will enjoy. Just pick the viewpoint that works best for your family!
11. Attend a baby event at Hamleys
Hamleys, known as The Finest Toy Store in the World, is a London landmark going all the way back to 1760. I’m talking seven floors of toys and games in the middle of Central London – aka Kid Mecca!
The nice thing about visiting a famous toy store with a baby, as opposed to an older child, is that they’re too young to ask you to buy everything in the store. But they’re old enough to be totally wowed by the experience!
We visited Hamleys just before Christmas and decided to pick up a few London-themed gifts for Baby C. We bought a wooden London double-decker bus and a board book all about London.
The toys and games here aren’t cheap, but you’re in it for the iconic experience. Besides shopping, Hamleys also puts on a ton of events, many that are free to attend and perfect for babies.
You can watch puppet shows, parades, dance performances, meet characters, listen to books and more! Check out what’s happening at Hamleys here.
12. Sail down the Thames with your baby
Despite visiting London dozens of times, I had never been on a river cruise down the River Thames. So I was thrilled when Tower of London River Tours invited us on board one of their first sailings – and even more excited to learn that they were baby-friendly!
We joined a 40-minute live-guided experience on their beautiful Silver Raven boat and all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Colin and I loved the live commentary, getting to learn about London’s history by a wonderful guide, who answered questions and shared funny tidbits about the icons we were passing.
Of course, Baby C was too young to understand the narration. But she still really enjoyed the boat ride! Because the boat is so clean and enclosed, I had no concerns letting her toddle around. I didn’t have to worry about her picking up anything or getting into danger.
We were able to push our stroller down the ramp and right on board where there was lots of space for it. The crew was also so nice to Baby C, giving her big smiles and playing games with her.
Colin and I enjoyed some snacks and drinks from the bar on-board. I didn’t see many baby-friendly options, so I’d suggest packing food for your little one if you’ll need it. But I’d highly recommend the lemon cookie for older kids/adults!
We also got to take some lovely family photos in front of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge. While you can take these shots from many places in London, there’s something really special about getting them without the crowds and with the River Thames flowing behind you.
PS: Tower of London River Tours operate the UK’s first electric tour boat. So not only will you and your family have a blast on this smooth sailing, you can also feel good about your environmental impact!
Book your Tower of London River Tour here.
13. Hang out at a London playground
London is well known for having some epic playgrounds and green spaces. Unfortunately, the coolest ones aren’t going to mean much to your baby, since they’re probably not rock climbing or doing ropes courses just yet.
But luckily, London also has some baby-friendly playgrounds. Our local playground in Spitalfields was perfect for Baby C. It wasn’t very busy and there was low-to-the-ground equipment, a sensory board and a big swing she could ride on with Dad.
Other baby-friendly playgrounds I’ve read about include:
- Holland Park: Their Adventure Playground for bigger kids looks pretty epic, but for babies and toddlers, there’s another playground right next door with low equipment, sandpits and swings.
- Coram’s Fields: This large green space has a few different playgrounds to choose from, as well as a sand pit and paddling pool. Their community centre even has a drop-in playtime for under 5s with a special soft play area for under 2s.
- Battersea Park: This is another huge park with lots to do for the whole family, including a Toddler Playground that’s perfect for little kids. Nearby is Battersea Power Station where you’ll find shopping, dining and a soft play centre.
14. Enjoy Christmas in London with your baby
If you happen to be in London at Christmastime, you and your baby are in for a magical experience! The entire city gets decked out in lights, decorations and merriment. We were there in November/December and really loved the jolly atmosphere!
If your little one is anything like Baby C, then they’ll love going for a stroll under the Christmas lights or taking in the storefronts that are all dressed up. Many of London’s best Christmas markets and decorated streets will be busy, so aim for off-peak time if you’re going with your baby.
You can also take part in some baby-friendly Christmas activities. For example, Baby Broadway does a series of Christmas concerts for little ones. There’s also the opportunity to meet Santa!
Meeting Santa in London is something you usually need to buy tickets for in advance – not like my childhood where you’d just wander down to the local mall and take photos with the big guy. And those tickets can get really expensive!
We opted to meet him at the London Transport Museum (it was included in admission). We got to take photos with Santa in a special room with a few other families and some elves. Plus Santa even sent us home with a little gift!
Plus, a few more things to do in London with your baby
Even though we were in London for two months, we didn’t get to do every baby-friendly activity. Below are a few more I researched but we haven’t tried out yet. If you’ve tried them, let me know what you thought!
15. Bring Your Baby Pub Quiz or Guided Walk – These look awesome but unfortunately the times/locations didn’t work for us. Hopefully they do for you!
16. BYO-Baby Wine Tasting – A fun way to meet other parents and learn more about wine.
17. Attend a baby-friendly concert with Baby Broadway, Bach to Baby, or the Big Fish Little Fish family rave. You can also check the Barbican, Royal Albert Hall and Lyric Theatre as they often have music events for kids.
18. Visit Discover Children’s Story Centre – This is the ultimate children’s play space. Unfortunately they were renovating while we were in London but have recently re-opened and are debuting a new Baby and Toddler space.
19. Visit a soft play or play cafe – Soft play/play cafes seem to be quite popular in the UK and are perfect for playtime with a baby in a safe, indoor environment. Check out these lists by Bablands, Timeout and Silver Spoon London for some great options.
20. Remember, you can make your regular London sightseeing baby-friendly
While London has some incredible activities designed specifically for babies – and you’re an awesome parent for wanting to incorporate some of those things into your London itinerary – don’t forget that you can bring your baby along with you on your regular London sightseeing too.
One of the best things about travelling with babies is that they’re portable and usually happiest when they’re with their people. So as long as your kiddo is with you, they won’t care if you want to spend hours shopping at Selfridges, strolling around Hyde Park or wandering the British Museum.
Bonus, babies are free! We didn’t have to pay for Baby C to do any sightseeing (except for some of the baby-specific activities above) or to get on public transport in London.
We visited tons of museums in London, and not all of them had children’s play spaces. But Baby C still enjoyed being in her stroller or carried as we explored the Churchill War Rooms, Hunterian Museum, Imperial War Museum, Saatchi Gallery, Wallace Collection, Moco Museum and more.
Even a simple ride on the London tube or a double-decker bus was a lot of fun for Baby C! She loved waving at people and making new friends. PS: Check out my tips for taking transit with a baby in London.
Eating out in London was not only one of our favourite things to do (as noted by all of these Brixton restaurants we ate at) but also a lot of fun for Baby C. Many restaurants catered to babies, often providing high chairs and lots of space for families.
And if you’re worried about eating out with your baby in London, my guide has got you covered with where to eat and what to pack.
Lastly, you’re going to want to include your baby in some classic London photo opps. Even if you don’t pay to go in, don’t miss getting a family photo in front of Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and an iconic red telephone booth!
Wrapping up: My favourite things to do in London with a baby
If I had to pick my favourite baby-friendly activities in London – the top ones I would recommend other families do during their stay – they would be:
- Seeing a show at Unicorn Theatre
- Taking part in Adventure Babies at the Natural History Museum
- Playing and exploring at Young V&A
- Waving to the animals at Spitalfields City Farm
All of these activities were standouts for us as parents and for Baby C. I know she won’t remember her time in London but we will and these activities made that time so much more magical.
My favourite part about visiting London with our baby is knowing this won’t be our last London family trip. I love London and have visited the city over a dozen times since my first trip in 2012.
Watching my daughter ride a double-decker bus, be wowed by London theatre, crawl around London museums, take part in afternoon tea, cruise down the Thames and enjoy the London skyline are all core memories for me.
I know she was just a baby, but I like to believe she was falling in love with London, just like her mama.
I have loved exploring London solo, with my parents, with friends, with my husband, and now with my daughter. I can’t wait to keep coming back to the Big Smoke and seeing what new things the city has to offer for the toddler/school-age/teenage versions of Baby C!
