Good morning! Today we are back in the air, bittersweetly headed home. I didn’t have time to get any new airplane toys, but hopefully a few new iPad apps and sorting through shells will keep Sydney busy!
While we fly, check out today’s guest post courtesy of Angelina Lawson and theatretickets.org.uk. If you have any upcoming trips to London with your littles this post is for you!
Catch a play.
This is the city where Shakespeare’s dramas were performed; if you want to teach your kids culture in a fun way, see a performance! It is not all historical; for example, stop by the Lyceum Theatre to see their box office hit production of The Lion King.
Ride the London Eye.
This is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe and formerly the world at 135 m (443 ft.) It is also London’s most popular paid tourist attraction, giving a magnificent view of the entire city. Kids will be sure to get a kick out of this amazing ride!
Shop at Hamleys.
This chain’s flagship location on Regent Street is more than a century old and is the largest toy store on Earth. If you want to take care of Christmas and birthdays for the next few years, take a day to explore its seven floors with your children. Just have your credit card ready.
Enjoy some scarier scenes.
If your kids are older (and braver) try visiting the 2,000 year old London Dungeons, a sort of year round haunted house that uses dark humor to teach about London’s macabre history. You can also check out the Tower of London, a former prison and final home to many who met the chopping block.
Visit a museum.
The problem is picking which one! The (free) British Museum will show you world history, while the Horniman Museum has anthropology and an aquarium. The Museum of London Docklands has its own sub-museum for “mudlarks” (children under 12), while the Museum of Childhood is nothing but exhibits about kids. You could also try Madame Tussauds, with wax sculptures of everyone from Shakespeare to Spiderman.
Play in Kensington Gardens.
In J.M. Barrie’s novels, this royal park is where Peter Pan lived after he first flew away from home, and today you can find a statue of the boy right where he first landed. Take your child there for just a day of fun in this verdant Neverland.
Explore the London Zoo.
With over 750 animal species and 16,800 specimens this is truly a wonder to behold. It is like the entire animal kingdom in one place, with everything from hulking elephants to delicate butterflies. You can also learn about the zoo’s history and former animal residents, including species that have since gone extinct.
