Things to do with kids in London in May
People often assume that London is an expensive city, but that’s not true: And to prove it here are our top five things to do in London in May. And the best thing is, they are all either free or cost less than £5 per child. So you can get out and enjoy the sunshine with your family every weekend without it breaking the bank!
Elephant parade
The Elephant Parade starts on 3rd May and runs for two months. It’s an enjoyable day out for kids and parents alike, and what’s more it’s completely free! In a bid to raise awareness and paint a brighter future for Asian elephants, 250 brightly painted life-size elephants will be dotted all over central London, and armed with a map and a little imagination your whole family can enjoy hunting for them.
The kids will enjoy the hunt and the bright colours, whilst the parents can enjoy the quality of the art: each elephant has been painted by a different artist or celebrity.
Kids zone at the National Army Museum
The kids zone at the National Army museum is a fantastic play area for children under ten years old. The area encourages kids to learn whilst they play, and features interactive learning and a play space with a forest, castle, construction, reading, art activity and board-game area. There’s also a soft play area for babies, so it’s a place for fun for the whole family!
All you have to do is ask at the information desk for a free timed ticket and you'll get 50 minutes play time for absolutely nothing. And if you’d like to treat your little ones to something more educational, you can pick up a free activity backpack at reception and your children can enjoy a changing range of activities designed to help them understand the galleries.
From 29th May to 6th June the museum is hosting a free kids event called Spies and Special Agents. Kids are invited to take part in top-secret gallery missions, hunt for clues and find evidence, and learn about the vital role of espionage in the armed forces.
Alexandra Palace
Over the May Day bank holiday Alexandra Palace hosts it’s annual May Day funfair (May 1st- May 3rd) The event is a family fun fair with dodgems, rides, stalls with prizes, kiddies rides and refreshments. Admission to the event is free, although you do have to pay for the rides.
For older children, on Wednesday 5th May Alexandra Palace ice rink is offering a last skate for free before it closes for a major 6 month refurbishment. It’s a beautiful place to skate, and if you arrive between 11am and 2pm your visit will be free of charge.
Belmont children’s farm
Like all city farms the Belmont farm in Mill Hill offers the usual array of sheep, goats, and cows. However unlike usual animal farms it also has llamas, kangaroos, and birds of prey. Kids will love the massive selection of animals they can meet, and mums and dads will love the prize winning waffle house in the middle of the farm.
At weekends the farm offers animal feeding and petting: kids can get up close to goats, rabbits and a miniature pony as well as helping the farmer to bottle feed the orphaned lambs. The cost is £4 per adult and £2 per child for a whole day of family fun. Children under 3 go free.
Kew Gardens, Treehouse Towers
Kew has opened a new outdoor play area. It is located outside the Climbers and Creepers play area, and it offers ladders, rope bridges and three towers for children to clamber over. Further challenges are posed by giant swings, zip wires, scramble nets, slides and a mountaineering ramp, all geared up to allow children to learn about and appreciate trees. The play area isn’t suitable for under threes but promises hours of fun for your active slightly older kids.
The admission for adults is £13 however children under the age of 17 get in for free.
Next time we will be looking at things to do in Birmingham in May. Would you like us to find some family friendly activities happening in your town or city? Just let us know.
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