Autumn London Days Out with Kids
Brick or Treat
■ Chertsey ■ Legoland, Windsor, ■ Sat Oct 14 – Mon 30 Oct
I’ve run out of jokes about Brick or Treat – that’s how long this Legoland event has been running! Over 55 ‘spooktacular’ rides, live shows and attractions, plus firework displays on Oct 21,22, 27 & 28.
■ Natural History Museum, London SW7 ■ until Feb 29 2018
Walk underneath the largest creature to have lived on earth in Hintze Hall – a gigantic 25.2m blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling called Hope, replacing Dippy the dinosaur. More than 100 enormous skeletons of whales, dolphins and porpoises from the Museum’s impressive research collection will be brought out from behind-the-scenes for the first time to show the secret underwater life of these animals in the museum’s summer family exhibition.
Ocean Invaders
■ Sea Life London Aquarium, London SE1 ■ ongoing
The London Aquarium never disappoints. The beautiful, bonkers and plain ugly get the full point and stare treatment. This month jellyfish joins the celebrity gold fish bowl with a new permanent exhibition dedicated to Ocean Invaders’. Discover the most dangerous species and create our own digital jellyfish. It’s cheaper to book in advance, £19.50 for adults, £14.50 under 16s and under 3s for FREE!
■ London Aquarium, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, London SE1 7PB. visitsealife.com
Robot Zoo
■ Horniman Museum, London SE23 ■ until Sun Oct 29
It doesn’t get much cooler than a robotic zoo. Let’s be fair it needs to be impressive to schlep deep into south east London. But it’ll be worth it to see a robotic rhino, a squid with 18-ft tentacles and a mahoosive house fly with a vacuum cleaner for a mouth at the Horniman’s Museum in Honor Oak. All the robot animals are made from everyday machines and gadgets. Through interactive games and challenges the creations will reveal how real anatomy works. Plus this museum with its quirky exhibits and large cafe and terrace is a big favourite with families at any time. Tickets: Adults £7; Kids, £4.
■ The Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ. horniman.ac.uk
KidZania
■ Westfield, London W12 ■ ongoing
Those who’ve been rave about this place at Westfield. A friend from overseas bought her sons for a rammed fortnight in London during which they saw pretty much every museum and attraction and this was their favourite. It’s a child-size ‘city’ where the kids are in charge (scary, no?). It provides real life role play experience for 4-14 year olds, blending learning and reality with entertainment. They can try more than 60 role-play activities (actor, doctor, police officer etc) with each experience crafted to teach kids essential life skills like team work and independence. Younger kids can hang out in the dedicated Early Years area. And you can, you know, go shopping.
■ KidZania, Westfield London Shopping Centre, Ariel Way, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 7GA. london.kidzania.com
Science Museum
■ Kensington, London ■ ongoing
