London mums need your advice re travelling across London with under 4s and Nat History Museum

[MilaMae]

Would really appreciate your advice.Going to Nat History Museum with dts(very nearly 4) and dd(very nearly 3). Have loads of questions as not been to London for ages and never with the kids.

Managed to loose 2 of them this summer, my parents have now talked us out of the underground(probably wise)so plan is this:-

get into Victoria on train

taxi to Nat History Museum

somehow get to the Diana garden thing

feed them somewhere

So can 5 of us and pushchair travel in a taxi????

How much will it be, was thinking£15??

Can you walk from museum to Diana park thing??

Is there anything like a Wagamamas, p;izza place etc near the park???

Do you know of any buses and bus stops that do that route???

Sorry to sound a bit precious re the planning, v excited about the trip but have learnt from experience that when travelling with my gang failing to plan is planning to fail.

[samanthar]

we did this taxi victoria- nat science was £10
really nice restaurnats up old brompton road..2 mins walk even with 4 yr olds . i was told two adults plus 4 under 4 s wd be ok in taxi BUT there can be huge queues for taxis at weekends /peak.
can really recommend strada for fab breads/salads pizza etc really child friendly
dont know about diana thingy but my tow were tired after walking around science museum even though we used taxi/lifts not stairs etc

[MilaMae]

Oh that's great advice thanks so much, will definately taxi it then.

[fillyjonk]

There IS a wagamamas in kensington. go to their website, cos they often seem to have discount codes. Its in a side street so you need a map.

There are actually laods of places to eat in kensington. Opposite south kensington station there is a nice place called "the organic pizza" or similar, and they are good with kids IME.

Diana thing is a shortish walk down Science Museum Road or whatever its called.

Actually, if you want to eat, there's a cafe in the diana place which is really not too bad, and has the big advantage that you are outdoors so the kids can eat what they want and then run off.

I can't imagine that it would be hard to get 5 of you in a taxi, and I assume you can fold the pushchair.

Ok here are my questions for you

1. Why are you doing the Nat History Museum? The Science Museum is MUCH better for kids
   
   
2. Why not use the underground? My kids love the underground.

[WaynettaVonSlob]

Agree with fillyjonk that Science Museum might be better - bring them to the basement and they'll spend hours down there playing with water () and when we were there a couple of weeks ago there was a bubble 'talk' which was actually really interesting!
We then went to the Sceince Museum and all DS1 wanted to see was the diplodocus which was over and done with in a few mins!
Don't know where the Diana thing is....hang on a tick.....

[WaynettaVonSlob]

god - feel nauseous having searched for Diana stuff...but, for the greater good and all that..do you mean the Diana playground or the water thing?

[MilaMae]

Dinosaurs!!!!!!!

Re underground I know they'd love it- managed to loose one in the midst of crowds in Sarlat this summer, he's a bit of a dreamer and train mad so I'm thinking the underground may just be pushing our luck.

If we pull this trip off ok will be returning a lot as the boys in particular have a huge list of things they want to do. I'd heard the scince museum was good. Do you know if Tate Modern does anything aimed at kids????

Thanks for the info

[WaynettaVonSlob]

Use this to help you plan your journey.
Whichever of the Diana things you are planning to do (fountain is in Hyde PArk, playground is in Ken Gardens) I definitely wouldn't walk it: it's a good 15/20 minute walk (brisk) and along busy footpaths.

Whichever museum you are planning on going to, allow yourself an extra hour!!!!

[Sam100]

Better off in a taxi as it is quite a long walk from South Ken tube or High St Ken to the museum.

The cafe's in the Nat History museum are very good - sometimes quite busy - they have a large cafe that does hot meals and smaller ones that do sandwiches and cakes etc.

You can wheel a single buggy straight into a taxi so you don't worry about unloading and folding unless you want to. Although it might be easier to fold it as there are 5 of you - it can go on the floor in the cab with you. Do this all the time with 1 yr old and 4 yr old as we travel up to Grt Orm St regularly - bugger from Waterloo on the tube to there so we always get cab there and bus back! There are 3 seat belt positions on main seat and then 2 fold down seats that face rear.

We love the Nat History Museum. There are backpacks that you can get at the Customer Services desk which help the kids to interact with the exhibits - look for clues etc. Your nearly 4 year olds should be able to do prob not the nearly 3. The T Rex is quite loud but our dd2 aged 2.5 was not scared and roared back at it!

Heard there is a Bob the Builder exhibition at the Science Museum at the moment tho if you change yr mind.

[MilaMae]

The playground, thanks for the search.

[MilaMae]

Thanks Waynetta for that site.

[fillyjonk]

I would plan to "do" the dinosaurs in the Nat history museum, then walk through the geology stuff to the science museum.

The problem I have is that while there is a bit for ds (4) in the NHM, its a bit crap for dd (2).

We also have a strict "one thing a day" rule.

the thing is, the underground will probably be pretty empty on that line during the day. And there are always reins (I know...) and bribery...

oh the london transport museum might be open now, btw. it was closed but IIRC it was meant to open again nowish.

[WaynettaVonSlob]

But filly, don't you think that walking from the mainline, across the concourse, and down the stairs to the tube station (and across that concourse and down more stairs to the tube), as well as getting up the stairs in South Ken (which doens't have a lift IIRC) and trying to haul a buggt and two four yearl olds.....and then even if you use the underpass to the Nat hist or Science Museums.........would be a damn sight easier if you took a cab?

Like your "one thing a day" rule BTW - will use that!

[MilaMae]

That sounds like a really good plan Filly. Liking the 2 museum thing didn't realise they were so near to each other. Is a bit tempting when you come up to the big smoke to over do it.

Thanks all

[funnypeculiar]

We did Nat History with ds (3.5) and dd (18mths) on Friday - they both loved it. Well, dd loved the mosaic floors & the stairs.
We were there from about 10.30 to 3 ish -although we were all loosing focus at the end, but ds refused to leave (DS refused to go into the T-Rex room too, Sam100 - dd liked it!)
As well as the restaurants in there, there's a basement where you can eat your own picnics. Oh & it's fashion wekk so big tent & lots of fashionistas wandering round outside

I agree with fillyjonks one thing rule too - the Diana memorial playground (if that's what you mena) is fab, but defn needs a good half day to explore properly. And bear in mind that the fountain is about 20 mins walk away from the playground...