Whenever the school holidays approach, parents all over the country start trying to think up ways of keeping their children happy and amused. In an ideal world, mums and dads would have the time, patience and funds to take their children all over the place to exciting stimulating activities. In reality, both parents often struggle to take the same time off work together, days out can be costly and discovering things the kids actually find engaging can be difficult.
Parents who find it a challenge juggling work and home life increasingly seek extra help. Contacting a reliable London Nanny Agency to provide child care and extra parental support is how many families in the capital make things work. By offering extra child care capacity a London Nanny Agency can give you the flexibility you need to make the work/life balance more equal.
So if you are a London parent looking for ideas for entertaining the kids, here are some suggestions for museums that manage to combine fun with learning. Surely that’s a combination that’s going to keep parents and children happy?
Whether it’s a program of activities that you prevail over, or a grandparent, babysitter or nanny takes the reins, there are few things more exciting to children than rooms full of toys. Head off to the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood where every day there are planned activities to keep them happy. With storytelling and treasure hunts and enchanting dolls houses and teddy bears from history to fascinate, it’s a museum full of nostalgia for adults and delights for children.
Do you worry your children have no idea about the value of money? Take them to the Bank of England Museum and get them up to speed on all things fun and fiscal. They can view ancient gold bars, learn about the Bank’s ghost and some of the famous customers who have banked there. And what’s more, no money changes hands – it’s free admission!
Let your kids channel their inner sailors and head off to HMS Belfast. This WW2 ship has nine decks to explore and visitors learn about life on board for the sailors during battle. With lots of interactive and engaging material to take in, older children love the sense of adventure HMS Belfast offers. Children under sixteen benefit from free entry, so again, it’s not an expensive option.
If you have any budding scientists in the family then a trip to the Science Museum is a must. This family friendly inter-active paradise is the place where children learn about anything from psychology to space travel. With so many things to see, touch, smell, feel and experience, the Science Museum makes a great place for young enquiring minds to spend long, happy days. And the best bit? You guessed it, free admission….
The Natural History Museum is housed in a historic building which looks beautiful from the outside. On entering, the sights get even more breathtaking. If your children respond well to displays of dinosaurs and mammals, giant crocodiles and skeletons of blue whales, then you could be spending quite some time in this famous, popular museum. Allow plenty of time for strolling the galleries and enjoying the Darwin Centre Cocoon, a state of the art exhibit that will stimulate and excite as they navigate themselves. If nature and science is their thing, treat them to a day out with the dinosaurs…
If London is their home town they will enjoy learning about the history of one of its most famous districts, Docklands. Who knew that where the iconic Canary Wharf stands today, a Roman settlement used to exist? A trip to the London Docklands Museum is jam packed with historic detail about slavery, mudlarks and Thames river pirates, WW2 bomb shelters and more. With interactive exhibits and a soft play area for younger children, it’s a place that appeals to kids young and old.
Take the children on the River-bus out to Greenwich to call in at the National Maritime Museum. Housed in architectural splendour on the fringes of the Royal Park of Greenwich, the museum presents the history of the British as a proud seafaring nation. Children marvel at Prince Frederick’s Golden Barge, an interactive pirate shoot-em up game and Nelson’s Battle of Trafalgar uniform. A short walk away is the famous tea clipper, The Cutty Sark, fully restored now after the devastating fire of a few years ago. Greenwich makes a great day-trip with children as there is a variety of attractions (don’t forget the Observatory up the hill), plenty of places to eat, good public transport links and a gigantic, beautiful park to run around in and explore.
Museums allow our children to discover new worlds in an exciting, creative and stimulating way. If you are wondering how to occupy your brood when the holidays arrive, consider going on a museum binge. With many of them offering free entry, it needn’t cost a fortune. Sound tempting?
