Family day out: Where to go on a sunny day in London

Baby Girl and I have spent a lot of time in family club Purple Dragon and visited a number of museums this winter. But with the weather being so beautiful now, I’ve been tempted to spend more time outside with my little one.

Here are a few ‘animal-themed’ ideas for where to go with a toddler on a beautiful London day:

London Zoo
We’ve been to London Zoo once a week recently, as Baby Girl loves seeing the gorillas, the tiger and the giraffes and I love seeing her so happy! Lonzon Zoo is perfect on a sunny day, and I sometimes bring a lunch box for Baby Girl and she has lunch in her buggy while watching the tiger. There are also picnic tables in the Zoo, and the restaurant has tables outside. It’s easy to park on the street outside the Zoo, but members can also park for free on the Zoo car park on weekdays outside school holidays.

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo
We’ve also visited Battersea Park Children’s Zoo once a week recently, as I think the huge playground there is fantastic for Baby Girl. Even on Friday afternoon when the weather was amazing, the playground wasn’t too crowded. There are also picnic tables and families can bring lunch or buy something in the café. There are donkeys, bunnies and guinea pigs practically on the playground, and it’s the ideal place to go with young children, who like sand play, swings and animals.

Barnes
We also love taking Baby Girl on little outings, and since my husband spent part of his childhood in idyllic Barnes we sometimes go back there. I think Barnes, which is central but still has a country-feel, is a great destination for a little excursion, and for older children, bird-watching in London Wetland Centre in Barnes might be a fun activity. I plan to take Baby Girl there soon, but so far we’ve only been for a stroll along the Thames and stopped by the pond in the middle of Barnes to see the ducks. Very exciting!

And if you’re visiting Barnes this week or next week, make sure you stop by the local children’s clothing shop Membery’s, where my client Gifts For Urchins has a pop-up shop with Milliemanu and Crash Bang Kids. The pop-up shop is open until 26 March and I can’t wait to visit to see the new spring/summer collections!

Tags: Barnes, Battersea Park Children's Zoo, Crash Bang Kids, Family day out, Gifts For Urchins, London, London Wetland Centre, London Zoo, Milliemanu