A weekend in London with a five-year-old might not sound like the most relaxing break, but staying on the South Bank made it surprisingly easy. We packed in galleries, great food, sightseeing, and plenty of opportunities for our daughter to get creative, without spending half the weekend on the Tube.
If you’re looking for a family city break that’s as inspiring for grown-ups as it is for little ones, here’s the itinerary I’d recommend.
Where to Stay in London with Kids: Bankside Hotel
Where to Stay: Bankside Hotel
Just a few minutes’ walk from Tate Modern, Bankside Hotel is ideal for art-lovers (big and small!). There’s an impressive collection of works throughout the hotel, including interactive pieces to engage little ones.
From the moment we checked in, the staff were so lovely with our daughter, chatting to her, asking about her day and making her feel completely at home. She was given her own room key, which came in the form of a little wooden artist’s palette. She absolutely loved it and insisted on carrying it everywhere.
When we got to our Superior Collection Family Room, the hotel had set up a children’s easel with watercolour paints, which kept her happily occupied while we unpacked. Later in the weekend she used it again to paint pictures inspired by everything we’d seen. It felt like such a thoughtful touch and fitted perfectly with the hotel’s creative feel.
The room itself was super stylish and worked brilliantly for the three of us. Our daughter slept on a really comfortable sofa bed, and we still had plenty of space to relax once she’d gone to sleep.
There were lots of other little details that made family travel feel easier too. Snacks and drinks in the room were included, there were handy vending machines in the corridors, a mini bathrobe for my daughter was laid out on her bed (so cute!), and breakfast had its own children’s buffet with colouring activities nearby. Rather than feeling like children had simply been accommodated, it genuinely felt as though they’d been thought about from the start.
Dinner in Art Yard was another highlight. Everything we ordered was delicious, but I have to mention the vegan strawberry dessert, which was almost(!) too pretty to eat.
Saturday: Art, Space and a Wander Along King’s Road
On our first morning, we headed over to the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea. We timed our visit to see The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial exhibition.
It was probably my daughter’s favourite gallery of the weekend. There was so much variety, from huge works like Luke Jerram’s monumental sculpture of the sun, to teamLab’s immersive ‘Massless Suns and Dark Suns’, that inspired her to ask lots of questions. Sometimes galleries with young children can feel like you’re constantly reminding them not to touch anything, but this felt much more relaxed and engaging.
Afterwards, we wandered along King’s Road, stopping in a few shops before heading back towards Bankside. It was the perfect balance after a morning in the gallery and reminded me how lovely this part of London is to explore at a slower pace.
Sunday: Tate Modern and Tate Draw
One of the biggest advantages of staying at Bankside is that Tate Modern is your doorstep. After breakfast we simply strolled across, which made a refreshing change from planning Tube routes with a small child.
I spent some time exploring Tracey Emin’s A Second Life exhibition, which I really enjoyed but is definitely one for adults rather than younger children. Afterwards we looked at works by Frida Kahlo before making our way to Tate Draw
If you’re visiting Tate Modern with children, don’t skip it. Tate Draw is a free interactive space where children can create their own digital artwork inspired by pieces in the gallery. Our daughter could happily have stayed there much longer, and it was a lovely reminder that visiting an art gallery doesn’t have to mean asking children to be quiet the whole time.
Lunch at Mildreds
Lunch was at Mildreds, one of my favourite vegetarian restaurants in London and somewhere I return to whenever I’m in the city. The atmosphere is relaxed, the food is full of flavour and it’s a great option if you’re looking for something a little different that’s still family-friendly.
The Best Way to See London’s Landmarks with Kids
Rather than walking anywhere else, we spent our final afternoon on The Original Tour’s children’s open-top bus tour, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the weekend.
At around 45 minutes, it was just the right length for younger children. Our guide, Trevellion, was brilliant, mixing interesting facts with plenty of jokes and questions to keep the children involved, while our driver, Omar, expertly navigated the busy streets.
Our daughter loved sitting up on the top deck, spotting Big Ben, Tower Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral as we went past. It felt much more engaging than simply walking between landmarks, especially after a busy weekend.
Our ticket also included a Thames river cruise. It was busy, so we missed out on seats upstairs, but our daughter didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. She was just excited to be on the river, waving at the bridges as we sailed underneath them.
Why This Weekend Worked So Well
What I loved most about the weekend was that it never felt like we were trying to squeeze our daughter into grown-up plans. Every stop gave her something to enjoy too, whether that was painting in our hotel room, exploring interactive exhibitions, creating artwork at Tate Draw or spotting famous landmarks from the top deck of a bus.
London has so much to offer families, and staying somewhere like Bankside Hotel makes it easy to slow down and enjoy it together. We came home inspired, slightly tired, and already talking about what we’d like to come back and see next.
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