Making the most of the London Eye With Kids

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Disclosure: We have been gifted Merlin Annual Passes for the year however all opinions are my own.

The London Eye is one of our favourite family attractions in London and it’s great for a wet weather day out too. Dominating the London skyline on the South Bank of the Thames and easily seen from so much of London, it has become such an iconic part of the city – maybe even as much as Big Ben or Buckingham Palace.

The children always love to see the London Eye and it makes them excited for any trip to London – even more so when we actually get to go on it. And with our Merlin Annual Passes we can go on the London Eye whenever we visit the city.

But here are my top tips for visiting the London Eye with children:

• How long does the london eye take? The London Eye takes around half an hour to go all the way round. This can feel quite a long time to small children when confined in one space. But, there is plenty to see. If you think they may get restless, pack snacks and a drink – you can take your bags on the flight with you.
• Can you take a pram on the London Eye? If you’re taking a pushchair, this will need to be folded before getting on the London Eye and you take it inside the capsule with you – where it stays folded for the journey. If you have a baby then a baby carrier would be a great option.

• When you get on the London Eye, the capsule doesn’t stop moving – you step over the gap and onto it as it moves around. This can be a little disconcerting for children so make sure you are holding their hand or carrying them for smooth entry on the Eye and the same again when disembarking.

• The standard ticket queue for the London Eye can get quite long. If possible, upgrade to Fast Track tickets to reduce queuing time and make the process of getting onto the London Eye that much smoother for children through the fast track entrance.

• Once on board the London Eye there are computers around the edges to give more information about the sights you can see from the air. The computers are great – a really interactive tablet that the children used with ease. It showed them a map of the Thames with all the significant buildings on it and then each one had so much more information about it. This is a great aspect of the London Eye, making it so educational for both adults and children.

• The views are incredible and to see everything even better – pack the binoculars! The children loved borrowing their grandad’s binoculars to see even better.

• There’s a photo opportunity on the way down. Make sure you’re all standing in the highlighted areas on the floor and facing the right way. See if they children can spot the camera and smile when you’re instructed to – the children will love seeing the picture afterwards.

• After going on the London Eye – or even before – there is a free 4D cinema experience inside the main ticket office. It only lasts five minutes but is well worth seeing as it is so beautifully put together and shows you the London Eye in so many different settings and from different perspectives.

The London Eye is a great addition to any visit to London and can easily be teamed with other London attractions on the South Bank or you could do it alongside a London sightseeing bus tour or the London Eye river cruise on the river Thames. As a family we absolutely love the London Eye and cannot wait to go on it again.

You can find out more about the London eye, find out current London Eye opening times, London Eye ticket prices and book London Eye tickets over on the London Eye website.