It’s always hard to know what to do with the children when it’s raining and if you’ve planned a day in the city of London it can often be tempting to cancel the day out. But, the weather needn’t put your plans on hold, there are plenty of indoor activities in the centre of London that you can do even if the sun isn’t shining.
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Where can I go on rainy days in London?
Here are a few of our favourite things to do on a rainy day in London town:
Kidzania
Kidzania is a fantastic alternative to soft play and set in the heart of Westfield it couldn’t be better suited to a rainy day out. Kidzania is a whole hub of imaginative play for children where they get to work in so many industries and get paid for the jobs that they do. The four hour sessions are just the right length and they can spend their money afterwards – on doing fun things or just in the shop at the end.
You can read more about our first visit to Kidzania here.
Sea Life London
An aquarium is always a great wet weather day out and although on a sunny day Sea Life London can be completed in an hour, in wet weather you can stretch the trip out for hours. With so many activities to do, so many sea creatures to see and so many feeding demonstrations and talks it’s a fantastic day out whatever the weather.
You can read more about our visit to Sea Life London here.
Shrek’s Adventure
Shrek’s Adventure is another fully indoor activity that is great for when it’s raining. You get to meet all the characters from the Shrek franchise and go on an interactive adventure with them by your side. It isn’t an all day activity but it’s a great addition to a day in London that all children will love.
You can read more about what we thought of Shrek’s Adventure here.
London Eye
The London Eye completes the hat trick of Merlin adventures on the South Bank and is great to do whatever the weather. Visibility is better on a clear day but rain doesn’t stop the London Eye turning and it’s a great opportunity to learn more about London and see all the famous landmarks from a fantastic perspective.
You can read our top tips for visiting the London Eye with kids and also an idea of things to do on the South Bank here.
Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge Experience is fantastic for wet days as you can spend hours inside the iconic structure, climbing up to the top, walking across glass walkways and exploring the engine rooms under the London streets too. It’s a fantastic day out and gives great views across London whatever the weather.
You can read about our family visit to Tower Bridge here.
Science Museum
The Science Museum is one of our favourite places in London as it’s free to visit and has so much to see and do that we never manage to see it all in one day. It has age appropriate activities for children of all ages – including a soft play and water activity for younger children – and is a day out that isn’t affected by the weather at all.
Churchill’s War Rooms
Such an historic place in London, Churchill War Rooms tell the story of the war from beneath the streets of London. There are so many rooms to explore, seeing where and how Churchill and his wife lived during the war, where important phone calls were taken and where huge decisions were made.
The British Museum
The British Museum is fantastic for any school age child and beyond. There are areas dedicated to everything children learn about at school – from the Ancient Greek and Romans to the Egyptians, Saxons and more. It’s a fantastic place to explore.
The National Gallery
Although not strictly a museum, the National Gallery is a great, educational day out that the whole family will enjoy. Housed in one of London’s most beautiful buildings, there are so many incredible works of art to see by some of the world’s most famous artists.
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is another free activity in London that never fails to disappoint. With so much to see, talks to listen to and activities to complete it’s a full day out that isn’t weather dependent. We always love a trip to the Natural History Museum and along with the Science Museum they are fantastic museums to visit in wet weather.
Greenwich Museums
The Greenwich Museums and Royal Observatory are fantastic to explore in the rain. Most of the National Maritime Museum naval college is inside and you can appreciate the Cutty Sark and all it’s history too.
You can read more about our trip to Greenwich here and we also had a weekend in Greenwich too.
London Transport Museum
The London Transport Museum is a fantastic rainy day adventure, well located in the heart of Covent Garden. It has so many different public transport vehicles to climb aboard, so much to learn and so many interactive exhibits and things for children to do.
You can read more about our trip to the London Transport Museum here.
Madame Tussauds
As it’s all indoor, Madame Tussauds is a great place to visit in wet weather and you can stay as long as you like once inside. A visit to Madame Tussauds can be a really fun way to spend time. Children can learn a lot about famous people from pop culture, historical figures and even characters from movies.
You can read our tips for visiting Madame Tussauds with children here.
St Paul’s Cathedral
So beautiful and with a great position on the Thames, St Paul’s Cathedral is a fantastic day out for the whole family whatever the weather. The inside is huge and breathtaking. You can climb up to the top of the dome and the lower floor is full of tombs of so many famous people from history. It’s well worth a visit.
You can read more about our visit to St Paul’s Cathedral here.
Warner Bros Studio Tour
If you’re happy to go a little further afield then the Warner Bros Studio Tour is a fantastic day out for wet weather as only a small part of it is outside. Any Harry Potter fan will love immersing themselves into the world behind the movies, seeing characters, sets, costumes and even getting to ride a broomstick too!
You can read about our Warner Bros Studio experience here.
These are just a few rainy days out in London. There are also many things to do even on rainy days in London – art galleries like the National Portrait Gallery, a visit to Leadenhall market, a wander through Covent Garden enjoying street food or Borough Market, a show at the Royal Albert Hall or even boat tours on the River Thames, taking in London Bridge as you go past.
If all else fails, put your wellies and raincoat on and get out and about anyway. There is no such thing as bad weather – just bad preparation! All children love to splash in puddles and have a hot chocolate or afternoon tea to warm up afterwards so don’t let the London weather put you off.
If you have any other London attractions for rainy days to recommend I’d love to hear about them.
