London is Surprisingly Toddler Friendly
As an American, I decided to take my almost 2-year-old to London for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised how toddler friendly London is. During the day, my husband had to work, so it was just me and the toddler hanging out. Tons of Mom and Son bonding time! The key to visiting London with a toddler is to do a mix of things you want to do along with a list of activities that the toddler enjoys.
Getting Around London with a stroller: Transportation
One of the best parts about London is how easy it is to take public transportation. Similar to other big cities in Europe, you don’t need a car to get buy. London has a public transportation app that is free and easy to use. Simply add put that you need an elevator and a stroller (buggy) assistance when using the app, and it will map out the best route to use with these requirements.
Another thing to note is London is a very walkable city as well, I found myself walking from location to location and enjoying the sites. For international traveling, I used the Zoe travel stroller.
Finding and hiring a babysitter
When visiting London, my husband and I wanted to enjoy a date night at the Duke’s Bar, which is the famous location where Ian Fleming frequented when writing his James Bonds novel. This is not a kid friendly activity. I signed up for Child care app (http://childcare.co.uk) that was similar to the US company Care.com and found a hotel babysitter with high reviews. After talking to this lady on the site for a while, I booked her. She was wonderful, and I was able to enjoy the night out without any worry about my little one back at the hotel.
Mix of Activities
The key to traveling with someone else is to do a mix of activities, some that you want to do and others that your traveling partner wants to do. This concept is no different with a toddler. I incorporated activities that I wanted to enjoy such as dining at fancy lunch spots, visiting the tourist monuments, and indulging in my favorite French macaron spot Pierre Herme.
On the flip side, I scheduled out the day to ensure that my toddler enjoyed his time, we stopped by the Drury Lane Playground (multiple times), Diana Memorial Playground, British Library which happen to be having a Free Exhibit for toddlers, and enjoying the oldest toyshop in the world, Hamley’s which was pure magic for him.
Again, it’s important to have a mix of activities for both you and your toddler.
Toddler Travel Tips for London
Here are 4 special Toddler Travel Tips for London.
- Be Flexible: your toddler may be jetlagged (mine was) and you have to adjust your schedule. Keep in mind a toddler doesn’t understand jetlagged so it’s important that you are understanding
- Stroller Friendly Attractions: almost every activity I did in London was stroller friendly, even the museums had a lift for the stroller
- Plan around naps: Once your toddler is on the new schedule, plan your time out in the city around their naps. My toddler sleeps really well in the stroller, so I tried to plan all the things I wanted to do while he was snoozing.
- Enjoy the moment: don’t get too caught up in planning everything that you stop and miss the moment of your child enjoying a new experience
Final Thoughts: Is toddler friendly London
London wouldn’t have been my first place to plan a toddler friendly trip, but I was blown away by how easy it was to get around, welcoming everyone was, and all the green space that was available. The highlight of my trip was seeing my son experience London for the first time and his eyes lighting up at a new experience. For those of you on the fence about taking your toddler to London, I would definitely do so.
Sincerely Petite in Paris,
Diane
