Fun family day out in London

• Visit London’s best toyshop and discover the magic of Hamleys. With enchanting in-store events and school holiday activities, there’s something to keep everyone entertained.
• Scoff the ultimate hot chocolate and satisfy their sweet cravings at Hotel Chocolat.
• Get the family together and test your teamwork at the Crystal Maze Live Experience.
• Feline relaxed? Get cosy and meet the furry residents of Java Whiskers cat café on Great Portland Street – a great place to visit if you’re considering welcoming a new family member as all its cats are available for adoption.
• Discover new worlds and nurture their imaginations with the latest releases and classic stories from Europe’s largest bookshop, Waterstones Piccadilly.
• Inspire a lasting love of theatre with Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Free things to do with kids

• Take your annual family photo under Regent Street's Christmas lights from 9th November. Did you know there are 41 Spirits soaring across our neighbourhood - can you find them all?
• Reconnect with your teens on an iPhone photo tour with Apple’s Regent Street team. Get expert portrait tips and update your screensaver after the latest photography workshop.

• Kids under 16 go free at the Royal Academy of Arts. If you’re visiting during the summer holidays, be sure to check out the Young Artists’ Summer Show – your mini Matisse may even be inspired to submit their artwork.
• Burn energy running around in beautiful St James’s Park and join the pelicans for lunch between 2:30-3pm in St James's Park.
• Cartoon lover? Share comics and cartoons from your childhood at the nearby Cartoon Museum on Wells Street. Under 18s go free but for a small fee you can book kids aged 8-14 onto half term activities like manga drawing sessions and tutorials on how to create a comic strip.

Where to shop for children’s clothes

Whatever the season, kit out the kids in our top shops for children and teens on Regent Street:

• Abercrombie & Fitch
• Beyond Retro
• GANT
• H&M
• Liberty
• Nike

Best family-friendly restaurants

Choose from a quick snack or sit down to a family meal that’ll delight even the fussiest of eaters with our pick of the West End’s best restaurants for families.

• From hearty breakfasts to healthy burgers and brightly coloured poke bowls, The Avocado Show is a must-visit for Instagram-loving teenagers.
• Kids want to bring their friends? No problem. It’s the more the merrier at Heddon Street Kitchen where kids under 12 eat free from its set menu.
• Raise adventurous eaters and make enjoying international cuisines part of your family routine. We recommend Casa do Frango for punchy Portuguese fare, or visit Heddon Yokocho for a taste of Tokyo.
• If you want to cut down on meat or simply encourage the kids to try something new, head to Neat Burger on Princes Street and sample its plant-based burgers, or try speciality vegan cuisine at Tendril. 
• Plan an afternoon pick-me-up with a sweet treat from Hagen or Caffe Concerto between activities.
• Everyone has their favourite ice cream flavour – that is, until you try Grom’s ever changing “Flavour of the Month”. Explore your options with the crème de la crème of ice cream in central London.

Need more inspiration? Plan a family day out in St James’s or sign up to our newsletter for a monthly update on the latest things to do and see in the city.