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.
• 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

• 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:

• Beyond Retro
• GANT
• H&M
• Liberty
• Nike
• Uniqlo

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.

• 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 Tendril for a speciality vegan cuisine.
• Plan an afternoon pick-me-up with a sweet treat from Carpo, Hagen, or Caffe Concerto between activities.

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.