Children will always need entertaining, and it can sometimes cost you an arm and a leg. Fortunately, Show-and-Stay is here with some nifty little tips for the thrifty amongst us, offering some great ideas to keep the kids occupied whilst in London.

London SEA LIFE Aquarium

Get up close and personal with some of the ocean’s weirdest and wonderful creatures at the SEA LIFE London Aquarium. This splash-tastic exhibition boasts tanks filled with over 2 million litres of water, each teeming with thousands of amazing sea creatures to marvel and gaze at. A definite highlight is the brand new Shark Reef Encounter, which is home to 12 different species of shark to safely admire behind (very thick) glass. Suitable for all ages

Science Museum

Take your little ones on a voyage of discovery at the Science Museum in South Kensington. It has a number of fantastic galleries that charter the amazing findings of modern history. Each exhibit has plenty of artefacts and fascinating displays to admire including: Flight, Making the Modern World and Who Am I? The real fun is in the basement with the Launchpad. Your little Einsteins and Edisons will have an amazing time playing with the many interactive experiments and make discoveries of their very own.

The Natural History Museum

Home to the iconic Dippy the Diplodocus, the National History Museum is an absolute must when entertaining your children in London. Besides the humungous dinosaur bones and fascinating fossils, there’s a life-size blue whale and even the chance to come face-to-face with a lion. A truly magnificent building, filled with some of the world’s oldest and most valuable specimens; you’ll be just as impressed as your intrepid little explorers. Suitable for all ages.

The London Dungeon

If you’ve got a band of devilish children, The London Dungeon is the perfect way to frighten your little criminals into good behaviour. With live actors and special effects, walk through the bowels of London and be horrified by the methods of torture and barbaric punishments of days gone by. After a trip here, your little terrors will be transformed to model citizens.  Suitable for ages 10+.

Alexandra Gardens, Windsor

Windsor On Ice promises to be a fantastic day out for the whole family. Strap on your ice skates, zip and whizz your way around the ice rink. There’s nothing like ice skating to get the whole family in the festive mood before Christmas! What’s more, top attractions like Windsor Castle and the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort are all just around the corner. But whatever you decide to do, settle down and warm up with a steaming mug of hot chocolate afterwards. Suitable for all ages.

Adventure Playgrounds

If you view London from above you might be surprised by the amount of green you’ll see. No other capital city in the world boasts as many parks or gardens, so it’s no surprise that London has lots of open spaces and commons to explore and play in. Kids will love Captain Hook’s Pirate Ship at the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, or the Somerford Grove Adventure Playground in Haringey, which was designed by kids, for kids! Suitable for ages between 3 — 11.

City Farms

Many say that you should never work with children or animals, but it’s no secret that kids love animals.no one every said that animals can’t entertain kids. And with so many urban farms smack bang in the middle of London, there’s no excuse to miss out on petting the baby piglets and lambs, or even chasing a few chickens (beware: they will chase you back). Deen City Farm and Riding School and Freightliners Farm being great places because they’re free! Suitable for all ages.

These suggestions were brought to you by the UK’s leading London theatre and hotel package deal provider; Show & Stay.