avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

Any ideas for things to do with kids in east London on a Thursday afternoon/evening? I am failing at uncle duties. (Claude says ‘the brutalist architecture of the Barbican will fascinate many children’, which I am 🤔ing)

aug 25, 2025, 3:17 pm • 8 2

Replies

avatar
WokeKaren @wokekaren.bsky.social

Can hire the bikes, use the velo track or the trails in the park Mountain Biking | Lee Valley VeloPark | at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London share.google/k2TARLk0C69j...

aug 25, 2025, 5:08 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

Would the mountain biking be Ok for a ten year old do you think?

aug 26, 2025, 8:23 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
WokeKaren @wokekaren.bsky.social

Not sure. Give them a ring

aug 26, 2025, 8:28 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

And yes, we did the Young V&A/Museum of Childhood last time. (Nb: They are now about 14, 12, and 10.)

aug 25, 2025, 3:20 pm • 3 0 • view
avatar
Mark O’Neill 🐻 @radiobeartime.com

museumofthehome.org.uk/whats-on/

aug 25, 2025, 3:23 pm • 3 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

I do like the idea of telling them tales of life in the 90s

aug 26, 2025, 8:32 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Mark O’Neill 🐻 @radiobeartime.com

The rooms are fun.

aug 26, 2025, 8:33 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Mark O’Neill 🐻 @radiobeartime.com

Followed by www.songque.co.uk/restaurant

aug 25, 2025, 3:26 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
Jonathan Teutenberg @jteut.bsky.social

Augmented reality at the Natural History museum worked for a 10 and 13 www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibi...

aug 25, 2025, 9:27 pm • 2 0 • view
avatar
Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social

How east are we talking? Because the cable car is actually v good fun, not too expensive and then you can buy them like, a Coca-Cola or something around the O2?

aug 25, 2025, 3:23 pm • 2 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

They’re coming into Farringdon. Cable car is a good shout!

aug 26, 2025, 8:25 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Anthony Dhanendran @dhanendran.co.uk

This is my second rec in this thread for something video-game-y but the O2 has a Virgin gaming arcade thing where they can play Xbox and PS things, which I found useful as a half-hour child distractor. O2 full of family friendly chain restaurants too.

aug 25, 2025, 3:38 pm • 2 0 • view
avatar
Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social

Yeah, great shout - I would take the DLR to Royal Albert Dock, do a few loops around the cable car, get off at the other end and then arcade - some restaurant at the O2.

aug 25, 2025, 3:39 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Joanna Pegum @londoner007.bsky.social

DLR to Greenwich (NB Cutty Sark DLR closed) then pirate exhib at the National Maritime Museum

aug 25, 2025, 3:57 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Angus Hewlett @slothlydad.bsky.social

Was going to say the same. And you've got the Royal Observatory at the top of the hill, great views, planetarium, nice parks if the weather's good. The foot tunnel under the river to/from Island Gardens is an interesting curiosity as well.

aug 26, 2025, 8:30 am • 2 0 • view
avatar
janeplunkett.bsky.social @janeplunkett.bsky.social

You used to like the Barbican. It was the fountains not the architecture.

aug 26, 2025, 3:11 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

Ha, that does make more sense!

aug 26, 2025, 4:23 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
John Springford @johnspringford.bsky.social

Hire BMXes at the track in the Olympic Park?

aug 26, 2025, 8:29 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

Have you done it with kids? Wondering how young it would be suitable for

aug 26, 2025, 8:22 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
John Springford @johnspringford.bsky.social

I've only seen it walking by. It seemed pretty well organised

aug 27, 2025, 6:18 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Phil M @phillm.bsky.social

Swimming?

aug 25, 2025, 3:54 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

Olympic pool definifely an option!

aug 26, 2025, 8:24 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Phil M @phillm.bsky.social

The perfect weather for it and they'll eat and sleep well afterwards.

aug 26, 2025, 9:55 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Olivier Usher @ojusher.com

My niblings have enjoyed (or at least pretended to!) the Tower of London and getting the Clipper to Greenwich

aug 26, 2025, 8:58 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Dean Vipond @deanvipond.bsky.social

Grant Museum of Zoology? If they’re into gross stuff, go just to see the famous jar of moles. Place is free, and would be done in an hour.

aug 26, 2025, 9:09 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Arieh Kovler @ariehkovler.com

It actually did fascinate me as a kid! The South Bank, too.

aug 25, 2025, 3:22 pm • 5 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

Now I think about, me too:)

aug 26, 2025, 8:32 am • 2 0 • view
avatar
Indy @indy.bsky.social

Roughly what age are we talking about?

aug 25, 2025, 3:20 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

14, 12, 10

aug 26, 2025, 8:32 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Indy @indy.bsky.social

Don’t have a lot to add to others, but worth checking if there is any free music on at the Barbican, since they are coming in to Farringdon.

aug 26, 2025, 8:35 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Indy @indy.bsky.social

Also, Olympic Park has some stuff on this summer

aug 26, 2025, 8:37 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
kylie4Bob @kayfourbee.bsky.social

Novelty Automation

aug 25, 2025, 3:28 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

This looks great! …but is it more adults than kids?

aug 26, 2025, 8:30 am • 0 0 • view
avatar
kylie4Bob @kayfourbee.bsky.social

I'd say it's all ages, but different ages will get different things from it. Maybe not for little kids though, 10+ ish I reckon

aug 26, 2025, 8:41 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Anthony Dhanendran @dhanendran.co.uk

Seconding this. Might be a little grown up for the youngest child but is great fun. Maybe one of the retro arcade type places, NQ64 or Four Quarters? Or Draughts for board games. All those are less useful if it’s sunny because they’re all indoors or downstairs + dark.

aug 25, 2025, 3:36 pm • 2 0 • view
avatar
Anthony Dhanendran @dhanendran.co.uk

Mail Rail at the postal museum if you’re feeling flush. I’ve heard *great* things about the new V&A East Storehouse at Stratford. Greenwich planetarium if they’re science/space minded and that’s not too far outside your location.

aug 25, 2025, 3:40 pm • 2 0 • view
avatar
Paul Donovan @pdonovan-econ.bsky.social

Tower Bridge? Depending on their willingess for heights. And depending on the day they may get to see it raised www.towerbridge.org.uk/lift-times

aug 27, 2025, 7:39 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Shell @risu.bsky.social

There are a lot of parks there depending on where in east London you mean, it is possibly raining though. So maybe take them to a creams or something?

aug 25, 2025, 3:19 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social

Oh creams for sure. If in doubt, sugar.

aug 26, 2025, 8:33 am • 1 0 • view