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With its long-held fame as one of many coolest locations in London, because of its markets and musical hyperlinks, a go to to Camden with children and teenagers simply tops lots of metropolis break wishlists.
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Whereas there are many issues to do in Camden for teenagers of all ages, it’s one a part of London that’s notably good higher with teenagers and tweens fairly than toddlers.
However from some enjoyable household actions to the waterfront, cool new exhibitions, occasions, meals and locations to buy, right here’s my decide of the very best issues to do in Camden with children.
Discover Camden Markets
No journey to Camden with children and teenagers is full with out exploring the realm’s well-known markets – as a result of there’s not only a single Camden market.
As a substitute Camden is made up of a collection of markets that devour a majority of the neighbourhood. Essentially the most outstanding markets are Camden Lock Market, Stables Market, Buck Avenue Market, Inverness Avenue Market, and the latest addition, Hawley Wharf.
Teenagers and older kids will love exploring the eclectic assortment of merchants and shops. Youthful children can benefit from the uncommon sights, sounds, and smells of the bustling markets too, however do maintain little ones shut by because the markets can get extraordinarily busy.
Don’t miss the brilliant neon lights and large robotic sculptures at CyberDog (simply don’t go right down to the basement stage) and the abundance of anime, superhero, and popular culture merchandise on provide on the Stables Market, additionally house to the well-known bronze statue of Amy Winehouse.
Stay music at Roundhouse
Camden can be well-known for its world-class stay music scene – and there’s nowhere that may impress younger music followers fairly just like the Roundhouse.
Roundhouse is positioned in a Grade II listed former railway engine shed, which was transformed right into a live performance corridor within the Nineteen Sixties. The architecturally distinctive venue is among the most unbelievable stay efficiency areas on this planet.
The venue performs host to many large worldwide names, up-and-coming artists, and different stay occasions and reveals all year long so attending a gig at Roundhouse is among the finest issues to do in Camden with teenagers or tweens.
Some occasions do have ‘age steering’ or particular guidelines about the place individuals below 16 could be seated, so it’s value checking prematurely. Roundhouses’ Younger Creatives scheme additionally provides tasks and workshops for younger creatives and artists 11+.
Take a Camden road artwork tour
Camden is certainly one of London’s greatest road artwork hubs too, so it’s an incredible place to wander. The world has lots of of wonderful murals by a few of the world’s finest road artists – together with the one-and-only Banksy.
The one downside with the road artwork in Camden is that it may be pretty tough to search out your self, with a lot of it positioned down small backstreets away from the principle vacationer areas.
This is the reason a Camden Avenue Artwork Tour is a superb thought. Appropriate for all ages, a road artwork tour will take you to find most of the space’s finest murals whereas instructing you the tales behind them.
This Camden strolling tour additionally consists of a few of the space’s finest road artwork, or you may tailor this Camden tour by a neighborhood to cowl road artwork as nicely. Or do this self-guided audio tour to discover at your individual tempo.
Play at Babylon Park
One of many coolest locations in London for teenagers, there’s one thing at Babylon Park for all ages, whether or not you need tender play for little ones or indoor rollercoasters for older adrenaline seekers, in addition to some conventional funfair rides and play areas.
To play, it’s worthwhile to purchase a sport card and add sport cash to spend, both by way of the app or utilizing the machines there once you arrive, with every enjoyable attraction costing a distinct variety of sport cash. A experience on the rollercoaster works out at round £5, and round £4 for the bumper vehicles, with arcade video games costing from round £1.
In the event you purchase larger packages, it’s also possible to get higher charges if you recognize your children will wish to strive every thing – in any other case entrance is free, so should you’re not driving/enjoying, it gained’t price you a penny.
Whereas it’s not the most cost effective time out in London with children, it’s nonetheless much less pricy than a theme park and it’s an incredible possibility should you’re searching for issues to do in Camden within the rain.
For extra concepts of issues to do in London within the rain with children, take a look at my prime picks
Go to London Zoo
Proper on the sting of the Borough of Camden, in Regent’s Park, London Zoo is barely a 20-minute stroll from Camden City, so it’s an incredible one to mix with a time out in Camden with children.
The world’s oldest scientific zoo, London Zoo continues to be one of many metropolis’s greatest sights – for teenagers and adults – greater than 170 years after it opened.
As soon as house to the bear that impressed Winnie the Pooh, nowadays, you may see every thing from lions and tigers to with the ability to stroll with lemurs, enterprise into rainforest situations, see animals from the African savannah and Australian Outback, and much extra.
There are three colour-coded routes across the zoo, pink, blue and orange – all completely different lengths, they begin and finish in roughly the identical place so you are able to do them in any order you need, and should you’re wanting time, it helps you to focus in your favourites.
There are keeper talks which occur all through the day, in addition to particular animal experiences – you may even assist feed the gorillas. In the event you’re fortunate, you may spot the keepers feeding the animals as you discover.
Hold a watch out for normal particular household occasions, particularly throughout faculty holidays, too. Tickets should be prebooked.
Regents Park can be house to its personal sights together with play areas, the open air theatre and a boating lake – it’s value saving a while to discover the royal park, particularly on a sunny day, or for a free animal attraction, Kentish City Metropolis Farm is barely a brief journey from Camden
Take a waterbus to Little Venice
The Thames isn’t the town’s solely waterway, and Camden is a superb place to get out on a ship with a number of completely different canal waterbus choices cruising alongside Regent’s Canal.
The Jenny Wren canal boat tour lasts 90 minutes, cruising from Camden Lock to Little Venice and again once more, with a information stating a few of the highlights alongside the best way.
Or Jason’s Journey Canal Waterbus has been working since 1951. The classic narrowboat takes you on a 45-minute journey from Camden Lock to Primrose Hill, previous Regent’s Park, London Zoo (look out for a few of the animals!) then on to fairly Little Venice, with its cafe-lined canals, the place you may hop off to discover Paddington or stroll the streets.
In the event you’d desire to sail in silence, go for Jason’s Journey and putter to Little Venice with out the guided chat (solely normal on Jason’s Journey cruises beginning on the Little Venice finish).
Youngsters are welcome and you’ll take buggies or strollers on board Jason’s Journey, so long as you may fold them, whereas under-fours go free on Jenny Wren.
Paddle Down Regents Canal with the Pirate Fortress
Positioned not removed from Camden Lock, The Pirate Fortress – sure it truly seems like a mediaeval citadel – is a boating charity and neighborhood for native deprived children and incapacity teams.
The charity provides boat cruises and a number of other enjoyable paddlesports, together with stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking, alongside the picturesque Regents Canal.
You may e-book a non-public group session for teenagers/households. The charity additionally provides faculty holiday schemes for kids aged 8+.
And whereas non-public periods right here could also be a bit dearer than elsewhere in London, all earnings assist area people tasks. So you may relaxation assured your cash goes in the direction of an excellent trigger.
Take a Musical Boat Cruise
One other enjoyable method to expertise the Regents Canal with children on a sunny day in London is aboard The Music Boat.
On this distinctive boating expertise, you’ll sail alongside the scenic canal on a conventional punt, whereas a neighborhood musician serenades you with their guitar and well-known hits from Camden’s musical historical past.
The Music Boat units off near Camden Lock’s West Yard Meals Market and takes you on a 90-minute journey as much as London Zoo and again. You may take your individual meals and drinks onto the boat, so I’d counsel choosing up lunch from the meals market and having fun with it throughout your journey.
There’s additionally a reserve now, pay later possibility in addition to free cancellation.
Benefit from the views from Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill is among the finest locations to search out superb free views of London with children, virtually 63 metres above sea stage.
One of many six protected viewpoints in London, the place the timber are stored low in order to not obscure the view, the hilltop park sits to the north of Regent’s Park (so you may simply discover the 2 parks collectively) and is near the upmarket London neighbourhood of Primrose Hill, identified for its grand Victorian townhouses.
From the summit, you may absorb some improbable 360-degree views over the town; to the south is a transparent view of the long-lasting landmarks of central London, whereas to the north you may see over the neighbourhoods of Hampstead and Belsize Park.
It’s a brief stroll from London Zoo, or round 20 minutes from Camden City tube station.
Go to The Jewish Museum
EDIT: At present closed – new location tbc. One in every of Camden’s prime instructional experiences for households is The Jewish Museum, the place children can study all about British Jewish historical past, tradition, heritage, and id.
The 4 everlasting galleries characteristic some fascinating shows, together with its world-leading assortment of uncommon Jewish ceremonial artwork and objects reflecting the on a regular basis house lifetime of Jews in London. Plus don’t miss the shifting private journey of Holocaust survivor Leon Greenman.
The museum additionally runs a schedule of participating family-friendly occasions, together with talks, excursions, workshops, baking periods, and themed pageant days. In the event you’re visiting Camden on the weekend, it’s value being conscious that the museum closes on Fridays and Saturdays.
Plonk Loopy Golf
For some aggressive enjoyable with the household in Camden, head to Plonk Loopy Golf, an indoor loopy golf course which was utterly rebuilt in late 2020
Hidden within the Victorian arches of the Stables Market, the venue is decked out in a unusual mixture of camouflage and UV lights, and the nine-hole loopy golf course is crammed with basic beams, ramps, and jumps, in addition to some extra uncommon obstacles.
The course at Plonk Loopy Golf is solely indoors, so it’s additionally the most effective issues to do in Camden City with children on a wet day.
Children should be 7+ to play and below 18s are welcome earlier than 5pm on weekdays. Evenings and weekends are adults solely.
DNA: London’s First Digital Actuality Arcade
Younger players will love DNA VR, London’s very first digital actuality arcade, the place you may escape actuality to change into something from an area pirate to a grasp murderer, a deep-sea explorer and extra.
At an arcade session at DNA VR, every particular person enters their very own gaming pod and is provided with a VR headset and handsets. You’ll then be immersed in the identical Digital World, the place you may get pleasure from a wide range of multiplayer video games and experiences.
From surviving a zombie apocalypse or defending the world from killer robots to swimming by way of the deepest oceans and having an epic dance-off, there’s a sport for everybody.
DNA additionally has VR escape rooms the place you may head on an immersive journey to unravel puzzles and full missions collectively.
Because of the dimension of the headsets, DNA VR is really useful for teenagers 7+, whereas the VR escape room is best fitted to these 10+.
Tomb Raider: The LIVE Expertise
Add some extra journey to your time out in Camden for teenagers at Tomb Raider: The Stay Expertise.
Within the enjoyable immersive expertise, you’ll want to unravel puzzles, full bodily challenges, accumulate historical relics, and outsmart enemies (performed by real-life actors) to assist famed archaeologist Lara Croft on her mission.
Throughout the distinctive journey, you’ll must climb, run, bounce, zip-line your means by way of the Costa Rican jungle, rummage for treasures in a sinking ship, escape the snowy planes of Finland, and extra.
Tomb Raider is really useful for kids 12+, however these 9+ can play (though some elements of the expertise do have minimal peak and weight limits).
Get Lunch at Hawley Wharf
In the event you’re searching for someplace to refuel after all of the enjoyable in Camden with children, there are many locations throughout Camden’s markets to get pleasure from a few of London’s tastiest road meals. One in every of our favourites is the newly opened Hawley Wharf.
Hawley Wharf’s river-side meals court docket is break up into two large areas and has an entire number of improbable road meals to select from. Some merchants may be a bit too extravagant for youthful palates, however there are many family-friendly choices too.
Try HotBox for unbeatable BBQ smoked meats, BaoziInn for vibrant dim sum and dumplings, and Buk Burger for mouthwatering burgers. The pizza slices from True Romance are at all times a giant hit with youthful children too.
And should you’re nonetheless hungry, spherical off your meal with a decadent dessert from DZRT – suppose indulgent waffles, crepes, and cookie dough – or connoisseur finger doughnuts from Longboys.
Indulge at Chin Chin Labs
It doesn’t matter should you go to Chin Chin Labs in the midst of summer season or the depths of winter: it may be higher identified for its liquid nitrogen ice cream, however when temperatures drop, you’ll discover fabulous scorching chocolate too.
The primary of its form in Europe to make use of liquid nitrogen to create connoisseur ice cream, flavours change all year long and also you’ll discover some quirky mixtures in addition to the classics, plus a string of toppings and choices for ice cream sandwiches and sundaes.
Or seize a scorching chocolate that’s virtually as a lot of a deal with for the eyes as on your abdomen, with oozily scrumptious charred (veggie) marshmallow fluff on prime for essentially the most Instagrammable model (should you can wait to {photograph} it earlier than diving in).
Contains vegan choices too – there’s additionally a Soho department now, in addition to pop-ups round London, however once you’re planning issues to do in Camden City, you shouldn’t miss the unique place the place it began.
For extra concepts of the finest desserts in London with children, take a look at my prime picks
Treat your candy tooth at Hans & Gretel
Primarily based on the Brothers Grimm’s well-known story of Hansel & Gretel, Camden Market’s Hans & Gretel is a magical fairy-tale impressed dessert cafe, solely coated from ground to ceiling in sweet canes, lollipops, cupcakes and vibrant sweets galore.
There are additionally large statues of Hansel and Gretel to greet you on the store’s entrance and a makeshift sweet home that youngsters can sit inside for photographs.
Not solely is the shop itself a enjoyable and quirky place to go to in London with youthful kids (however nonetheless a success should you’re in Camden with teenagers), however its many indulgent desserts are positive to be a giant hit with children of all ages. You may select from candy Hungarian funnel desserts, bubble waffles, freakshakes, ice-cream, decide’n’combine and extra.
Be careful for pop-up occasions
There are sometimes momentary exhibitions and occasions at Camden, so it’s value checking the newest openings should you’re searching for enjoyable issues to do within the space.
The Again in Time exhibition, with Europe’s largest assortment of memorabilia from the Again to the Future motion pictures was one latest possibility, whereas summer season 2023 noticed the Colours Competition with work from over 35 road artists on show, together with interactive installations, plus work, pictures and illustrations making up the expertise.
Whereas each at the moment are closed, you’ll find particulars of a few of the newest occasions in addition to different comparable pop-up occasions in London with children right here.
For extra uncommon issues to do in London with children, in addition to all the very best issues to do in London with children, take a look at my prime picks
*First printed 2022, final up to date 2024*
Disclosure: This put up incorporates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
Photos: Penguin copyright MummyTravels, road artwork by way of Picfair, all different photographs courtesy of Depositphotos
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