The South Bank is one of the better parts of London for a day out with children, mostly because a huge amount of it is free, it’s walkable, and the river gives everyone something to look at when attention spans need a reset. The problem with most guides to it is they list the same six things and call it done.
Here’s what’s actually worth considering if you’re spending a day here with kids.
Start outside
The Thames Path from Waterloo Bridge east towards Tate Modern is an easy, flat walk with enough going on to keep children interested. Boats on the river, street performers, the occasional market stall. Jubilee Gardens, near the London Eye, has an enclosed playground with a substantial climbing frame (better suited to older children, roughly 11 and up) and open lawns if you need somewhere to stop and eat. Bernie Spain Gardens nearby, is quieter and good for younger ones.
The Undercroft Skate Space, built into the base of the Southbank Centre, has been here for decades and is free to watch. It’s not a children’s play area but a space for young skaters and for people watching.
Tate Modern
Free entry, and genuinely good for families rather than just technically family-friendly. The Turbine Hall runs large-scale installations that change regularly and work well for children precisely because they’re big, strange, and interactive in feel even when they’re not explicitly hands-on. Tate Draw is a dedicated area where children can create digital artwork on sketchpads and watch it projected onto the walls, worth factoring into your visit. The building is pushchair-accessible throughout.
Allow two to three hours if you want to do it properly rather than rush through.
Southbank Centre
The Southbank Centre — Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Hayward Gallery runs a year-round programme of family events, many of them free. During school holidays in particular there tend to be creative sessions, family trails, and workshops. The Imagine Children’s Festival in February is a 10-day event specifically aimed at families with children up to 11 and has a mix of free and ticketed events. Check the programme before you visit rather than assuming there’s nothing on.
The Hayward Gallery, upstairs, programmes serious contemporary art exhibitions and is worth a look with older children if the current show suits.
Shakespeare’s Globe
The Globe runs family-friendly performances and has an exhibition inside about the history of the theatre and Elizabethan London that works well for school-age children. The self-guided tour is more engaging than it sounds. Tickets required and worth booking ahead for performances.
The Golden Hinde
A full-scale reconstruction of Sir Francis Drake’s galleon, moored near Southwark Cathedral. Self-guided tours let children explore the decks properly. For older children there’s an immersive escape room experience on board that combines the historical setting with puzzle-solving.
HMS Belfast
Near London Bridge, the HMS Belfast is a World War Two cruiser turned floating museum with nine decks to explore. Free for under-fives. The ship runs a regular events programme including family activities, do check what’s on. It’s busier at weekends; weekday visits are considerably more relaxed.
BFI Southbank
The BFI runs screenings, has a dedicated film bookshop, and the Mediatheque a free archive of British film and television where you can watch from booths without booking. Useful on a rainy afternoon, and more interesting for older children.
Practical notes
The South Bank is mostly pedestrianised and pushchair-friendly. Public toilets are available at the Southbank Centre venues, BFI, and Tate Modern. It gets crowded at weekends but weekday visits in term time are noticeably easier to navigate.
For food, Borough Market is a short walk east and worth it with older children who can handle the crowds. The market itself has enough variety to feed everyone differently. For something lower-key, the Southbank Centre has several restaurant options inside.
Where to stay
Native’s Verso apartments on Ewer Street put you in the middle of all of this. Southwark, London Bridge, and Blackfriars stations all within walking distance, the Thames Path on your doorstep. The two-bedroom apartments sleep up to four, with a full kitchen so you’re not having to eat every meal out, and a living area that gives the family room to spread out at the end of the day. Relax in your own space after a full day on the South Bank.
