15 Best Places for Kids in London: Playgrounds, Water Parks & Theme Parks

London can be brilliant for families.

It can also be exhausting.

You can spend an entire morning visiting museums and landmarks, only to discover that the children have reached the point where they don't want to look at another painting, building or historical object.

Sometimes they just want to run.

Climb.

Get wet.

Go down a slide.

Or spend several hours screaming happily on a rollercoaster.

Luckily, London has plenty of places where children can do exactly that.

There are imaginative playgrounds hidden inside Royal Parks, huge adventure play areas, splash parks for hot summer days, water-play fountains, indoor amusement parks and some of the UK's biggest theme parks just outside the capital.

So whether you're travelling with a toddler, an energetic six-year-old or a teenager who thinks playgrounds are beneath them, here are 15 places worth knowing about.

1. Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground

📍 Kensington Gardens

If you've searched for children's activities in London before, you've probably seen this one.

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground is one of London's most famous children's play spaces, built around a Peter Pan theme.

Its centrepiece is a huge wooden pirate ship, surrounded by play structures, treehouses, bridges, slides and imaginative spaces.

And there's an important 2026 update.

The playground underwent a major £3 million-plus renewal and has now reopened following the refurbishment. The redesigned playground retains its Peter Pan-inspired character while adding new accessible and inclusive play features, including a new galleon, treehouse and redesigned water-play area.

The new design also includes a 17-metre wooden galleon, multiple climbing levels and a new water-play area.

It's particularly good for younger children who love imaginative play.

And because it's in Kensington Gardens, you can easily combine it with Kensington Palace and a walk through the park.

Best for: Younger children, imaginative play and families visiting central London.

2. Tumbling Bay Playground, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

📍 Stratford

If your children aren't interested in quietly sitting on a swing, take them to Tumbling Bay.

This playground at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is designed to feel more like an adventure landscape than a conventional playground.

There are:

• Treehouses

• Rope bridges

• Rock pools

• Sand pits

• Slides

• Swings

• Aerial walkways

• Zip wires

The park describes it as a natural play environment designed to encourage exploration and creativity.

And there's even more around it.

The Olympic Park also has Pleasure Gardens play areas, climbing facilities and the Waterworks fountains.

So you can easily spend much longer here than just the time it takes for the children to get bored of one playground.

Best for: Adventurous children and families who want to make a whole day of Stratford.

3. Gloucester Gate Playground

📍 The Regent's Park

This is one of London's best playgrounds if you want something that combines climbing, water and adventure.

Gloucester Gate Playground sits close to London Zoo and was completely transformed into a natural-material play space.

It features:

• A 50-metre zip wire

• Climbing equipment

• Slides

• Swings

• Sand play

• Water play

• Accessible play features

The Royal Parks says the playground is suitable for children of all ages, with different areas becoming more challenging as children move through the space.

There's also a café and plenty of space around Regent's Park if the adults need a break.

Best for: Active children who like climbing and adventure.

4. Marylebone Green Playground

📍 Regent's Park

If you have younger children, don't overlook this one.

Marylebone Green is divided into three themed zones:

Traditional Zone — swings, seesaw and climbing frame.

Art Zone — including a spiral structure, slide and rock-climbing wall.

Natural Zone — with willow tunnels, climbing rocks, timber stilts and a fallen tree.

The Royal Parks lists it as suitable for children up to 12 and confirms children's toilets and baby-changing facilities.

It's a good example of why Regent's Park deserves more attention from families.

You don't have to choose between a playground and a beautiful London park.

You get both.

Best for: Younger and primary-school-age children.

5. Greenwich Park Playground

📍 Greenwich

Fancy combining playtime with one of London's best views?

Head to Greenwich.

The recently upgraded Greenwich Park Playground has a maritime theme inspired by the area's nautical history.

Children can explore:

• Basket swings

• Roundabouts

• Sand play

• Water play

• Climbing features

• Ground-level and raised play areas

The Royal Parks says the playground has been designed so children of different abilities can play alongside one another.

And once you've exhausted the playground, you've got the rest of Greenwich.

Walk up to the Royal Observatory.

Explore the National Maritime Museum.

Have a picnic.

Or simply enjoy the view across London.

Best for: A family day combining play, history and sightseeing.

6. Battersea Park Adventure Playground

📍 Battersea

Battersea Park is another excellent option when the children have too much energy.

The park has a dedicated Adventure Playground for ages 5–16, alongside a toddlers and junior playground aimed at younger children.

That age separation is useful because a playground that works brilliantly for a three-year-old isn't necessarily exciting enough for a 12-year-old.

Here, older children can head towards the adventure equipment while younger ones have their own space.

And, of course, Battersea Park itself gives you plenty of room to explore afterwards.

Best for: Families with children of different ages.

7. Hyde Park Playground

📍 Hyde Park

Sometimes you don't need an enormous themed attraction.

The Hyde Park Playground is a relatively straightforward play space with climbing frames, swings and slides, but its location makes it particularly useful for visitors.

It's suitable for children up to 12 years old and sits within one of central London's biggest parks.

That means you can combine it with:

• Hyde Park

• The Serpentine

• Kensington Gardens

• The Diana playground

• The Natural History Museum

• The Science Museum

You could spend the morning exploring museums and let the children burn off their remaining energy in the park.

Best for: Families sightseeing around central London.

What about waterparks?

Here's where it's worth making a distinction.

London has some excellent splash parks and water-play areas, but if you're imagining a giant resort-style indoor waterpark with huge slides everywhere, you'll generally need to travel outside central London.

For summer days, though, there are some fantastic options.

8. Splashy Land, Barking Park

📍 Barking, East London

This is probably the closest thing to the kind of family splash-park day many visitors are imagining.

Splashy Land sits inside Barking Park and combines three attractions:

• Splash Park

• Bounsea inflatable adventure

• Magical Unicorn Lake

The Splash Park is an outdoor water-play area designed mainly for toddlers and children up to around 12, with interactive fountains and water jets.

The Splash Park's 2026 season runs from May through the end of August, weather permitting, with sessions operating on weekends, school/public holidays and selected sunny weekdays.

There's also Bounsea, a large outdoor inflatable obstacle course, so you can combine water play with something much more energetic.

And for summer 2026, Splashy Land is even running outdoor cinema screenings, including Frozen on 21 August and Moana on 22 August.

Best for: Summer days, younger children and families wanting water + activities in one place.

9. Waterworks Fountains at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

📍 Stratford

You don't always need to pay for a waterpark.

The Waterworks Fountains at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park have 195 individually controlled water jets, creating a huge interactive water-play area outside London Stadium.

The fountains generally operate from around 10am to 5pm, from March to October, although operation can change on stadium event days and other occasions.

It's an especially good option on a hot summer day.

Bring spare clothes.

Seriously.

Your children may not remain dry.

And once they're finished, you're already surrounded by the rest of the Olympic Park.

Best for: Free summer water play.

10. Granary Square fountains

📍 King's Cross

Another excellent free option is right in central London.

The fountains at Granary Square have more than 1,000 individual jets, creating a giant watery playground during the warmer months.

It's particularly convenient for tourists because you're close to:

• King's Cross Station

• Coal Drops Yard

• Regent's Canal

• Restaurants and cafés

So parents can grab a coffee while the children cool down.

It's not a conventional waterpark.

There aren't giant slides.

There aren't changing-room facilities like a swimming complex.

But on a warm afternoon?

It can be exactly what children need.

Best for: A free, central London summer activity.

And if you want proper theme-park rides...

This is where London's location becomes useful.

Some of Britain's best theme parks are within easy reach of London, even though they aren't technically inside the city.

11. Chessington World of Adventures

📍 Chessington, Surrey

If you're travelling with children and want one place that can entertain different ages, Chessington is probably one of the strongest choices.

The resort combines:

Theme park + zoo + SEA LIFE aquarium.

It is around 30 minutes from London, according to the resort, although your actual journey will depend on where you're starting.

There are gentle rides for younger children, including:

• The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure

• Room on the Broom A Magical Journey

• Elmer's Flying Jumbos

Older children can move on to attractions such as:

• Mandrill Mayhem

• Vampire

• Dragon's Fury

• Croc Drop

Chessington also has more than 1,000 animals across its zoo and SEA LIFE attractions.

For families, that's a huge advantage.

One child wants animals.

Another wants rollercoasters.

You don't necessarily have to choose.

Best for: Families with children of different ages.

12. LEGOLAND Windsor

📍 Windsor

If your children love LEGO, this one almost chooses itself.

LEGOLAND Windsor has more than 55 rides, attractions and live shows, spread across themed lands including DUPLO Valley, LEGO City, Pirate Shores and Heartlake City.

It's particularly good for younger children because the park is built around family-friendly rides rather than being primarily a thrill-ride destination.

And 2026 has brought new experiences to the resort, including new attractions and the LEGOLAND Adventure Golf.

It's also a good option if you're visiting London with children who aren't tall enough for the biggest rollercoasters yet.

Best for: LEGO fans and younger families.

13. Thorpe Park

📍 Chertsey, Surrey

Now we're moving into more serious rollercoaster territory.

Thorpe Park is the option for older children, teenagers and adults who want adrenaline.

The resort has more than 25 rides and attractions, including major coasters such as:

• Hyperia

• Stealth

• Colossus

• Nemesis Inferno

And it has several water rides too, including Tidal Wave and Depth Charge.

One important point for families:

Check height restrictions before travelling.

For example, Depth Charge has a minimum height of 90cm, while many of Thorpe Park's biggest thrill rides have substantially higher restrictions.

So this isn't necessarily the place for toddlers.

It's much more suited to children who have graduated from the traditional playground.

Best for: Teenagers, older children and thrill seekers.

14. Babylon Park

📍 Camden Market

What if it rains?

This is where Babylon Park becomes useful.

It's an indoor amusement park in Camden Market, with rides and arcade games under one roof. Visit London currently lists it among London's leading indoor amusement options for families.

The big advantage is obvious:

London weather doesn't matter.

You can go when it's raining, windy or simply too cold to spend hours outside.

It's particularly useful for families staying centrally who don't want to spend an hour travelling to a theme park.

And because it's in Camden, you can combine it with the market and wider Camden area.

Best for: Rainy days and families staying in central London.

15. Make a whole family day out of The Regent's Park

📍 Regent's Park

This final option isn't one attraction.

It's a combination.

And sometimes that's exactly what makes the best family day.

Start at Marylebone Green Playground.

Then walk through Regent's Park.

Visit London Zoo if that's part of your budget.

Stop for lunch.

Take a pedalo on the Boating Lake.

And if the children still have energy, head towards Gloucester Gate Playground.

The Royal Parks specifically highlights the combination of playgrounds, boating and open space in Regent's Park, including the 50-metre zip wire at Gloucester Gate.

You aren't rushing from one attraction to another.

You're simply spending a day outdoors.

And for families visiting London, that can be surprisingly refreshing.

Best for: A relaxed full-day family itinerary.

Which one should you choose?

That's really the important question.

Because the best place for kids in London depends enormously on their age.

For toddlers

Look at:

Splashy Land

Marylebone Green Playground

Diana Memorial Playground

LEGOLAND Windsor

Hyde Park Playground

These tend to offer gentler play or attractions designed around younger children.

For primary-school children

Try:

Tumbling Bay

Gloucester Gate

Greenwich Park Playground

Battersea Park

Chessington

LEGOLAND Windsor

This is probably the age where London becomes particularly fun because children can enjoy both playgrounds and larger attractions.

For older children and teenagers

Go bigger.

Thorpe Park

Chessington

Tumbling Bay

Battersea Adventure Playground

Water activities

Teenagers aren't necessarily going to be impressed by a traditional playground.

Give them a zip wire, water ride or rollercoaster instead.

What about a really hot day?

London isn't famous for waterparks in the same way some holiday destinations are.

But you still have options.

Try:

Splashy Land

Granary Square fountains

Waterworks Fountains at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Gloucester Gate water play

And remember to bring:

• Spare clothes

• A towel

• Sun cream

• Water

• A hat

• Waterproof footwear if appropriate

And don't assume every water feature operates every day.

Some are seasonal, weather-dependent or can be switched off for operational reasons.

What about a rainy day?

This is where you change the plan rather than cancel it.

Try:

Babylon Park

Chessington's indoor attractions

LEGOLAND's indoor attractions

Or combine a museum with an indoor play/activity option.

London has a particularly good selection of indoor family activities, including interactive museums and play experiences, so a rainy forecast doesn't necessarily mean the day is ruined.

One thing parents should know before choosing a theme park

Height matters.

Not age.

A five-year-old who is tall enough for certain rides may have completely different options from another five-year-old.

Before buying tickets for a major theme park, check the current:

• Minimum heights

• Maximum heights where applicable

• Supervision requirements

• Age restrictions

• Ride availability

Chessington, for example, publishes height and adult-accompaniment requirements for individual attractions.

Thorpe Park does the same.

It's much better to discover the restrictions before arriving.

London really is better for kids than you might think

When people imagine a family trip to London, they often think about:

Big Ben.

Buckingham Palace.

The London Eye.

Museums.

And yes, children can absolutely enjoy those things.

But sometimes the memory they take home isn't the view from an observation deck.

It's running through a fountain at King's Cross.

Climbing a giant wooden structure in the Olympic Park.

Pretending to be a pirate in Kensington Gardens.

Flying down a zip wire in Regent's Park.

Or screaming on a rollercoaster at Chessington.

That's the beauty of planning London with children.

You don't have to spend the entire trip sightseeing.

Let them play.

And once they've burned off enough energy, maybe they'll actually agree to visit that museum you've been trying to get them into.

So, where should you take the kids?

If you want the best playground, try Tumbling Bay or Gloucester Gate.

If you want imaginative play, go to Diana Memorial Playground.

If you want water fun, try Splashy Land.

If you want free water play, go to Granary Square or the Olympic Park fountains.

If you want a full family theme-park day, choose Chessington.

If you have LEGO fans, choose LEGOLAND Windsor.

If you have teenagers who want thrills, go to Thorpe Park.

And if London decides to do what London does and starts raining?

Babylon Park.

Because a family trip to London doesn't have to mean spending the whole day saying:

“Come on, we're going to see another building.”

Sometimes the best London memories happen when the sightseeing stops and the playing begins.

Discover more family-friendly things to do, places to visit and London guides on LondonYaar.com.

Follow @rohan.londonyaar for more London travel tips, family days out and London experiences.