Small Kid, Big City

So I realise this post might not be that interesting unless you are family, friend or a fan of Mr L, or maybe you are thinking to go solo in London with your toddler? Be prepared for a lot of photos of my son around the city... 

It was just him and I, as my daughter is visiting Japan for the first time with her dad (he didn't think it would be a good idea to take two little ones)...we thought we'd make the most of it and have some good times in the city before he starts pre-school after Easter. He's a pretty easy going just-turned-three year old, so I was impressed how well he dealt with it all. We had a good time and he was great company. I will tell you some places that we went...

We took the DLR to Greenwich (which was exciting in itself) and met up with my friend and her little boy. They played in the pub afterwards whilst we chatted for ages...sort of incredible really.

He loves his new rucksack I got him for his birthday, he keeps his cars in there.

On board and underneath the Cutty Sark.

We went south-east to where I used to live for many years, Peckham...where there was a small vintage market going on. He didn't find any cars to buy so he was a bit disappointed.

We went to my favourite old local pub for lunch. Pubs in London by the way, make great places to take your kids for lunch...loads of room, chips, highchairs...beer.

 

To aid his disappointment at not finding a car in the market, I took him to Hamley's and let him choose a car...big mistake, he chose the most expensive one and I couldn't get out of it.

We also went to Liberty's...

 

The Barbican is amazing...we went to the Museum of London there, he was fascinated by this projection of the history of the London sewage system.

also, ducks sleeping on one leg amused him for hours.

I love the interior at the Barbican too, somewhere between Kubrick and Wes Anderson.

This kept me fit.

at our workshop...

We popped into the V&A for lunch whilst the Science Museum was being evacuated (suspicious bag or something). 

In the Science Museum basement they have a great little place for little ones to play, this water thing was very popular and he was here for hours.

 

 

He was a bit nervous of the tube to begin with and I had to pick him up for the escalators at first, but after a few days he really enjoyed it, although he kept falling asleep, just before our stop.

 

The Southbank on a sunny day. He asked me to take his picture in front of that chip van.

We went to Spitalfields Antique Market, where he eventually chose a plastic toy police car for £1. This is what he says was the best part of the whole trip.

They've opened a new Anthropologie shop near there, so we popped in, always a very inspiring place. Their window display was a coral reef made of paper cups and bit and pieces...

 

Hyde Park was freezing so we just went to the cafe.

The pubs around Clerkenwell are pretty much empty on the weekends, so he had lots of space to run about. Next to Exmouth Market is Spa Fields playground which is always a winner.

The Tate Modern has this room with computers the kids can create their own art work and it is displayed above for all to see.

He wasn't very impressed with the collections, apart from the one that looked like mud.

the building itself is a bit like a playground, I love all the weird perspectives and concrete.

I think he is a fully qualified Londoner now. 

Apart from finding the toy police car, he was also impressed with the 'traffic lights' in the underground tunnels. 

Because he's just three, I think I can get away with repeating all these places as he will most likely not remember a single thing about it in two years time.