need tips for things to do in London with kids

Lizanne

Pinocchio is well reviewed

http://www.timeout.com/london/kids/event/62421/michael-rosen-s-pinocchio.html

and so is Oliver

http://www.timeout.com/london/kids/event/62413/oliver.html

but I don't know how likely you are to get tickets for the latter.

When my godson was younger he always used to enjoy taking a canal boat from Camden to London Zoo and then a visit to the zoo.

http://www.londonwaterbus.co.uk/

There's also a children's zoo in Battersea.

http://www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk/welcome.htm

In terms of eating the Rainforest Cafe is worth a look

http://www.therainforestcafe.co.uk/

I hope you, and they, have a great time.

Alan

Lizanne, My girls, 12 & 15 at the time, loved, LOVED Borough Market. I know it's just really grocery shopping, but lots of fun with samples of food and very different items.
http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/

Hampton Court was a big hit. They liked parts of the Tower but the weather was bad that day so that had an effect. They liked Harrod's all right, but I'd give it a miss.

At Kings Cross train station, they have a platform 9 and 3/4, which of course is where Harry Potter left from. London Walks has some Harry Potter walks, and the site is well worth looking at even if you don't go on their walks. You'll get lots of ideas.
http://www.walks.com/

The Lion King may still be playing. I saw that in the states and it was tremendous. THat would be a great evening for a 9 yr old's birthday.

Definitely take them on the London Eye. They will never forget it!

Our kids enjoyed Windsor and Windsor Castle when they were that age. It is a nice 1/2 day or full day trip from Paddington station. Consider Mama Mia or We Will Rock You or Lion King or Sound of Music. Mary Poppins may have closed. China Town is a cool place for dinner. Our favorite resturant there is Top of the Town. Covent Garden Market is a nice place to people watch. Kew Gardens are good, even in winter. Be sure to visit Hemley's - it's a giant toy store on Picadilly.

You have received great suggestions. Hamley's toy store is on Regent Street. The V&A Museum has some wonderful hand's on craft activities for kids (free & V&A is also free) that looked great--one activity was making a coin from soft metal and stamping it with image of Queen Victoria. Brass rubbings can be done at St. Martin-in Fields. Tea at the hotels is very expensive. Harrod's or Fortnum&Mason is affordable --but not cheap--both looked kid friendly. Enjoy your trip to London!

I would take the kids to see The Lion King it is a fantastic show, we have seen it three times in London. I wouldn't recommend Mama Mia, its about a girl getting married and wants her father to give her away, her mother said that there are three men that could possibly be his father. Hemley's is a fun place, Harrods food hall is fun, a walk thru St. James Park, the Royal Mews where they can see the Queens carriages and horses, the Hard Rock Cafe is the first and original cafe, St Paul's Cathedral climb the 259 steps to the Wispering Gallery have your son on one side and your daughter on the other side then have one whisper something to the wall and the other one will be able to hear it. Kids have lots of fun doing that, The Orangery at Kensington Palace is a nice place for tea with children, Trafalger Square, lunch at the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub it's a pub that Charles Dicken's went to a lot, Sticky Fingers Restaurant is fun, Covent Gardens, day trip to Windsor tour Windsor Castle your daughter will love seeing Queen Mary's Doll House it is seven story palace with electricity, runnning water, working elevators, a libray with miniature books written by Kipling, Thomas Hardy and others for the doll house. You can get a train from Paddington Station to Windsor, it's a thirty five minute ride. The castle is a five minute walk from the train station.

You already have some ideas listed here--but go to the Tower of London Castle for sure--be sure to take the tour with a Beefeater. Kids know some about English history so they will be able to identify with what they see/hear. Looking at the knight suits (see Henry's for a little fun) and history (it took on average 4 blows by a henchman to sever off during a beheading). Windsor castle. Boat ride down to Greenwich--visit the war museum and Greenwich timeline there. No need to spend too much time there, but they will like to boat ride. Seeing a play is a good idea--but I cannot suggest one. I also enjoyed the Ghost tour--the one that ends up at a pensioner's prison...there is a bit more history (eg. the plague) than talk of ghosts--but it was fun.

One other idea--The Brown's Hotel is a pretty tradition old Hotel and has a very good and traditional afternoon tea. The Cream we had was the lumpy, sweet cream one would expect.

Lizanne,
We were in London last fall. At the time, our daughter was 11 and our son was 9. London is a great place for kids. Some suggestions:
1. A show. We saw Wicked and Spamalot (we saw The Lion King during a visit a few years ago). All great. Our kids still listen to those soundtracks all the time.
2. Museums. The V&A has some great kid activities. The British Museum also has kid-oriented self-guided tours (go to the information desk). The National Gallery has a wonderful place where you can explore interests on a computer and then generate a tour, based on your own preferences. And, the Museum of London has some very good kid activities.
3. The Tower of London. Don't miss taking a tour with a Beefeater. Some of the Beefeaters do a great job of really engaging the kids on a tour. Plus, the White Tower has its own kid activity.
4. London Walking Tours. We went on a Beatles tour (my son loves the Beatles) and a Harry Potter tour.
5. The London Eye
6. If you think they can handle it, the Evensong service at Westminster Abbey is simply beautiful. Our son loved it.
7. Climbing to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral.
8. My kids love having tea at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Not fancy at all (self-service), but my kids loved the fact that the tables are set on the tombstones in the basement.
9. My kids love Pizza Express, a pizza chain all around London. Very good pizza. Very kid friendly.
10. Then, there is just getting around. My kids really enjoyed trying to figure out how to get from one place to another on the Tube. Also, look for the old Routemaster double decker buses (I think just a few routes still use them)
11. The markets are also fun-- Portobello, Camden Lock, etc.

Have a great time!

Lizanne, Take the Tower Bridge tour. It's informative and fun for all ages. The views from the walkway between the two towers are wonderful. Some time spent in Greenwich is also something to consider. The boat ride down and visiting the Cutty Sark. Is it open again?? Plus there is an under the river tunnel so your children can tell their friends they walked under the Thames. The Tower of London, I could live there and people do. Be sure to visit the armory. Tea at Browns is lovely but children the ages of yours would probably prefer the Crypt.