Travelling to London with 15MONTH old!!! Help!!!

Well won't you have the carseat with you from your flight? We always brought ours, yes, its a hassle, but we never took chances with our kids.And don't even think about a 10 hour flight and not getting the baby a seat.

The Science Museum basement has a great play and learning area with activities suitable for a toddler. You can eat your packed lunch down there too. The Natural History Museum is also popular with toddlers. Gambado at Chelsea Harbour is a fantastic indoor kids play centre. Worth a visit if you fancy something very child orientated. London's parks are great to let of steam in and all have play areas. The most well known is the Princess Diana playground in Kensington Gardens. It's a lot of fun and usually very busy. I wouldn't bother bringing a car seat unless you are hiring a car, in which case you may wish to do so to save money. They are not a legal requirement in taxis and it will be too much hassle to carry it around with you. Taxis are very safe and are rarely involved in accidents. There's loads for young children to do in London. I worked there as a nanny and loved it. Buses are much, much, easier to navigate than the Tube as you can push your pushchair straight on unfolded (as long as there's room!) and won't be any slower by the time you factor in how long it's going to take you to get down all the escalators with a small child in tow.

I don;t think that the Imperial War Museum has much that would be of interest to a 15 month old. However, it is located in the middle of a large park that might be of interest to him. Than again, seeing mini-submarines, tanks, anti aircraft guns... might impress a small boy. These sure impress big boys.

Coolest thing about London with a toddler: skip the carseat in the cabyour whole stroller will fit in the cab! The side door opens wide and there is a lot of floor space, so they let you roll your stroller right in (assuming its not ginormous.) I found London cabbies very helpful. If you can swing it, I would highly recommend buying a seat for your child on the plane, and take your carseat for him(?) to sit in. It's a long trip to manage a lap infant. Also, the carseat is much safer. I saw a parent lose ahold of a baby on a flight to London once during nasty turbulence. Baby flew straight up and missed hitting the ceiling by about 2 inches. Yikes!
Holland Park has a fantastic playground. Kensington Park has the amazing Princess Diana Memorial Playground with giant pirate ship. Chasing/feeding pigeons anywhere is always fun.

I went to London with an 18 month old last summer. Attractions: the park playgrounds are obvious. Besides the ones mentioned, my son like the one in St. James Park, and it's very convenient for Buckingham Palace and that area. Also, if your son likes vehicles, the London Transit Museum is good. The London Eye Ferris Wheel could be fun with a kid. Mine also loved random small squares, as well as the lions in Trafalger. This site http://www.london-baby.com is more meant for locals, I think, but lists attractions and parks. Note that your son will more than likely have some times asleep or resting in his stroller. Take advantage of these times and see things YOU want. This works especially well after they get tired out from a playground. Many museums are free, so even if you only get to see one section you're OK. And your kid may surprise you. Mine loved the British Museum. Not all of it, of course, but the big statues of lions and such were interesting to him. My older son loved art museums at that age, so you just never know. Take him wherever you're interested in going within reason (on top of kid friendly activities, of course) and see what happens. Continued...

CONTINUED On that note, not London specific, but I have a particular philosophy about travel with small children that is very different than a previous poster on here. Namely, THEY WILL GET MORE OUT OF IT THAN YOU KNOW. They can't tell you about it, but they are always observing and learning, and you never know what will stick. Six months after our trip, my son started calling clocks "Ben". I was confused until I remembered Big Ben. Carseats: I took one on the plane, installed it in his plane seat. It was worth it to keep him contained and sleeping. I just stored it in the hotel, never tried to use it in cabs, that's just not feasible. Take it on the plane, if you rent a car instal it in the car (not sure about the compatibility on that), otherwise leave it in the hotel until you leave. General travel with kids advice: Make a photo album BEFORE you go with pictures of things you plan to see. Mine had Big Ben. Double Decker Bus. Tube sign. A couple famous works of art from the museums. Buckingham Palace. Whatever, just print photos online, put them in a cheap photo album, and show your son frequently. Then he'll be more likely to recognize stuff. When feasible, take pictures of him there in front of those things, for fun. Also, get books about London (maybe more for an older child?). There's one called This Is London and another called A Walk in London.

A baby that young, under 2, will get tired and frustrated with all the crowds so be sure to take frequent quiet breaks... Take him to Hamleys toy store, it is from the 1700s and is on Regent street which crosses Oxford street in the shopping district... Pollocks Toy Museum on Goodge st near Tottenham Ct Road might be fun for him... Regents Park has a pond where you can feed ducks, in the south part, and near the upper west part is the London Zoo. London Aquarium is another good one, across the river...