8 fun things to do on a sunny afternoon in London

Enjoying education in the great outdoors…

by Marieke Audsley

At long last the sun is out and London is basking in gorgeous golden light and warmth. It’s time to slap on some sunscreen, grab an ice cream and enjoy the summer. London is of course full of glorious parks to play and relax in, but there’s also a myriad of choices of educational activities that combine enjoying the great outdoors with learning all sorts of things.

For young kids who want to say hello to some furry creatures and learn more about animals, there’s a great range of city farms to choose from including Hackney City Farm, Vauxhall City Farm, Kentish Town City Farm and Spitalfields City Farm.

If a trip to a farm inspires your offspring to step into a saddle you can book riding lessons in Hyde Park, Dulwich Park and in Ladbroke Grove with the West London Stables.

If your children prefer water to dry land then perhaps a trip along the Thames would ‘float their boat’ (sorry, I couldn’t resist). You could hop on and off the Clipper, visiting Tate Britain and Modern along the way, go on an amphibious Duck Tour or try out a voyage by barge with one of the trips organised by the London Canal Museum.

After sailing along the water you might be tempted to splash around in it; there are some magnificent lidos all over London, many of which offer swimming lessons if your kids need some support or want to improve their strokes.

Another great way to discover London and the history of some of its most famous inhabitants is to go on a ‘Blue Plaque’ trail. Go for a walk and jot down the names of the people you see on Blue Plaques then set yourself a challenge to research who they were and what they did.

If you want a walk with some really ancient companions then head to Crystal Palace where there are dinosaurs in the park!

Love is all around at the Southbank Centre, with their Festival of Love, which is running all summer and is packed with a whole host of super events for children of all ages