Kensington & Chelsea for Kids

Playgrounds

Holland Park playgrounds FREE
Holland Park, Ilchester Place, W8
Underground: High Street Kensington/Holland Park
Website: Holland Park - RBKC
There are a couple of very fine children's playgrounds in Holland Park for children of assorted ages! Close to the cafe is a playground for the younger lot, with assorted small playground items and a sandpit. Further north in the park there's a larger adventure playground with various activities for the older set.

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground FREE
Kensington Gardens
Underground: Bayswater/Queensway
Website: Kensington Gardens - Playground
Opened in 2000 in memory of Princess Diana, the centrepiece of this fine playground is a large wooden pirate ship, set on a "beach". There are assorted toys and structures for kids to play with, as well as teepees and small treehouses, all set in a pretty and relaxing garden design. Plenty of room for parents to sit back too, a cafe is also on site.

Museums, Exhibits and Similar for Children

Launchpad exhibit at the Science Museum FREE
Science Museum, Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD
Underground: South Kensington
Website: Launchpad
Primarily aimed at kids aged between 8 - 14 years old, almost all children will love this hands-on science exhibit. (I know I certainly did when I was that age!) There's a high level of interacticity at Launchpad, so kids can have tonnes of fun messing around with all sorts of science demos whilst they learn a bit too.

Special museum exhibits FREE (mostly!)
Various locations
Many museums, galleries and similar in the area often put on children's workshops or activity days during school holidays, especially in summer. Take a look at our Museums and Galleries page, and check for special events at each venue

Children-Friendly Restaurants

Cafe Rouge
2 Lancer Square, W8 4EH
Underground: Kensington High Street
Website: www.caferouge.co.uk
Excellent French-style chain of cafes, adults will find something tasty from their menu whilst children will do so too from the "Enfants Menu"! Kids can also have fun with the games on the special table mats for them. This particular Cafe Rouge has pleasant outdoor seating, set in a small square.
Also at 27-31 Basil Street, SW3 1BB (underground: Knightsbridge)

Giraffe
7 Kensington High Street, W8 5NP
Underground: High Street Kensington
Website: www.giraffe.net
The kind of place that children and grown-ups will love equally! Children have their own special menu here, though there's also plenty to choose from from the main one - and the variety of world cuisine dishes means that everyone should be happy. A great place to come any time of day, there's also a good selection of breakfasts. There should also be something on offer (crayons and colouring sheet) to keep the little ones amused!
Also at 120 Holland Park Avenue, W11 4UA; (underground: Holland Park)

My Old Dutch
221 Kings Road, SW3 5EJ
Underground: Sloane Square/South Kensington
Website: www.myolddutch.com
For something a little different, why not try this pancake place? A Chelsea classic, My Old Dutch serves both sweet and savory pancakes, and there's plenty of fillings to choose from. Kids might like the "make your own" sweet pancake, where they can choose their own fillings from a variety of sauces, fruit, ice creams and toppings.
Also at 16 Kensington Church Street, W8 4EP (underground: High Street Kensington)

Pizza Express
35 Earls Court Road, W8 6ED
Underground: Earls Court/High Street Kensington
Website: www.pizzaexpress.com
Great pizza chain that's always been very child-friendly, its delicious (and reasonably-priced) pizzas and other dishes mean its a family favourite. Again, there's a special kids menu for them - and you might want to treat them to one of the delicious desserts too!
Also at 137 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3LB (underground: Notting Hill Gate) and at 363 Fulham Road, SW10 9TN (underground: West Brompton)

Sticky Fingers
1A Phillimore Gardens, W8 7QG
Underground: High Street Kensington
Website: www.stickyfingers.co.uk
A lively restaurant just off Kensington High Street, this American-style diner serves just what you'd expect - steaks, burgers, ribs, big sandwiches - though there's a kid's menu too serving more managable portions for them. Parents may be impressed to know that the restaurant is owned by former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman.

Shopping - Toy Stores & Children's Clothes

Early Learning Centre
174 Kensington High Street, W8 7RG
Underground: High Street Kensington
Website: www.elc.co.uk
The classic British children's toy store sells toys, games, puzzles and books for kids of all ages, right from young babies upwards! There's also a pretty good selection of outdoor toys (pools, climbers, slides, swings) if you have or know of someone with a bit of private outdoor space!
Also at 113 Kings Road, SW3 4UP (underground: Sloane Square)

Peter Jones
Sloane Square, SW1W 8EL
Underground: Sloane Square
Website: www.peterjones.co.uk
The classic Chelsea department store, there's a wide range of children's clothes and shoes. (And many a local child - myself included! - has come here to be fitted out in school uniform.) There's also a pretty large toy department.

Trotters
34 Kings Road, SW3 4UD
Underground: Sloane Square
Website: www.trotters.co.uk
Babies and children's clothes and shoes, with a small selection of games and toys; hairdressing facilities for children are also on offer at their stores.
Also at 127 Kensington High Street, W8 5SF (underground: High Street Kensington)

A good selection of children's clothes, toys and baby items can also be found at:

Marks and Spencer (clothes, small selection of toys)
113 Kensington High Street, W8 5SQ

Gap (clothes)
99 High Street, Kensington, W8 5SA
132-136 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3QG
122 Kings Road, SW3 4TR
145-149 Brompton Road, SW3 1QP

Zara (clothes)
48-52 Kensington High Street, W8 4PE
Duke of York Square, King's Road, SW3 4LY
79-81 Brompton Road, SW3 1DB

Argos (toys and baby items)
164-166 Kensington High Street, W8 7RG

Boots (baby items)
127a Kensington High Street, W8 5SF
96-98 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3QA
254 Earls Court Road, SW5 9AD
30-31 Gloucester Arcade, SW7 4SF
203-205 Brompton Road, SW3 1LA