We found some great attractions around London Bridge to add to your travel plans if you have small children along on vacation.
Besides being able to tell your friends that you visited this historic spot, there are some great kid-friendly attractions around London Bridge. The following recommendations will help you fill out your itinerary for a great day in London with small children.
Kid-Friendly Attractions Around London Bridge
Unicorn Theatre
You’ll know the Unicorn Theatre when you see it at 147 Tooley Street, which is about a 10-minute walk from London Bridge. The building has won a RIBA award for exceptional design and lights up the streets with its colorful glass front. While even small kids can appreciate the pink and blue glow of the theatre in the evening, it’s what happens inside that makes it a magical place for kids.
The Unicorn Theatre is a leading professional theatre house in London, but every show that hits the stage is intended for a young audience under the age of 21. You can see what’s on the stage and book tickets online through the theatre’s website.
Borough Market
This is one of the oldest and most popular markets in London. Not only can you browse through homemade goods and fresh produce, but you can grab a bite to eat at one of the many food stalls. The food stalls are much cheaper than most restaurants and cafes in London, and you can find a cozy place outdoors to enjoy the meal with your children.
The Jubilee Walkway
This walkway is designed to lead you past some of the biggest London attractions around London Bridge. It’s divided into five loops, and the Eastern Loop starts and ends close to the London Bridge. Look for a disc with the partial image of a crown and an arrow pointing you in one direction.
Walking the full 3.4-mile loop will lead you along the Thames River to some of the area’s best attractions, including:
- HMS Belfast
- Tower Bridge
- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
- Tate Modern
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
If you’re planning to walk the Jubilee Walkway, we recommend stopping off at Shakespeare’s Globe for a show or perhaps one of their family workshops and events. You can look on their website to see what’s hitting the stage while you’re in town and reserve your tickets.
This is a child-friendly theatre. You can reserve tickets for the guided tour as well, which is suitable for children of all ages.
The Shard
This glass skyscraper looms over London with 87 floors that serve as a small community contained within one eye-catching building. Some floors are reserved for office space while others feature an upscale restaurant, bar, and hotel.
The most popular attraction at the Shard is the viewing deck, which is simply referred to as The View. It offers some of the most stunning views of the city, the river, and the London Bridge. When visiting with small children, you can use the viewing deck as an opportunity to relax and get off your feet while seeing London from up high. It really is a spectacular vantage point.
You don’t need to reserve tickets for children three or younger. They always enter free with adults.
Southwark Cathedral
If you’re interested in the architecture of London or just enjoy touring large churches and learning about their history, put the Southwark Cathedral on your itinerary while you’re in the London Bridge area. This is one of the great attractions around London Bridge that offers a peaceful environment that will give your family a break from the hustle and bustle of the city streets, and visitors are welcomed into services with open arms.
The Cathedral offers drop-in tours with a knowledgeable guide at no charge. It’s a great way to see the building and understand the history of the church. Find the welcome desk to ask about availability when you’re in the area.
What makes this church a fun option for families exploring London with kids? It’s all about Hodge the Cathedral Cat. He’s a fluffy black and white cat that has lived in the cathedral since 2020. You can get your kids excited about meeting Hodge by following him on Twitter at @HodgeTheCat.
Will It Fall Down Like the Song?
The London Bridge has existed in one form or another for nearly 2,000 years. It is the site of the oldest crossing of the River Thames on record.
However, as the childhood song states, the London Bridge did fall down several times. It crumbled in 1281 due to ice damage. It fell again in 1309, 1425 and 1437. There was also a fire in the seventeenth century that ruined the bridge.
The medieval London Bridge still lasted for 600 years until it was demolished in 1831 and replaced with a version of the bridge that was later disassembled and is now a bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. In 1968, the most recent version of the bridge was built out of steel to withstand much more than the previous versions with much less maintenance. It will not be falling any time soon!
Exploring London Bridge with Small Children
The London Bridge itself isn’t much to look at compared to the Tower Bridge or other impressive structures around London, but because of its rich history as well as the children’s rhyme “London Bridge is Falling Down,” it is definitely worth visiting. Not only will you be able to say that you and your family have been there, but you can also take time to check out the attractions around London Bridge that we found for you right nearby.