- \n
- Play Elements: <\/strong>Are the play areas safe and secure? Our favourite play areas have customized play areas for different age groups.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Fun factor: <\/strong>No fun with fancy-looking play parks if the kids get confused and it’s just chaos everywhere you look. For us, it’s function over form when it comes to playtime.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Facilities: <\/strong>How are the nappy-change facilities? Playground toilets are not always the best.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Good for parents? <\/strong>A cafe with good coffee is always a big plus!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Also, don’t forget to check our list of the most loved indoor playgrounds <\/a><\/strong>in London!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\u261b Playgrounds by Area <\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Central London<\/strong><\/a>: With all the playgrounds in the Royal Parks, you’ll find plenty of well-maintained play areas. Great for the kids taking a break from the busy streets in the city centre. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- South West London<\/a>:<\/strong> If you’re looking for the creme de la creme of playgrounds, head to Hampton Court and Kew Gardens for two awesome playgrounds (paid entry).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- West London<\/strong><\/a>: Holland Park stands out with its celebrated new playground in West London.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- North London<\/strong>:<\/a> If you’re out walking on Hampstead Heath, don’t forget to check the great playground right below Parliament Hill. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- East London<\/strong><\/a>: There’s a good mix of old and new play areas in East London. For London’s longest slides, head to Vicky Park’s play area. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- South East London<\/strong><\/a>: You’ll find several big and well-maintained play areas located in areas like Greenwich, Peckham-Rye and Crystal Palace.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Check our extensive Playgrounds Map <\/a>for an even larger selection of play areas in London.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n![\"London](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190913131920-3.jpg\")
Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\u261b Central London Playgrounds <\/mark><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sightseeing can be a tiring business for kids, but luckily there are some great play parks in central London when in need of a break. Be warned though, they quickly get crowded during weekends and school holidays!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nDiana Memorial Playground <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\ud83d\udc67 1-12-year-olds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24 (4\/5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83c\udd93\ud83d\udebe\ud83d\udebc \ud83c\udf74\u2615<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udccdKensington Gardens, Queensway<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Free<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– A classy London playground<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Climb to the top of the Peter Pan-inspired pirate ship (for older children)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enjoy a large water and sand play area great for toddlers <\/a>and preschoolers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Several wooden climbing frames, safe for the youngest members of the family<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Site on staff managing queues<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great location with all of Central London’s attractions close by.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"boy](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/20190913125850-2-1024x683.jpg\")
The Diana playground in Kensington Gardens is one of our shortlisted 10 best playgrounds in London <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \nDiana Memorial Playground is an admission-free play area beautifully located in Kensington Gardens right next to the Royal Kensington Palace, home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The theme of the playground originates from the late Princess Diana and is inspired by the stories of Peter Pan. Considering this is a public playground, it’s really well maintained and a wonderful way for kids to relax while sightseeing in Central London. Given the location, it gets really busy during school holidays which can result in queues. Get there early if you want to beat the crowds (like everywhere else in London).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nRead full review<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nHorseferry Playground<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\ud83d\udc67 2-10-year-olds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24 (3\/5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83c\udd93\ud83d\udebe<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udccdVictoria Tower Gardens, Westminster<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Free<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– A fun corner of Westminster<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Well-maintained play area perfect for toddlers and younger kids <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Proximity to some of London’s prime attractions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Combine a visit with a picnic in Victoria Garden right next to the play park<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Large sandpit, just remember to bring some toys!<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The playground is missing a more challenging play area for older kids <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/Horseferry_Playground-2000-1024x683.jpg\")
Horseferry Play Area with the Palace of Westminster in the background<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \nHorseferry Playground is a great place to stop if you’re visiting the area around Westminster and want to reward the kids with some playtime. It’s not a large play area, but there’s enough for toddlers to have fun for a while. We also like its open plan with lots of rubber surfaces and conveniently located right next to a park where you can watch the boats on the Thames pass by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nRead full review<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nSt James Park Playground<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\ud83d\udc67<\/strong> 2-10-year-olds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24 (3\/5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83c\udd93\ud83d\udebe<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udccdSt James Park, Westminster<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Free<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Play next door to Buckingham Palace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Small, but well-planned play space Natural elements like wood, sand and rocks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Easy for parents to relax and watch (when free boulders are available) <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- On the tourist trail, means big crowds during weekends and holidays <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Kids will get fed up quite quickly (it\u2019s really small)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"St](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/20190608133327-1024x683.jpg\")
There are lots of big boulders to enjoy in St James Play Park<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \nSt James Play Park comes in really handy when the kids get tired of sightseeing. Despite the small play space, we always enjoy this play park because of the climbing boulders and sand area. This is a key adventure playground in Central London to keep on your radar if you’re visiting with young children!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nRead full review<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\u261b South West London Playgrounds <\/mark><\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s no lack of big and adventurous playgrounds in South West London. Great for little climbers in need of a nature fix, both Battersea Park and Kew Gardens offer treetop experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nBattersea Park Playground<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\ud83d\udc67 2-14-year-olds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24 (4\/5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83c\udd93\ud83d\udebe\ud83d\udebc \ud83c\udf74\u2615<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udccdBattersea Park, Battersea<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Free (except for Go Ape)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Little monkeys climbing high and low <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Gated area for the little ones, shielding toddlers from older kids <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 4 different play areas for different age-groups <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Easy to keep an overview since the area is really compact<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Challenging climbing frames for older children<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The area is extremely popular during weekends and feels crowded<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Battersea](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/Battersea_Park_Playground-8112-1024x666.jpg\")
Battersea Play Park on a typical busy day during weekends <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \nBattersea Park is a family-friendly park. The adventure playground area has been cleverly designed to facilitate many different play areas within a limited area in the park’s southwest corner. For families with children in different age groups, it’s relatively easy to keep an overview even when playing in separate sections. Clustering the play areas so close together is a double-edged sword; when the park becomes crowded during weekends, the place feels chaotic, with kids and parents high and low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nRead full review<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nChildren\u2019s Garden at Kew<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\ud83d\udc67 2-12-year-olds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24 (4\/5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udcb7\ud83d\udebe\ud83d\udebc \ud83c\udf74\u2615<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udccdRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a3\u00a3\u00a3<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– It’s all about nature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- State-of-the-art playground, safe and well maintained <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Educational with focus on nature\u2019s elements <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Wide range of play areas for all abilities, great for toddler-aged children <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The different areas are divided up, making it hard for parents to maintain oversight <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hard to predict and plan for the time slot you will be assigned<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Kew](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/20190623144101-1024x819.jpg\")
Having fun running around the treetops in Kew Garden <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \nChildren’s Garden at Kew feels 100% organic. We love how they have focused on natural elements when designing the playground around the key elements of earth, air, sun and water. On the other side, we also found it hard to watch our kids with different park sections divided by bushes and hedges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nRead full review<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nMagic Garden at Hampton Court<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\ud83d\udc67 0-10-year-olds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24\ud83d\udc24 (4\/5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udcb7\ud83d\udebe\ud83d\udebc \ud83c\udf74\u2615<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udccdHampton Court Palace, Molesey<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a3\u00a3\u00a3<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Play in Tudor style<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Excellent sand and water play area <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Very popular mound with a built-in tunnel slide <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Inspirational for kids interested in history <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Very crowded, despite the limitation on visiting time <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Some of the elements like the royal towers seem mostly for display purposes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Girl](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/20170805142150-1024x768.jpg\")
Enjoying the Magic Garden at Hampton Court on a sunny summer day<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \nMagic Garden has been designed to be an inspirational play garden for children visiting Hampton Court just starting to learn about Tudor history. It\u2019s a truly unique play space, combining modern design with historical elements, making it one of the best playground parks in London in our book. It also gets crowded during school holidays and weekends, which surprised us since entry is ticketed with dedicated time slots. We also felt the layout was slightly confusing, with sections of the park divided up, making it hard for parents to keep an overview of multiple children simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- South West London<\/a>:<\/strong> If you’re looking for the creme de la creme of playgrounds, head to Hampton Court and Kew Gardens for two awesome playgrounds (paid entry).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Fun factor: <\/strong>No fun with fancy-looking play parks if the kids get confused and it’s just chaos everywhere you look. For us, it’s function over form when it comes to playtime.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/burgess_park-2209-1024x683.jpg\")
![\"hobbledown](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/hobbledown_playground.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"Parliament](\"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/20200112134049-1024x768.jpg\")