11 places on the list
Top 10: our best of the bunch
Ranked by our own favourites first, then by how families rate them on Google.
- 1
Toca Social interactive footballTreats & eats · East · All ages£15-£30★ 4.8 - 2
Lewis of London Ice Cream FarmTreats & eats · Central · All ages£5-£15★ 4.1 - 3
Anya Hindmarsh's Ice Cream ProjectTreats & eats · Central · All agesUnder £5★ 4 - 4
Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus TourTreats & eats · Central · Under 13£30+ - 5
The Langham Children's Afternoon TeaTreats & eats · Central · All ages£30+ - 6
The Ampersand Jurassic Afternoon TeaTreats & eats · West · All ages£30+ - 7
Aqua Shard Peter Pan Afternoon TeaTreats & eats · Central · All ages£15-£30 - 8
Swingers Crazy Golf (City)Treats & eats · Central · All ages£5-£15 - 9
Rosewood London Art Afternoon TeaTreats & eats · Central · All ages£30+ - 10Swingers Crazy Golf (West End)Treats & eats · Central · 8+£5-£15
Everything on this list
Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
We loved this vintage double-decker tour of the landmarks with Paddington-themed treats, games and marmalade sandwiches on board. It's an ideal birthday present (as not cheap!) - but the tea food quality was really high, tour fun, and kids loved it.
See detailsThe Langham Children's Afternoon Tea
Can this seriously five-star luxury hotel really welcome kids? Absolutely yes. When ours visited they were welcomed with a beaming smile, with the live pianist even doing the occasional segue into the Peppa Pig or Traitors theme tune, to make the kids smile. Expect jigsaw-cut sandwiches, popping candy delicate treats, and an adult menu that's equally spectacular. Eats are unlimited and everyone leaves with a going-home goodie bag. This is a once-in-a-lifetime luxury afternoon tea. Themes change seasonally, but have included Hamleys-themed teas with kids taking a very huggable bear home with them.
See detailsThe Ampersand Jurassic Afternoon Tea
Dino-obsessed kids will lose their minds over this delicious afternoon tea. Cakes emerge from a dry-ice 'volcano', and kids are given paintbrushes to 'excavate' chocolate fossils hidden in biscuit crumb soil. Brilliantly interactive and ridiculously fun - tasty, too.
See detailsAqua Shard Peter Pan Afternoon Tea
Served 31 floors up with jaw-dropping views of London, teens to tots will love this afternoon tea. The Peter Pan theme features a Jolly Roger ship stand which is presented with the wow factor of dry-ice smoke, then there are Tinkerbell cookies, and Captain Hook croquettes... It's a really spectacular high-altitude treat that we all enjoyed - and didn't even need colouring/entertainment because watching tiny people, trains and boats on the streets far below was fun for all the family! If you can go on a wintery later afternoon, you get to see London in daytime and twinkling in the evening.
See detailsSwingers Crazy Golf (City)
The City branch of Swingers, a 1920s-themed indoor crazy golf venue with street food and bars. Children are welcome at family sessions only, so check the venue website before booking.
See detailsRosewood London Art Afternoon Tea
A stunning, sophisticated option for older kids. The pastries are edible masterpieces inspired by famous artists like Hockney or Dali - currently, it's Monet. Kids get their own painter's palette with squeezy tubes of jam and curd, and the cakes are serious works of art - as you'd expect for the price! There's no minimum age, but the set-up is smart and sophisticated and I got the feeling that screaming toddlers wouldn't be overly welcome.
See detailsSwingers Crazy Golf (West End)
The West End branch of Swingers, a 1920s-themed indoor crazy golf venue with street food and bars. Children are welcome at family sessions only, so check the venue website before booking.
See details
Wizard Exploratorium Afternoon Tea
Not officially a Harry Potter tea, but magic fans will love this experience. Set in a multi-storey converted Soho house, you use wands to brew colour-changing teas and unlock puzzle boxes to get your cakes. It's hands-on, highly interactive, and tasty too - but not accessible for buggies or wheelchairs.
See detailsAnya Hindmarsh's Ice Cream Project
Cool off in these fountains and splashpads - always check direct on websites to ensure they're up and running!
See details★ 4Toca Social interactive football
An interactive, high-tech football entertainment and decent food, featuring private playing boxes and digital target games.
See details★ 4.8Lewis of London Ice Cream Farm
This popular spot serves up dozens of handmade ice cream and gelato flavours, made directly from farm-fresh milk. Every year they're also expanding the entertainment options: playgrounds, hay bales, pony rides, sand pits, tractors to climb on, and mazes can often be found here. Expect a queue on warm weekend afternoons, but it moves quickly. Free entry, large car park, but you'll want to buy an ice or two.
See details★ 4.1