It’s always the way – there’s so much out there to discover that we forget to explore what’s right on our doorstep, so while I live under an hour away, my daughter was one before I managed to start exploring Kingston with kids.
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Needless to say, we’ve been back more than once since then as there are more things to do with kids in Kingston upon Thames than you might expect.
The ancient market town might not have such a high profile today as when Saxon kings were crowned there, but there’s still a lot to discover, not least the ‘Coronation stone’ in the grounds of the Guildhall as well as a daily market in Market Place.
Rose Theatre
One of the biggest attractions in Kingston for kids, the Rose Theatre was modelled on the original Elizabethan Theatre on Bankside in Longon, also called the Rose.
Today, you can find everything from musicals to Shakespeare as well as plenty of family-friendly productions – such as an adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom, Zog, and The Smeds and the Smoos, as well as a live Hey Duggee show.
You’ll also find lovely sessions for toddlers and preschoolers at the Rose, including Monkey Music.
The Coronation Stone
Wander past the Guildhall and you might wonder why there’s a chunk of stone surrounded by railings – until you get a bit closer and discover its fascinating origins.
The ancient Sarsen block – the same kind of stone used to build Stonehenge – dates back over a thousand years, linked to the site where seven Anglo-Saxon kings were crowned centuries ago.
Today there’s an engraving showing the names of the seven kings crowned here, including Ethelred the Unready in 979 as well as earlier kings dating back to the beginning of the 10th century.
Find the historic bridges
When you’re discovering the history at Kingston upon Thames with kids, you can’t miss the Clattern Bridge. One of the oldest intact bridges in England, it dates from around 1200, crossing the Hogsmill River.
The name supposedly comes from the clattering made by horses’ hooves as they crossed the cobbles over the bridge.
Much bigger, Kingston Bridge has its own memorable history. The original wooden bridge was constructed here in the 12th century and was the only crossing over the Thames until the 18th century, apart from London Bridge.
The first stone bridge followed in 1826 and it has been widened twice since then: follow the path downstream and keep your eye open for the location of the first bridge marked in the cobbles.
Explore the riverside
A walk along the Thames is a lovely thing to do at any time of year, and it’s as easy to go for a short stroll or a longer walk before refuelling in one of the family-friendly restaurants.
You could walk all the way to Richmond if you head off in one direction, or over to Hampton Court in the other, if you fancy a peek at the Tudor Palace (or a visit inside).
There’s also some green space to enjoy and a play area at Canbury Gardens, as well as restaurants and aces galore or just watch the swans gliding serenely along the Thames, narrowboats lined up along the bank, to add a splash of colour on a very grey day.
My daughter’s first visit to Kingston saw us checking out the burgers at Byron Burger Kingston, but you can also find a string of family-friendly options including Cote Bresserie and Bill’s, as well as Thai at Busaba, Indian food at Chakra and Lebanese at Comptoir Libanais, plus waterside pubs.
Head out on the river
Even better than walking by the river in Kingston is to get out onto the water itself.
If you like the idea of getting behind the wheel of a boat yourself, check out the different options from GoBoat London, with space for up to eight in each electric boat (and it’s dog-friendly as well).
You don’t need to have experience before you set off – there is training given on arrival, along with a route map of where to see along the river in West London between Teddington Lock and Molesley Lock, passing Hampton Court Palace.
You’ll get life jackets for babies and buoyancy aids for children too. The captain must be over 18.
Or if you’d prefer someone else to do the hard work, the boat tours from Turks River Cruises have been travelling along the Thames for over 300 years.
The eye-catching boats (most famously a Mississippi style stern wheeler) run most days between Richmond, Kingston and Hampton Court, passing beautiful Hampton Court Palace, Teddington Lock and the quirkily fascinating Eel Pie Island.
Or Albany Park canoe and sailing centre runs courses and classes to help kids learn how to sail, as well as canoeing and kayaking sessions on the river.
Follow a Treasure Trail
For one way to discover some of the secret highlights of Kingston with kids, pick up a fun Treasure Trail around the town.
The spy mission takes you from the Market Square, with its gilded statue of Queen Anne and the historic buildings, decorated with notables from Kingston’s history, down to the river and passing lots of quirky details along the way.
With a puzzle to solve, the loop through Kingston stretches for just under two miles and takes around two hours to complete.
Discover some public art
There’s always new street art to spot as you explore Kingston upon Thames with kids, but keep your eyes open for a few special public artworks as well.
One of the most famous is Out of Order, where 12 red phone boxes lean against each other – the first still upright, and the rest tilting over in a curve until the last one lies almost flat upon the ground. The work by artist David Mach sits on Old London Road.
In the Market Place, spot Party Animal by Alex RT Davies, the winner of the 2021 Kingston Sculpture trail, with a traffic cone resting on a bronze goal’s back – the goat’s golden nose is getting shinier and shinier as passers-by rub it as they pass. It’s made to be interacted with, so climbing on the goat’s back is encouraged – a definite bonus if you’re visiting with kids.
Or head down to Riverside Walk, to see Echolocation by Mat Collishaw, an 11m long video installation in the undercroft between Cote and The Bishop Pub.
Plus there’s always something new to spot, with some of the latest eye-catching pieces of street art listed here.
Kingston Museum
Did you know that one of the early pioneers of film was born and died in Kingston upon Thames? Or that the town has links to aviation history as well?
Tracing the history of the town, Kingston Museum has a string of displays showing its Saxon heritage, right through to highlights from the last century, including some of the area’s most famous names.
There are also regular temporary exhibitions to enjoy, along with photos, artworks and more. Entry is free although the museum is currently only open on Thursday to Saturday.
Stanley Picker Gallery
A great place to visit in Kingston with teens, the Stanley Picker Gallery holds exhibitions and events throughout the year (though it closes during the summer months) featuring work by local artists and designers as well as students at Kingston University.
Set on an island along the Hogsmill river, it’s an easy walk from the town centre and there’s always something new to discover.
Visit Kingston Market
Given Kingston’s history, it’s no surprise to discover that the town’s market has an equally long pedigree – there has been a market in Market Square since at least the early 13th century.
Running every day, with just under 30 permanent stalls, you’ll find everything from a greengrocer and fishmonger to street food, and extra stalls appearing for the Kingston Christmas market or for other special events.
For more independent shops in Kingston, head to Old London Road, although you’ll also be spoiled for choice when it comes to high street shopping on Clarence Street and the Bentall Centre
Try an escape room
There are two different Escape Rooms in Kingston for kids, with puzzles that are perfect for families to try.
Kingston Escape Rooms has a sweet option for younger kids, helping the Crazy Cat Lady find her missing cats – suitable for age 5+ – as well as An Hour To Kill Hollywood.
Or the games at Escape Hunt Kingston are suitable for age 8+ with everything from pirate fun in Blackbeard’s Treasure, plus Journey to Atlantis, Alice in Puzzleland and Escape the Wild West.
There are Virtual Reality games here which are suitable for ages 12+ as well.
Find soft play
Sadly Caterpillars Cafe, the soft play at Kingston’s Bentall Centre (which my daughter loved when she was younger) has since closed, along with Jellybugs.
But you can still find soft play at The Pod, in the YMCA Hawker Centre. The two-storey soft play centre has something for all ages up to 11, with areas for babies and toddlers as well as space for older kids to be active.
The Sensory Room has also been refurbished, aimed at children under 24 months or with additional needs benefiting from sensory play. Plus there’s a riverside cafe for parents to grab a coffee while their kids let off steam.
PICNIC play village
Aimed at children aged six and under, the mini world of PICNIC is heaven for younger kids.
Inside the play village, with its mini town, little ones can head off to the shop to play at being a cashier or picking up essentials, fulfil a few dreams of being a firefighter, put on a performance in the theatre or cook up a few cakes in the bakery, as well as delivering the post for good measure.
It’s the kind of thing my daughter adored when she was little (where we tried something similar at places like Eureka Children’s Museum in Yorkshire), with 10 themed play areas set around the village square.
Things to do near Kingston with kids
While there’s plenty to entertain families in Kingston upon Thames itself, you’ll find a few more great days out if you’re basing yourself in the town.
Hampton Court Palace
This spectacular Tudor Palace – ‘acquired’ by Henry VIII from Cardinal Wolsey – is one of my favourite things to do in London with kids and Hampton Court Palace is only around 10 minutes from Kingston with kids.
A fantastic place to get a taste of how the royal court lived, you can see everything from the sprawling kitchens catering to the inhabitants to a series of rooms decorated from different time periods, including grand Tudor ceilings and Georgian apartments, courtyards and thrones under canopies, plus the beautiful chapel royal.
As you walk along the Haunted Gallery, it’s said that Catherine Howard’s ghost can still be heard pleading for mercy.
Outside, there’s as much to see in the gardens. Home to the famous maze, the Magic Garden children’s playground is another favourite with kids plus there are regular family activities during school holidays – anything from Tudor sports to Easter hunts. Stop by the real tennis court as well to see if you can catch a display of Henry VIII’s favourite game.
Visit a Royal Park
The biggest of the royal parks, Richmond Park stretches for an astonishing 2,500 acres and is also a nature reserve.
Most famous for its herds of wild deer, both red and fallow deer, you’ve got a good chance of spotting them as you wander – the Tamsin Trail, along the edge of the park is ideal for families, as it’s almost car-free, and is a good path to follow to get a few glimpses.
It’s important to remember that they are wild animals though, so don’t try to feed them and always keep at least 50m away, especially during the rutting season (from September to November) and during May to July when fawns are born.
Don’t miss the pretty Isabella Plantation gardens, with lovely winding paths past the flowers and water, or on a clear day, climb King Henry’s Mound and look across towards St Paul’s Cathedral more than 10 miles away. It’s a protected view, so nothing is allowed to be built in the sightline.
You’re also close to Bushy Park, the capital’s second largest royal park, with its own deer herds, 17th century water gardens and gorgeous places to walk.
White Spider Climbing
Try a new challenge at White Spider Climbing in Surbiton, with the chance for kids to try taster sessions in holidays including options suitable for ages 5+, with separate sessions for younger kids and teens.
Or turn up for Clip and Go sessions for all ages and abilities, although children must weigh more than 15kg to try this.
There are also drop-in sessions for the Spider’s Castle play area, for children aged 3+, with a labyrinth to explore and towers and turrets to scale – there are bouldering routes for all abilities, plus passages to climb through and slides to discover if your kids don’t fancy climbing.
Jurassic Encounter mini golf
Dodge nine near life-size dinosaurs as you challenge yourself to the mini golf course at Jurassic Encounter.
The holes take you through prehistoric caves as well as past cascading waterfalls and over islands, with 18 holes in total.
The course in New Malden is only around 15 minutes from Kingston by car, or around 30 minutes by public transport.
*First published 2013, last updated 2022*
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Main image/Richmond Park courtesy of Depositphotos, Out Of Order via Picfair, all others copyright MummyTravels
