Top Things to do with Kids Near King’s Cross

Family Friendly Activities near King’s Cross

If you’re looking to keep the younger members of your family entertained during your stay at the Mentone Hotel, the great news is there are plenty of things to do in King’s Cross with kids. With the help of the parents on our team, I’ve put together a few recommendations – including a few weatherproof options.

Things to do in King’s Cross with kids – outdoor fun

The great thing about King’s Cross is that it’s mostly traffic-free, and surprisingly for London, there are loads of family-friendly outdoor spaces. Here are a few suggestions for days out in the fresh air.

Camley Street Natural Park

12 Camley Street, London N1C
Open October – March 10am – 4pm and April – September 10am – 5pm
Website

This former railway coal drop is a fantastic place for kids to discover wildlife and nature. Across its two acres there are ponds, wetlands, woodland and meadows to explore, and lots of activities and events too, which are all listed on the website.

Set on the banks of the Regent’s Canal and run by the London Wildlife Trust, one of the park’s main attractions is ‘Viewpoint’ – a floating platform that’s like an island hideaway where you can sit and take in the views of the park and canal. It’s a great place to get the kids spotting all the different birds around the water.

There’s also a café serving tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cakes, bagels and pastries, as well as accessible toilets and baby change facilities.

 
Handyside Gardens

1 York Way, London N1C
Website

This lovely quiet landscaped park is just off Granary Square and is great if you’re looking for free things to do in King’s Cross with kids.

There are loads of places to sit, plus a shallow water rill and an interactive children’s play area with swings, a slide, climbing equipment and a sandpit – ideal for the younger members of the family. Kids can have fun pumping water into the rill and splashing about.

For food and drinks, there’s a Waitrose next door in the Midland Goods Shed where you can grab a few things for a picnic, or head to one of the family-friendly cafés nearby (I’ve included some suggestions below).

London Canal Museum

12-13 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RT
Open Tuesdays to Sundays and bank holiday Mondays
Website

This unique museum is a bit unusual being housed in a former ice warehouse, built in the 1800s for a famous ice cream maker to store the ice he imported in from Norway. But it’s a great day out for families and definitely something a bit different.

As well as learning about the history of the ice trade, you get the chance to see inside a narrowboat cabin, and learn about the cargos that used to be transported by horse-drawn boats through London’s waterways.

There’s a summer programme of guided boat trips with refreshments, family fun days and an exhibition running till spring 2026 charting the story of how London’s canals were built. You can book tickets in advance on the website. Educational, and entertaining – and interesting for all ages.

Coram’s Fields

93 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1DN
Open every day 9am till dusk (paddling pools open only during spring and summer)
Website

This is a real gem and just a few minutes’ from King’s Cross. It’s a big park with extensive facilities, including accessible play equipment for toddlers to older children.

There’s a sensory playground, children’s playground, padding pools and sandpits, an adventure playground, and a wildlife garden. There are also two large lawns where you can have a picnic or let the kids play.

You’ll also find a café which they run as a social enterprise to raise funds to help run the park. They serve hot drinks, sandwiches, toasties, cakes and snacks and ice cream.

Granary Square fountains

Granary Square, King’s Cross, London N1C 4BH
Open daily
Website

Kids of all ages love splashing about in these dancing fountains made up of over a thousand jets.

They’re great during the day when the square looks more like a beach with children hurtling through the water spouts, but they’re even better at night when they’re lit up in spectacular colours. Definitely one of the best things to do in King’s Cross with kids that won’t cost you a penny.

The Story Garden

60 Ossulston Street, London NW1 1DF
Open Tuesday – Thursday 10 am to 6 pm and Friday – Saturday 10 am to 4 pm
Website

Perfect for adventure-loving kids, the Story Garden is all about planting, growing and creating and learning about nature. It’s located just behind the British Library and is run by educational charity Global Generation with the help of local youngsters.

The community garden is open to the public and hosts workshops, activities and events, including Twilight Gardening and Family Saturdays. Here’s the programme so you can see what’s on.

Weather-friendly things to do in King’s Cross with kids

If the weather’s not on your side, there are still plenty of family things to do in King’s Cross that will keep you under cover, and your little ones entertained.

Ping Pong at Granary Square

1 Granary Square, Kings Cross, London N1C 4AA
Website

If you fancy a spot of ping pong, you’ll find two tables in The Crossing, the public area of the Granary Building. They’re free to use, no need to book – and you’ll find the bats and balls stored in the tables.

Sometimes they’ll put the tables outside if the weather’s nice or there’s an event on in The Crossing, but generally they’re under cover, so a definite rain-proof activity for anyone with a competitive nature.

Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs at the Lightroom

Lightroom, 12 Lewis Cubitt Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4DY
Running from 9 July – 2 November 2025
Website

This immersive exhibition made in collaboration with Apple TV is designed to show children the role dinosaurs played in shaping the natural world. Kids get to ‘travel’ with them through all sorts of landscapes, courtesy of state-of-the-art technology.

The show lasts just under an hour, but you can stay and watch it again if you want to. It’s suitable for all ages, adult tickets are £25, students and under-18s from £15 and under 3s get in free. Booking in advance is advisable.

Harry Potter Shop & Platform 9^3/4

King’s Cross Station, London N1 9AP
Open Monday to Saturday 8am-9pm and Sunday 9am-9pm
Photographer available 9am-9pm daily
Shop website
Platform website

This is such a popular attraction and I regularly see people queuing to have their photo taken on Platform 9¾ where the luggage trolley protrudes out of the wall – we’re talking queues 50-60 people deep, it’s that popular.

You can have your photo taken professionally in your ‘house colours’, then pop into the Harry Potter shop next door to buy it. But you can take your own photos too – you don’t have to pay.

The shop is filled with everything Harry Potter, from Hogwarts school jumpers to games and other souvenirs. A definite must-visit for fans.

The Postal Museum

15-20 Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DA
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-5pm
Last Mail Rail Ride 4pm
Website

This is a popular family day out where you get to ride through the hidden tunnels of “Mail Rail” – London’s secret underground railway – and enjoy hands-on exhibitions, interactive displays and interesting stories.

For younger children aged 0-8 years there’s a play space called “Sorted”, plus there’s a shop, and a café with indoor and outdoor seating selling snacks and barista coffee. It’s located just under a mile from King’s Cross St Pancras.

Everyman Cinema Baby Club

14-18 Handyside Street, London N1C 4DN
See website for screening times
Website

Everyman Cinema hosts a weekly showing at around 10-11am especially for parents with babies under 12 months. Tickets are £14 for adults and babies get in free, and you get a hot drink and cake or popcorn included.

The whole setting is baby-friendly, with the volume down low and soft lighting. If you have an older child you’d like to take along, they’re allowed in for U, PG or 12A films.

Funland Arcade

25/27 Brunswick Centre, Bloomsbury WCN 1AW
Open Monday to Sunday 10am-10pm
Website

If your kids (or you) love all things gaming and entertainment, then you’ll no doubt love Funland at the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury.

You’ve got all your traditional arcade games there, and modern ones too including dance arcade machines, video games, sports games and prize games.

There’s also a “pinball alley” filled with wall-to-wall pinballs which you can get an hour’s worth of unlimited access to for £10.

Family-friendly food and drink in King’s Cross

Finally, a “things to do in King’s Cross with kids” list wouldn’t be complete without including a few family-friendly places to eat. So here goes:

Happy Face Pizza

14 Handyside Street (in the Everyman Cinema building)
Open Monday to Saturday 12pm-10pm and Sunday 12pm-9pm
Pizzas, salads, antipasti, desserts
Website

Ruby Violet

Coal Drops Yard
Open Sunday to Thursday 11.30am-9pm, Friday & Saturday 11.30am-10pm
Handmade ice cream, sorbets and frozen desserts
Website

Longboys

Coal Drops Yard
Open Monday to Saturday 8.30am-7pm, Sunday 9am-6pm
Handmade doughnuts, brownies and sundaes
Website

Leon Pancras Square

2 Pancras Square
Open Monday & Friday 7am-9pm, Tuesday to Thursday 7am-10pm, Saturday 8am-9pm, Sunday 8am-8pm
Nuggets & baked fries, rice boxes, breakfasts
Leon kids’ menu

Dishoom

5 Stable Street
Open Monday to Wednesday 8am-11pm, Thursday & Friday 8am-12am, Saturday 9am-12am, Sunday 9am-11pm
Indian cuisine
Little Dishoom menu

Visiting London King’s Cross? Book a family room at the Mentone Hotel and enjoy our unlimited, complimentary breakfast!

Situated near a range of attractions, plus numerous restaurants, pubs, cafés and coffee shops and retail outlets, the Grade II listed Mentone Hotel is set in the peaceful haven of Cartwright Gardens.

We offer over 40 rooms including four 5-bed rooms and ten 4-bed rooms, ideal for families. There’s also free WiFi and luggage storage, plus we sell tickets for all the main London attractions.

Please get in touch to check availability. All direct bookings benefit from a 10% discount plus an unlimited complimentary breakfast – the perfect start for a family day out in King’s Cross!

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