This is a continuation of: Trip to London with a Baby - Part 1 - Hotel at Wembley Park and travelling around London on the Underground, and Trip to London with a Baby - Part 2 - St. John's Gate Museum and Priory tours, London Tourist Attraction. In part 1 I have put details of the accommodation and travelling in and around London, in part 2 I have provided details about a London tourist attraction and in this part I will mention some of the shops that are particularly suited to children.
Children's Shops in London
Some of the shops that are favourites with children are:
The Disney Store
The London Disney Store is located just across the road from the Bond Street underground station. They have a basic lift to get upstairs that needs to be operated by a member of staff. They do not have any other facilities.
Hamley's Toy Store
The finest toys in the world (or at least so says it's moto). It's certainly the biggest toy shop I've ever been in and it's sure to go down well with children.
If you don't mind a reasonable walk you can walk from the Disney Store. Turn left as you exit the disney store. Continue until you reach Oxford Circus and turn right down Regent Street. It's then down Regent Street on your left. Alternatively you can walk to the store from either Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus underground stations.
There is a cafe on the top floor which has highchairs and baby facilities. There is a baby changing room (my wife changed our baby and I don't recall whether it was in the ladies toilet or a seperate room).
If you visit during 2006 be sure to see the Chronicles of Narnia Staircase. See: My review of the Chronicles of Narnia DVD for one of the photos I took from the staircase.
Harrods
Harrods has a large childrens section on the fourth floor. Whilst you might expect Harrods to be really expensive (and for certain things such as designer clothes, or specialist items it is), it sells a wide range of childrens toys at normal recommended retail prices (rrp).
It's also worth a visit to the Harrods Arcade and the food halls.
In the past they did charge to use the toilets, but they are now available free (at least the ones on the 4th floor are). There are baby changing facilities, but these are in the ladies toilets (I don't know if there are any elsewhere that can be used by fathers).
In part 4 I'll cover our final tourist attraction, the London Aquarium.
- Trip to London with a Baby – Part 1 – Hotel at Wembley Park and travelling around London on the Underground
- Trip to London with a Baby – Part 2 – St. John’s Gate Museum and Priory tours, London Tourist Attraction
- Trip to London with a Baby – Part 3 – London in London with Babies and Children
- Trip to London with a Baby – Part 4 – The London Aquarium, Tourist Attraction
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