Life-size Monopoly and other London adventures that will keep kids (and adults) happy

European summers have a simultaneous ease and bustle to them. The streets stay busy a little longer, the parks stay full till a little later, the gelatos fly off the shelves. There’s never a reason to hurry. And this is especially true for London.

There’s no shortage of things to do in London with children. Every year, it seems there are more and more activities dedicated to the little humans in your life. It’s a city where there really is something for every age—parks and playgrounds that are a hit with adults too (Holland Park and Diana Memorial are the favourites of my 6- and 11-year-old); the animal, nature and family-activity farms (Willow Farms, Bocketts Farms, Woburn Safari Park for the younger kids); the historical (Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace); the theme parks (Peppa Pig World, Legoland, Thorpe Park); the museums (the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, The Young V&A); and the West End plays and musicals (The Tiger Who Came to Tea, The Lion King, and others).

These are the perennials. But every year, there’s also some new show or interactive experience. If you are short on time and have kids that have outgrown the toddler stage, these unique adventures will keep ’em kids busy while building strategic thinking, agility, and confidence. 

Go Ape

Last summer I didn’t manage to get a slot for this outdoor obstacle course, which has three locations across the city—Battersea Park in southwest London, and Alexandra Palace and Cockfosters (Trent Park) in north London. This year I planned ahead, booking weeks in advance. Weather permitting, it’s open nearly throughout the year, with reduced hours and weekends only during the winter months. I took five kids (ranging from six to 11 years) to the Battersea Park location and, let me tell you, it was the best couple of hours of our visit.

Located in the southwest corner of the 200-acre Battersea Park, this adventure course is an urban high-rope experience with tree-top courses, ziplines, and obstacles that my city kids took to like ducks to water. We chose the Treetop Adventure Plus (for six-plus years; The Treetop Challenge is for 10-plus and significantly harder). The kids donned their helmets, harnesses, listened to the safety briefing, and then took off for the multiple obstacle courses, which consist of suspended bridges, swinging logs, planks, rope tunnels, and narrow beams, crossing from one platform to the next before taking a zipline across the trees to the next level.

It’s a great way to build confidence (my six-year-old gamely tried to match his older sister and cousins), agility and endurance and get children to tackle their fears. If they aren’t completely exhausted, you can spend more time at the playground with a twisty slide and cap off your day/evening with a meal at one of the many restaurants at the newly redeveloped Battersea Power Station.

Book here

Monopoly Lifesized

Who doesn’t love playing Monopoly? This is your favourite board game come to life. This 80-minute team experience at Tottenham Court Road is played on a giant 15 x 15 m board with life-size tokens. Solve escape room puzzles to build your bank (just be careful not to land in jail!). Each game has up to 24 players divided into four competing teams of six (which can be your group, or you will be paired with other players). Each team is led by an actor role-playing the iconic Monopoly tokens (like the Scottie Dog or Racing Car). Whenever you land on a property, you don’t just buy it but also enter a themed room to complete a challenge. This has to be the ultimate immersive experience. It is a great thing to do as a family and is also a great way to introduce younger kids (recommended for nine-plus years) to this classic game. It’s recommended that you try and book the first game and wear comfortable clothing and trainers to allow for easy movement. Cap off your game with refreshments at the on-site theme restaurant, The Top Hat, which, sadly, doesn’t accept Monopoly money.

Book here

SpyGames and SpyScape

Both these experiences are housed in the same location in Convent Garden and serve as complementary tickets, the former being more physical and agility-driven and the latter more focused on cognitive thinking. For ease, it’s best to invest in the all-access pass. The high-adrenaline SpyGames has been developed by CIA and Special Ops professionals and experts and includes a laser room, an agility area (to run, jump, and duck flashing lights) and time-pressured memory missions.

SpyScape allows you to take a breath after the heart-rate-raising rooms and is an interactive spy museum where you work through challenges—code-breaking, lie-detection, and other brain teasers with a focus on observation and decision-making. At the end, your results are analysed to produce a personalised Q Type, which recommends the best intelligence role you could play. The entire experience takes about two hours and is better suited for kids over 10 years old.

After this, you’ll need to decompress, and nothing is more relaxing than watching the entertainers in Covent Garden.

Book here