Summer in London is our favorite.

It stays light until 9pm and there are endless things to do. Summer feels even more special in the UK since it comes after a dark winter and a rainy spring. There is just something magical about summer in London. I’m planning on doing more “London days out” posts, sharing all of our favorite activities. I thought a good place to start would be Diana Memorial Playground in Hyde Park or as my kids refer to it “Pirate Ship Park.” 

Pirate Ship Park is absolutely fantastic for all ages. They have more than 8 different areas catering to all different ages and abilities. Not to mention there is sand and water in the middle of the park, which provides endless hours of summer fun. The park is also enclosed and they only let you in if you are with a child so that’s helpful from a safety standpoint.

Here are my 10 tips for spending the day at Pirate Ship Park. If your kids are like mine it will truly be the entire day that you spend there. They always end up making friends with other kids and just don’t want to leave.

1. Get there early 

The doors open at 10am and you’ll see a line forming a few minutes before, especially on the weekends. The park tends to get really busy closer to lunchtime. So getting there early is a great way to beat the crowds and have fun before it gets too hot. 

2. Pack sunscreen, snacks and tons of water 

Summer in London can be really hot so don’t forget sunscreen and water. Also snacks. We usually get the boys lunch at the cafe. They have a great selection of sourdough pizza and nice sandwiches, but snacks ensure we don’t have to stand in line at the cafe too many times (the line can get long!).

3. Plan to have ice cream 

There is nothing like ice cream on a hot day. The cafe attached to the park has good ice cream and all the other kids will be getting some. It was so hot the day we went that I let the kids get 2 ice creams. 

4. Bring sand toys 

The first time we went to pirate ship park I didn’t bring any toys. Thankfully a nice family shared with us, but it made it difficult as the boys were constantly asking other people to use their toys. There is sand and water there so essential toys would be a bucket, spade, and anything else you might bring to the beach. One time another family brought dinosaurs, which was a hit, because the kids could make a whole scene in the sand. Other great toys are trucks, watering cans, buckets of various sizes, and boats.

5. Label your toys 

Again something we learned through trial and error. It’s difficult to keep track of your toys as there are so many kids playing and borrowing your stuff. If you label them then it’s easy to walk around before you leave and grab any toys that may have walked off. 

6. Pack a bathing suit, hat and change of clothes for the kids 

The kids love playing with the water and inevitably get very sandy. The easiest thing to do is put the kids in bathing suits and pack fresh clothes for the end of the day. Hats for kids and adults is also a good idea. 

7. Bring towels and a picnic blanket 

My kids were so sandy by the end that I had them rinse off in the freezing water. Then quickly wrapped them up in a towel before putting their clothes on. In addition to towels a picnic blanket is a good way to claim a spot on the grass as it does get crowded. It serves as a good meeting spot if your kids are old enough to wander around by themselves.  

8. Scooter or bike 

Depending on how you get to Hyde park, scooters or bikes can be fun. There is tons of space outside pirate ship park with different paths that are good for biking or scootering. Could be a fun thing to do before or after going to the park. If you are taking a taxi or the tube this might not be feasible. We drove into the city this last time so we took the scooters just in case. 

9. Decide on a meeting spot 

My oldest is great about asking us what happens if we lose each other. We always make a clear plan about where to meet if the boys can’t find us. This gives the older boys a bit more freedom to roam around the different areas without us watching them every second. They also know to tell us which area they are going to before they go. 

10. Have fun! 

As always it’s a good reminder (that I often need myself) to just have fun with your kids. It’s nice to say YES to ice cream. They live for the moments where we go on the pirate ship with them and pretend we are a family of pirates. Their faces light up when we help them dig in the sand. Sometimes as a mom I’m just tired and want to sit there and watch. But I’m often reminded that the real magic happens when the grownups play.