Parent/Toddler Ice Skating in London

One of my favourite things to do in London during the winter season is to ice skate, and not just at any old rink, it has to be at one of the stunning and pretty epic outdoor rinks, dotted around London in some of the most iconic locations. Since becoming a Mum, and having a lack of babysitters on hand, this tradition seems to have slipped away from me over the years! Until now...

I was walking past The Natural History Musuem, admiring their gorgeous ice rink when I spotted a parent and toddler out on the ice. For me this was pretty exciting, I didn't realise you could take children out so young on the ice.

After making some enquiries and doing a bit of research I discovered that not only do they have the brilliant penguins children can hold to balance as they skate, but for Toddler's they also have double bladed clip on skates that they wear with their own shoes. My daughter turned 2 recently, and has taken to her scooter like a duck to water, she's also fairly well balanced and strong minded, so we thought we'd try it. The Natural History Musuem have a special parent/toddler ticket, which covers both you and your toddler, and you get a free hot drink each (which actually works out cheaper than a single adult ticket).(Click here for more pricing information ).

After warming up in their ski lodge style cafe, and waiting in line 30 minutes before the session to book the balance penguin (an additional £5, and totally worth it) we headed onto the ice. We were all pretty excited and the munchkin loved it. We started her off standing on the penguins feet so she didn't yet have to skate on the ice, before changing it around to give her a go at actually trying to skate herself.

She loved it...though needless to say after a while she no longer wanted to hold the penguin and instead wanted to try herself. She instantly realised she had to hold Mummy and Daddy's hands if she didn't want to fall over and we had a fab time going around with her. We had a great time and took some beautiful pictures together. I will definitely be going back. Tip: I haven't found another outdoor rink that let's Toddler's under the age of 3 on the ice apart from The Natural History Musuem.

Tip 2: As we know, every child is different. Our toddler lasted about 30/40 minutes before she'd decided she'd had enough. We would stop every now and then, and took it in turns to take her off the ice whilst the other parent skated, which she also enjoyed watching. Some children would last less and others might last longer, so definitely you're call as to if you think they are ready for the ice. Closest tube station: South Kensington

Looking to warm up and play in the warmth post skate? Check out my blog on the hidden basement play area for children at The Science Musuem next door.