Thames Rockets Half-Term Guide

  'Captain Kidd's Canary Wharf Voyage' We have designed this experience exclusively for families and first timers alike. Thames Rockets €˜Captain Kidd's Canary Wharf Voyage' is the river cruise that will plunge you into the life of the high speedy seas. Perfect for birthdays, celebrations or just a great half term day out, you can expect all of the thrills that have propelled Thames Rockets to the #1 spot in its category on TripAdvisor. Highly recommended by Day Out With The Kids and KidRated, let the grandparents show the kiddies exactly how to party on this river cruise - speedboat style! Find your sea legs as you don our top quality kit at our exclusive boarding gate at the London Eye Pier. Then step on-board and navigate your way to the most magnificent sights the capital has to offer. All from your very own vantage point! In fact Thames Rockets have been shortlist as one of the finalist of Visit England's 'Family Friendly Attraction of the Year' for 2017. So what are you waiting for?! V&A Museum of Childhood Home to one of the world's finest collections of children's toys, doll's houses, games and costumes, the Museum of Childhood shines brighter than ever after extensive refurbishment. The venue has lots of hand-on stuff for kids dotted about the many cases of historic artefacts. Regular exhibitions are held upstairs, while the café helps to revive flagging grown-ups. For the young and for the young at heart, there's plenty for everyone at this unique celebration of the best days of our lives. 27 minutes by Tube from our home at the London Eye Pier. Crystal Palace Park Children going through the €˜dinosaur phase' always enjoy a visit to 'the monsters' - there are many dinosaur sculptures that lurk among the trees around the lake of this beautiful Victorian park.. The remains of a Victorian pre-historic theme park created on the site by Benjamin Waterhouse-Hawkins. The dinosaurs were restored in 2003 and have become one of London's quirkier attractions. It doesn't stop there - explore the park to find the Maze, the remains of the old Crystal Palace Exhibition and the National Sports Centre! 48 minutes by train (door to door, no changes!) from our other home at the St. Katharine Pier. London Transport Museum This much-loved museum does a sterling job of presenting a fascinating and entertaining history of transport in the capital, with vehicles to explore along the way. It's free for anyone under 17 (adults must buy a season ticket, costing £17.50 for a year, £15 concessions). There's a family play zone for children aged 0-7, 'All Aboard', featuring mini-vehicles to climb into, and kids can repair a little tube train, sail the 'Thames Nipper', play in the lost property office and try musical instruments on busking spots. The Baby DLR features an interactive wall and building blocks to keep infants entertained. Visitors of all ages can sit in the driver's cab of a red bus and guide a Northern Line simulator through tunnels and up to platforms, so big kids will have plenty of fun too. Only 16 minutes by Tube from the London Eye Pier. Victoria Park No territory better exemplifies the tension between east and west London than Victoria Park. It sprang to life as a Royal Park but became municipal in 1887; it's rougher around the edges than its western counterparts and thus a great expanse to kick back and let nature revitalise you. Victoria Park is wonderful for youngsters too: the V&A Playground is equipped with swings etc, and the fantastically designed Pools Playground encourages creative play to get the imagination flowing! 34 minutes by Tube from our East London base at the St. Katharine Pier. National Maritime Museum Free to visit, the National Maritime Museum is also great for kids as well as adults thanks to the AHOY! children's gallery. Suitable for 0-7-years-old, children can engage with a range of play scenes and activities, such as stoking the boiler of a steamship, playing with others in an interactive boatyard, and even working in a fish shop. They can enjoy a bit of polar exploring or play at pirates for a while, climbing aboard an eight-metre-high version of the HMS Rawalpindi's mast. There's a buggy park at AHOY! and a café on the next floor for refuelling afterwards. Of course, the main museum is stuffed full of interesting artefacts, models, maps, art and memorabilia for adults. Just over 40 minutes by public transport from either of our Piers. Natural History Museum The handsome Alfred Waterhouse building houses a collection that contains some 70 million plant, animal, fossil, rock and mineral specimens. The Natural History Museum's Life Galleries are devoted to displays on animal life, from creepy crawlies to animatronic dinosaurs. The Earth Galleries explore the natural forces that shape our planet, the treasures we take from it, the effect we have on it and its place in the universe. 20 minutes by Tube from the London Eye Pier. Battersea Park Battersea Park's adventure playground is superb, with plenty of original and imaginatively built features. The climbing structures, slides and high climbing nets present unusual challenges for children aged 5+, and there's a separate area for younger kids too. There's also a zoo so the little ones can begin to understand the richness of life on our planet! 25 minutes by Thames Clipper or 35 minutes by public transport from Waterloo. Geffrye Museum Housed in a set of 18th-century almshouses, the Geffrye Museum offers a vivid physical history of the English interior. There are free art, design, craft and baking workshops on offer for children and young people aged 2-16 every day of the October, February and summer half-terms, and on selected days during the Easter and Summer Holidays. There are also family-friendly audio tours and other activities - such as book-swaps - available during half-terms and at weekends. And if the weather's good, don't forget to bring a picnic to enjoy in the gloriously green gardens. 25 minutes by public transport from either one of our Piers. Science Museum The Science Museum features seven floors of educational and entertaining exhibits, including the Apollo 10 command module and a flight simulator. The Wellcome Wing showcases developments in contemporary science, medicine and technology. The Medical History Gallery in the museum's attic contains a substantial collection of medical history treasures. Pattern Pod introduces under 8's to the importance of patterns in contemporary science and Launch Pad is a popular hands-on gallery where children can explore basic scientific principles. Only 23 minutes by Tube from the London Eye Pier. But whatever or wherever you and your family visit or head off to this half term we hope you all have a fantastic time and we look forward to seeing you on-board sometime during 2017!