Battersea Park Children's Zoo

The children's zoo tucked into Battersea Park is one of those places that works brilliantly if your kids are under about eight, then drops off a cliff. You get giraffes, zebras, and various big cats in relatively confined spaces - it's educational enough, with staff who actually seem to know their animals and don't just grunt when you ask questions. The whole thing takes about ninety minutes to circuit properly, which is exactly the right length before the novelty wears off and someone demands an ice cream.

Battersea Park itself is the real draw here. The zoo is barely a footnote in what's actually a cracking riverside green space with a proper lake, adventure playground, and enough walking routes to justify a full afternoon. If the animals bore you halfway through, it's no hardship to bail out and explore instead. Admission varies depending on what ticket you grab - best to check ahead - but it's worth budgeting for. Summer weekends get properly rammed, so go midweek if you can manage it, early morning ideally.

If you're based at Lovat Parks just down the road, this makes an easy pop into London without the chaos of central attractions. Park families will appreciate having it as a backup plan when the weather's cooperative but you're not up for a full day out. It's not the London Zoo, but then that's a slog to reach and twice the price.