Things to do Outdoors with your Baby or Child in South West London
I’ve spoken about the importance of time spent outdoors, natural light and exercise for sleep. See my full article on the power of the outdoors here. But how do you ‘get back to nature’ when you’re living in a city. From having lived there, I know it can be a challenge to find things to do outside in London, here are some of the things I would do with my toddler in and around South West London. I’ve shortlisted my favourite places and kept the list to free or very cheap places to explore so my suggestions are accessible for everyone. UK sleep consultant baby sleep coach london sleep consultant help baby sleep recommended sleep coach
Mud Club – Clapham Common
This is probably my top recommendation. Mud Club is open to the public a few mornings a week. Pretty much what it says on the tin, mud club is an outdoor play area run by Forest School Practitioners. There’s paint, lots of water stations, mud kitchens, climbing frames and plenty of other raw materials to explore. toddler sleep tips help baby sleep through night gentle sleep coach
Another bonus to mud club is Clapham Playground just next to it, it’s probably the best playground I’ve been to in London. It’s huge and it got so many different parts to explore such as a role play train station, a musical area and double swings so you can sit opposite your little one on the swing. It’s got sections for all ages. If you time it right so you can get to mud club and the playground before or after it’s a great way to spend the morning. baby not sleeping through night sleep advice help baby sleep
Times and cost:
Tuesday 10-11.30 (free) gentle sleep coach gentle sleep consultant baby sleep help toddler sleep through the night sleep tips
Thursday 3.45-5.30 (free)gentle sleep coach gentle sleep consultant baby sleep help toddler sleep through the night sleep tips
Friday 10-12 (£2 per child) gentle sleep coach gentle sleep consultant baby sleep help toddler sleep through the night
Saturday 10.30-12 (£5 per child)gentle sleep coach gentle sleep consultant baby sleep help toddler sleep through the night
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https://www.instagram.com/spinnethe/ how to get baby to sleep through the night no crying
https://www.facebook.com/The-Spinney-Clapham-Common-185810208526004 how to get baby to sleep through the night
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The Spinney/Clapham Playground are an 8-minute walk from Clapham South Tube Station. There is some street parking but it’s pricey and limited. I would recommend getting there by public transport or walking.
Deen City Farm and Morden Hall Park
Deen City Farm is a lovely little morning or afternoon out in Colliers Wood/Morden. It’s charity funded so it’s free to visit and they accept donations. There is an ‘animal handling experience’ which is £25 but having done it, I don’t think it’s very worth the extra money. The kids found feeding the goats and all the other animals much more fun. They host birthday parties and there’s pony riding too. But if you want to keep it cheap and simple, just visiting the farm is an engaging and exciting outdoors activity. They recommend booking your visit in advance and are open Tuesday-Sunday and bank holidays (10-16.30). baby sleep help
The farm is located just behind Morden Hall Park which is a nice national trust park. They don’t have a typical playground but there’s a fun ‘natural play area’. When we were stuck for ideas of what to do, we often had a walk around here, passing through the flower garden and the little stream and ended the walk with some cream tea in the playground. trusted sleep coach
Either of these can be visited separately or you can make it a bigger day out by visiting both as you can walk through Morden Hall Park to reach Deen City Farm. how to get baby to sleep through the night no crying. help my baby sleep.
For more information: how to get baby to sleep through the night no crying. help my baby sleep. toddler sleep support
https://www.deencityfarm.co.uk/ how to get baby to sleep through the night no crying. help my baby sleep. toddler sleep help
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/morden-hall-park when will my baby sleep through the night. how to improve baby’s naps.
Getting there: how to get baby to sleep through the night no crying. help my baby sleep. recommended trusted sleep consultant
Morden Hall Park is a 5-minute walk from Morden Tube Station or there is also a onsite car park. baby sleep consultant
Deen City Farm is a 15-20 minute walk from Colliers Wood Station or there is also a car park on site. toddler sleep coach
The Wandle Trail
If you’d like to take your kids out for a nice walk, the wandle trail is great. The river wandle walk follows the river for most of the route and takes you through over 10 different parks (it’s 14 miles in total so probably a bit ambitious to attempt the entire walk start to finish with kids). my baby won’t sleep. when will my baby sleep through the night. find a sleep consultant that works
For more information have a look at this great article https://wandlenews.com/river-wandle-walk/ baby sleep help and advice
The Commons
South West London is very lucky to have many great commons, perfect for your little one. They are fairly similar overall, each with large open spaces, patches of woodland, ponds, playgrounds and café’s but here’s an overview of some unique aspects of my top 3. (see Clapham Common mentioned above). how to get baby to sleep through the night no crying. help my baby sleep.
Wimbledon Common
My escape from the city, Wimbledon Common is definitely the most rural feeling common of the lot. I have a particular soft spot for this common as I have a lot of childhood memories here. It’s the closest thing to a countryside walk that I’ve experienced in London so if you just want a nice walk, fresh air and a quaint café to finish or a picnic then it’s ideal. It’s got plenty of woodlands and a lovely pond too. how to get baby to sleep through the night no crying. help my baby sleep. recommended sleep consultant
Getting there:
Free car park. help baby sleep. my toddler still isn’t sleeping through. sleep support without using cry it out or controlled cry
Nearest Tube: Wimbledon (take the 93 bus from there to Parkside Hospital). evidence based sleep consultant
Nearest Train Station: Wimbledon Station or Putney Station (again, 93 bus to Parkside Hospital).
Tooting Common
Tooting Common has 2 large playgrounds. One is next to the tennis courts and a large open green to let the dog off the lead. This playground has two sections, one for younger and one for older children and my daughter always really enjoyed it. The other benefit is the pond is right opposite and there’s a nice café on the common so there’s plenty to do if you want to make a whole morning or day out of it. In the summer there is also Tooting Bec Lido which has a baby pool section too. The second playground, Tooting Triangle Playground, is the Balham side of the common. It has a brilliant sandpit, swings and climbing area.
Getting there:
Playground/Café/Pond – 15 minute walk from Tooting Bec Underground/Balham Station.
Tooting Triangle Playground – 10 minute walk from Balham Station.
Wandsworth Common
Wandsworth Common is great for taking the kids out for a bike ride as it has a lot of internal pathways that aren’t close to a main road! The Skylark Café is a lovely little spot for a coffee or lunch too. oxford sleep consultant london sleep consultant
Getting there:
By Car: no free parking although many nearby streets are residents only from 11-12 meaning outside of those hours it’s free.
By Train: Wandsworth Common Station baby sleep help baby sleep help baby sleep help baby sleep help baby sleep help
By Tube: Tooting Bec Station and then take 219/319 to Burntwood Lane/Wandsworth Common or County Arms for the Skylark Café. how to get baby to sleep through the night no crying. help my baby sleep. recommended sleep consultant
By Bus: 219/319/G1
A Few Suggestions if you’re Happy to Pay
The London Wetland Centre
A vast nature reserve close to the heart of London, with lakes, pools, gardens and lots of wildlife, this is a great way to spend your day outdoors with your little one(s). They have an outdoor adventure play area, great for children of all ages. For more information visit their website at https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london/. how to get my baby to sleep through the night
Battersea Park Children’s Zoo
A lovely small zoo with lots of playgrounds in the heart of Battersea park. It’s small which means it’s easy to walk around without your little one getting too tired, there’s also a family room for baby feeding and changing. For more information visit their website at https://www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk/ help my toddler sleep through the night without crying. baby sleep consultant
Putt in the Park – Wandsworth Park
A great activity for the whole family, mini-golf in Wandsworth Park. For more information, visit their website at https://www.puttinthepark.com/courses/wandsworth-park/
Making the Most of your Local Outdoor Space
If you don’t feel like travelling in order to spend sometime outdoors with your little one here are some suggestions to make whatever outdoor space you have access to, be it a garden, or a local park, a little more engaging. help my baby sleep
Bring some bottles of water and various containers with you, you can create your own little water play station. You can even bring some washing up liquid and/or glitter to make a messy play activity. I’d recommend cramming whatever you can into a bag for life, it could be cups, bath toys, a washing up bowl, tupperware, jars and just get stuck in. help my toddler sleep
You can get some toy gardening tools and plant some flowers. Then you can let your little one water the plant when needed too. If you don’t have a garden to do this you could pot some plants in your home or you could plant some next to a tree on the street. You can even see if any neighbours might want to get involved. help my child sleep through the night
Bring a basket or bag with you and collect things on your outing – it could be leaves, flowers, stones, grass, sticks, anything really to get your little one engaged with the natural elements. free sleep support free sleep advice help my baby sleep tips
Stacking stones/pebbles into a tower is always fun too! trusted sleep consultant oxford. trusted sleep coach london.