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Visiting The Tower of London with Kids Guide for Families

Tower of London with kids. Over the weekend we had a lovely stay in London, visiting The British Museum and also the fortress of the Tower of London. Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site with the kids has been on our list for a while. When they found out where we were going they were both excited to see the crown jewels. Since the Queens passing their attachment to the monarchy has become noticeably more significant. As has their desire to visit some of the historic royal palaces.

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Visiting the Tower of London with kids

However, I was not entirely sure how much there is to do for kids at the Tower of London. We love historic buildings but I was a bit worried that the boys may get a little bored. Of course, I need not have worried as it turns out there is plenty to keep them occupied it is such a great place. So much in fact that we ended up spending the whole day at The Tower of London. And I’m still not entirely sure we saw everything at the medieval castle during our visit.

How to get to the Tower of London

Located in central London, getting into the Tower of London is relatively easy. As there is a tube station a short walk away called Tower Hill. This is serviced by the Circle and District line. London Bridge station is only seven minute’s walk from Tower Hill station where you can reach both the Northern and Jubilee lines on the London Underground. You can also catch the DLR to Tower Gateway which is only an eight-minute walk from the Tower of London.

The ticket office is located on Tower Hill. You cannot miss it as it is a large concrete single-story building, out of keeping with the surrounding area. The attraction is popular so you will most likely notice the queue first. The main entrance to the Tower of London is just down the road on the left-hand side just past the ticket office. It’s located right on the River Thames and so easy to spot. The postcode EC3N 4AB will get you to the location of the ticket office.

How long do you need at the Tower of London with kids?

We spent a full day at the Tower of London and I still don’t feel like we got it all done, arriving just after 10 am and leaving at around 4 pm.

I think if you are visiting the Tower of London with kids you really should allow at least 3 to 4 hours if you’re visiting without children. With school children, I do think you need slightly longer as a minimum. We were lucky when we visited there was no queue for the crown jewels so that saved some time. Although we did stop for the remembrance service which lasted about half an hour which isn’t there on a normal day. You need a long time to see it all.

The Yeoman Warders Tower of London Tour takes around 30 minutes so make sure that you allow enough time to do that. As you get some really interesting stories about what goes on and did go on at the Tower of London that will make you laugh.

What time of day is it best to visit the Tower of London?

The best time to visit the Tower of London is probably first thing in the morning it opens at 10 am. We arrived at about 10.15 am and it was reasonably empty. The summer period is going to be busier than when we visited in Autumn. But generally, there is less queueing going on in the morning so my advice would be to arrive as early as possible. Especially if you plan on buying Tower of London tickets on the day.

If you are staying in London overnight and you are able to then it is possible to go to the ceremony of the keys ceremony at the Tower of London. It is on at 10 o’clock in the evening. Tickets need to be booked well in advance as it’s a very popular event. I have tried several times to get them but never quite managed it. They only cost £5 per person. So if you were going to do this then you may want to visit the Tower of London later in the day. Leave the tower to get something to eat and then come back in the evening.

Tower of London opening times are 10 am to 5.30 pm.

Can you still see the Crown Jewels?

Yes, you can still see the crown jewels and it is one of the most popular things to do at the Tower of London with kids. When we visited there was no queue so it was possible to walk straight in. However, because it is a popular attraction you should try to get there first thing to ensure that you do not have to wait too long. When we visited previously there was a very large queue and Charlie was only two so we decided to give it a miss.

No photos or videos or allowed within the vault of the imperial state crown. There are warders on hand to move people around so that you can see everything. There is a travelator that runs down the sides of the crowns to ensure people move along. I think this works very well and ensures that you can see everything without needing to wait too long. We all know that children have a limited attention span. Seeing the crown jewels Tower of London is definitely one of the highlights so make sure you do this.

How much does it cost?

Prices start at £33.60 for an adult, £16.80 for a child (5-15), with free admission for those under fives. A Tower of London family ticket (saver) which is for two adults and three children starts at £82.10. These are without a gift aid donation. Tickets are valid all day and you can arrive and leave when you want to. Unless you purchase during the school holidays or when there is a special event. You will need to select a half an hour time slot during these times for entry to reduce queuing time and manage numbers.

You can also use the train vouchers so you can access Tower of London 2 for 1 tickets. Using a National Rails Days Out Guide voucher. To find out more about the 2 for 1 London Tower vouchers head to the website

Remembrance Day at the Tower of London

We were really lucky to catch the Remembrance Day Service at the Tower of London. The service is held outside in the main square of the Tower of London. Directly outside the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula on the tower green lawn. It is a small affair with the Yeoman Warder’s families, the warders themselves, the Gurkha troops that still guard the Tower of London and the priests from the chapel. There is also a choir. All of the Yeoman Warders have been in active service and have had long careers in the military. With some veterans from the second world war.

Being held outside means that it’s easy to see what is going on from a child’s perspective. We were handed an order of service which my eldest has kept as a keepsake. On the back of the order of service, there are details of hymns that were sung during the service so that we could all join in.

There was also a soldier that played the last post on a trumpet. Both of the boys are Beavers and Scouts and so used to attending remembrance services. Both were thrilled and intrigued to watch the one held at the Tower of London. So much so that my eldest took the order of service to school the following day to run through it with his class. An extremely respectful service, I’m surprised that not more is made of it albeit I can appreciate they probably want to keep it reasonably low-key.

What will you see at the Tower of London for kids

There is so much to do when visiting the Tower of London with kids. it’s difficult to know where to start and so many reasons to visit the Tower of London UK.

The Crown Jewels

These are located in the Jewel House. You’re not allowed to take photos or videos but they are definitely worth seeing. I have never seen them before although we visited the Tower of London before. The children were very intrigued by the different crowns. And they have definitely formed much more of an attachment to the monarchy after the Queen’s passing and so they were both keen to see the coronation crown, sovereign’s sceptre and understand more about it.

Walk the Battlements & Royal Beasts

There are several towers on the battlements and defensive walls, many of them have been turned into exhibits in their own right. The boys are particularly keen on the Royal Beasts of the Tower of London which was quite interactive lots of things to lift up and read to understand the animals that once lived within the tower. The boys also enjoyed hunting the wire chickenwire animals which represent the various animals that used to stay in the Tower of London. These are located all around the tower and include animals from the royal menagerie including an elephant, polar bear, baboons and lions.

Make sure you walk all the way around the battlements and do the wall walk, as you can get some splendid views of London Tower Bridge and the Thames River.

The Ravens

You can see the famous ravens the guardians of the tower. At the moment they’re currently in their enclosures due to the bird flu but they are easily visible. Charlie in particular was quite surprised by just how large the birds are and we actually spotted one flying around the castle grounds. You should also be able to see the Raven Master who is the full-time caretaker of the birds. One of many highlights when visiting the Tower of London with kids.

The White Tower

Inside the white tower, where you will see the Royal Armouries collection which is also very interesting. With lots of different suits of armour from various kings of the country over the years. Including Henry VIII and also some that have been used in battle.

The armoury goes on to run into a much more modern-day exhibit where children can pretend to be various different protectors of the tower. In this room, the children got to enjoy loading a canon and firing bows and arrows. To get an understanding generally how people would’ve defended the Tower of London in the years gone by. This was probably one of our favourite exhibits and definitely worth visiting. The interactive element makes it very easy for kids to experience history and one of the best activities. It probably contained the boy’s favourite parts of the Tower of London.

Torture at the Tower & Bloody Tower

We didn’t get to the torture part of the tower, the boys decided that this wasn’t something they wanted to see however I think for older children it probably would’ve been quite interesting. And maybe one for the list when we visit another time. It covers the significant role that the Tower of London played in the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot in the 17th century, as it was where the plotters including Guy Fawkes were imprisoned and tortured before being executed.

We did visit the Bloody Tower though and saw the rooms where Thomas Cromwell and Sir Walter Raleigh, two of the most famous prisoners were held captive.

The Tower of London is also a place of execution. Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was in her early 30s and Catherine Howard, Henry’s fifth wife, was barely in her 20s. The third queen to meet her end within the Tower was 16-year-old Lady Jane Grey.

Yeoman Warder Tour

These informative tours are so much fun. The tour guide operates every 30 minutes with morning tours starting at 10 am to 3.30 pm each day. They are great storytellers, picking the best ones about the history of the Tower of London to share with their audience. The informative tour gives you a unique perspective with a few giggles along the way.

Medieval Palace

This was the last stop of our day in this historic castle. Located above the Traitors Gate we visited the medieval rooms which were once the residential area of the tower. It includes the bed chamber of Edward the first and is where the royal family, including the King of England.

These are all the things which we got up to. But there are various other attractions which we did not manage to fit in. These included The Tower’s Mint (part of the Royal Mint) and The Fusilier Museum.

Food Options

There is a café within the Tower of London which actually we were very impressed with. All of the seating is inside and it’s a reasonable size space albeit a little bit cramped. But because of the level of visitors they receive each year, it was good to see a large number of tables. There’s also a really good selection of different types of food.

Including a children’s lunchbox for £6.95 where you get a sandwich two other items and a drink. There was a selection of fresh Paninis and premade sandwiches. As well as some hot food such as beef burgers fish burgers and mushroom burgers, steak and ale pie and chips. A burger and fries with fresh vegetables will set you back about £13. There was also a very attractive-looking salad bar and very delicious-looking cakes. Overall I would suggest it’s a very good option for a café compared to other similar attractions.

There is also an ice cream truck which is open in the summer and sits in the main courtyard area so be warned.

Gift shops at The Tower of London

There are lots of opportunities for the children to spend their pocket money. In fact, there are several shops dotted throughout the Tower of London and we probably frequented at least three of those shops. Items do vary depending on which one you’re in if you’re looking for toys in particular and you want to visit the one near the Ravens as this is effectively the toy shop. A guidebook will set you back around £6. I could not resist the Christmas decorations!

Top tips for your visit – Tower of London with kids

Buy your tickets online in advance to avoid the queues at the ticket office.
Arrive early it gets busy! Especially during the Summer holidays.
Make sure you pick up a map at the entrance which handles details of all the attractions so you can make sure you do not miss anything.
Head to the Crown of Jewels first to avoid the queue as much as possible.
You will need longer than you think to see it all. Make sure you are allowed at least half a day if you are travelling without kids. Or if you are visiting with small children then a whole day is recommended. There is so much to see they will be shattered by the end of it. So trying to visit another attraction on the same day in your London itinerary is probably too much.
Make a plan and decide what you want to see and in which order, in case you do not get to it all.
Make sure you see a Yeoman Warder’s tour and walk the Battlements to see the views of across London.
Snacks are allowed outside of the buildings so when travelling with children ensure that you have plenty on hand.
Keep an eye on their website as they run special events throughout the year. There is something for the whole family.

Is the Tower of London worth visiting?

Yes! We really enjoyed our visit to the Tower of London. There is so much to do and it kept the boys engaged all the way around. Which we know as parents can always be a bit of a challenge. I think that this makes a family ticket Tower of London great value. I am not surprised it appears in so many different children’s guides to London. Do let me knot if you have tried the Tower of London tour in the comments below.