Best Theme Parks Near London for Small Children

Finding the Right Park Near London

London families have several theme parks within easy reach. But if your child is under 100cm, the choice matters a great deal. Near the top of the list, a small child can go on twenty-odd rides. At Thorpe Park, the same child gets 7.

We took every park in our guide within about 50 miles of central London (as the crow flies) and ranked them by how many rides a child of 99cm can go on. The figures below come straight from our ride-by-ride data, so they update whenever we re-check a park.

The Rankings

"Rides at 99cm" counts every ride your child can go on, including rides that need an adult sitting with them. At most of these parks, that adult makes all the difference. If the two-threshold system is new to you, read height requirements explained: with adult vs alone.

Distances are straight-line, so the drive will be longer, and London traffic decides the rest.

LEGOLAND Windsor

Location: Windsor, Berkshire | Under-90cm entry: free

LEGOLAND has no rides that are unrestricted for everyone, which surprises people. But it has 11 rides with no minimum height when an adult rides along, including LEGO NINJAGO The Ride, Laser Raiders, the LEGOLAND Express and DUPLO Express trains, and Fairy Tale Brook. At 90cm, rides such as DUPLO Dino Coaster, DUPLO Airport, Dragon's Apprentice and Haunted House Monster Party open with an adult, taking an under-100cm child to 23 of 32 rides (72%).

The catch is that almost all of those need a grown-up. According to the park, children must usually be 130cm (120cm on a few rides) to ride without an adult, and the accompanying person must be 16 or over. For a small child that's rarely a problem, as they'll want you with them anyway.

The 100cm milestone matters here. These are the rides that open between 100cm and 110cm:

No ride at LEGOLAND Windsor needs more than 120cm, which makes it a park your child can grow into fully before they're old enough to want Thorpe Park.

Downsides: It gets very busy in school holidays, and because most rides need an adult, one parent with two small children will spend a lot of time choosing who rides.

View all LEGOLAND rides by height →

Chessington World of Adventures

Location: Chessington, Surrey | Also included: zoo and SEA LIFE centre

Chessington is the closest major park to London. Its height rules are friendlier to small children than its reputation suggests. Only 2 attractions are unrestricted for everyone (both play areas), but a long list of rides has no minimum height with an adult. These include The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, Room on the Broom – A Magical Journey, Tomb Blaster, Sea Dragons, Elmer's Flying Jumbos and Tiny Truckers. A child under 90cm can go on 12.

At 90cm, the PAW Patrol rides (Chase's Mountain Mission, Skye's Helicopter Heroes and others) and several family rides open with an adult, taking an under-100cm child to 22 rides. On top of that, the zoo and SEA LIFE centre fill the gaps between rides for a child who can only manage a few.

The 110cm and 120cm milestones. Vampire, the suspended coaster, opens at 110cm with an adult (130cm alone). The bigger jump comes at 120cm, when Tiger Rock, Croc Drop, Mamba Strike and Ostrich Stampede open with an adult, and Mandrill Mayhem and Dragon's Fury open alone. See what opens at 110cm for the wider picture.

Downsides: Most rides need an adult until about 110cm, and the headline coasters are out of reach for a while yet.

View all Chessington rides by height →

Gulliver's Land

Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire | Under-90cm entry: free | Parking: free

Gulliver's Land is designed for children aged roughly 2 to 13, so everything is scaled down and nothing intimidating towers over the paths. It's also a park where 90cm matters far more than any later height. A child under 90cm can go on 12 rides (mostly with an adult). At 90cm, rides like The Wriggler, Runaway Train, Jungle Falls, Rockin' Tug and the Dodgems open with an adult, taking the total to 21 of 24. Our guide to what a 90cm child can ride shows how big this step is at other parks too.

After that there is little left to unlock. Grand Prix Racers opens at 100cm with an adult, and Dragon Siege and The Crazy Crane at 120cm.

Downsides: It's a smaller park with less for older children or adults, and it's the furthest from London on this list.

View all Gulliver's Land rides by height →

Adventure Island

Location: Southend-on-Sea seafront, Essex | Entry: free, pay per ride or buy a wristband

The best-value option near London for a short visit. Entry is free and you pay only for the rides you go on, or buy an unlimited wristband. For a small child who might manage half a dozen rides, that can work out far cheaper than a gate ticket elsewhere.

Only one attraction (Crooked House) is unrestricted for everyone. But 15 rides have no minimum height with an adult, including Kiddi-Koasta, AdventureVille, the Big Wheel, Flying Jumbos, ChooChooVille and the Carousel. Nothing new opens between 90cm and 99cm, so the under-100cm total is the same: 15.

The 100cm milestone is big here. At 100cm, a whole batch of rides opens with an adult, including Green Scream, Mighty Mini Mega, Barnstormer and The Pirates Plunge, taking the total to 25 of 37. The beach and pier next door give you somewhere to go when little legs are done.

Downsides: It's a seaside amusement park rather than a themed destination, and much of it is outdoors, so the weather matters.

View all Adventure Island rides by height →

Also Within Reach

Diggerland Kent in Strood is built around real construction machinery that children drive and ride. Most of its rides and drives open from 80cm or 90cm with an adult, so a child under 100cm can do 17 of 23. It's a good pick for a digger-mad toddler, though it's a very different day out from a theme park.

Babylon Park London in Camden is a small indoor attraction rather than a full theme park. Most of its 11 attractions have no height restriction. The two bigger rides, the indoor rollercoaster and the drop tower, need 105cm. It's useful for a rainy afternoon, not a full day.

What About Thorpe Park?

Thorpe Park is close to London, but it's built for thrill-seekers. It does have 3 unrestricted attractions (two play areas and the Sunset Cinema). But a child under 100cm can go on only 7 of its 25 attractions, such as Flying Fish and Depth Charge with an adult. Many of the coasters need 140cm.

If your child is 130cm or more, Thorpe Park is excellent. If they're under 100cm, look elsewhere.

View all Thorpe Park rides by height →

Rainy Days Near London

Most of these parks are largely outdoors, so a wet forecast changes the picture. This table counts only indoor rides and attractions at each park, and how many of them a 99cm child can go on:

Babylon Park London is entirely indoors, which makes it the obvious rainy-afternoon option, though it's a short visit rather than a full day. Among the bigger parks, LEGOLAND Windsor has indoor rides a small child can do with an adult, such as LEGO NINJAGO The Ride and Laser Raiders (any height with an adult) and Haunted House Monster Party (from 90cm with an adult). At Chessington, The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure and Tomb Blaster are indoors and take any height with an adult. Gulliver's Land has Gulliver's Travels The Ride and The Silver Mine (any height with an adult) and an indoor play area.

Our rainy-day guide to indoor theme park rides covers wet-weather options across the UK.

Bringing an Older Child Too

If a bigger brother or sister is coming, the best toddler park may not be the best family park. This is how many rides a 120cm child can go on at the same parks:

LEGOLAND Windsor and Chessington both work well for a mixed-age family: at 120cm, an older child can go on 31 of 32 rides at LEGOLAND and 31 of 32 at Chessington, while the toddler still has plenty to do. Thorpe Park doesn't suit either child yet: a 120cm child gets 13 of its 25 rides, because the big coasters need 130cm or 140cm, and a 99cm sibling only 7. It's one to save for when your youngest has grown.

Our guide to visiting with siblings of different heights has more on planning a day that works for both.

Quick Decision Guide

Your child is under 90cm: → LEGOLAND Windsor (11 rides, free entry under 90cm), Adventure Island (15 rides, free entry) or Chessington (12 rides, plus the zoo). Almost all of these need an adult riding with them.

Your child is 90–99cm: → LEGOLAND Windsor (23), Chessington (22) and Gulliver's Land (21) are all strong. Gulliver's Land is the smallest and least overwhelming.

Your child is 100–109cm: → LEGOLAND Windsor (29 of 32 at 100cm) or Adventure Island (25 at 100cm) if you'd rather pay per ride.

You're on a tight budget: → Adventure Island (free entry, pay per ride) or Gulliver's Land (free parking, under-90cm free)

You want more than just rides: → Chessington (zoo and SEA LIFE included)

Prices and entry policies change often, so check the park's own website before you book.

Check Your Child's Exact Options

Enter your child's height on any park page to see their ride-by-ride breakdown:

• LEGOLAND Windsor →
• Chessington →
• Gulliver's Land →
• Adventure Island →

Or use our height planner to compare parks side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Which theme park near London is best for a toddler?

It depends on height more than age. For a child under 90cm, Adventure Island (15 rides), Chessington (12) and LEGOLAND Windsor (11) all have plenty, almost all with an adult riding along. From 90cm, LEGOLAND and Chessington pull ahead, and Gulliver's Land is a smaller, calmer alternative where most rides are open by 90cm.

Is Thorpe Park suitable for young children?

Not really for under-100cm visitors. A 99cm child can go on 7 of its 25 rides and attractions. It's a much better day out once a child reaches 130cm or more.

What is the closest theme park to central London for small children?

Of the parks in this guide, Babylon Park London in Camden is the closest, but it's a small indoor attraction. Chessington is the closest full theme park, about 14 miles from central London as the crow flies.

Do small children have to ride with an adult at LEGOLAND Windsor?

On most rides, yes. LEGOLAND has no rides without a height rule, and most of its rides can only be ridden alone from 130cm. Below the "alone" height, an adult has to ride along. Our guide to with-adult vs alone heights explains how it works.

Which park near London is best on a rainy day?

Babylon Park London is fully indoors. For a full day, compare the indoor table above: LEGOLAND Windsor, Chessington and Gulliver's Land each have indoor rides that a small child can go on with an adult.