50 days of River

Fifty days of River: Connection, isolation and everything in between.

Accessible Adventures in London (Updated)

London days out for families with additional needs – autism, mobility and sensory sensitivities

Welcome

Looking for autism-friendly adventures in London?

This is a growing list of real experiences from our family, tried and tested with River (4), who is autistic, speech-delayed and uses a pushchair for regulation and safety. I’m a primary teacher, not a travel expert just a mum sharing what’s actually worked (and what really hasn’t).

We’re doing 50 days of River and I’ll be adding new days out here as we go.

Natural History Museum – Dawnosaurs

Blog Entry: Day 1: Dawnosaurs

Event: Monthly early opening for SEND families (free but must book)
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/events/dawnosaurs.html

What we loved:

  • Empty galleries, no queues
  • Calm, patient staff
  • River could move freely with no pressure to interact

Challenges:

  • IT’S. SO. EARLY.
  • Accessible gate was closed
  • It’s a big place so getting from one place to another can be tiring.

Top Tip:
Build the day up clearly. Pre-warn about every step: journey, transport, walking. Visual cues help. Always bring snacks. Don’t feel you have to do any of the planned activities, just let them enjoy the space.

Science Museum – Early Birds

Blog Entry: Day 4: Science Wonder, Ducks & TV

Event: Early Birds is an initiative by the Science Museum that offers pre-opening access to families with children who are neurodivergent, autistic, or have sensory processing needs. The museum opens early, the crowds are minimal and the experience is calmer, quieter and more accessible.

https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/early-birds

What we loved:

  • Wonderlab: This is an interactive science gallery packed with hands-on experiments, sound/light displays and slides. They have shows on: The Rocket Show, The Space Show but we felt River wasn’t going to sit through them but probably good for older children.
  • Staff: Kind and calm. River was free to explore at his pace, and they were incredibly welcoming and smiley.
  • Power Up: A bonus space filled with retro video games. You should pre-book – it does come with a charge but at a reduced rate.
  • The Garden (basement area): The real win. It’s a sensory-rich play zone, where children can explore the areas for water, construction, light and sound. It was perfect for River.

Challenges:

  • IT’S. SO. EARLY. (Again – apparently SEND families just love early mornings)
  • The size of the museum. It’s massive. Even with maps and signs, getting from Wonderlab (Floor 3) to The Garden (Basement) to Power Up (the retro gaming section) was a workout. Factor in lift-hunting (only some of the lifts take you to the basement)

Top Tips:

  • Pre-book Wonderlab and Early Birds tickets
  • Bring spare clothes if your child is into water play (The Garden gets splashy).
  • Allow extra time for navigating the museum. Take a look at a map of the Science Museum before, it’s a big place and it was a lot of walking and lift searching.
  • It’s a short amount of time so only pick 1 or 2 things – we would have loved to do more but we didn’t want to stay once it was fully open.

Final verdict:
Early Birds gave our family a chance to enjoy a major London museum without the overwhelm. No apologies. No judgment. Just joyful, messy, curious learning.

We’ll be back, even if it is at 8am again.

The Postal Museum

Blog Entry: Day 27: Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Event:
SEND-only Post Early session at The Postal Museum, London.

https://www.postalmuseum.org/event/post-early-relaxed-events/

What we loved:

  • Sensory trolley with ear defenders & fidgets.
  • Postal Play Space – parcels, pulleys, slides & dress-up.
  • Mail Rail ride – tiny underground train, well explained in the visual story.
  • Interactive museum with post shoots & dress-up.
  • Calm, kind staff & low numbers = no pressure.

Challenges:

  • NONE

Top tips:

  • Use the visual story before you go.
  • Don’t miss out on the Postal museum across the road
  • Break up the day with snacks & quiet time. There is also a ‘Break’ room in the Postal Museum.
  • The museum is open from 10am-5pm so no need to rush anything.

Final Verdict:
The Postal Museum has set the bar high. It wasn’t just “SEND-friendly” on paper – it genuinely worked for River, Summer and me. From the quiet spaces and sensory tools to the brilliant interactive exhibits, everything felt thought through. Sure, there were wobbles (there always are) but nothing that derailed the day. We left tired but happy and that’s pretty much the dream.

Would we go again? 100%. And honestly, more places need to take notes, this is what accessibility should look like.

Quiet Sessions at Kew Gardens

Blog Entry: Day 36: Running on Empty

Visiting Kew Gardens can feel overwhelming with the crowds, queues, and noise especially for families with autistic children or those with additional needs. That’s why we were so excited to try one of their Quiet Sessions.

From KEW’s Website: ‘We are closing the Children’s Garden to the public to allow children with special educational needs and disabilities, like Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or sensory processing needs, and their parents or carers to have a more comfortable visit.

During the quiet sessions, we will be permitting fewer people than our usual time slots and ensuring easy access to avoid potentially stressful queues.

You will also be able to share your visit with others who better understand your child’s needs.’

https://www.visitrichmond.co.uk/events/childrens-garden-quiet-sessions-p1746611

What we loved:

  • Freedom to Move: River could run, circle back, and take his time with each space without pressure.
  • Friendly Staff: The staff were aware it was a Quiet Session and were patient, welcoming and ready to answer questions without rushing us along.
  • Connection Moments: Watching River stop to listen to the sounds around him or to notice small details reminded us why these adapted sessions are so valuable, it gave him space to engage on his own terms.

Challenges:

  • The Late window: 4.30pm isn’t the best time of day. It’s usually our winding down time and it means the end of the day is very rushed.
  • Energy Levels: Quiet doesn’t mean easy. River still needed constant supervision and encouragement, which was physically draining.
  • Transitions: Moving from one area to the next was sometimes tricky. The excitement of running free in the gardens meant he didn’t always want to change direction when we needed to and I did loose him.

Top tips:

  1. Arrive to the Gardens early: It’s a huge place and it takes a while to walk over the Children’s area.
  2. Look at the website and familiarise yourself with the areas. You know which area is most likely to appeal to your child and going in with knowledge that there is climbing or water or sand will help.
  3. Know Your Exits: Have a “plan B” if it gets too much. As I said the actual gardens are huge and so leaving them isn’t a simple 5 minute walk.
  4. Tag-Team If You Can: Having another adult makes it easier to manage different needs and an extra pair of eyes.

Final Verdict:

The Quiet Session at Kew Gardens was a lovely end to our summer activities. A rare chance for River to explore a big, beautiful space without the usual barriers. It wasn’t without its challenges but it gave us moments of calm connection that would have been impossible in the regular crowds.

For families like ours, these sessions aren’t just “nice extras” they’re essential for making big days out possible. And we will return.

Coming Soon

  • Cinema / Theatre Outings
  • Plus – The BIG ONE: A TUI SEND family holiday to Ibiza!

Travel Tips

  • Use Citymapper to plan step free train/tube routes
  • Buses are often easier if you’re flying solo
  • Go early or midweek to avoid crowds
  • Celebrate small wins (socks on? Success!)
  • Let your child lead when possible, detours are okay
  • Never be afraid to leave early or as soon as you’ve got there if it’s not working

Share One?

If you’ve had a brilliant SEND-accessible day out: museum, park, farm, gallery or hidden gem. I’d love to hear about it. I’m building this list for families like ours.

We don’t need perfect days. We just need doable ones.