A London Literary tour for Kids

Last updated on December 28th, 2023

It’s time to hop into your winged slippers and take a trip round a magical London – one where childhood dreams never end. These London tales tell of a honey-loving bear from Harrods, an eccentric detective, boys with magic powers, giants and a Gothic vampire.  So, without further ado, let’s take a swashbuckling, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious literary tour of London for kids with Dracula, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Sherlock, the BFG and friends. For kids big and small.

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Dracula in London

138 Piccadilly is now Eon House, the production company behind the James Bond franchise, but it once had a much darker and bloodier owner: Dracula. He first lived in the East End (Carfax House in Purfleet) but moved to Piccadilly when his enemies started hunting him. This “vile-smelling” place is the house into which van Helsing and Jonathan Harker break in one night, intent on destroying the vampire’s lair. Although it is never named as 138, vampire experts (including the co-founder of the Dracula Society) have identified the house as such. You might want to wear some garlic bulbs when you walk past.

If you happen to be going to see The Lion King,  know that the Lyceum Theatre was home to Dracula’s creator, Bram Stoker. He was business manager here as well as assistant to the theatre’s owner, acting legend Henry Irving. Stoker would go on to become friends with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Barnes Children’s Literature Festival

The annual Barnes Children’s Literature Festival, is a jam-packed weekend of storytelling, workshops and activities. Some of the biggest names in children’s books lend their superpowers for this literary feast.

Peter Pan in London

This tale could be out of 101 Dalmatians  but it’s a Peter Pan  one: J.M. Barrie met the Llewelyn Davies family in Kensington Gardens whilst he was walking his St Bernard dog, Porthos. They became lifelong friends,  and Barrie would go on to adopt the Davies children when the couple passed away. George Llewelyn Davies, later killed in action in 1915, was one of the children who inspired Barrie to create the boy who would never grow up. Check out 31 Kensington Park Gardens, the house where the Darlings lived, but remember to take some fairy dust with you.

And if you want to see what a pirate’s life was like, head over to the Golden Hinde on Bankside where you can visit the replica of Sir Francis Drake’s ship. Costumed guides will re-enact 16^th century seafaring life, and if you’re feeling adventurous, you could join Drake and his crew for a sleepover on-board.

Mary Poppins in London

In 1934, Mary Poppins came in with the east wind, floating into London’s 17 Cherry Tree Lane with a carpet bag and parrot-headed brolly. Her maker, Pamela Lyndon Travers, lived at 50 Smith Street in Chelsea, the inspiration for 17 Cherry Tree Lane in her series of novels, Mary Poppins.  Fun fact: Mary Shepard, the illustrator of the Mary Poppins books, was the daughter of Ernest Shepherd, illustrator of Winnie the Pooh.

This striking and rather unusual house was built in 1700 and once occupied by Lieutenant Fountain North. He would fire cannons from the rooftop of Admiral’s House in celebration of King George III’s birthday – sound familiar? Constable loved to paint the house, and George Gilbert Scott (architect of the Houses of Parliament) was its occupant. But its best-loved resident has to be a fictional one, the very eccentric cannon-shooting Admiral Bloom.

Until 1967, St Paul’s soared across the London skyline as the city’s tallest building. The cathedral is one of London’s most iconic buildings and was a major symbol of resistance during the Blitz. Its front steps are etched in my memory as the setting for ‘Feed the Birds’ in the film Mary Poppins.  In the book version, Poppins pooh-poohs the feeding of the birds. The Disney film wouldn’t be quite the same without the birds, would it?

And if you want an umbrella that’s practically perfect in every way, head over to James Smith and Sons where you can buy Mary Poppins’ Parrot Handle umbrella.

Sherlock in London

Forget the Sherlock Holmes Museum and head over to Europe’s oldest hospital, St Bartholomew’s. A plaque in the museum marks the spot where Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson first met in New Year’s Day 1881 and where Sherlock uttered his famous words here: “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.” And if you’re a fan of the TV series, the roof of St Bart’s Hospital was the location for Sherlock’s “Reichenbach Fall” suicide.

More than just a drinking hole, the Sherlock Holmes pub has a replica of Holmes’s study at 221B Baker Street, originally put together for the 1951 Festival of Britain.  It’s stuffed full of Holmes memorabilia, including his famous pipe, violin and snuff box. The pub is directly opposite Scotland Yard.

Jungle Book

Image: Brown’s Hotel

Rudyard Kipling moved into Brown’s Hotel and penned Jungle Book  here. In his honour, the hotel’s signature suite has been named the Kipling. A white plaster monkey greets you at the door, and the suite’s library is stocked with Kipling books. If you can’t afford the eye-watering price of the room, try the Afternoon Tea instead. It was Queen Victoria’s favourite destination for tea and cake. Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M. Barrie, Robert Louis Stevenson and Bram Stoker were also regular visitors.

Over in Fitzrovia Chapel (one of London’s prettiest rooms) look out for a slab on the wall which marks the spot where Kipling lay in state.

Harry Potter in London

I won’t list all the Harry Potter locations across London as there are plenty of other blog posts for that. Instead, go to House of MinaLima, a wizarding treasure trove of a shop in Soho. The gallery and shop showcases graphical works from the Harry Potter films: a Hogwarts Express ticket, Harry’s acceptance letter, copies of The Daily Prophet  and the Marauder’s Map are only some of the magical items you can peek at in the gallery. The designing duo who own the shop also designed all the graphic elements for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, as well as designing graphics for new editions of Peter Pan, The Jungle Book  and The Secret Garden.  Free entry.

Five minutes away is Cecil Court which dates to the 17th century and which was named after Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster, Robert Cecil. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived at No 9, and it’s argued that he composed his first symphony here. Today, it’s referred to as Booksellers’ Row due to the volume of second hand and antique bookshops which line the street, and it’s said to be the inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley.

If you feel the need to rest your winged feet, fly over to Soho and spend a magical two and a half hours at the Cutter and Squidge School of Wizadry for Afternoon Tea and a spellbinding Potions class.

The BFG in London

You might not be able to sneak into the bedroom of Her Majesty the Queen, (Her Majester) with the BFG and Sophie, but you can take a royal tour of Buckingham Palace’s state rooms instead. But don’t even think about sliding down the banister of the Grand Staircase!

And staying with Roald Dahl, the House of Illustration is the UK’s only public gallery dedicated to illustration and the graphic arts and founded by Sir Quentin Blake, the illustrator who breathed form into Roald Dahl’s characters.

Winnie the Pooh in London

A.A. Milne purchased a stuffed bear from Harrods and gave it to his son, Christopher Robin for his first birthday on the 21 August 1921. The name Winnie the Pooh came from a combination of a black bear named Winnie in London Zoo, and a swan by the name of Pooh in Milne’s poetry, When We Were Very Young. 13 Mallord Street (used to be No 11) in Chelsea is where Christopher Robin was born. You can visit a statue of the real Winnie that Milne and his son loved to visit so much in London Zoo.

The Globe

And last but not least, head over to Shakespeare’s Globe for the king of all London literary venues. A tour brings to life colourful stories of the 1599 Globe and examines the reconstruction process in the 1990s.  Under the Globe Theatre, an exhibition explores the life of Shakespeare, the London where he lived, and the theatre for which he wrote.  If you get the chance, catch one of their first-class performances. I always say the best seats are the £5 standing tickets in the Yard. This is how to experience the Bard at its most raucous – you’ll feel like you’re a part of the production.

And to finish your literary trip

Visit the magical bookshop Tales on Moon Lane, have a Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea at the Sanderson Hotel, and buy a first or rare book edition in Alice Through the Looking Glass 

“Dreams is full of mystery and magic . . . . Do not try to understand them.”  Roald Dahl, The BFG

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