Autistic children often find it difficult to enjoy mainstream leisure activities. It might be that there’s too much language and interaction involved or it might be too crowded, too noisy, or sometimes an autistic child’s behaviour is too disruptive.

These are some places children and their parents hang out at weekends and holidays! Particularly for a first visit, it’s always best to go early or late in the day when places are less busy. If you go to a pool or leisure centre phone before you go to check they are open.

Playzone, Imperial Fields, Morden (NEW!!)
020 8685 6193
www.visitthehub.com/play.htm

Tiger’s Eye Wimbledon
020 8543 1655
www.tigerseye.co.uk

Rascals indoor adventure playzone for under 9’s
Crystal Palace Sports Centre
020 8778 9876
www.gll.org/images/CP%20Bookmark.pdf

Peckham Pulse
020 7525 4999
www.fusion-lifestyle.com/CentreDetails.asp?cat=8

Brixton Recreation Centre
020 7926 9779 / 9780
Please note this is currently closed according to Lambeth Council’s website – see:
www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/LeisureCulture/SportsClubsCentres/LeisureCentres/BrixtonRecreationCentre.htm

Latchmere Battersea (slide, wave machine)
020 7207 8004
www.wandsworth.gov.uk/Home/LeisureandTourism/Sports/Facilities/latchmerelc.htm

Peckham Pulse
020 7525 4999
www.fusion-lifestyle.com/CentreDetails.asp?cat=8

Clapham Manor
020 7926 0700
www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/LeisureCulture/SportsClubsCentres/LeisureCentres/ClaphamLeisureCentre.htm

Bromley Pavilion (slides, wave machine)
020 8313 9911
www.bromley.gov.uk/leisure/sport/leisurecentres/pavilion.htm

Woolwich Waterfront (slides, wave machine)
020 8317 5000
www.gll.org/borough/centre.asp?CategoryID=101

Buses, underground, Docklands Light Railway, trains, trams, open top bus rides.

Lots of museums are free so it doesn’t matter if you only stay 10 minutes.

Natural History Museum - (dinosaurs) and Science Museum in South Kensington. Both have lots of "buttons to press".
www.nhm.ac.uk
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

London Transport Museum Covent Garden - Parent / carer gets free entry accompanying child with disability.
www.ltmuseum.co.uk

Hornimans Museum Forest Hill - aquarium, stuffed animals, lots more.
www.horniman.ac.uk

Imperial War Museum Kennington – planes, tanks.
http://london.iwm.org.uk

Battersea Park - adventure playground, zoo and bike hire.
www.batterseapark.org

Dulwich Park - playground and bike hire.

Brockwell Park - paddling pool, playground.
www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/exeres/0345C6EC-9F74-4256-9CA2-769D3CBFED6B.htm#brockwell

Crystal Palace Park – dinosaurs, playground.
www.bromley.gov.uk/leisure/parksandcountryside/crystal_palace_park.htm

Ruskin Park – paddling pool and playground beside train track.
www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/exeres/0345C6EC-9F74-4256-9CA2-769D3CBFED6B.htm#ruskin

Richmond Park – deer, open space.
www.royalparks.gov.uk/parks/richmond_park

Princess Diana Playground, Kensington Gardens - amazing playground.
www.royalparks.gov.uk/parks/kensington_gardens/diana_playground.cfm

Vauxhall City Farm
Farm animals and horse riding. Phone for information and opening.
Tyers Street, SE11
020 7480 0460
www.vauxhallcityfarm.org.uk(currently down)
www.mylambeth.co.uk/brixton/kids-vauxhallcityfarm.htm

Surrey Docks City Farm
Farm animals. Beside the Thames, a good place for watching boats. Phone for information and opening.
Rotherhithe Street SE16
020 7231 1010
www.surreydocksfarm.org

Cinema Card for People with Disabilities
If your child gets Disability Living Allowance then he or she can get a cinema card. It entitles the holder to one free ticket for someone accompanying them to the cinema. So you pay for the child’s ticket and then you as parent / carer get in free. It costs £5 to get a card and it then lasts for 3 years. You can use the card at Odeons, Vue and lots of other cinemas. Phone for an application form or download one from the website.
The Card Network 0845 123 1295
www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema_home_date.aspx?venueId=cph&feature=Autism+Friendly+Screening

Ritzy, Brixton
08707 55 00 62
www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema_home_date.aspx?venueId=ritz&feature=Autism+Friendly+Screening

Streatham Odeon
0871 22 44 007
www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_times/s130/Streatham

Bowling seems to appeal to lots of children with autism – it’s an individual game and it has a predictable pattern. Since Streatham Megabowl closed, the nearest are:

Hollywood Bowl, Surrey Quays
020 7237 3773
www.hollywoodbowl.co.uk/surreyquays.php

Elephant & Castle and Valley Park Croydon seem to have disappeared off the internet – check to see if they are still open.

Legoland in Windsor is a great first introduction to the experience of a theme park as it has lots suitable for very young children. They provide free entry for parent / carer accompanying paying child with disability (take DLA letter or blue badge) You can then get a stamp on your hand which gets you to the front of all the queues for rides.
0870 5040404
www.legoland.co.uk

Most of the other big theme parks are disability-friendly and offer discounts and ‘jump the queue’ facilities. We recommend taking your child out of school for a day to get the most out of a trip to a theme park. Many children with autism find queuing and crowded places very difficult, so make it easy for you and them. (Enlightenend schools will agree that this will be a great learning experience for your child!)

Some parents feel awkward asking for concessions for children with disabilities, or maybe don’t want their child to be labelled as having a disability in public. For many of us though, our children make their ‘differentness’ obvious anyway through their behaviour. Our feeling is, life as a parent of an autistic child is hard enough, so take advantage of what help is available – you deserve it. You will also be raising people’s awareness about autism!

Lots of places offer reduced or carer goes free admission. Examples include - London Aquarium and London Eye offer free ticket for carer. It’s always worth asking if there are any concessions or special arrangements. Remember to take along some disabiIity identification like blue badge, DLA letter.

Apologies in advance for anything that has now become out of date. If you know about something that has changed or that we have missed please contact us.

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