London may be an ever-expanding tangle of concrete and gleaming glass but it also harbours wildlife that goes beyond pigeons, park ducks, and increasingly brazen gangs of foxes. From roaming deer and leaping lemurs to wallabies and alpacas, there are surprising creatures in every corner of the capital. Yes, a diverse array of city farms – originated by the band of early 1970s pioneers who turned a disused Kentish Town timberyard into London’s first rural hideaway – are dotted all over the capital. But they’re only half the story when it comes to discovering the city’s wild side.

Here’s where to thrill your kids by bringing them face to face (or snout, or beak) with animals they’ve possibly only glimpsed in books.

LONDON WETLAND CENTRE

Not all West Londoners will know that there’s an enormous nature reserve right under their noses. You need only make the trip to this Barnes hideaway in the kink of the Thames near Hammersmith to get a taste for the wild within sight of the city’s towering spires. Each corner of this 105-acre site brims with birds, insects, and other unexpected wildlife. The three-story Peacock Tower hide offers occasional views of grazing highland cattle, and ordinarily camera-shy otters are often willing to put on a playful show. What’s more, there’s a decent adventure playground, the requisite café (picnic tables for those who come prepared), a toddler-friendly Pond Zone, and all manner of interesting sculptures waiting to be discovered. Entry is free for under-4s and events (including the raucous annual Puddle Jumping Championships) should be added to the calendar.

Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, SW13 9WT.
020 8409 4400
www.wwt.org.uk
Barnes rail

HACKNEY CITY FARM

London, and particularly East London, has its fair share of good city farms for those families that love the smell of manure in the morning (Mudchute in the Docklands springs to mind). But stop by this place on the edge of Haggerston Park and you can see why it’s so enduringly popular with hip local parents. There’s a bustling courtyard area with lively roaming ducks and chickens, a beautiful allotment-style garden, and a bigger pasture area home to sheep, donkeys, tree-nibbling goats, and – this being London – opportunistic pigeons swiping food. Then there’s the exceptional Frizzante café: a hideaway bestrewn with paper lanterns and mismatched furniture where they make their own ice cream and as much produce as possible comes direct from the farm.
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1A Goldsmiths Row, E2 8QA.
020 7729 6381
www.hackneycityfarm.co.uk
Cambridge Heath rail and Overground

BATTERSEA PARK CHILDREN’S ZOO

While it’s widely acknowledged that zoos mostly appeal to a junior clientele, kids officially rule the roost at this toddler-friendly, family-run attraction on the northern perimeter of Battersea Park. For starters, there aren’t many serious zoological facilities where a real, rideable fire engine is one of the most popular attractions. Still, there’s a nice range of animals if you can coax kids from the various play areas and a popular parked-up tractor. Farmyard regulars, wallabies, and a range of high-flying monkeys are in attendance, and the meerkat area (complete with observation tunnel) is brilliantly designed. Entry can seem steep for very large groups, and be prepared: you enter and exit through the cuddly toy-stuffed gift shop.

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Chelsea Bridge Gate, SW11 4NJ.
020 7924 5826
www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk
Battersea Park rail and Overground

Note: We’re so happy to offer this excerpt from Family London: Fun Days out with Children from Tots to Teens, written by Jimi Famurewa. 

Say goodbye to navigating musty museums and expensive tourist traps – Family London is an essential insider’s guide to the very best things to do with tots, teens and everything in between. London's wider cultural renaissance has paved the way for unique affordable experiences with the power to stimulate all ages. Ranging from bucket list big days out and under-the-radar attractions to spectacular kid-friendly cafés and awesome outdoor spaces, the book helps you enjoy and explore London no matter who you have to entertain.  More than 100 unforgettable attractions are profiled, featuring under-the-radar adventures at parks and playgrounds, kid-friendly cafes & restaurants, spectacular historic sites, hands-on dynamic museums and much more.