Central London has plenty of green spaces , such as Hyde Park, which has playgrounds and ample room for general mayhem, as well as a diverting array of city wildlife. If you want something more unusual than ducks and squirrels, though, head for one of London's city farms .

Battersea Park
Albert Bridge Rd, SW11 phone 020/8871 7540 (zoo) or 8871 6374 (playground). Battersea Park or Queenstown Road train station, from Victoria. Zoo: Easter-Sept daily 10am-5pm; Oct-Easter Sat & Sun 11am-3pm; adults £1.80, children 90p. Adventure playground: term time Tues-Fri 3.30-7pm; holidays & weekends 11am-6pm; free.

A children's zoo with monkeys, reptiles, birds, otters and mongooses; challenging adventure playground and lots of open space. Every August, the free "Teddy Bears' Picnic" draws thousands of children and their plush pals.

Coram's Fields
93 Guilford St, WC1 phone 020/7837 6138. Tube: Russell Square. Daily 9am-dusk/8pm; free.

Ducks, sheep, pigs, rabbits, goats and chickens, plus a large free playground with slides and swings. Adults admitted only if accompanied by a child.

Hampstead Heath
Info centre by Lido, NW3. Wed-Fri 1-5pm Sat & Sun 10am-5pm; phone 020/7485 4491. Tube: Hampstead, or Gospel Oak or Hampstead Heath train stations. Open daily 24hr.

Nine hundred acres of grassland and woodland, with superb views of the city. Excellent kite-flying, birdwatching and swimming potential too.

Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens
W8 phone 020/7298 2100; www.royalparks.co.uk. Tube: High Street Kensington or Lancaster Gate. Daily dawn-dusk.

Hyde Park is central London's main open space; in Kensington Gardens, adjoining its western side, you can find the famous Peter Pan statue (near the Long Water), a playground and a pond that's perfect for toy boat sailing.

Kew Gardens
Richmond, Surrey phone 020/8332 5000; www.kew.org. Tube: Kew Gardens. Daily 9.30am to 7.30pm or dusk; adults £5, children £2.50.

You have to pay a hefty entry fee to get into the Royal Botanical Gardens, but they are fun for kids and adults. There's lots of green space, wildfowl, and some great glasshouses, one of which has an aquarium.

Mudchute City Farm
Pier St, E14 phone 020/7515 5901. Mudchute or Island Gardens DLR. Daily 9am-5pm; free.

Covering some 35 acres, this is London's largest city farm, with barnyard animals, llamas, a pets' corner and a café.

Richmond Park
Richmond, Surrey phone 020/8948 3209; www.royalparks.co.uk. Tube: Richmond, or Richmond train station from Waterloo. Daily 8am-dusk; free.

A fabulous stretch of countryside, with opportunities for duck-feeding, deer-spotting, mushroom hunting and cycling

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