East London Gymnastic Centre

If your kid has any interest in gymnastics — or even if they don’t yet — this place is worth knowing about. The dedicated coaches here actually get kids moving and progressing, not just going through the motions, and parents regularly comment on how much their children come on in a short space of time. There’s a climbing structure and enclosed soft play area that keeps the younger ones (from about 3 upwards) well occupied, and the whole setup is easy for parents to keep an eye on. Parking on site takes away the usual East London headache. It’s also a solid birthday party option if you want something a bit more active than the standard hall-and-a-bouncy-castle situation.