Top 10 Baby & Toddler-Friendly Lidos in London & across the UK
Few outings tick quite as many boxes as a trip to the lido. There's fresh air instead of soft play, hours of screen-free entertainment, a welcome way to cool off on hot days and the kind of nostalgia that appeals just as much to parents as it does to children.
Better still, many of London's best outdoor pools are genuinely family-friendly, with shallow splash areas, gradual beach-style entries, plenty of space to picnic and cafés that understand little swimmers come with wet towels, snack requests and plenty of noise.
Whether you're planning a quick dip after nursery, a weekend adventure across the capital or a summer day trip further afield, these are the lidos we'd recommend for families. From beautifully restored Art Deco pools to countryside favourites worth the drive, here's our edit of the very best in London and across the UK.
Across London
1. London Fields Lido, East London
Heated all year round (yes, even in February, if you're feeling brave), this one runs proper family swim sessions alongside the lane swimmers and lesson crowd. Good café for a post-swim flat white and something for tiny hands, plenty of grass to relax on if the sun's out.
Good to know: check family session times before you go as the lane swimmers take this one seriously.
2. Brockwell Lido, SOUTH LONDON
London's it-girl lido: leafy park setting, Art Deco changing rooms, a poolside café that's actually worth the trip on its own. Big enough that a slow toddler paddle at one end doesn't cramp anyone's style.
Good to know: hot weekends get busy so an early or late session keeps things manageable when travelling with little ones.
3. Tooting Bec Lido, South London
The UK's biggest freshwater lido and one of the oldest, this is less a pool and more a South London institution. Acres of common grass either side for a post-swim picnic.
Good to know: it's a big serious swimmers' pool at heart, so pick a family session if you want calmer water for little legs.
4. Charlton Lido & Lifestyle Club, S0UTH LONDON
Properly built for this exact audience: a heated 50m pool, a separate teaching pool for Toddler Splash (under-8s), and an indoor Toddler World soft play with its own under-3s corner for when the weather turns. Kids swim for £1 on Family Fun sessions, which is great value in London.
Good to know: book ahead on the Better app, especially in summer as this one fills up fast.
5. Hampton Pool, South West London
Tucked beside Bushy Park with its own separate shallow learner pool, kept at a bath-like 28–29°C all year this is where babies get their first "water legs" with a parent right there in the water. The Discovery Ducklings sessions are built specifically for under-24-months.
Good to know: free on-site parking, a genuinely rare treat for a London lido with a buggy and a change bag to haul around.
6. Parliament Hill Lido, North London
North London's answer, and best pitched at confident toddlers rather than tiny babies who love a splash as it is unheated. However, worth noting swimmers under 16 years can swim free of charge up to 9.30am, which if you have early risers is a godsend.
Good to know: if you've got a baby rather than a splashy toddler, the free paddling pool and playground five minutes away at Parliament Hill Fields is the better bet as its shallow, gentle, and free to use.
Beyond London
7. Ilkley Pool and Lido, West Yorkshire
One of the best lidos in the country for little ones, full stop: a proper water fountain splash pool, a slide for the bigger kids, and a playground right by the water so nobody has to choose. Yorkshire Dales views make this a picture perfect poolside.
Good to know: sessions are timetabled, so check which one suits a toddler pace before you set off.
8. Lido Ponty — The National Lido of Wales, Pontypridd
The National Lido of Wales, and it shows: three heated pools including a splash pool with its own fountain, plus a free adventure playground right next door. This is a whole day out, not a quick dip.
Good to know: no on-site parking, so budget a few extra minutes for the walk with a buggy.
9. Gourock Outdoor Pool, Inverclyde
Scotland's oldest heated outdoor pool, and one of only two left in the country — heated seawater, a proper baby pool, family changing rooms, and Wednesday Family Fun sessions with floats and rafts.
Good to know: it's real seawater, which is a treat but little ones may not be used to the saltiness.
10. Saltdean Lido, Brighton
A gorgeously restored Art Deco lido on the South Coast, brought back from the brink with a multimillion pound facelift. Pair it with a proper Brighton seafront day either side and it’s almost like being on holiday.
Good to know: check opening days before you travel — restored lidos like this one often run a seasonal timetable rather than daily.