London Baby, Toddler, Child and Family Events 8th - 15th April
Make a Play Date that Helps …
University College London’s Child Vision Lab at Moorfields Hospital needs mums and children to come in for a hour or so to aid studies aiming to help children with vision impairments. Read on about the day and do consider volunteering …
Culture Kids Music Class: Chelsea, Marylebone and Hampstead
Check out their new web site!! Come along for the most amazing, dynamic, invigorating, multi-sensory, multi-instrumented music class. There is not the usual scrum for the shakers, every single kid gets a chime, ladybird game, sunglasses, gorgeous set of fairy wings, caterpillar costume … there are literally scores of props that come out with each song. Further, these props all change the following week when the class explores a new theme. Read my review.
Check the schedule for times and prices and age groups. The new term commences 23rd April, be sure to book now and avoid disappointment.
The Kensington & Chelsea NCT branch are holding a Spring Nearly New Sale on Saturday 12 May 2012, 11.15am to 1pm. Early entry at 11am is open to all NCT members (upon display of NCT membership card). For our Spring Sale we will have more rooms, more sellers, more refreshments and fabulous goody bags! We can’t wait to see you there. Entry will be ticketed at £2 per person and is open to both NCT members and non-members. The first 100 customers will receive a free goody bag.
Please note: cash sales only. Contact: [email protected] or 0844 243 0007. http://www.facebook.com/KensingtonAndChelseaNCT
For Babies and Toddlers:
Stars Gym and Creche, Chelsea and Battersea’s newest gym is offering London-baby readers a wonderful Spring offer: come and try out Stars gym and crèche (9:30-11:30am Monday-Friday) and pay what you like. Try it out, get fit for Summer, bring your 0-5 year old to the crèche and get your groove back. Feel free to ring ahead, or just pop in, mention London-baby.com and pay what you like. The crèche is Ofsted registered and certified, clean, calm and lovely. Read my review
Pippa’s Poppets Kensington: The Award Winning singer, songwriter Pippa Cleary has expanded the ever popular Pippa’s Poppets into Kensington. Come along on Thursday mornings to St. Luke’s Church, Redcliffe Gardens for some jazz hands, music making, soul singing fun. 9:45 babies to 12 months, 10:30 todders to 2 years, 11:15 small children 2-3.5 years. £7.50 per class, paid termly.
Classical Babies: Wednesdays, 11:00am, Belisize Park, Interchange Studios. £10 per family for a delightful classical concert that is completely baby and toddler friendly, the perfect mid-week bit of brain candy read more about the fabulous bit of motherhood: My review
Events for the bigger kids:
National Gallery: Distant Blue. Monday 9th, Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th 11:00-1:00pm & 2:00-4:00pm. Join artist Aliki Braine and discover how artists long ago used colour to create the illusion of distance. Make your own peep hole and landscape and explore this fascinating concept. Free, tickets allocated on arrival, places are limited.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre: Midsummer Night’s Dream Space. Ages 5+. Come and treat yourself and the kids to the magical artistry of Finn Caldwell’s puppetry direction in the this adaptation of Midsummer Night’s Dream. Tickets are £8 each or £25 for a family. 11:00am and 2:00pm daily now until Saturday 14th April (except 6th and 8th)
Holland Park Ecology Centre: come in for morning and afternoon sessions where your kids will take part in a variety of activities in the park and in the ecology centre where they learn how to make a shelter, about amphibians in the park, hunt for mini beasts, make their own wormery … list of topics is extensive and the workshops are brilliant. Children over the age of 8 do not need an adult to accompany, so you can head off to Kensington High Street or the café. Monday 2nd – Friday 5th and Tuesday 10th – Friday 13th April, 10:00-noon & 2:00-4:00pm. £5 per session,
ages 4-11. (discounts for RBKC residents)
The Forge Arts Venue: Children’s Music Workshop, ages 1-4, £4 per child (adults free). Saturday 14th April. 10-10:45, 11-11:45 or noon – 12:45. Let your children explore instruments and music making in this family-friendly, relaxed environment. The teachers play fabulous music while letting children have a thorough discovery of instruments. Fabulous brunch served after … great day out for the family.
Judo Classes at Stars Gym Wednesdays 4pm (4-8 years) and 5pm (8+) with prospective Olympians Jonathan Purssey and Alex Farbon. Further, starting 3rd April, the engaging Carlos Andrade will be teaching Kickboxing on Tuesdays, 4:30 (4-9 years). Carlos’s class is drop-in, £9 per session, so come along when you like and have fun!!
Events, activities and workshops for the bigs and smalls:
Saatchi Gallery Family Spring Holiday Family Art Workshop: Sunday 9th April 11:00 – 4:00pm. All ages.
Come and decorate a polyester egg from your own inspiration or get ideas from the new exhibit: Gesamtkunsturk: New Art from Germany. Paints, brushes and eggs provided. To book contact Valeria: [email protected]
Clapham Common Easter Fun Fair: until Sunday 15th April. If the sun is shining, head over to Clapham and take the family to enjoy a good laugh at the fun fair. If you have older children, they have a wrist band entry where you can pay £6.00 per child over 1 metre tall/£8.00 per adult and you can go on all the rides they like for three hours. From noon – 9:15pm.
Battersea Park Zoo Easter Activities:
Tuesday 10th April, Rabbit Day. Join the zoo for feeding and caring activities 11-12:30 & 1:30-3:30, also make a rabbit badge and mask for £1. There will be rabbit story time at 11:45 and 3:15, the usual entrance fees apply £7.95 adults, £6.50 children, £26.00 family
Thursday 12th April, Chicken Day. Learn to care for chickens, 11-12:30 & 1:30 – 3:30 followed by a craft making activity for £1. Story telling at 11:45 & 3:15.
Classics with my Baby: As seen in the Independent, Time Out, and reviewed by Gramophone Magazine, this critically acclaimed concert series is specifically designed for parents and children (0-5 years) to enjoy together. The series opens its doors to children of all ages for this Easter holiday concert (yes, still free for all children).
“The Art of Song” Tenor Norbert Meyn joins Miaomiao and Philippa to bring a programme of Arts Songs from the classical masters. Hear of a child’s longing for Spring (here was Mozart in 1791 stuck in Viennese snow); flowers and burning love (Haydn felt this long before Elvis); the hurly-burly of roaring cannons and ships at sea (Haydn again) and tales of wandering spirits…
Tickets: Adults £10 at door (or purchase online tickets here) Children FREE
Eat cake and mingle from 10:00am and concert begins at 10:30am. My review
Tuesday, 10th April, Christ Church Highbury, Islington. (top end of Highbury Fields)
Wednesday 11th April, Christ Church, Chelsea (just off the King’s Road)
Thursday 12th April, Hampstead Free Church, Hampstead Garden Suburb
Friday 13th April, St. Mary Magdalen Church, Borough (on the trendy Bermondsey St)