What’s On This Week: London Baby, Toddler, Family Events
For anyone contemplating what an academy/free school might mean for your child or for anyone else’s child, please come to South London Education Question Time Thursday, 27th February. Fiona Phillips will be chairing the event, with a variety of participants. There is a shortage of school places in many London neighbourhoods. Academy/free schools are the only ones opening – it is really important to learn from parents and other insiders what is really going on in these schools.
Londonbaby promo code is running with Abel and Cole you can use this code for new customers to get a 4th box free and a great cookbook. Abel and Cole has some goodies coming your way for existing customers, and I will fill you in on that shortly. In the meantime, here is an easy and somewhat virtuous recipe for Simple Stir-Fries for Busy Families (you can make these ahead of time and heat up quickly on work nights)
Family Events Saturday 15th February
National Portrait Gallery: Family Storytelling Session – Mary Seacole and the Paddleboats to Panama. For ages 3+, learn the story of Mary Seacole and make a craft to take home. 10:30-11:15 and 1:30-2:15. Family Art Workshop – create your own mini animation. Ages 5+, 11:30-1pm, 2:30-4pm.
Whitechapel Gallery, Family Cut Up: Come join artist Serena Korda for an afternoon workshop and create a living collage. Free, booking recommended, noon-4pm
Southbank, Imagine Festival: Just show up at any time and there will be something interesting, curious, pleasant and fun to do. The Royal Festival Hall has foosball tables, and other fun hands-on play areas for kids to run off, mingle and play together while adults sit on cozy sofas and chairs. As part of the festival you can see Going on a Bear Hunt, Malorie Blackman, attend the Children’s Book Swap and Clothes Swap or learn fashion design drawing – there are loads of fabulous workshops and activities to check out.
Half Moon Theatre, Jack and the Beanstalk: For children ages 3+.Fee Fi Fo Fum its going to be great big fun!! Tickets are £6 each. Saturday 11am and 2pm
Lauderdale House, The Happy Hoo Ha: Performances at 10am and 11:30am, this week’s performance is The Happy Hoo Ha – costumes, puppets, tricks, songs and gags. Children under 2 free, adults and children £4.50
Quick mention, there is a very nice family looking to rent a 2 bedroom flat near Pimlico from 1st April through the end of June. They have an infant and another child under 5 and have great references (from one of Pimlico’s best citizens). Please email me at [email protected] if you have any ideas or suggestions. Many thanks
Saturday Films:
Gate Picturehouse, Kids Club: This week’s programme: Walking with Dinosaurs. Tickets £1 with £4 membership, popcorn and juice £2. (best £3 you will ever spend on a rainy Saturday)
Barbican Family Film Club: This week’s feature: Moon Man. Tickets are £2, bring the kids and escape the cold while you chill and watch a movie. Great price. 11am, all ages.
Electric Cinema, Kid’s Club: This week’s feature, Wall-E; 10:30am. Check out the newly refurbished Electric Cinema in Notting Hill with its plush, red velvet beds, sofas and armchairs. Looks like a great way for Dad to occupy the kids on a Saturday morning. Tickets £8 per person. All ages
Family Events Sunday 16th February
Camden Arts Centre, Make and Do. Come join artist Judith Brocklehurst to take a look at the current exhibit and have a go at making your own art. 2-4:30pm, free, drop-in, all ages.
Two Temple Place, Sunday Craft: Join Eloise for a drop-in workshop might be inspired by the butterfly drawer in the new exhibit, Discoveries: Art, Science and Exploration from the University of Cambridge Museums. We stopped in last Sunday and it was brilliant. My8 year old had a fantastic time making a lion mask. Just outside Temple tube stop. Free, all ages, drop-in, 2-4pm
The National Gallery, Fly Away: for children 5+, come and learn how to make origami cranes with Karly Allen and Jo Lewis. 11am-1pm and 2-4pm – tickets allocated one hour before the session starts, and they do book up so be prepared with a “plan B”
UPCOMING:
Royal College of Music, Igniting Opera in a Day: Ages 6-12, have a mini opera workshop and then head over to the Royal Albert Hall for a matinee performance of La Boheme at the Royal Albert Hall. Tickets £20, and include 1 adult and 1 child ticket to the performance.
Royal Opera House Family Sundays, 27th April: We went to the last “family Sunday” a few weeks ago and hope to get to another soon. The kids got to try on real costumes from the opera house, we listened to arias performed by opera singers, made a mini shadow puppet theatre and puppets – this was a fabulous event of the highest quality and cannot recommend it enough. The next two Family Sundays have sold out, so you might want to get tickets to this one if you are interested.
And on to the upcoming week:
For Babies and Toddlers:
A Playdate that Counts – Your Baby Can Help Vision Research
What does your baby see? You and your baby can help us understand the science of vision!
UCL’s Child Vision Lab, together with the charity Fight For Sight, are developing interactive games that measure your baby’s ability to see. They are looking for healthy volunteers aged 3-12 months, to come play the games between now and June 2014. All the games are fun, safe, and only take a few minutes to complete.
To register for a visit or find out more about the Child Vision Lab:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 020 7608 6819
- Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/ioo/cvl/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChildVisionLab
Southbank, Imagine Festival: Loads of great events to take the baby to including Orchestra in the Age of Enlightenment, Peter Rabbit Puppet show and more.
Forge Arts Venue, Imagination Station: Bring the babies, from 4 months, along to this enchanting music and sensory class. From 10am Wednesday mornings, 4 months to 3 years.
Ritzy, Brixton, Toddler Time: Thursdays 11am, £3 per child, adults free. This week’s programme: Room on the Broom
Ritzy, Brixton, Big Scream: Fridays, 11am. £7.50. This week’s feature: Bastards
