Pageants, poetry, pottery and more
Picks for Whole the Family:
Lord Mayor’s Show: Saturday. Head down to the river early in day (9am) to see the river procession, then on to the pageant (11am) showcasing over 7,000 people and 200 horses with the grand finale of fireworks in the evening (5:15).
Credit: David Parry
Duke of York Square, Christmas Lights Switch-On: Saturday 2-5pm. Come and enjoy ballet dancers, slit walkers, vintage singers, food, drink and more. Santa’s Grotto will be open from 6pm, you can book online.
Southbank Centre Winter Market: Friday 11th at 5pm, head over to Southbank for a lovely Christmas market with beautiful lights, crafts, food and other fun.
Picks for Slightly Older Kids and Their Younger Siblings:
Pump House Gallery, Family Workshop: Sunday noon-4pm, Moving Storytellers. Work with Ivan and Caroline and recreate crime scenes. Experiment with physical movement, sounds and narratives - play physical theatre and improvisation games. drop in, free, all ages.
Somerset House, Free Family Drop in Workshop: Saturday, noon - 3pm. Become an afrobeat poet, join Joanna Brown of Africa Writes for a creative writing workshop in response to the photography exhibition Malick Sidibe: The Eye of Modern Mali.
Clapham Pottery Family Workshop: Saturday 1:30-3pm. Bring the kids and the whole family can take part in a relaxing, ceramics workshop. £10 per person.
Cadogan Hall, Family Jazz All-Stars: Saturday, 2pm. Join Zoe Gilby and Andy Champion as they introduce children to classic jazz tunes. Ages 5+, adults £10 and children £5.
Wigmore Hall, Family Concert: The Fantastic City of Music. Saturday 11am. Head to Marylebone for a lovely family concert featuring Ensemble 360 (piano, violin, viola, cello and flute). Ages 5+, adults £10 and children £8.
British Museum Special Event: Saturday noon-4pm. Take the kids to the Great Court for a day exploring Somali culture through workshops, storytelling, music, poetry and more.
Babies and Toddlers
Book Now for Villa Pia, Italy’s finest baby-friendly, all-inclusive (four course meals … wine, beer, spirits, too), fabulously valued family holiday destination (in pounds, truly exceptional value at the moment) – fabulous savings for off-peak stays, perfect for families with children not yet in school. Read my review of Villa Pia and book for the October school holidays as a there are just a few places remaining.
Local mum, and artist, Margarida, has a lovely new phone number bracelets for children that has your phone number. Check out Call my Parents.
Royal Albert Hall, Storytelling and Music Sessions: bring children ages 0-4 to Royal Albert Hall on Wednesdays for a magical experience with storytellers Paul Rubinstein and Olivia Armstrong where singing, storytelling and musical instruments are woven into one story session. £4, 11:30am
Pimlico Toy Library: Pimlico Toy Library has a new web site showcasing all their wonderful children’s workshops and baby playtimes. This is a fantastic resource for any parent or carer, the toys are fastidiously cleaned and the art workshops are brilliantly planned with high quality materials.
Electric Cinema, Electric Scream: Mondays 11am. This week’s feature: Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Bring babies under 12 months to this amazingly plush cinema, relax with some coffee and catch a flick.
Ritzy, Brixton, Big Scream: Fridays, 11am. £7.50. This week’s features:Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Family Cinema
Gate Picturehouse, Kids Club: This week’s programme: Finding Dory 2D £1 with £4 membership, popcorn and juice £2. (best £3 you will ever spend on a rainy Saturday)
Regent Street Cinema, Kino Club: This week’s feature, Phantom Boy (from the creators of a Cat in Paris). Tickets just £1.75, Saturdays 11:30 am.
Barbican Family Film Club: This week’s feature is Finding Dory 2D. Tickets are £2, bring the kids and escape the cold while you chill and watch a movie. Great price. 11am, all ages.
Ritzy, Brixton, Kids’ Club: Saturdays, 11am. £1.50. This week’s feature Finding Dory 2D.
Electric Cinema, Kid’s Club: This week’s feature, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children 10:30am. Check out the Electric Cinema with its plush, red velvet beds, sofas and armchairs. Looks like a great way for Dad to occupy the kids on a Saturday morning.
