London Baby and Kids Weekend Guide
Family Events This Weekend:
Keats House, Family Day- Autumn Garden Day: Sunday 1-4pm. Head to the gorgeous Keats House and gather foliage, ferns and beech leaves to make beautiful leaf rubbings. Combine with a ramble around the Heath, lunch at the Spaniard’s Inn or just check out The Library where Monkey Music Hampstead holds there classes (read more below). Free, drop-in, booking essential.
St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Mini Maestro Family Concert: Saturday 18th 4:30-5:30. Bring the entire family to a child-friendly, audience participation concert with London Musical Arts Orchestra performing Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. Tickets £10 adults, £8 children.
Big Fish Little Fish Hackney Roman Toga Party - Drum in Bass family special at the Mangle E8 Nightclub. I will be there with one or more of my progeny to help out in the Villa Pia Baby Chill Out Corner. My Boss Babe friend, Uju from Babes about Town should be there, too. Please stop and say hello. When you buy your ticket to the rave, you will automatically be entered into the drawing to win a FREE week’s family holiday. Book now to avoid disappointment.
South Ken Literary Festival: Monday - Sunday. Head to Institute Francais for an entire week of workshops, readings, concerts and other interactive events with leading children’s writers and illustrators. Booking requires, costs are around £7, some events are all ages, others for older kids.
Learning, Making and Doing Events:
CoderDojo at Tower Bridge: Saturday 2-5pm, Rainmaking Loft. This is a GREAT workshop for anyone interested in learning more about coding or someone just starting out. Bring a lap top. Free, children ages 5-7, children must be accompanied by an adult. Booking required.
British Museum, Coding Workshop, The Stories of Krishna: Sunday 11-noon, 1-2pm, and 3-4pm. Explore the museum and discover the Hindu god Krishna, and then learn coding skills to make Krishna move and play in the Samsung Discovery Centre. Ages 7+, free, drop-in.
Wigmore Hall, World of Jazz: Saturday 11am. Bring the kids to an interactive family jazz concert with Ranjana Ghatak (singing) and Liran Donin (double bass). £12 adults, £10 children, ages 5+
National Portrait Gallery Creations in Clay: Sunday 19th November. Bring the kids to the NPG to make their very own clay portrait. Family session 1-2:30 for kids age 3+, and 3-5:30 for kids age 7+. Free, tickets allocated on allocated on arrival, drop-in.
Upcoming Events: Kings Place, Aurora Orchestra; book tickets for next weekend before they sell out. St. Katherine Docks Floating Film Festival, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, The Holiday and Love Actually. Completely kid-friendly. National Theatre, Cunning Champions and Dastardly Dragons, next weekend’s family drama workshop. The Shop Up, Babyccino at Chelsea Town Hall, 3-4 December. Beautiful gifts from independent vendors and children’s activities. (Wilford Social is rumoured to be performing). Harry Potter a History of Magic, British Library. There are still some mid-week tickets available, review coming soon, but GO. Saatchi Gallery, Crafty Christmas Cards. Saturday 9th, just £5. And, do me a favour, Check out Cornwall for Londoners: Learn more about the beaches, activities, museums and fantastic food scene in St. Ives.
Babies and Toddlers:
Are you and your baby looking to meet local mums, in a clean, pleasant space and take part in an enjoyable activity? Are you near Maida Vale, Marylebone, Notting Hill, High Street Kensington or Hampstead? Could I suggest you try out one of London’s premier baby and mum activity - Monkey Music. For a limited time, Monkey Music Maida Vale, Marylebone, Notting Hill and Hampstead have special offer on their fantastic venues for new London Baby and Kids readers. If you and 2 other families join Monkey Music and mention London Baby and Kids, the £17 joining fee will be waived. Ring 0208 438 0189 or email [email protected]
Monkey Music at The National Army Museum: Starting Thursday 16th, Monkey Music will be holding afternoon classes in the beautifully refurbished National Army Museum. You can book into the amazing Playbase before or after your lessons and make a full day of it. Classes are filling up quickly, so do get in touch with Monkey Music to register your interest.
Baby Broadway: Baby Broadway are brilliantly fun monthly concerts where babies, toddlers, kids and grown ups can dance and sing favourite pop songs. Its great fun, great value and worth the effort to go!! Upcoming concerts in Stoke Newington, Chiswick, Sydenham and weekend concerts in Woolwhich and Watford.
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, Becky Dixton and Samantha Sutherland where singing, storytelling and musical instruments are woven into one story session. £4, 11:30am
National Gallery, Welcome Wednesdays: Wednesdays 10:30-11:15. Bring children 16 months to 5 years to the National Gallery for Dance Adventures with Olivia Armstrong. Age 16 months – 5 years, tickets £5 per child.
Pimlico Toy Library: Bring the kids to the Toy Library for play sessions and toy lending. Fantastic resource for anyone in the area.
Electric Cinema, Electric Scream: Mondays 11am. This week’s feature: Loving Vincent. Bring babies under 12 months to this amazingly plush cinema, relax with some coffee and catch a flick.
Big Scream, Ritzy Brixton: Fridays, 11am. This week Ingrid Goes West and Justice League are showing.
Family Cinema
Regent Street Cinema, Kino Club Films : You can now bring your children to London’s beautifully restored, sumptuous cinema for screenings of better than average children’s films on Saturdays. This week’s screening: The Lego Ninjago Movie, 11:30am, just £1.75.
Barbican Framed Film Club: Saturday 11am. This week’s programme: Framed Film Festival, Rabbit School. Tickets just £3.50
Gate Picturehouse, Kids Club: This week’s programme: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,10:30 am. Tickets just £1 with £4 membership, popcorn and juice £2. (best £3 you will ever spend on a rainy Saturday)
Ritzy Picturehouse, Kids Club: Sunday 10:30. This Week’s screening: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Electric Cinema, Kid’s Club: This week’s feature, Mary Poppins. Saturday 9:30am. 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.
