Archive for the ‘Swimming pools for babies and toddlers in Central London’ Category

Best of London for the Under Fives December 2010

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Posted 04 Dec 2010 — by admin
Category Central London with small children, London Mums, London museums with small children, Swimming pools for babies and toddlers in Central London, family, london

Belgravia Christmas Sunday:

Sunday 5th December (tomorrow) from 11:00 - 4:00

Go to Elizabeth Street and Pimlico Road to see Santa’s sleigh and his real-life reindeer. This year is sure to be stellar with the Ice Queen Stilt Walkers, Elf Balloon Modeller, choirs and brass bands; throw in a Peggy Porschen cake and Tom Tom coffee and I will have a perfect December Family Day.

Christmas Lights:

I love taking the kids out once a year for a hot chocolate and to gaze at the lights, but we all get frazzled in the rush-hour crowds with the pushchair. Some easy-on, easy-off places include

  • Sloane Square: hop off the tube or the bus and walk over to the fountain. Loads to look at and no one to bump into. Wander over to Duke of York for a hot drink and more lights.
  • Marylebone Village: wander up and down the high street and in and out of the shops to warm up. You can walk over to St. Christopher place after and let the kids wander in the courtyard while you have a drink.
  • Carnaby Street: they have an outer space theme this year and the lights are so cool. Santa is floating through outer space. Stop in the shops or go to Bo-Deen’s for BBQ

Christmas Club at Purple Dragon

  • Monday 13th - Friday 17th December, 9:30 - 1:00 pm, ages 2 - 8 years, £25 per day per child. Arts, crafts, messy play, cooking, sports fun and mayhem. http://www.purpledragonplay.com/

Theatre and performance

  • Sleeping Beauty Panto at the Tabernacle, Noting Hill. Tuesday 21st December & Wednesday 22 December, £5.00 for kids.
  • Granny’s Christmas Journey, The New Diorama Theatre (NW1), through 23rd December, Tuesdays and Fridays 10:30 & 1:30; Saturdays 11:00 & 2:00. £6, ages 3 - 5
  • Pinocchio, Roundhouse NW1 ages 4+. 22nd Nov - 24th Dec
  • The Snowman, The Peacock Theatre WC2A ages 2+. 1st Dec - 9th Jan
  • Hold on Mr. Rabbit, Little Angel, N1. Ages 3+ with babies welcome for Sunday mornings. 9th Dec - 30th Jan
  • A Christmas Carol, Puppet Theatre Barge W9. 4th Dec - Jan

Museums and Galleries:

  • British Museum: Book of the Dead Family Day. Families get priority for entering the exhibit. Saturday December 22nd, 11:00 - 4:00 pm, £12 per adult or free for the children’s activities
  • Transport Museum of London: A new ticket policy that is far simpler than the old one. Pay £13.50 per adult over the age of 16 and the ticket is good for a year.

Film:

  • Barbican Family Films Club: The Legend of the Guradians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole 2D Saturday 11th December 11:00, art activities at 10:30.
  • CiniKids Russell Square: The Legend of the Guradians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole 2D Sunday 12th December 11:30, art activities at 10:30
  • Electric Kids Club, Electric Cinema: Alpha and Omega 3D, Saturday 11th December 10:30 am. Despicable Me 3D, Saturday 18th December, 10:30 am

Just for Babies:

  • Electric Scream, Electric Cinema Noting Hill: New time for this heavenly treat, 11:00 am on Tuesdays.
  • Love Swimming with Bila at Dolphin Square. Double check times, but fabulous morning of splendour in the warm pool with the baby at Dolphin Square. £12 per class, but luxurious, towels included, very, very posh and nice. http://www.loveswimming.co.uk/
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Welcome to London-Baby, an insider’s guide to affordable London activities and attractions for parents and carers of babies and children under five years old.

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Posted 09 Feb 2009 — by admin
Category Central London with small children, London Mums, London museums with small children, Mums and toddler groups in Central London, Playgrounds in Central London, Swimming pools for babies and toddlers in Central London, family, london, playgroups central london

WESTMINSTER VICTORIA CHELSEA NOTTING HILL BELGRAVIA KNIGHTBRIDGE MAYFAIR PIMLICO KENSINGTON PADDINGTON BAYSWATER SOUTH KENSINGTON BLOOMSBURY HOLBORN COVENT GARDEN SOHO MARYLEBONE

By the time my daughter was born, I had been living in London for two years. I had no family near me and the only friends that I had made were co-workers who, because they did not have young children, seemed to live on a different planet than me after my daughter came along.

We lived in a tiny, central London flat; not being much of a homebody to begin with, my new-born and I immediately set out in October 2005 to discover what London has to offer the under 5’s. I have found this city to be amazingly friendly to carers of small children. In 2007, we moved to a different neighbourhood and I discovered an entirely new part of Central London. Now that our son has joined us in 2009, I can continue to discover London for babies, toddlers and mums with more than one small child.

My reviews are the result of nearly three years of caring full-time for my daughter, and now infant son, in London while also experiencing being a parent travelling to different cities and towns in Europe and North America. This web site is based on all the friendly chats that we have had in playgrounds here in London and elsewhere about destinations and activities for our small children. Further, as a teacher I have accompanied and led groups of children around greater Chicago and London and I bring these experiences to this site.

Having listened to and given so many reviews of these destinations and others, I guarantee they will have exactly the kind of information that you will need for you and your baby and/or toddlers. If you know of new playgroups and classes in your area, please let me know and I’ll add them to the site!

To find local activities, playgroups and great child friendly places, just click on a neighbourhood from the list above to get started.

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