British Museum  Prehistoric Britain: Flints, Farms and Flesh Hooks, Monday 24^th – Friday 28^th 11 – 4pm, free, drop in, all ages. Watch an expert flint knapper make stone tools, contribute to an art instillation, make your own art to take home and join in family talks about art and animals, ancient Romans in Britain, The Bronze Age and more.  http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar/october_2011/prehistoric_britain.aspx

 Natural History Museum Investigate Room, 11am – 5pm, free, drop-in, ages 3+, younger sibs welcome.  Join Science Educators in the Investigate room to go on a guided investigation of one of the specimens in the collection.  Learn about red tailed deer antlers, handle an ancient ammonite, touch a 7 metre snack skin, watch giant bugs moult their cocoons: your child will want to become a scientist!! http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/daily-events/investigate/index.html

 St. Martin’s In the Field Mini Maestro with the LMA Orchestra, Saturday 29^th October 4:30.  £8.50 adult, £6.50 child.  Bring the kids along to an interactive concert designed especially for children to explore and engage with the orchestra.  Lots of participation, investigating and learning about music and instruments.  http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/jserv/concerts/view.jsp?id=3678

 Wallace Collection Hallowe’en Photography Project: Dream and Nightmares Friday 28^th October, ages 5+, free, drop in, 10:30 – 12:15.  Have your picture taken as a spooky or fantastic character.  Use make up, mask making, lighting and other props and effects to create wild, weird and wonderful versions of yourself.  http://www.wallacecollection.org/collections/event/3777

 Royal Albert Hall Family Ignite Myths and Legends Tuesday 25^th October noon and 2:30, all ages, free, tickets allocated on arrival (get there early) Held in the Hall’s Elgar room with an area for children reserved right next to the stage for children to sit and engage directly with the music.  Healthy snack boxes on sale (sandwich, carrots and grapes) along with teas and coffees. http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/family-ignite/myths-legends.aspx

 Sommerset House:    Mini Make Believe Hubble Bubble 12:45 -2:30, free, drop in, under 5’s.  Have a fabulous make and play session in Sommerset House!  Make crafts, dance and sing along to the theme of magic.  These workshops are perfect for little ones and enjoyable for adults, too. Shadows of Sommerset House, Saturday 22^nd & Saturday 29^th October 11:00- 1:00pm & 2:00 – 4:00pm, all ages, free, drop in.  Make your own spooks and glowing ghosties in these great family workshops. http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/learning/family/half-term

 Portrait Gallery:     Tour and Draw, ages 3+, free, drop in.  Mon 25^th – Fri 28^th 11-11:45 & 1:30 – 2:15.  Discover stories and secrets behind the portraits in the gallery, just as interesting for parents as the kids! Family Art Workshops, ages 5+, free, tickets allocated on arrival, 11:30 – 1:30  Monday October 24^th Colourful Collage wtih artist Seiwa Cunningham.  Tuesday 25^th Chasing Tales with storyteller Alia Al Zougbi.  Wednesday 26^th Caligraphy with artist Mustafa Jafar.  Thursday 27^th A Royal Tale with storyteller Seema Anana.  Friday 28^th Animate, learn how to make an animation inspired by the collection. http://tinyurl.com/64prndl

National Gallery:      Holiday Art Workshops: Tuesday 25^th, Wednesday 26^th, Thursday 28^th 11am- 1pm & 2- 4pm, 5+, free, places allocated on arrival.  Make a collage fashion plate with a collection of patterns and shapes with artists Charles Hustwick and Jo Rhymer. Storyscape 10:30 – 11am, Tue 25^th & Thu 27^th, under fives, free, spaces allocated on arrival.  Take part in an interactive storytelling session.  Drawing Stories: 10:30 – 11:00am, Wed 26^th, under fives, free, spaces allocated on arrival.  Tell a story through art and play. http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/families/

V and A:     Digital Kids: Monday 24^th – Friday 28^th, 10:30- 5:00pm, free, all ages, drop in. Come join artist in residence Postler Ferguson and make a digital creation. Gallery Lights – The Boy Who Sat on the Dragon Throne, 11:00am, 1:00pm & 3:00pm Saturday 22^nd and 29^th October.  Come see the play about a two year old boy who reigns over the Forbidden City in the China Galleries.  Make-it Invent-it: Mon 24^th – Fri 28^th, 10:30 – 12:30 & 2:00 – 4:00pm, age not specified, £3 per child, call to book tickets.  Join a designer and work to bring your visions to life! tp://www.vam.ac.uk/page/f/family-events/

Mostly For Babies:

Sunday 9^th October, Little Angel Theatre,  11:00am, £8

The DaSilva Marionette Circus: This very special and intriguing marionette show has been touring for over fifty years.  The large marionettes perform circus tricks that involve balance, tricky movements and other feats of entertainment.  The Sunday performance is baby-friendly, so you can bring the littlies along.

Tuesday 11^th October, Big Scream, Gate Cinema, £8.50 (mention London-baby.com and have your £4 membership fee waived)

Tyrannosaur: Paddy Considine (the story of a working class man’s path to redemption after the untimely death of his wife)

Wednesday 12^th October, Classical Babies, Interchange Studios, Belsize Park, £10

Solo Violin Recital: This is such a treat with babies and small children, older children are very much welcome.  This is a proper classical concert, but there is room for your pushchair, places for babies to crawl around, toys and books for slightly older children.  It is extremely easy to get to from the Belsize Park Underground Station

Saturday 15^th October, Half-Moon Theatre, 11:00am, 1:00pm & 3:00pm, £6 (ages three and under)

Circles in the Sand: Take your very youngest children to the theatre for an interactive performance perfect for babies and toddlers.  An experiential performance about sand, everyone can watch and everyone can play, too. 

Tuesday 18^th October, Big Scream, Gate Cinema, £8.50 £8.50 (mention London-baby.com and have your £4 membership fee waived)

Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen’s latest story about a writer in Paris.

For Older Children:

Saturday 15th October, Storytelling with Art Activity, National Portrait Gallery, 10:30, ages 3+, free

Edward’s Expedition: Hear the story of a young boy’s adventure to a far away land and then make your own map to take home.

Saturday 15^th October, Treasure from Your Travels, National Portrait Gallery, 11:30 – 1:30, free, ages 5+

Work with Clay: What did Victorians like to collect from their travels?  What souvenirs did they like to return from their travels with?  Find out in this workshop and make your own mini-museum treasure using clay.   

Sunday 16th October, Family Day at the V and A, 11:00am – 5:00pm, free, all ages

Big Draw: Bring the entire family to the V and A and everyone can take part in various drawing activities.  Little ones can use the imagination stations, where they can draw, stick and cut out creations; older children can take part in the drawing workshops held hourly from 11:30.  Loads of other workshops, demos, events and competitions, too. 

Next week, look for half-term activities from the Wallace Collection, British Museum, V and A, Portrait Gallery and more …

The Big Draw’s Big Splash, King’s Place (King’s Cross Station), NI.  Noon – 5pm, free all ages

Well-loved, ubiquitous and fabulous children’s illustrator and author Quentin Blake will be hosting an illustrating workshop filled with amazing activities focusing on different aspects of book art and illustration.  Marion Deuchars, Sarah Bridgland, Kerrie Fansman, Nina Chakrabati are just a few of the children’s book illustrators and artists who will be hosting workshops on this fabulous day of learning and fun.  Further, there will be a floating studio on a canal boat taking artists around town to sketch.

All events are free and all ages are welcome.  Check out the workshops listed here , they can be booked in advance, or drop in and see if there is space.

If you miss that, log in and see Quentin Blake online: http://www.quentinblakevirtuallylive.co.uk/20110928/index.asp

Tuesday 27 September

Gate Cinema, Big Scream 10:30am

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.  Bring your child, under 1 year of age, to the Gate Cinema’s Big Scream Film club and check out this
sell-out movie.   You must join the Big Scream club to bring your child into the cinema (apologies, no baby, no entry).  Low lights are left on, bring the push chair right into the cinema, nappy changing facilities provided.

http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Gate_Picturehouse/Whats_On/Clubs_Groups/

Saturday 1  October

Trotters 20^th Birthday Party, Duke of York Square, 11am – 5pm

Come and celebrate Kings Road favourite independent children’s shop birthday!!  This is a birthday party done properly:  petting zoo, Victorian Carousel, music, biscuit decorating, traditional fete stalls, dancing, pampering from Liz Earle … loads of high-quality amusements and interacting.

Bring the family out to the Duke of York Green and have very child-centred fun family day out raising money for the Cairn Trust to help fund a school in Nepal

http://www.trotters.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/09/08/celebrating-21-years/

Wigmore Hall

Giant, Lyrics and Lions in Partnership with the Wallace Collection, come take part in a day-long workshop using inspiration from the Wallace collection to create original musical compositions.  Explore the story of Hercules in the Wallace collections works featuring bulls, lions and giants with lecturer Bridget Crowley.  Children will be able to perform their work, if they like, on stage at The Wigmore Hall (I understand you are then free to claim that your child has performed at the Wigmore Hall on school forms!) From 10am at Wigmore Hall.

Ages 7+, adults must help children participate so younger siblings allowed only if they can participate, too.  £12 adults, £8 children. 10:30am – 3:30pm

http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/productions/giants-lyrics-and-lions-28250

Sunday 2 October

Wallace Collection

Little Draw Free Drop in Workshop.  Come join artist Julia Iwasz whose work explores the connection between photography and painting, as she lead little ones and older ones on a drawing journey exploring different media.  Free, all ages, 1:30 – 4:30pm

http://www.wallacecollection.org/collections/event/3716

Somerset House

Mini Make Believe: Into the Woods

This is SUCH a great event to take very small children to on the weekend.  The events are teeny tiny workshops that involve singing, dancing, movement, making, art, bubbles all based on a monthly theme.  These events are free, just collect a ticket up to an hour before in the Seaman’s Hall.  If you arrive early, have a coffee in the amazing courtyard and watch the kids run around.

Under 5’s, 11:30

http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/learning/family/mini-make-believe

Saturday 8 October

British Museum

The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Great Court,  11am – 4pm, all ages, free

The Great Court of the British Museum will be filled with various stations where you and your kids can make, create and interact.  Bring your teddy bear, your kids and have fun drawing your bear with different works of art from the museum.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar/october_2011/the_big_draw.aspx

Pippa’s Poppets

Spaces are rapidly filling up, but there are still a few spaces for babies, toddlers and small children in the Knightsbridge and Chelsea Venues

http://www.pippaspoppets.co.uk

Things are changing around London museums, but this change is genuinely worth the £2.50 per child the NAM is now charging for children over 1 year to enter the play zone.   If you plan to go regularly, you can by a season pass for £30 (the current pass is good until April) and put up to three adults on it and take up to three children with you. 

They have introduced new session times.  Instead of the first session being extremely long and the others a bit shorter, all the sessions are one hour long with a twenty minute break between sessions.  Further, you can obtain tickets for upcoming sessions when you enter the desk; if you find out the 10am session is filled, you can get a ticket for the 11:20am or a later slot and go off down The Kings Road for a while. 

The session times are as follows: 10:10 – 11:10; 11:20 – 12:20; 12:30 – 1:30; 1:45 – 2:45; 3:00 – 4:00; 4:15 – 5:15

The new Play Zone has been lavishly redesigned and brilliantly reconfigued.  The space is larger, big enough for children to run around in, with an even bigger climbing frame than before.  You can easily see into the climbing area and find out which child is tormenting and which child is crying, or see if a little one needs help getting around.   The kitchen is larger with room for loads of children to play, instead of just a few.  There are new, clean costumes to dress in and a swirling slide.  The best part of all, there is a section filled with soft climbing blocks for babies to pull themselves up on and fall down without getting hurt. 

There are no loos in the new Kids Zone, but there is one just across from the cafe that is wheelchair/pushchair accessible with a changing table.

The space is available for hire for birthday parties, complete with catering.

Come dressed as a Victorian and join in the fun: hog roast, ice creams, bouncy castles, face painting, Punch and Judy show, stalls offering goods for sale from local businesses, music, games and more.  Former members of St. James the LessSchoolare invited for a reunion and tour around the old school.  http://sjtl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=183&Itemid=148

 (not affordable, but really unique) Circus Glory, Primrose Hill Community Centre, Wednesday 27^th & Thursday 28th July

Ring to book a place for circus school!!  10am – 3:00pm drop-off, just off RegentsPark, NWI.  Ages 5+ £50 per day.  Send your kids with a pack lunch and lots to drink. Email: g.monastesse@googlemail.com (or email me, laura at london-baby dot com and I will send you her mobile)

 Paper Theatre Art Workshops, Saatchi Gallery, Sunday 31st July 10:30am (Ages 5+, £10 per child)

Contact Valeria at valeriaamadei@hotmail.it, to book a place.  Also, check out her web site for more information: http://familyworkshops.wordpress.com/about/

 Southbank, Real Food Market (Friday 29^th – Sunday 31^st) and Disappearing Rooms (fountains, ongoing)

If it heats up this weekend and you don’t want to cook, head out to Southbank.  Play in the disappearing rooms fountains (bring towels, the kids will get SOAKED).  Head over for foodie fun after in the Real Food Market where you can buy crafted prepared foods, jams, soaps, wines, coffees and baked goods. http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/hayward-gallery-and-visual-arts/tickets/jeppe-hein-appearing-rooms-1000091

 Also, book now Wigmore Hall Autumn events: For Crying out Loud (under 1 yr), Toddler Bop (1-2 years), Chamber Tots (2-5 years) www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/learning

 They are going to KILL ME for this, but .. Sneak the kids to see Moby!! 1^st August 5pm – 6pm

Foyles Royal Festival Hall.  Singing his new book photography book, Destroyed, and playing a short acoustic set!!  http://www.foyles.co.uk/Public/Events/Detail.aspx?eventId=1261

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.