Want to take your child to listen to the highest echelon performers in the classical music world at 10:30 in the morning? Do not miss the next Classical Babies concert in Knightsbridge where you and your progeny can enjoy passionate and enthusiastic music played by today’s leaders in the classical music field.

Classical Babies is the brainchild of Antonia Azoitei and Estella Garcia, both full-time mums and professionals in the arts who wanted to unite all their passions in one place. What a better way than to bring world-class talented musicians to vigorously perform classical repertoire to mums, dads, carers, babies, toddlers and children? This is such an amazing treat for anyone; whether you are a seasoned musician or a newbie to classical music, you and your offspring will enjoy a professional grade concert for £10.

 Antonia and Estella bring the highest calibre concert hall musicians; harpists, pianists, cellists, violinist, flutists to come and perform mid-morning concerts for children. Antonia has performed with the world’s leading musicians: she heads the Vilensky String Quartet, was a full-time member of the BBC Concert Orchestra, and continues to play with City of London Sinfonia and various other orchestras and performing groups.

Classical Babies Knightsbridge brings together all the elements for a perfect London-baby day: a world-class performance hall classical music concert a short walk from Sloane Square, around the corner from Harrods, ten minutes from the playground and Serpentine in Hyde Park: the perfect day out on the town with the little ones.

Have a coffee, browse the shops, treat you and your child to a beautiful concert, then top it all off with a trip to the playground near Hyde Park Barracks and feed the ducks to boot. You may even see the Regimental Cavalry out practicing, or better yet, returning from Changing of the Guard in full ceremonial attire. The Dell Restaurant just at the end of the Serpentine is particularly child and push chair friendly with a huge terrace filled with picnic tables (no one is really going to care if you buy a coffee and bring your own food for the kids) where the kids can lean against the rails and watch the water fowl.

Gate Picturehouse Big Scream: Tuesday 15^th November, 10:30, babies less than 1 year of age.  The Awakening with Imelda Saunton, Dominic West and Rebecca Hall; set in a 1920’s English country boarding school, the film explores a sceptics encounter with supernatural phenomena. 

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

Babies and Toddlers:

Classical Babies: Wednesday, 11:00,InterchangeStudiosBelsizePark, £10, babies and toddlers.  Come join Anna Wagstaff and Tanya Ursova Owens for a cello and piano recital. 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=200150270059506

Babies, Toddlers and Children:

Hyde ParkWinter Wonderland: Thank you to the very fabulous Anna for giving my family tickets to the press opening; London-baby.com has moved to an asset from a liability in my husbands eyes. We look forward to posting a review of all the rides, food and cocktails next week!!

http://www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/

Meet the Gruffalo at Selfridges: Saturday 19^th, 2-4pm, 4^th floor toy department Selfridges.  Come join the Gruffalo for storytelling and face painting (great way for one parent to get some shopping done)

http://style.selfridges.com/whats-on/meet-gruffalo-selfridges-london

Mini Maestro London Musical Arts Orchestra at St Martinin the Field, Saturday 19^th, 4:30 – 5:30, Beethovan’s Eroica Symphony, ages 4 – 12.   Fantastic, interactive orchestra who bring children into the performance. 

http://www.lmaorchestra.com/

South Kensington Festival:

Start booking for drawing workshops, film and book signing.  Quentin Blake and Lauren Child are just a few of the top children’s literati who will be working with our kids. 

http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/southkenkidsfest/events/sat26nov.html

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 …

 Tuesday 26^th July, Westminster Abbey: Royal Wedding Forever.  2:30pm – 4:00pm, free (ages 4+).  Find out all about the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  Sessions are limited to 40 children, so book ahead. http://www.westminster-abbey.org/whats-on/events/2011/july/summer-holiday-childrens-events-at-westminster-abbey

 Wednesday 27^th – Sunday 31^st July, National Theatre: Watch This Space.  All ages, free.  Loads of free performances music, manic pie throwing, miniature sets and plays, monkeys trampolining, an eclectic mix of performances beginning around 1pm and ending around 6pm. http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/wts

  Thursday 28^th July, Westminster Abbey: Make Like a Monk.  2:30pm – 4:00pm, free (ages 4+) Learn about the monks of Westminster Abbey and meet brother William who worked in the garden.  Discover natural plant dyes and have a go at dying a T-shirt yourself.  http://www.westminster-abbey.org/whats-on/events/2011/july/summer-holiday-childrens-events-at-westminster-abbey

 Saturday 30^th July, Royal Albert Hall: BBC Family Prom, Horrible Histories.  11am- 2pm, free, all ages.  Tickets places have all gone, but on the day of the Prom 1,000 tickets will be release.  Come sing along with the cast of Horrible Histories for the perfect Family Prom http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/whats-on/2011/july-30/23

 Saturday 30^th July, Leicester Square Theatre, “Help I’m a Prisoner in a Toothpaste Factory”.  2:30pm, £7.50 children, £10.00 adults.  Come watch a live recording of a radio drama written by much loved British author John Antrobus.  http://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/126514991/events

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.