Hello and welcome to our latest Things to do in London with Kids weekend guide. There’s a festival feeling in the air and we’re thrilled to be Official Rock Stars at Camp Bestival! It’s set to be another brilliant time in Dorset. Madness, Leftfield, All Saints and others top the bill. There’s also a whole load of shenanigans planned to keep your family entertained.
This weekend in London, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to party in a field or a street. Head east for Walthamstow Garden Party and Whitecross Street Party. Go a little bit north for Lovebox Weekender and Citadel Festival in Victoria Park. Or venture south for Africa Utopia at Southbank Centre, and the Lambeth Country Show. Find more great festivals throughout summer in our Family Festivals guide.
More things to do in London with kids include watching the Wimbledon Finals on a big screen (see below), open-air theatre with Alice in Holland Park and the launch of the world’s fastest city zip wire!
London with Kids this Weekend: Watch Wimbledon Finals
Thu-Sun: Strawberries and Screen, Wimbledon at Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4BH (King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Can Andy Murray steal another Wimbledon title? We’ll be rooting for Murray and other past and future champs at these glorious outdoor screenings in Granary Square. It’s a brilliant place to watch the finals, or drop by for daily action from centre court and beyond. First 50 bums on seats can bag the deck chairs, and there’s Pimm’s, street food, strawberries and cream and a vibrant atmosphere. Check in for pop-up tennis sessions for families on some dates. All ages. Daily, FREE (until Jul 16)
More places to watch the tennis in London: St Kats Big Screen presents Wimbledon at St Katharine Docks (until Jul 16); Great British Summer at One New Change in EC4 (St. Paul’s tube, daily until Jul 16); Wimbledon at Regent’s Place, W1 (Jul 12 & 16); Great British Summer Wimbledon on the Rooftop at Cardinal Place in Victoria (daily until Jul 16); Wimbledon at London Riviera aka More London’s London Bridge City Summer Festival (Jul 8-9 & Jul 15-16)); Great British Summer in New Square New Street Square in Chancery Lane (daily until Jul 14); and Wimbledon Finals at Duke of York Square (Jul 14-16)
More London with Kids this Weekend
Thu-Sun: Opera Holland Park: Alice in Wonderland, Yucca Lawn, Holland Park, London W8 6LU (Kensington Olympia/Holland Park/High St Kensington tube)
It’s been a few years since we saw this truly wonderful performance of Alice in Wonderland in Opera Holland Park. Now it’s back in the park for another glorious season and this weekend is a great time to catch some open-air theatre. Eleven year old Alice is a curious little girl who travels down a rabbit hole into a world filled with crazy characters and topsy turvy rules. Meet the White Rabbit, the cool and quirky Caterpillar, and the very cross Queen of Hearts in this playful adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic — sung by genuine operatic voices. Best for ages 3+, younger ones welcome. 4pm; adult £15/child £3 (Jul 13-29)
Thu-Sun: What the Ladybird Heard at Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7ES (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Julia Donaldson seems to have cracked the code for lively, educational storytelling that works equally well on the page or the stage. Here it’s her collaboration with Lydia Monks that’s been adapted for the theatre, for a West End run this summer. Puppets, music and audience interaction come together in this tale of two sneaky robbers trying to steal a prize cow. But they get their comeuppance from the unlikeliest source. Lots of farm fresh fun! Recommended for ages 3+. 11am & 2pm (Tue-Fri), 10am & 12pm (Sat-Sun): ticket range £14.50-£25.50/family £65 (Jul 5-Sep 10)
Fri-Sat: Lovebox Weekender, Victoria Park, Crown Gate, Victoria Park, Grove Road, Bow, London E3 5TB (Mile End tube)
Frank Ocean headlines, joined by Chase & Status, Jamie XX, Solange, Rag n Bone Man and other blazing acts for Lovebox Weekender in Victoria Park. Take your noise-reducing headphones for bubba, and head to the park for two days of fun in the sun, with Aztec Disco Golf, Ping Pong, Hip Hop Karaoke and more on the line-up. All ages welcome, bear in mind this is suitable for families but not a ‘family festival’ per se. 12pm-10.45pm; day tickets from from £72.25/weekend tickets from £126.25/under 12s FREE (Jul 14-15)
Fri-Sun: Zip World London, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7JY (Lambeth North, Waterloo, Westminster tube)
We have the Emirates Airline cable cars and the world’s tallest slide in the Olympic Park. Now adrenaline junkies have one more activity to tick off their London bucket list. Zip World London is a brand new way to see London’s skyline, launching off from 35m high (higher than 9 double deckers). Go whizzing along at breakneck speed on what’s described as the biggest, fastest city zip wire in the world! Ages 8+ only, must be accompanied by an adult (up to 3 kids per adult). Min height 1.2m, max weight 120kg. 10am-7pm, daily; adult £22.50/child under 16 £16.50 (Jul 14-Oct 1)
Sat: Whitecross Street Party with Disco Loco stage, Whitecross St and Fortune St, EC1Y 8QJ (Barbican/Old St Tube)
The weekend festival feeling continues over at Whitecross Street for their annual shindig on and off the pavements. One of our favourite raves for east London with kids, Disco Loco, get the party started on stage. Go with your mini movers and groovers for some funky tunes and happy vibes. There’s also dance performances, punk rock choir, Tower Bridge arts and crafts, live street art and of course loads of food on offer from the Whitecross Street Market stalls. All under the theme of the Rise of the Non-Conformists. Turn up and turn out! All ages. 12-6pm, FREE (Jul 15)
Sat-Sun: Foyles Storybox Festival 2017, multiple locations
Take your book worms along to Foyles Storybox, the month-long festival of kids and YA books, that happens at branches in London, Bristol, Chelmsford and Birmingham. Highlights for London include: The Lumberjack’s Beard with Duncan Beedle at Westfield Stratford (Jul 15); The Cat in the Hat Tea Party at Foyles, Southbank Centre (Jul 16); Pirate Party at Westfield Stratford City (Jul 22); Build a Giant Brio Train Set at Foyles Charing Cross Rd (Jul 24); Maisy the Mouse Picnic at Foyles, Royal Festival Hall (Aug 3); Beast Quest magic and games at Foyles Charing Cross Rd (Aug 5). Age range from 0 to 16 and adult carers. Varying times and dates, all activities are FREE (Jul 15-Aug 12)
Sat-Sun: Africa Utopia at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
If you’re craving a visit to the Motherland or you’d just like to discover more about this vast and vibrant continent, then head to the Southbank Centre this weekend. Africa Utopia in collaboration with Baaba Maal, presents a broad mix of fashion, food, dance workshops and family activities all richly infused with some serious Afro-flavours. Witness the return of Chineke! Orchestra (the UK’s first black and ethnic minority orchestra), plus catch screenwriter Amma Assante in talks or Kinetica Bloco and Beatlife’s toe-tapping performance. Tuck into delicious African street food from Pop Up Africa and browse the African marketplace for some cute pieces, trinkets or items for the home. Don’t miss screenings of fab Nigerian-created cartoon Bino & Fino (Sun), and the free African block party on Sat (6pm). All ages. Varying times and prices for performances, many activities are FREE (Jul 15-16)
Sat-Sun: Walthamstow Garden Party at Lloyd Park, Forest Road, Walthamstow E17 5JW (Walthamstow tube)
Every year around 30,000 folks descend on Lloyd Park for for a weekend of free family-centred fun, food and music. Take your under 5s to the Mini Garden party, or watch live stage acts like legendary Toots and the Maytals, La Mambanegra or hip hop troupe Boy Blue entertainment. Keep an eye out for pop-up cinema from the Barbican, street theatre, circus performances, and a plethora of street food stalls. All ages. 12pm-9.30pm (Sat) & 12pm-8pm (Sun); FREE (Jul 15-16)
Sat-Sun: Lambeth Country Show, Brockwell Park, Norwood Road, Brixton, London SE24 0PA (Brixton, Clapham North tube/Herne Hill rail)
Brockwell Park is transformed once again into a world where wellies are wanged, sheep are sheared, and it’s a fully countrified takeover of one of south London’s most popular green spaces. Come for roots reggae, afrobeats, samba, ska, soul and other genres of live music on the big stages. There’s bird of prey displays and sheepdog trials, sporting fun, arts and crafts workshops, family activities and a farmer’s market. Plus loads of delicious food and drinks stalls around. Kids will love the pop-up farmyard brought by Vauxhall City Farm. All ages. 12pm-6pm, FREE (Jul 15-16)
Sun: Citadel Festival at Victoria Park, Crown Gate, Victoria Park, Grove Road, Bow, London E3 5TB (Mile End tube)
Wind out your weekend in London with kids at Citadel Festival, a more relaxed day out from the Lovebox Weekender team. On the main stage you can catch Foals, Bonobo, Laura Marling, Michael Kiwanuka, Oumou Sangare and other hot acts. And don’t miss my mates Charlene the Hoola Queen leading a Hoop Hop session with her dance troupe, plus Big Fish Little Fish throwing down with one of their irresistible family raves. There’s also sports and games, Arcola Theatre, Hackney Playbus, Robots with Science museum and more. All ages welcome. 12pm-10.30pm; adult or child age 12+ £55.25/child 6-11 £5/under 5s FREE – juniors must buy ticket (Jul 16)
London with Kids: Cinema Listings
A selection of our favourite cinemas to visit in London with kids.
Barbican Cinema Framed Family Film Club, Cinema 1, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS (Barbican tube)
Framed Film Club: Sing
Sing (U), 11am; Child £2.50/Adult £3.50(Jul 15)
Electric Cinema Kids Club, 191 Portobello Rd, W11 2ED (Notting Hill tube)
The Muppets Movie at 9.30am; adult/child £5 (Jul 15)
Rock Dog (Jul 22)
Moana (Jul 29)
Phoenix Cinema Kids Club, 52 High Rd, East Finchley N2 9PJ (East Finchley tube)
Chicken Run at 12pm; Adult/Child £3 (Jul 15)
Rock Dog (Jul 22)
Regent St Cinema Kids Kino Club, 309 Regent St, W1B 2UW (Oxford Circus tube)
Rock Dog at 11.30am; £1.75 (Jul 15)
Annie (Jul 22)
Sing (Jul 29)
COMING SOON
BFI Southbank: BFI Families, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XT (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Funday Preview: Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie at 12.30pm; £8 (Jul 23)
Soho Hotel Children’s Film Club, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Rock Dog at 10.30am (10am brunch); £10 (film only), or £20 (includes buffet brunch at 10am + popcorn and drinks for film) (Jul 30)
Booking Ahead
It’s Only Arctic Roll, But I Like It at KERB Kings X (Jul 21-22)
The Place: Family Dance Day (Jul 22)
Ally Pally Summer Festival (Jul 22-23)
Archikids Festival (Jul 22-23)
The Hunting of the Snark at Vaudeville Theatre (Jul 26-Sep 2)
Our Summer in London Holiday Guide is out next week!