London is hot hot hot this weekend (with a few rain breaks, apparently) and we’ve got found lots of fun things to do with kids all across town:
Family Fun Weekend on Tower Beach (top pic), Poetry Festival on South Bank, Lambeth Country Show, Whitecross Street Party, King’s Cross Sports Day, Opera Holland Park Family Day, Something Happening for Kids at The Place…
Stay cool!
Thu-Sun: Poetry International Festival at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
One of my favourite Southbank Centre events was the Rain of Poems when helicopters ‘rained’ down bookmarks filled with poetry from around the world. Now you can indulge in a weekend celebration of the word, with two action-packed days of poetry for young people including nursery rhymes and poetry dance workshops for under 5s, and slam poetry and performance for primary school kids and up. Festival dates, times and prices vary: School of Poetry for young people (Fri from 10.30am) and We Will Not Be Silent family event (Sat, 12pm) are both FREE (Jul 17-20)
Thu-Sun: Barbican Centre: Digital Revolutions at Silk St, EC2Y 8DS (Barbican tube)
This sounds super cool: an immersive exhibition exploring new digital culture and technology, bringing together the worlds of gaming, film, architecture, design and music. Works and new commissions by artists as varied as Bjork, Tim Webber and Framestore (the visual effects team behind the film Gravity) and will.i.am. 10am-6pm (Sat-Wed); Thu-Fri (10am-9pm); adult £12.50/child 5-16 £5/under 5s FREE. Advanced booking essential (until Sep 14)
Thu-Sun: Moominsummer Madness at Polka Theatre (pictured), 240 The Broadway, SW19 1SB (South Wimbledon tube)
The fabulous Moomins arrive at Polka Theatre in puppet form (with music and humour) in a collaboration with Little Angel Theatre, celebrating the 100th birthday of Tove Jansson, creator of the classic picture books. Ages 4+ (plus special All Ages welcome shows for babies). From 11am (dates & times vary); £13.50/concs £9 (until Aug 16)
Fri-Sat: King’s Cross Family Sports Day on Granary Square and King’s Boulevard, N1C 4AB (King’s Cross tube)
Get your kit on for a weekend of tug of wars, egg and spoon races and ‘general bonkersness’ as this sporting event combined with an immersive theatrical performance takes over Granary Square. Just show up ready to play! There’ll be street food from the Kerb collective to keep you fuelled on Saturday. 5pm-8pm (Fri), 11am-4pm (Sat) (Jul 18-19)
Also at King’s Cross: a chance to view the exhibition Quentin Blake: Inside Stories at House of Illustration (10am-6pm daily until Nov 2, adult £7/child £4)
Fri-Sat: The Elephantom at New London Theatre, Drury Lane, WC2B 5PF (Holborn tube)
We absolutely loved this critically acclaimed production that transferred from National Theatre to the West End. A little girl makes friends with a ghost-elephant in her bedroom, and it’s the start of a very messy adventure. Puppetry, music and laughs for ages 3+. 11.30am & 2.30pm (Tue-Fri), 2.30pm (Mon) & 10am (Sat); £13-£20 (Jun 30-Sep 6)
Read our review of The Elephantom
Sat: Something Happening for the Kids at The Place, 17 Duke’s Rd, WC1H 9PY (Euston/King’s Cross tube)
A family festival featuring live dance theatre performance from Bo Diddlers and tons of playful activities for the kids, from Morris Dancing to Windibops, family improv and drop-in events like film screenings of Mission Dance: Secret Agents, Brilliant and Breakfast. 10am-5pm, £8 (Jul 19)
Sat-Sun: Fun on the Foreshore at Tower Beach, The Wood, Queen’s Stairs, HM Tower of London, EC3N 4AB (Tower Hill tube)
Go beachcombing with the City of London Archeological Society at this rare opportunity to visit Tower Beach. At this weekend of family fun at the Tower of London you can dress up as a Roman Briton, play ancient board games, search for artefacts and explore the shore at low tide. 11am-4pm daily: beachcombing activities around 12.30-2.30pm (Sat) & 1.30m-3pm (Sun), FREE (Jul 19-20)
Sat-Sun: Whitecross Street Party, Whitecross St and Fortune St, EC1Y 8QJ (Barbican/Old St Tube)
It’s gonna be a big weekend on Whitecross Street as our favourite East End family rave DJs from Disco Loco get the annual party started with tunes and good vibes (and doughnuts!). There’s a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, a kids activity zone, street art and of course tons of stalls from the Whitecross Street Market crew. 12-6pm, FREE (Jul 19-20)
Sat-Sun: Lambeth Country Show, Brockwell Park, SE24 (Brixton tube/Herne Hill & Tulse Hill rail)
One of the most popular events on the summer calendar returns for the 40th year, bringing a country bumpkin vibe to the urban cool of south London. There will be on site stalls, horticultural shows, sheep dog and owl displays, pop-up farms and more to explore. Plus an eclectic mix of roots, reggae, dub and world music from a variety of bands on the live music stage and in the Village Green Zone. 11am-7pm, FREE (Jul 19-20)
Sun: Opera Holland Park Family Open Day, Stable Yard, Holland Park, London W8 6LU (Kensington Olympia/Holland Park/High St Kensington tube)
All are welcome at this free day of fun where you can join in Alice’s tea party, become part of the OHP chorus, explore backstage, dig into the dress-up box or take conducting classes to become a ‘Minute Maestro’. And don’t forget to book for Alice in Wonderland playing through the summer at Opera Holland Park. 12-5pm, FREE (Jul 20)
Sun: Keats House Family Day, Keats Grove, Hampstead NW3 2RR (Hampstead Heath overground/Hampstead tube)
Enjoy a leisurely Sunday in the glorious gardens of Keats House at one of their monthly Family Day activities. Bring a camera for an afternoon of summer fun and creativity. 1pm-4pm, FREE (Jul 20)
We also like
Pop down to The Ship in Kennington for bouncy castle, giant games, live bands, BBQ and more at the Kennington Music Festival and Family Fun Day (Sat, 2pm-9.30pm or until late for the grown-ups); gospel, jazz and opera singers are part of Sounds Sublime free choral performances around National Gallery and St Martin-in-the-Fields (Sat, 10.30am-5.30pm); pack a picnic for a FREE family friendly day of pop-up dance, theatre and circus at Greenwich World Cultural Festival in Eltham Palace, SE9 (Sun, 12.30pm-4.30pm); all summer long there’s Sunday family fun at Igloo in Islington, King’s Rd and St John’s Wood (Sun, 2-4pm)
