Another busy few days ahead with lots of things to do in London with kids packed into our London Kids Weekend Scoop! Some highlights:
Paddington Picnic Weekend at Museum of London and Paddington the Movie opens nationwide, BRICK 2014 LEGO fair at ExCel, Foodies Festival Christmas, Big Fish Little Fish AND Disco Loco family raves, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland continues and there’s family fun at the Winter Illustration Festival!
Wrap up warm, it’s getting nippy out there!
Thu-Sat: Young Vic: Dusk, Young Vic, 66 The Cut, Waterloo, London SE1 8LZ (Waterloo/Southwark tube)
LAST CHANCE: Theatre company Fevered Sleep invites young audiences to prick up your ears and romp around in a forest filled with tiny creatures with fluffy tails. Explore the point at which day meets night in a co-production with Young Vic that blends film and live performance. Fluffy tails will be provided! Aimed at kids ages 4-7, older ones and babes-in-arms are welcome. For toddlers, speak to the Welcome Team on 0207 922 2922 for further info. 10.30am & 1.30pm (Tue & Thu), 10.30am (Wed), 10.30am & 4.30pm (Fri), 10.30am, 1.30pm & 4pm (Sat); £10 (Nov 14-29)
Thu-Sun: BRICK 2014: LEGO Exhibition at ExCel London, E16 1DR (Custom House DLR)
Master builders get ready! Millions of LEGO bricks will be at your disposal for this four day buildathon featuring astonishing LEGO sculptures, construction zones, the people behind LEGO and LEGOland Windsor, toy stores and much, much more. Yes, everything is awesome! VIP entry 10am-9pm, general entry 11am-9pm (Thu-Fri); VIP entry 10am-6pm (Sat/Sun 5pm), general entry 11am-6pm (Sat/Sun 5pm). NB: Tickets for Sat/Sun have already Sold Out! But some remaining tickets on the door for Thu from 11am-5pm and Fri from 11am at £30! (Nov 27-30)
Thu-Sun: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park, W2 (Hyde Park Corner tube)
Grab your Christmas hat and skip on over to Hyde Park for the grand opening of its Winter Wonderland. It gets bigger every year, and you can always look forward to ice skating, a Giant Observation Wheel, a Magical Ice Kingdom, two shows of Zippo’s Circus, German chalets and funfair attractions. All ages. Opens 5pm-9pm (Fri Nov 21), then 10am-10pm daily; park entry is FREE, ride tokens cost £1 and rides start at £2 for kids rides, £3 for adults; book for special attractions and skating in advance at www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/tickets (Nov 21-Jan 4)
Read our Hyde Park Winter Wonderland Review from last year!
Thu-Sun: Ice Skate Vauxhall | Christmas Tree Maze at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, Kennington Lane, London SE11 5HY, UK (Vauxhall tube/rail)
Could this be a contender for coolest ice rink destination of the capital? Visit the Ice Skate Vauxhall rink for a skate around and then get lost as you wander through walls made up of hundreds of Christmas trees spanning nearly a square km. When you reach the centre, there’s a friendly guy in a suit waiting to greet you. There’s also a street food market on site and traditional rides. All ages. 11am-8pm (Sun-Thu), 11am-11pm (Fri-Sat); adult from £10.80/child from £7.65 (Nov 21-Jan 4)
Thu-Sun: The Enchanted Woodland at Syon Park, Syon House, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 8JF (Waterloo to Kew Bridge/Brentford or Syon Lane rail)
I’ve yet to take the babes to this event but perhaps we’ll make it this year! Hugely popular annual attraction that sees thousands of colourful lights illuminating Syon Park gardens for a magical Christmas spectacle. 5-9pm, adult £7/child £3/under 2s FREE (until Dec 8)
Fri-Sun: Paddington The Movie, cinemas across London
The loveable bear from Peru is back in vogue having taken over London with his very own trail, exhibitions at House of Illustration and Museum of London, and of course his big screen debut. By all accounts Paddington the movie is an absolute gem, created by the team behind the Harry Potter movies and starring Jim Broadbent, Nicole Kidman and the bear himself voiced by Ben Whishaw. Nostalgic fun for you, with enough of a modern twist to keep the minis tickly too. (from Nov 28)
Have you followed the Paddington Trail? Find 50 life-sized statues of Paddington Bear at landmarks around London until Dec 30!
Fri-Sun: Foodies Festival Christmas, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL (Shoreditch High St overground/Aldgate East or Liverpool St tube)
Head to Brick Lane for this festival bursting with food and fun for all ages. There will be chef demos, special tastings, a Street Food Avenue (featuring our very own Big Apple Hot Dogs among other foodie favourites), and a charming sounding Elf Cookery School for kids. Other highlights include Craft Beer Market, Cheese Village, Pudding Hall (yum), a life-sized Gingerbread House, live music and entertainment, group Christmas jumper shots in the photo booth and snowball fights in the courtyard! All ages. 11am-8pm (Fri-Sat), 11am-7pm (Sun); adult £18 adv/£16 concs/£20 door (Fri), £20 adv/£18 concs/£22 door (Sat-Sun); 3 day pass £28/£25 concs; 1 day VIP ticket £48; child under 12 FREE throughout (Nov 28-30)
Why not make a day of it and pop into the The Art of the Brick at Old Truman Brewery too?
Sat-Sun: Paddington Picnic Weekend at Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN (St Paul’s/Barbican tube)
It’s a very special weekend at MoL as they welcome Paddington himself for meet and greets, along with talks from some of the people behind Paddington the Movie including visual effects designer Pablo Grillo. You can also hear from Michael Bond’s daughter about what it was like to grow up with Paddington. Plus there are loads of workshops and activities including marmalade making, hat making, a Paddington trail of your own to create and Paddington storytelling. And of course you can check out the museum’s exhibition A Bear Called Paddington. Activities between 12-4pm, FREE entry. NB: come early as tickets for select events are allocated on arrival (Nov 29-30)
Sat-Sun: Little Angel Theatre: Jabberwocky, 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 2DN (Angel tube)
Enter a deliciously dangerous adventure with a boy who leaves the world where grown ups rule, and enters a strange forest where the fearsome Jabberwock patrols. Mischievous musical mayhem from the puppet company behind Jonah and the Whale. Recommended for ages 6+, children under 5 will not be admitted (no baby-friendly performances). Performances at 10.30am, 11am, 1.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm, 4pm (times vary daily, check website); adult £14/ child and concs £12 children/family of 2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + 3 children £48; Friday Fives all performances 5pm for £5 (Fris only) (Nov 29-Feb 1)
Sat: Big Fish Little Fish at Brixton JAMM, 261 Brixton Rd, SW9 (Brixton tube)
Step lively with your tiny dancers at the family friendly rave where DJs Luli and Frank Tope (Rooty) are spinning the old and new tunes this week. The dress-up theme is Superheroes vs Supervillains and as always there’s Happy Monkey crafts, licensed bar, buggy parking, bubble machine, glow sticks, costume themes and a big floaty parachute dance finale. Recommended for ages 8 and under and their parents/carers. 2-4.30pm; adult £8 adv/£10 door, child £4.50 adv/£5 door, non-walkers FREE (Nov 29)
Sat: Winter Illustration Festival Day at the Illustration Cupboard, 22 Bury St, St James’s, SW1Y 6AL (Green Park tube)
Come along for the family fun day celebrating the best of the Illustration Cupboard’s annual Winter Exhibition. Aside from the gorgeous illustrated works to gawp at, there’s also live music, celebrity signings and author readings. Plus it might be a great spot to pick up a special Christmas present as all artwork is for sale from £50, and author signed books from £5.99! 11am-5pm, FREE (Nov 29)
Sun: Disco Loco at Oval Space, 29-32 The Oval, E2 9DT (Bethnal Green tube/Cambridge Heath overground)
Get your boogie shoes on as the Disco Loco is back in action. The hugely popular rave for grown ups with kids returns in a brand new space, with some exciting new additions including High Rollaz roller-skating show and PINS street art doodle workshop. DJs Earl Gateshead, the Lovely Emily and Rev. Milo Speedwagon keep the tunes pumping out. Raffle prizes include a sparkly hoop from Marawa the Amazing’s Hoopermarket and there’s grub from Mama’s Jerk Station! All ages. 3-6pm, £6 adv/£7 door/babies (non-walkers) FREE (Nov 30)
We also like
The exuberant Stick Man is back at Leicester Square Theatre (from Fri through Jan 4); you can discover the immersive fairytale experience for all ages The Hidden House at Westfield Stratford City (from Thu); enjoy a fun day of crafts, shopping and festive family activities at the Nags Head Christmas Extravaganza on Holloway Rd (Sun)