The Vault Festival launches this weekend as featured in my Big London Kids Preview 2015, where Mini Vault is one of the highlights for March. Also it’s Superbowl Sunday, plenty of excuse to kick back in front of a big screen and chow down on ribs, nachos and wings.
But strictly on the local tip, here’s the London Kids Weekend Scoop with a bold mix of family circus, family theatre, baby discos, singing festival, fun with maths (!) and more to keep all ages busy. Enjoy!
Fri-Sat: London International Mime Festival: NoFit State Circus presents Noodles at Jacksons Lane, 269a Archway Rd, N6 5AA (Highgate tube)
It’s your last chance to catch this festival featuring some of the world’s biggest circus, clowning, dance and puppetry acts. Noodles by NoFit State Circus is a family friendly performance with everything from aerial artists to contortionists in a ‘cookery show’ where the pot loses the plot and the noodles go wild! For all ages. 8pm (Thu-Fri) & 3pm & 6.30pm (Sat), £17/£15 concs (until Jan 31)
Fri-Sun: The Railway Children at King’s Cross, Goods Way entrance, Kings Boulevard, N1C 4QL (King’s Cross St. Pancras tube/rail)
The Olivier Award winning production is back at King’s Cross, bringing the classic tale by E Nesbitt beautifully to life. Watch a real live steam train steal the show! For ages 2+. 7.30pm (Tue-Fri), 2pm & 5.30pm (Sat) and 2.30pm (Thu & Sun); £26-£45/25% off for under 16s (until Sep 1, 2015)
Sat: Baby Loves Disco Pyjama Party and Pop Lock-In at DNA London, 1 St Johns Hill, Clapham Junction SW11 1TN (Clapham Common tube/Clapham Junction rail)
The original disco for babes of all ages returns with another stomping weekend. The Pyjama Party (bring your teddies too) is aimed at tiny dancers from ages 0-7 and offers DJs, baby chill-out, buggy parking and a friendly vibe. The Pop Lock-In is aimed at slightly older kids (ages 4-11) and features added attractions including air hockey, foosball and karaoke as well as a mixmaster spinning all the latest tunes. Pyjama Party from 1-3pm, £9.95 for all walking humans; Pop Lock-in from 4-6pm, child £12.95, accompanying adults FREE (Jan 31)
Sat: World Wetlands Day, London Wetlands Centre, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes, London, SW13 9WT (Hammersmith tube)
It’s World Wetlands Day on Feb 2, but they’re celebrating over in Barnes on Saturday with a full day out for all the family. Fun demonstrations are planned, with introductions to some of the most popular species of bugs, birds and dragonflies, plus you can find out how the wetlands are being used in medicine and to clear pollution. All ages. From 10am, adult £12.75/child £7 (gift aid prices), under 4s FREE (Jan 31)
Sat: LACF Kids! at London A Capella Festival at Kings Place, 90 York Way, N1 9AG (King’s Cross St Pancras tube)
Brand new to the annual festival, LACF Kids offers singing workshops for primary school aged kids. Join in fun and games in the Singing Playgrounds, hear singers as young as 4 in the Finchley Children’s Music Group and watch an upbeat performance from the hilarious Countermeasure. Ages 4-12. From 12pm, tickets from £10 to £25 adult + child combined (Jan 31)
Sat: The Book of Life (U) at Framed Family Film Club at Barbican Centre, Silk St, EC2Y 8DS (Barbican tube)
Weird meets wonderful in The Book of Life, an enchanting animation about two childhood friends who travel from earth to the underworld in search of true love and the lives of their dreams. A film about facing your fears and following your passion, from the Gothic imagination of filmmaker Jorge Guttierez. Come early for a pre-screening workshop inspired by Mexican folk art. All ages, recommended for 4+. 10am workshop, 11am film; £2 (Jan 31)
Sat: Maths on Toast at St Pancras Square Library, N1C 4AG (King’s Cross St Pancras tube)
Anything that makes maths fun for kids is great in my eyes, and community maths group Maths on Toast seems to have found the right balance of education and family fun. The Shape Parade held every other Saturday at St Pancras Square Library offers kids and grown-ups a chance to construct, colour and engage with the basics of maths in a relaxed and friendly environment. Ages 5-12, younger siblings welcome. 2-5pm, FREE (Jan 31-Mar 14)
Sat: Grant Museum of Zoology: The Imaginary Menagerie, University College London, 21 University Street, WC1E 6JJ (Euston/Goodge St tube)
Spend an afternoon with the family in this quaint and quirky museum discovering animals that seem like they’re works of fiction. Check out the quagga, the duckbilled platypus and a not very stripy zebra, among other delights. All ages. 1-4pm, drop-in, FREE (Jan 31)
Sat-Sun: Red Riding Hood on Puppet Theatre Barge, 35 Blomfield Rd, W9 2PF (Warwick Avenue/Paddington tube)
It’s the well-known story about a girl who wanders into the wood and finds a big bad wolf in place of her grandmother. But it’s given a modern twist with puppetry, shadow play and music on this famous theatre vessel in Little Venice. Ages 3+. 11am & 3pm (Sat-Sun); adult £12.50/child £8 (until Mar 15)
Sun: Funky Moves Festival of Funk at The Bedford, 77 Bedford Hill, Balham, SW12 9HD (Balham tube)
It’s all happening at The Bedford this February. Next week the wonderful Big Fish Little Fish will be raving at the spot. This Sunday, Funky Moves celebrates its anniversary with a Festival of Funk. There’ll be photo booth action, DJs and performances, groovy makeovers, wicked street dance workshops and a reading corner for more quiet time with the teeniest visitors. And if you book in advance, you can earn a 25% discount on lunch in the pub. 12-2pm, adult £8 adv/£10 door, child £5 adv/£7 door, pre-walkers FREE (Feb 1)
Sun: Kenwood House Family Day, Hampstead Lane, NW3 (Hampstead Heath or Gospel Oak overground/Archway or Golders Green tube)
Start the month with a dose of culture and heritage at the gorgeous Kenwood House. Every first Sunday of the month, the house hosts artists leading creative workshops for all the family. Test out your artistic abilities and explore the gardens and the collections inside. All ages. 12-4pm, drop-in, FREE (Feb 1)
We also like
Have fun at the Hackney Variety Show at Hackney Children’s Theatre (Sat): tuck into The Magic Porridge Pot and other Tasty Tales at Arts Depot (Sun); head to Dalston Holy Trinity Church for the annual Grimaldi Clown Service (Sun)
Photos via NoFit State Circus, London Wetlands Centre, Funky Moves
