Mother’s Day London Weekend Scoop (2015)

 

 
It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday, what have you got planned? The Mother’s Day London Weekend Scoop lists family friendly activities that everyone should enjoy over the coming few days.

From family film, to afternoon tea, the Alexander McQueen exhibition, Mother’s Day canal cruise, and a family barn dance, you’re guaranteed to have a stormin’ time with the greatest lady/ladies in your life.

Happy Mother’s Day to all our wonderful readers! Don’t forget to look at my Mother’s Day Gift Guide for some great gift ideas too.

 

 
Fri: Red Nose Day for Comic Relief, across London and UK
After the brilliant effort of Team Honk and the Comic Relief Danceathon last weekend, the fun continues with Red Nose Day and folks across the country getting silly to raise money for needy people in the UK and Africa. You can make your face funny for money, get involved in a bake sale (look out for the Great Comic Relief Bake-Off on Sat night), or just pop on a red hooter and don’t forget to make a donation. Of course there’ll be loads of mad action on the Red Nose Day telly special in the evening too. All day, FREE (Mar 13)

Sat: Soho Hotel Children’s Film Club: Big Hero 6, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Settle in for a delicious Saturday buffet lunch, ice cream, movie and popcorn (+ prosecco for grown-ups) in the cozy comforts of the Soho Hotel where you can catch brilliant Oscar winning kids flick Big Hero 6. Wonderful treat for mum and her brood. Buffet from 1pm, movie from 1.30pm, £20 with lunch/£10 film only (Mar 14)

Sat: Cinnamon Kitchen House of Holi at 9 Devonshire Square, EC2M 4YL
Fancy a Mother’s Day weekend to remember? Take part in this colourful festival from India at Cinnamon Kitchen’s Holi Pod. Adults and kids can dress up in protective suits and then go wild with paints and powders in a mini version of the Holi Festival that happens every springtime. For a little extra, you can tuck into traditional Indian treats and cocktails for the grown-ups. The kid-friendly Little Holi sessions are from 12-12.30pm & 3-3.30pm (Sat), £8 (until Mar 15)

Sat: LMA Orchestra Mini Maestros Family Concert: Baroque Favourites at St-Martin-In-The-Fields, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ (Charing Cross Rd tube)
Covent Garden is a great place to hang out for shopping, street theatre, food and culture including the Mini Maestros concerts for younger listeners and their carers. On Mother’s Day weekend, you can hear Baroque Favourites from Handel, Pachelbel and Marcello, played by seasoned musicians, in a family friendly performance where little ones are free to interact and explore. For ages 3+. 4.30pm; adult £8.50/child £6.50 (Mar 14)

Sat-Sun: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (main pic) at V&A Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL (South Kensington)
The long-awaited retrospective paying homage to one of the greatest creative talents in fashion design finally opens right ahead of Mother’s Day. The V&A will be crammed to the rafters with fashionistas, but if you can wangle a ticket, you’ll certainly earn some cool points with that style-obsessed lady in your life. 10am-5.30pm, tickets from £16/child under 12 FREE (Mar 14-Aug 2)

Sat-Sun: Red Riding Hood on Puppet Theatre Barge, 35 Blomfield Rd, W9 2PF (Warwick Avenue/Paddington tube)
It’s your last chance to catch this version of the well-known story about a girl who wanders into the wood and finds a big bad wolf in place of her grandmother. 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: Big Fish Little Fish, Shapes in Hackney Wick, 117 Wallis Rd E9 5LN (Hackney Wick Overground)
DJ Si Begg takes us back to the second summer of love in this special Mother’s Day edition of the friendly family rave. Dig out your smiley Ts and love beads for the ‘Rave’ themed party, with all the usual extras: craft area, colouring mural, play tents/tunnels, baby space with soft mats and ball pool, Bakerchef homemade food and cake stall, free glowsticks and transfer tattoos, parachute dance, glitter cannons and bubble machine plus free Happy Monkey smoothies and Bear nibbles to take home. As a special treat for mums, you can reserve a spot with a professional massage therapist (LemonAid Chair Massage, email lemon2aidbalance@gmail.com to book ahead) with ergonomic chair, £10 for 15 mins. 2-4.30pm, adult £8 adv, £10 door (cash only)/child £4.50 adv, £5 door/prewalkers FREE (Mar 15)

 

 
Sun: Mother’s Day Canal Cruises with Hidden Depths Canal Cruises, Pick-up/Drop-off at Granary Square, Canalside Steps, N1C (King’s Cross St Pancras tube)
Board the Lapwing for a special Mother’s Day outing: an hour-long canal cruise along a scenic route of the Regent’s Canal, taking in the 200 year old Islington Tunnel – one of the longest in Britain! You and your party can BYOB and food on the trip, so why not pack a champagne picnic to toast mama on the journey. 12-5pm (hourly); adult £10, child/senior £8. Booking ahead advised on 07456084584 or lapwing@hiddendepthscanalcruises.co.uk (Mar 15)

Sun: Drink Shop Do: Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea at 9 Caledonian Road Islington N1 9DX (King’s Cross St Pancras tube)
‘Let them eat cake!’ is the rallying cry of the Drink Shop Do team, who are offering a specially priced Afternoon Tea with classic finger sandwiches, scones and specialty cakes. Plus there’s a free glass of Prosecco and personalised message for mums. 12pm-6pm, £24 per person/reservations essential £10 deposit per person (Mar 15)

Sun: Family Barn Dance at Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Rd, NW1 7AY (Camden Town/Chalk Farm tube)
Grab your mama and spin her around at the ever popular family barn dance for all ages (bring baby in a carrier). Get your two step on to folk classics, with a live band and a caller telling you how to make your moves. Huge fun for the whole brood. NB: Limited tickets at door, book in advance to avoid disappointment. 3-5pm, adult £7/child £5/under 2s FREE (Mar 15)

More ideas for Mother’s Day

Snap up a bargain at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea (Thu-Sun); make flower cake pops for Mother’s Day with BKD at The Russett, Hackney Downs Studios (Sat); rummage around at the Southbank Centre’s Classic Car Boot Sale (Sat-Sun); mums go free at Lee Valley Park Farms on Mother’s Day (Sun); tuck into the Mother’s Day Menu at The Fish & Chip Shop in Islington (Sun); pause from shopping and enjoy a sumptuous Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea at Le Chalet on the Selfridges roof top (Sun); mums go free at Ham House & Garden (Sun); and there’s a Grease sing-along at the Ally Pally Drive-In Film Club (Sun)

We also like
Maths on Toast at St Pancras Square Library (Sat); Crash Bang Wallop family concert for ages 3-8 at Cadogan Hall (Sat); head to Trafalgar Square for the giant St Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival (Sun)

Images: 1. Butterfly headdress of hand-painted turkey feathers Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen La Dame Bleu Spring Summer 2008 copyright Anthea Sims; 2. Red Nose Day; 3. Hidden Depths Canal Cruises