London Kids Weekend Scoop (June 26-28, 2015)

 

 
Is summer here at last? We’ll keep our fingers crossed the weather lingers for the weekend in London. Do head outdoors for Wimbledon screenings (from Monday), city festivals from Hyde Park to Greenwich, an urban beach in West London, dragon boat racing and more. All in our London Kids Weekend Scoop!

 

 

Watch Wimbledon Tennis on a Giant Outdoor Screen

From Mon::Strawberries and Screen: Watch Wimbledon at King’s Cross, Granary Square, NC1 (King’s Cross tube)
We loved watching the Men’s Wimbledon Final match in Granary Square last year and this promises to be the spot to catch more action from centre court and beyond when Wimbledon begins on Monday. The big screens are back, with deck chairs (first 50 visitors), strawberries and cream, jugs of Pimms and rotating street food traders. There will also be pop-up tennis sessions for families held nearby on occasion. All ages. Daily, FREE (until Jul 12)

More places to watch the tennis in London: Wimbledon at One New Change in EC4 (St. Paul’s tube, Jun 29-Jul 12); It’s Tennis Time at Regent’s Place, W1 (Jun 29-Jul 12); Great British Summer Wimbledon on the Rooftop at Cardinal Place in Victoria (Jun 29-Jul 12); Wimbledon at More London’s The Scoop Live Sport Summer series (Jun 29-Jul 12);
Great British Summer in New Square New Street Square in Chancery Lane (Jun 29-Jul 12); and Wimbledon Screenings at Duke of York Square (Jul 10-12);
Wimbledon Live at Westfield Stratford (screenings at Chestnut Plaza on The Street) (until Jul 6)

 

 

This Weekend in London

Fri-Sun: Dot, Squiggle and Rest at Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1SB (South Wimbledon)
Visit this lovely theatre in South London for a charming piece for toddlers created in association with the Royal Opera House. Using puppetry, music, poetry and dance, a fantastical garden is transformed into a miniature universe of dots, squiggles, shapes, sounds and other sensory stimuli for teensy ones to explore. Performance is followed by an interactive session where kids can get hands on with the exciting musical world of dots and squiggles. Ages 2-4. 11.05am & 2.35pm (Sat-Sun, dates and times vary throughout the run); £11.50/concs £9 (Jun 26-Aug 16)

Fri-Sun: National Trust: Urban Beach, Acklam Village, top of Portobello Road, under the Westway Flyover, W10 (Westbourne Park tube)
It’s the final weekend of the In Transit Festival in West London and National Trust invites you to come and hang out at their Urban Beach. Enjoy all the fun of the seaside with beach huts, deckchairs, sandcastle building, dunes, windmills, end-of-the-pier attractions and more. Acklam Village Market will take on a seaside theme and the Portobello Pop-Up Cinema will showcase some sea related flicks. All ages. Entertainment 4pm-late (Fri), beach market open 11am-6pm (Sat-Sun), all FREE (Jun 26-28)

 

 
Fri-Sun: Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, various sites around Greenwich (Cutty Sark DLR/Greenwich rail/Canary Wharf tube)
The annual extravaganza kicks off today for a brilliant sounding 10 days of ‘perception-changing’ outdoor art and performance. The Greenwich Fair features tons of free, family friendly activities and look out for an evocative work dedicated to artist Frida Kahlo, a vibrant opening night chorus and a colourful finale inspired by the Indian celebration of Holi. Plus loads of spectacle, pop-ups, street arts, dance and family friendly activities. See the full Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, various sites around Greenwich (Cutty Sark DLR/Greenwich rail/Canary Wharf tube). All ages. Dates and times vary, FREE (Jun 26-Jul 5)

Fri-Sun: Traces: The 7 Fingers at Sadler’s Wells Peacock Theatre, Portugal St, WC2A 2HT (Holborn tube)
Circus acts that come to London continue to break new ground, like the Traces: The 7 Fingers circus production now turning heads at Peacock Theatre. A blend of film clips, narration, street theatre, comedy and of course dazzling circus stunts creates a high-voltage show that’s guaranteed to light up the stage. 7.30pm (Tue-Sat) & 2.30pm (Sat), 2pm & 6pm (Sun); £15-£38/concs and child tickets half price (Jun 9-Jul 12)

Sat: Big Fish Little Fish at Pride, Soho, W1F (Piccadilly Circus/Oxford Circus/Leicester Square tube)
Our fave family ravers will be out and proud at the Golden Square Family Area, curated by Charlie Condou/Out With The Family at this year’s London LGBT Pride. The theme this year is ‘Pride Heroes’ so costumes are highly encouraged, and there’s loads happening in Golden Square from bands, singers and live theatre to karaoke and the BFLF shindig. Party with DJs Joe Muggs (Boiler Room) and Jody Thompson (Secret Garden Party), and enjoy other staples like Captain Cookie’s craft tables, glitter cannons, parachute dance and bubble machines. All ages. Golden Square Family Area at Pride open 12-8pm; Big Fish Little Fish party from 2-4pm, all FREE (Jun 27)

Sat-Sun: Marylebone Summer Fayre (Bond Street, Baker Street, Oxford Circus tube/Marylebone rail)
It’s back for another year of outdoor entertainment in support of brilliant charity Kids Company. Family fun activities include Vauxhall City Farm petting zoo, inflatable rugby, rollapaluza racing on custom bikes, fairground rides, bungee trampolining, giant inflatable slide, spider mountain climbing tower, kids drawing competition, face painting, pedal-powered smoothies and more. The fayre will take place across Marylebone at a number of venues including Paddington Gardens (main stage), Blandford St (petting zoo), Marylebone High St north end (Sports Zone) and Moxon St Car Park (fairground), so check the website for specific activities. All ages. 6.30pm-11.15pm (Sat); 11am-8pm (Sun), FREE (Jun 27-28)

Sun: British Summer Time: Family Day Hyde Park, W2 (Hyde Park Corner tube)
It’s the final weekend of the summer concert series, featuring boy band Union J, Britain’s Got Talent winners Collabro, Justin Fletcher, Dick & Dom, Shaun the Sheep, Horrible Histories, Swashbuckling Pirates, Spongebob Squarepants, Disney’s Frozen Singalong and many more special guests. There’s an Urban Sports area, gaming zone, YouTube vlog stars on the Summer Stage, along with the usual carnival fun and food outlets. All ages. Doors open 11.30am, tickets from £19.50/family of 4 £50 or £12.50 per head/under 16s must be accompanied by an adult/under 5s go FREE (Jun 28)

 

 
Sun: London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, London Regatta Centre, E16 2QT (Royal Albert DLR)
A hugely colourful event that happens every year with dragon boat racing accompanied by martial arts demonstrations, live music performances, Chinese lion and dragon dancing, and delicious food. Fabulous day out for all ages. Races start from 10am-5pm, event rounds off at 6pm, all FREE entry (Jun 28)

Sun: RA Summer Exhibition: LEGO Architecture Challenge, Main Galleries, Burlington House, Royal Academy of Arts, W1J 0BD (Piccadilly Circus tube)
The annual Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is the world’s oldest open-submission exhibition: helping to launch the careers of Constable and Turner along with some of the YBA artists. You can explore anything from painting and sculpture to photography and film, with original works available to add to your own collection. There are tons of family friendly events going on through August, and we like the sound of their LEGO Architecture Challenge (Jun 28): top architects showcase their brick creations based on the brief of ‘a city that inspires creativity’. All ages. 2-4pm, FREE with RA Summer Exhibition admission (general adult £12/child FREE) (Jun 28 and ongoing to Aug 16)

Sun: Hampstead Heath Family Day (City of London Festival), Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath (Gospel Oak overground/Kentish Town tube)
As part of the City of London Festival, Hampstead Heath Bandstand becomes a riot of colour, sound and activity for children and families with samba dancers, street theatre, hip hop performers, gospel choirs, brass bands and more. There’s some intriguing acts on the line-up (we like Tit for Tat – The Most Dangerous Cup of Tea in the World) and for the finale, children can parade in carnival headdresses they’ve made at the event. All ages. 11am-6pm, FREE (Jun 28)

We also like
Everything is awesome with The LEGO Movie at Everyman Screen on the Green in Islington (Sat); more Saturday morning family film with the charming Moomins on the Riviera at Electric Cinema on Portobello Rd (Sat); the Spongebob Movie at Rio Cinema in Dalston (Sat); Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dancehall in London Wonderground at Southbank Centre (Sun); and Bedford Park Festival rounds off in Chiswick (Sun)