London Kids Weekend Scoop (October 2-4, 2015)

 

 

 
We are whizzing off to Nice on the red-eye for a weekend celebrating a milestone birthday for my mother-in-law. It’s been a while since we hit the South of France, so I’m looking forward to it and will surely report back from our travels.

In the meantime, it’s looking like beautiful weather for the weekend and there’s loads on for families in the London Kids Weekend Scoop. Get out there and make the most of the sunshine!

Fri-Sun: Shaolin Monks at Sadler’s Wells Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street, Holborn, WC2A 2HT (Holborn tube)
The babes are already begging to see the Shaolin Monks in action, rightly anticipating an evening of knife-edge drama crammed with kicks, high spins and choreographed fighting. The annual spectacular returns to Peacock Theatre for another thrilling showcase of kung fu and other ancient martial arts. 7.30pm (Tue-Sat), 2.30pm (Sat), 2pm & 6.30pm (Sun); £15-£38/half-price under 16s (Sep 29-Oct 17)

Fri-Sun: The World Goes Pop at Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 (Southwark/Blackfriars tube)
Celebrating the bold, brash and brilliant genre known as pop art, this sweeping exhibition spans Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The retrospective explores everything from canvas art to photography, pinball machines to advertising campaigns. It’s sure to excite young ones as well as older fans, and under 12s go FREE (Sep 17-Jan 24, 2016, from £14.50)

Fri-Sun: Breaking the Ice at Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley St SE1 2HZ (London Bridge tube)
LAST CHANCE: Discover the tale of the polar bear who made friends with a husky and embark on your own journey into their snowy environment, filled with music, shadows and projection. An immersive adventure created for very young kids by Norwegian vocalist/composer Torgeir Vassvik. For ages 2-5. 10.30am & 1.15pm (Tue-Fri), 10am, 11.15am & 1.45pm (Sat-Sun); under 18s £15, additional adult £5 (until Oct 4)

 

 
Sat: Disco Loco presents Splatter Go-Go at Hackney Showroom, Hackney Showroom, Hackney Downs Studios, Amhurst Terrace, E8 2BT (Dalston Kingsland/Dalston Junction overground)
So they had to cancel their annual festival, but Disco Loco came back with another brilliant sounding event. Billed as a giant paint splatter extravaganza, the Splatter Go-Go party is part of the Fun Palaces national series. Come dressed for messy play (white for max fun) and get ready for spray guns, buckets of paint, paint filled balloons and a big white wall to wreck. There will also be DJs Earl Gateshead (Trojan Sound System), Reverend Milo Speedwagon & Emilia Harmony plus your very special host MC Chu-i. 3-6pm, FREE but booking recommended (Oct 3)

Sat-Sun: Oxygen Family Bounce, Oxygen Freejumping, Vision Industrial Park, Kendal Avenue, W3 0AF (West Acton/Park Royal tube)
London’s biggest trampoline park opened over the summer, and they now offer 60 minute Family Bounce sessions on Saturday and Sunday mornings, exclusively for parents and kids. Leap, fly and cartwheel your way through 150 interconnected trampolines and work the stresses of the week out of your system. They also do special sessions for under 5s, birthday parties and more! All ages. Family Bounce at 10am & 11am; £10 per person (ongoing)

Sat-Sun: Fenton House and Garden Apple Weekend, Hampstead Grove, NW3 6SP (Hampstead overground)
We might be having an Indian summer but we’re well and truly into the month of Autumn and what better way to celebrate than a weekend of apple related fun. Sample old English varieties of apples and juice, cider and cocktails. Buy local produce, make badges, juice apples, play giant lawn games and join in the zip line through the trees on Sunday (extra charge). 11am-5pm, adult £8.50 adult, child £3 child, under 5s FREE (Oct 3-4)

 

 
Sat-Sun: Giant Lego Brick Animals at London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes, London, SW13 9WT (Hammersmith tube)
Head to the London Wetland Centre to see their new trail of LEGO statues, including brick otter, mallard, flamingo and other animals nestling amongst their real life counterparts. There are also LEGO workshops throughout (weekends/daily during half term), you can make your own pumpkin model during Halloween, and of course you can check out the ducks, toads and other wildlife at the centre. All ages. Open from 9.30am; adult £12.75/child £7 (prices with Gift Aid); under 4s FREE (Oct 3-Nov 8)

Sat-Sun: Classic Car Boot Sale at Lewis Cubitt Square, N1C 4UG (King’s Cross St Pancras tube)
Some of the capital’s best street food trucks and wagons will be lining up alongside vintage cars, fashion and accessories stalls and other traders for the Classic Car Boot Sale. You can shop for retro bargains, catch street theatre and walkabout entertainment, enjoy coffee, craft beer and cocktails, climb aboard a heritage fairground ride and hear DJs playing vinyl selections. Be there or be… at some other square. All ages. 10am-6pm, £5 (Oct 3-4)

We also like
London Literature Festival has launched at Southbank Centre, with lots of family friendly readings and activities, including a 4-day staged reading of Moby Dick (Fri Oct 2-Oct 12); the Cake & Bake Show is at ExCel London with Great British Bake-Off Live (Fri-Sun); hear soothing sounds of Mozart at a Mini Maestro Family Concert in the gorgeous acoustics of St Martin-in-the-Fields (Sat); tour the bold and brilliant Ai Weiwei retrospective and take part in a Family Big Draw at Royal Academy (Sun)

BOOKING AHEAD

Horrible Histories at Hackney Empire (Oct 7-11)
Hello Kitty Live: Fashion & Friends (Oct 8)
Michael Rosen’s Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake & Bad Things (Oct 16-Apr 10)
Big Fish Little Fish at Hackney Wick (Oct 18) – Win Tickets to Big Fish Little Fish with Villa Pia!
London Night Owls Sleepover at Museum of London (ages 7-11) (Oct 24)
Storystock at Bush Theatre (Oct 28-30)