Can you feel it yet? Ice rinks opening and the BUMP Rollerdisco at Southbank Centre; Father Christmas shimmies down the chimney at Lyric Hammersmith; Hyde Park Winter Wonderland throws open its gates… yes there’s definitely something in the air screaming CHRISTMAS!
Loads of other activities for you ‘bah humbug’ folk in the London Kids Weekend Scoop including the Framed Family Festival and a sneak preview of The Peanuts Movie. Swoon!
Happy weekend x
Thu-Sat: I Want My Hat Back at National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 9PX (Embankment/Waterloo tube)
Bear’s hat is gone. He loves his hat. He wants it back. Jon Klassen’s 2011 picture book has become an instant classic, and it’s brought to the stage by National Theatre in a production filled with humour, music and surprise. children’s classic. Track Bear on his journey of rediscovery as he searches for his elusive headwear. Described as ‘a treat for everyone aged 3-300′. 10.30am weekdays, 11am & 2pm Sats, no shows on Sunday; adult £12 & £15/child £10 (Nov 12-Jan 2)
Thu-Sat: Elf the Musical at Dominion Theatre, 268-269 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7AQ (Tottenham Court Rd tube)
Just 40 days (gasp!) to go until we pull the crackers, and I’m more than a little ding dong over the opening of Elf the Musical last week. The Will Ferrell comedy is one of my favourite Christmas movies, and now it’s been adapted for the stage, in what we expect to be a big-hearted, toe-tapping experience. Find out what happens when a boy who (wrongly) believes he’s an elf comes face to face with reality. Recommended for ages 4+, children under 2 not allowed. 7.30pm (Mon-Sat) and 2.30pm (Wed & Sat); £30-£83.90 (Nov 5-Jan 2, 2016)
Thu-Sun: Covent Garden Christmas, Covent Garden Piazza and Market Building, WC2E 8RF (Covent Garden tube)
Head to Covent Garden to see the Christmas lights illuminating the Piazza and the giant silver reindeer and Christmas tree overlooking the entire scene. Wildly popular instagrammer and artist @Paperboyo has collaborated with Covent Garden and their ‘Meet Me Under the Mistletoe’ campaign to create iconic looking paper cut-outs, decorating their festive installation of more than 42 giant mistletoe chandeliers in the Market Building. Also worth checking out are the Harrods Christmas Pop Up in Covent Garden and the Oliver Jeffers dipped painting exhibition at 38 Henrietta St (runs until Nov 27). All day, FREE (until Jan 2016)
Thu-Sun: South Ken Kids Festival, Institut français | 17 Queensberry Place | London SW7 2DT (South Kensington tube)
Always popular, the South Ken Kids Festival brings tons of literary and artistic goodness to West London with live workshops, films, readings, talks and drawing events. The collaborative ‘drawing duos’ demos are back with The Big Duo featuring Quentin Blake and Bruno Heitz (Fri Nov 20, 6pm, £5). There’s also a chance to meet established authors and illustrators, watch some charming animated films, or take part in workshops led by the likes of Joseph Coelho, Axel Scheffler, Emily Hughs, Claude Ponti and Okido magazine. Event times vary between 9am-5pm, price range £5-£8 per activity (E-Comics workshop for older kids is £15). Telephone bookings: 020 7871 3515 (Nov 16-22)
Thu-Sun: Skate at Somerset House at the Strand, WC2R 1LA (Charing Cross tube)
It’s officially the ‘hottest’ ice rink in London and it’s open this week with plenty of space to glide, stunning backdrop and top DJs on rotation. Newbies can join the Skate School for beginners and there’s also a Polar Cub Club for under 8s. Hour-long sessions between 10am-11.30pm; tickets from £7.50 (Nov 18-Jan 10)
Thu-Sun: Tintin: Herge’s Masterpiece at Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA (Charing Cross tube)
Tintin was one of those heroes who captured my fantasies when I was little (I even had an imaginary dog called Snowy!). So I’m excited to take the boys to this brand new exhibition. Enter the colourful, eccentric world of artist-author Hergé and Tintin, his daring young reporter, in a retrospective showing the evolution the artwork from early newspaper strips to the globally renowned graphic novels. All ages. 10am-6pm daily (late closing 9p on Thu & Fri); FREE (Nov 12-Jan 31)
Thu-Sun: Baddies the Musical at Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street, Southwark, SE1 2HZ (London Bridge tube)
So you think you know everything there is to know about fairytale’s anti-heroes? What happens when someone rips up the rule books, and it’s hard to separate the good guys from the villains. Follow the Big Bad Wolf, Captain Hook and other famous baddies in this riotous family musical for ages 6+. Shows between 10.30am, 2pm, 5.30pm, 7pm & 9pm (Tue-Sun, performance times vary); adult £18-£28/child £12-£22 (until Dec 24)
Fri-Sun: Southbank Centre Winter + BUMP Roller Disco, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
This weekend sees the return of the awesome Southbank Centre Winter Festival, when the entire centre and area comes alive with all sorts of Christmassy wonders. An exciting new attraction is the BUMP Roller Disco offering families and friends a fun alternative to winter ice skating. Also new are the Rekordelig Cider Lodge to join the festive Winter Market that lights up the riverside parade. Stuff to look forward to in December include a dedicated family area, family friendly shows like the incredible Slava’s Snowshow, The Choir with No Name, and brilliant sounding We are the Monsters for younger kids. All ages. Varying times and dates for performances. Christmas Market open daily 10am-9pm (Sun-Thu) and 10am-10pm (Fri-Sat); FREE entry (from Nov 20-Jan 17)
Fri-Sun: Raymond Brigg’s Father Christmas at Lyric Hammersmith, W6 (Hammersmith tube)
Nothing says Christmas like good old Mr Claus and Raymond Brigg’s sweet (and a little bit £*&! mouthed) version of Father Christmas is a veritable cracker. Lyric Hammersmith brings this well loved tale back to the stage in an enchanting adaptation to warm the cockles for young and old (recommended ages 0-6). Shows from 9.30am (times and dates vary, check the website for your day); £10/babies under 18 months FREE on parent/carer’s lap (Nov 20-Dec 24)
Fri-Sun: The Enchanted Woodland at Syon Park, Syon House, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 8JF (Waterloo to Kew Bridge/Brentford or Syon Lane rail)
It’s back for another wild and wonderful year, the Enchanted Woodland attracts visitors from far and wide to this after dark installation in Syon Park gardens. Hoping to take the babes along this year to check out the thousands of colourful lights illuminating the park for a magical Christmas spectacle. 5-9pm, adult £9/child £3/under 2s FREE (Nov 20-Dec 6)
Fri-Sun: Hyde Park Winter WonderlandHyde Park, W2 (Hyde Park Corner tube)
Hard to believe a whole year has passed since the biggest Christmas fair and theme park in London last opened its gates. Wrap up warm and skedaddle over to Hyde Park for the Winter Wonderland that gets bigger every year. This year we’ll be checking out Zippo’s Circus, and there’s always loads to look forward to including ice skating, Giant Observation Wheel, Magical Ice Kingdom, German chalets and funfair rides. 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 http://hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/tickets (Nov 20-Jan 3)
Read our Hyde Park Winter Wonderland Review from 2013!
Sat-Sun: Framed Family Film Festival at Barbican Centre, Silk St, EC2Y 8DS (Barbican tube)
The annual showcase of films and workshops suitable for kids under 12 returns to the Barbican. Highlights this year include a special preview screening of The Peanuts Movie (Sat 11am & 11.30am); and more great flicks including an animated version of The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. Also come for fun free activities and workshops such as the Studio Anorak Drawing Wall, the Green Screen Studio, and Make your own Headdress workshops throughout the festival. All ages. Dates and times vary, price range £6-£15, some events are FREE (Nov 21-22)
We also like
Tuck into the Taste of London at Tobacco Docks (Thu-Sun); hear Beethoven’s Ode to Joy with your little ones at LMA Mini Maestro at St-Martin-in-the-Fields family concert (Sat); the ice rinks are opening all across London including the Natural History Museum Ice Rink (until Jan 3); see tennis greats in action at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 in Greenwich (until Sun); London Jazz Festival wraps up at Southbank Centre and around town (ends Sun)
Booking Ahead
Cinderella at Lyric Hammersmith (Nov 21-Jan 3)
Cinderella & the Beanstalk at Theatre 503 (Nov 25-Jan 2)
Winterville at Victoria Park (Nov 26-Dec 23)
Children’s Christmas Spectacular at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel (Nov 28)
Big Fish Little Fish at Museum of London Docklands (Nov 29)
Dr Seuss’s The Lorax at the Old Vic (Dec 2-Jan 16)
Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Apollo Theatre (Dec 4-Jan 31)
Nutcracker the Musical at Pleasance Theatre (Dec 8-Jan 3)
Big Fish Little Fish at The Garage, Islington (Dec 13)
