London Kids Weekend Scoop + Mini Vault Festival Giveaway!

 

 
Hard to believe we’re already at the final weekend in January. It’s been a pretty impactful month but we’re already looking ahead to February, aka Babes Birthday Month, with some excitement.

Our London Kids Weekend Scoop today is headlined by an out of this world giveaway of 2 Family Tickets to the Big Fish Little Fish party at Mini Vaults festival next weekend. Easy peasy entry, details below.

Also hot for this coming weekend is the London A Capella Festival family day, a Variety Spectacular for all the family in Hackney, new exhibition Drawing on Childhood at Foundling Museum and a chance to see Charlie, Snoopy, Lucy and the rest of the Peanuts gang in plush Soho House hotel cinema. Enjoy!

**Win Tickets to Big Fish Little Fish at Mini VAULT Festival!** (Flash Giveaway: ends Feb 1)

 

 
Boy are we excited about this one! Big Fish Little Fish Out of this World Rave at Mini Vault Festival, number 2 on our 16 Things to Look Forward to in 2016, is approaching on Feb 6 (my birthday no less). And it’s going to be one MEGA rave.

Explore multiple underground zones with top DJs, amazing performers, play and chill areas. Highlights include: Korg synth and gadget workshops, surreal entertainers Professor Kayoss and The Answer to Everything Machine, Cariad Interactives light projections, storytelling, archeology workshop with Museum of London digging deep for peculiar treasures from the land and sea, OKIDO play space, Happy Monkey craft area and much more.

Villa Pia, the lush family villa in Umbria/Tuscany, are proud sponsors of the Villa Pia Baby Chillout room and will be hosting a carnival themed photo booth, partly in celebration of the upcoming Carnevale in Italy. Villa Pia are offering Babes about Town readers 2 FAMILY TICKETS (1 adult and 3 kids or 2 adults & 2 kids + any babies go FREE) to 2 of our lucky readers!

Entry is easy: simply visit www.villapia.com and tell us in which village in Italy the villa is based? Answers via email to info(at)babesabouttown.com by midnight on Feb 1, 2016.

Best of luck!

Mini Vault is at The Vaults, Waterloo, Leake St, SE1 (Waterloo tube/rail). 11am-2pm, from £15 (Feb 6). More at http://www.bigfishlittlefishevents.co.uk/events/mini-vault-babyrave-festival/
 

London Kids Weekend Scoop (Jan 28-31, 2016)

 

 
Thu-Sun: Drawing on Childhood at Foundling Museum, 40 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AZ (Russell Square tube)
Visit this lovely museum in Bloomsbury and explore the brand new exhibition Drawing on Childhood, focusing on drawings of orphaned or abandoned children, from the 18th century to the present. The exhibition features illustrations from some of our best-loved children’s literature, including Nick Sharratt’s illustrations for Hetty Feather, James Trotter’s illustrations for Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach; along with other famous faces from Harry Potter to Cinderella. Coram’s Fields playground is just around the corner for blowing off steam afterwards. All ages. 10am-5pm (Tue-Sat), 11am-5pm (Sun); adult £8.25/concs £5.50/child under 16 FREE (until May 1)

Thu-Sun: Snore at Discover Children’s Centre, 383-387 High Street, Stratford, E15 4QZ (Stratford tube/overground/DLR)
Take your baby along for a gentle session with the Story Builders… although don’t expect them to fall asleep. There’s a whole lotta clucking and mooing going on as the farm animals try to slumber, but the dog’s snoring keeps everyone wide-eyed. Enjoy songs, sound effects and storytelling aimed at ages 0-3. Term time Tue-Fri: 11am & 1.30pm (and 2.30pm on Fridays only), Sat-Sun: 11.30am & 1.30pm. Weekdays in the school holidays Mon-Fri: 11.30am &1.30pm; free with regular admission £5* adult/child, £18 family of 4, under 2s FREE under 2s (ongoing until Apr)

Thu-Sun: Cirque du Soleil: Amaluna at Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP (South Kensington/High St Kensington tube)
Marking 20 years of glorious performances at Royal Albert Hall, Cirque du Soleil return to this stunning venue with a never before seen performance, Amaluna. Written and directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus, it’s a celebration of love and femininity with women making up the majority of the cast. Recommended for ages 3+, younger ones will be admitted but use parental discretion as the show is long and can be pretty intense. Doors from 2.15pm, shows at 3pm, 3.30pm, 7.30pm & 8pm; adult from £44.32 to £113.68/child ages 3+ £34.12 to £103.48/under 3s FREE on parent/carer lap (Jan 16-Mar 6)

Thu-Sun: Tintin: Herge’s Masterpiece at Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA (Charing Cross tube)
LAST CHANCE: 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 (until Jan 31)

Thu-Sun: Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EZ (Piccadilly Circus tube)
LAST CHANCE: From the accident-prone team that brought you The Play that Goes Wrong comes this madcap remake of the Peter Pan fable brought to stage. See the cast of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society struggle through flying mishaps, casting disputes and other hitches, and wonder if they’ll ever make it to Neverland! For ages 8+. 2.30pm & 7.30pm (Tue-Sat), 3pm & 7pm (Sun) (times vary, check website for confirmation); £20-£69.50 (until Jan 31)

 

 
Sat: Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie at Soho Hotel Children’s Film Club, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH (Oxford Circus/Tottenham Court Rd tube)
One of the absolute delights of the Christmas season was the release of Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie, a nostalgic look at Charlie Brown, his beloved dog Snoopy and their misadventures with the rest of the gang known as Peanuts. Catch this funny, heartwarming and lovingly animated feature adaptation of Charles M Schulz’s classic comics, in the cosy comforts of Soho Hotel’s cinema. The Children’s Film Club tickets come with prosecco (for grown-ups) and popcorn and ice cream for all. 12.30pm/£15 per person (Jan 30)

Sat: London A Capella Festival: LACF Kids 2016 at Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG (Kings Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
The brand new Kids Zone at the LACF features a range of classes, workshops, demonstrations and concerts, including some free foyer jams. Buy a Kids or Family Pass to enjoy a whole day of music, with a Singing Playgrounds workshop with Ex Cathedra choir, Break out the Beats beatboxing demo, Opus Jam concert, Kidz Alive Gospel Workshop, Disney Family Singalong and loads more. All ages, although aimed at primary kids ages 4-11. From 11am; Kids Pass £10.50 (with accompanying adult)*/Family Pass £25.50 (3 children and 2 adults) (Jan 30)

Sat: Hackney Children’s Theatre Variety Spectacular 2016 at St John at Hackney Church, Lower Clapton Road, Hackney, E5 0PN (Hackney Central overground)
The annual variety show crammed with vibrant acts to brighten up the winter months returns. Expect an eclectic mix of dance, comedy, circus and children’s interval activities. The theme this year is ’Superself’ so come as your favourite superhero or a legend of your own invention. All ages. 11am, £5/family of 4 £17 (Jan 30)

Sat-Sun: BAFTA: For the Love of Film, 195 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LN (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Celebrate the stars of the silver screen in this sweeping retrospective of work by film photographer Phil Fisk. You’ll get sneak behind-the-scenes peeks into the worlds of Harry Potter, among other sets. Plus memorable portraits of Andy Serkis, David Oyelowo, casting director Nina Gold among others. 10am-5pm, FREE but advanced booking essential (Jan 30-31)

We also like
Last weekend to see Hogwarts in the Snow (ends Sun); family friendly retelling of Greek myth Minotaur at Unicorn Theatre, for ages 8+ (until Apr 2); show don’t tell at London International Mime Festival, various locations (until Feb 6); marvel at Lauren Child’s Dolls House at House of Illustration (until Feb 7); get on your bike for Cycle Revolution exhibition for cycling enthusiasts at Design Museum (until Jun 30)

Booking Ahead

Magical Lantern Festival at Chiswick House (Feb 3-Mar 6)
Mini Vault Festival featuring Big Fish Little Fish Out of this World Rave (Feb 6)
Cirque Beserk at Peacock Theatre (Feb 8-24)
Imagine Children’s Festival at Southbank Centre (Feb 10-21)
Chinese New Year (Feb 14)
February Half Term (guide out in February) (Feb 15-21)
Rave-a-Roo at Ministry of Sound (Feb 19)
The Baby Show at ExCel London (Feb 19-21)
Little Folk with Albo folk concerts for kids and families at The Colour House Theatre, Merton SW19 (Feb 27 & Apr 23)
Michael Rosen’s The Big Write Festival at Discover Children’s Story Centre (Mar 3-11)
The First National Trust Children’s Book Festival (Mar 4-6)

Upcoming Family Festivals

Deer Shed Festival (Jul 22-24)
Camp Bestival (Jul 28-31)
Just So Festival (Aug 19-21)
On Blackheath (Sep 10-11)

February Half Term guide coming soon!