London Kids Weekend Scoop (March 10-13, 2016)

 

 
We’re almost half way through March and galloping towards Easter holidays. Our Easter guides will be coming out sooner than you know (mmm chocolate!), in the meantime have a look at all the brilliant family theatre, London kids weekend cinema, arts fairs, roller disco and family concert fun happening in our London kids weekend Scoop. Too many things to do in London with kids — get out there!

Thu-Fri: Little Angel Theatre: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 2DN (Angel tube)
Enter the magical, mystical and mischievous world of lovers, fairies and someone called Bottom, as Shakespeare’s poetry is made accessible for younger viewers through physical theatre, puppetry and original instrumentation. For ages 6+, ages 5 welcome, under 5s not admitted. Hurry, shows almost sold out! 10.30am & 1pm (Thu), 5pm & 8pm (Fri); £10 / £8 children and concessions/Friday Fives £5 for shows at 5pm (Mar 9-11)

Thu-Sat: Play Holi at Cinnamon Kitchen, 9 Devonshire Square, London, EC2M 4YL (Liverpool St tube)
Put on your protective white suit and step into the purpose-built party pod outside Cinnamon Kitchen, celebrating India’s Holi festival. Pelt each other with non-toxic paint, then enjoy canapés or a three-course feast and cocktails. For ages 5+. 12pm-7.30pm daily; £8 per person (including colours and overalls), £15 per person (including colours, overalls, a Holi-inspired cocktail and traditional canapés), or £38 per person (includes meal and Play Holi session) (until Mar 12)

 

 
Thu-Sun: Affordable Art Fair in Battersea, Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ (Battersea Park/Queenstown Rd rail)
Super family-friendly fair is back in Battersea with thousands of works from over 100 UK galleries, and you can add to your art collection from just £100. There are arty activity packs to keep little ones busy, or take part in amazing workshops like Shapes in Space, Zentanglemania and Okido Meets LEGO. Plus there’s a free crèche for ages 2-10, no pre-booking required! 11am-6pm (Thu-Fri), 10am-6pm (Sat-Sun); adult weekday £10 adv/£12 door, adult weekend £12 adv/£15 door, child under 16 FREE (Mar 10-13)

Thu-Sun: BUMP Rollerdisco at Southbank Centre, under Hungerford Bridge, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Embankment/Waterloo tube)
LAST CHANCE for this pop-up rollerdisco where skates are available from child size 9 to adult size Expect flashy lights, disco balls, pumping tunes and lots of spandex. 11am-11pm daily; adult £10/child £7/Fri & Sat club nights £12-£16 (until Mar 13)

Thu-Sun: Comic Creatrix: 100 Women Making Comics at House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, King’s Cross London N1C 4BH (Kings Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
The UK’s largest ever exhibition of female comic artists, co-curated by Olivia Ahmad and Paul Gravett. Check out works from the 1800s to the present day; from observational comedy to surreal fantasy, challenging biography to subversive dissent. The sweeping exhibition features artists from Marie Duval and Tove Jansson to Posy Simmonds, Audrey Niffenegger and Nina Bunjevac. 10am-6pm, adult £7/child £4/family of 4 £18 (until May 15)

Thu-Sun: Horniman Museum: Dinosaurs – Monster Families at Horniman, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ (Forest Hill overground)
Meet dinosaurs and their dino babies at this interactive exhibition showing how the creatures looked after their eggs, nests and offspring. You’ll get up close and personal with T-Rex’s relative – a life-size Tarbosaurus skeleton cast and see a replica of ‘Baby Louie’, the near-complete skeleton of a dinosaur hatchling. Tons to see and do at this wonderful museum and the exhibition also features interactive stations and illustrations by artist Luis V Rey. 10.30am-5.30pm, adult £7/child £4/family of 4 £17 (until Oct 30)

 

 
Sat: Cadogan Hall: Crash Bang Wallop: Reuse and Recycle at 5 Sloane Terrace, SW1X 9DQ (Sloane Square tube)
Join in this interactive family concert filled with weird and wacky inventions and magical sounding instruments. Claire and City of London Sinfonia teach kids and families how to recycle musical material in these popular shows for ages 3-8. Pre-concert activities from 10am. Show 11am, adult £10/child £8/family of 4 £30 (Mar 12)

Sat: Family Challenge Day at London Canal Museum, New Wharf Road, N1 9RT (Kings Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Take part in a team challenge with your family for Science Week, with mini maker and brain teasing competitions including the Ice and Water detectives trail, the Spaghetti tower challenge, and building a bridge using disposable cups and everyday stationery items. Collect points and win prizes! Your group should have 3-6 people, including one or two adults and at least 1 child under 10. 11am-3pm, drop in; £15 per group

Sat: Shakespeare’s Globe: Twelfth Night for Families at Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, SE1 9DT (Blackfriars/Mansion House tube)
Mark the start of Shakespeare Week in celebration of the Bard with this special performance of one of his best loved rom-coms, Twelfth Night. Shipwrecked twins Viola and Sebastian encounter love and create confusion in Illyria, in a classic tale packed with music and laughter. Ages 6+. 2pm; £5 yard, £10-15 seated (Mar 12 & 19)

Sat: Half Moon Theatre: Tom Thumb at Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 43 White Horse Road, E1 0ND (Limehouse DLR/Stepney Green tube)
The creators of Chicken Licken tell a tall tale about one of the teeniest characters in modern literature. The legend of Tom Thumb is brought magically to life on stage by DNA Puppetry and Visual Theatre, with music and enchanting set design, for ages 4-9. 11am & 2pm; £6/babies under 12 months FREE (Mar 12)

 

 
Sat-Sun: Families Find Out Festival at Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN (Barbican/St Paul’s tube)
It’s Science Week and students from Imperial College are taking over, leading families with kids of all ages on a journey of discovery around the museum. From plague outbreaks to bridge design and the treasures of the Thames, you can seek out elements of science and technology from London’s past, present and future. Recommended ages 5+, younger ones welcome. 11am-4pm, FREE (Mar 12-13)

Sat-Sun: HMS Belfast: Cracking Codes, HMS Belfast, The Queen’s Walk, SE1 2JH (London Bridge tube)
Climb onto the historic ship and learn the art super sleuthing in this special family workshop. You’ll discover how to intercept communications, write and decipher secret messages, and make your own secret code. In association with Maths on Toast. Workshop suitable for all ages with parental supervision. 11-12.30pm and 2-4.30pm; activity free with entry adult from £14.50/child from £7.25/family from £25.45/under 5s FREE (Mar 12-13)

London Kids Weekend Cinema Listings

 

 
A selection of movies screening at some of our favourite family friendly cinemas in London.

Barbican Cinema Framed Family Film Club, Barbican Centre, Silk St, EC2Y 8DS (Barbican/Moorgate tube)
Shaun the Sheep (U) at 11am; Child £2.50/Adult £3.50 (Mar 12)

BFI Southbank: BFI Families, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XT (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Big Hero 6 at 1.30pm; £4-£10.65 (Mar 12)

Electric Cinema Kids Club, 191 Portobello Rd, W11 2ED (Notting Hill tube)
Capture the Flag at 9.30am; adult/child £5 (Mar 12)

Phoenix Cinema Kids Club, 52 High Rd, East Finchley N2 9PJ (East Finchley tube)
Snoopy & Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie at 12pm; Adult/Child £3 (Mar 12)

Prince Charles Cinema: Disney Matinees, 7 Leicester Pl, WC2H 7BY (Leicester Square tube)
The Jungle Book at 1.30pm; £3/£5/£7.50 (Mar 12)

Regent St Cinema Kids Kino Club, 309 Regent St, W1B 2UW (Oxford Circus tube)
The Good Dinosaur at 11.30am; £1.75 (Mar 12)

Rio Cinema Saturday Morning Kids Club, 107 Kingsland High St, Dalston E8 (Dalston Junction/Dalston Kingsland overground)
Fairytale at 11am; Child £3/Adult £4 (Mar 12)

COMING SOON
Soho Hotel Children’s Film Club, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH (Piccadilly Circus tube)
The Iron Giant (Signature Edition) at 12.30pm; £15 (includes ice cream, movie and popcorn + prosecco for grown-ups) (Mar 19)

Don’t miss our Parent & Baby cinema guide;
Look out for our London Kids Cinema guide coming soon, and if you fancy snuggling up with the babes to watch movies at home, check out our picks for Top 150 Family Films!

We also like
LAST CHANCE to see Jeramee, Hatleby & Ooglemore for ages 3+ at Unicorn Theatre (until Mar 15); go batty for Bat Week at Grant Museum of Zoology, all ages, FREE (Sat); get creative with a family day at Whitechapel Gallery inspired by the Electronic Superhighway show (Sat); dance to the tune of The Elves and the Shoemaker at Lyric Hammersmith for ages 3+ (Sat); wear green and get merry at the St Patrick’s Day Festival and Parade in and around Trafalgar Square (Sun); it’s flying fur and fast talking in Puss in Boots at Jacksons Lane for ages 4+ (Sun)

Booking Ahead

Move It Dance Weekend at ExCel London (Mar 18-20)
Museum Night Owls Sleepover for ages 7-11 at Museum of London (Mar 19)
Big Fish Little Fish Camp Bestival Warm Up Party at Zanzibar, Sydenham (Mar 20)
Sport Relief Games at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (Mar 20)
The Goat Race at Spitalfields City Farm (Mar 27)
Easter Weekend in London
BYO Baby Karaoke at Lucky Voice Islington (Mar 31/last Thu every month)
Little Folk with Albo folk concerts for kids and families at The Colour House Theatre, Merton SW19 (Apr 23)
Fun DMC Bank Holiday Monday at Royal Albert Hall (May 30)
London Games Festival in Trafalgar Square (Apr 1-10)
Telling Tales Family Literary Festival at Shakespeare’s Globe (Jul 29-31)

Upcoming Family Festivals

Lunar Festival (Jun 3-5)
Nozstock Festival (Jul 22-24)
Deer Shed Festival (Jul 22-24)
Camp Bestival (Jul 28-31)
Just So Festival (Aug 19-21)
Electric Fields Festival (Aug 26-27)
On Blackheath (Sep 10-11)