London Kids Weekend Scoop (October 13-16, 2016)

 

 
Half Term and Halloween are around the corner and I’m working on guides for both, in the meantime enjoy the London Kids Weekend Scoop featuring a Classical Babies opera morning, a Museum of Childhood sleepover, the (re)launch of Science Museum’s Wonderlab and tons more family activities. Get stuck in!

Featured Event

 

 
Sun: Classical Babies & Villa Pia: Italian Opera for Babies (and top pic) at Normansfield Theatre, 2A Langdon Park Road, TW11 9 Kingston upon Thames
This has to be one of the loveliest events you could attend this Sunday. Classical Babies, Italian opera company ‘Villa in Canto’ and Italian family holiday Villa Pia present a brand new opera experience for families with babies and little ones. Settle into the stunning Normansfield Theatre for an intimate performance of scenes from Donizetti’s ‘Don Pasquale’ complete with full sets and costume. I attended a Classical Baby concert and it’s such a sweet experience, especially seeing how such tiny babies respond to the music and become fully engaged in the lyrical storytelling. The show lasts just over an hour, and there’s soft play mats and toys for the kids to have fun on during the performance. Enjoy refreshments for older ones and embrace this opportunity to find out more about the fantastic Villa Pia, and perhaps to pick up a special offer or two! All ages, ideal for parents with babies ages 0-5. 2pm, adult £12/child FREE (Oct 16)

London Kids Weekend Scoop

Thu-Sat: Fagin’s Twist at The Place,17 Duke’s Road, WC1H 9PY UK (Euston/King’s Cross St Pancras tube, rail)
LAST CHANCE: Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist on a hip hop remix. Avant Garde Theatre takes us back to Victorian London where we reimagine the paths of five characters in the novel through contemporary dance, music and inventive visual storytelling. for ages 8+. Shows 8pm (occasional matinees 1pm or 2pm); £18/£12 concs (Sep 28-Oct 15)

 

 
Thu-Sun: Science Museum Wonderlab: The Statoil Gallery, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2DD (South Kensington tube)
The world’s most spectacular interactive gallery has just opened to the public, with 7 different zones and 50 mind-blowing marvels to discover. Wonderlab reveals the beauty of science and maths as it shapes our everyday lives, and features daily shows including Flash Bang Wallop (think explosions!) and The Rocket Show. You can watch lightning strike before your very eyes, order up a concoction from the Chemistry Bar, or whizz down the giant slides… and that’s just for starters! We weren’t too chuffed about Science Museum charging for its discovery space, but the Wonderlab sounds amazing and you can buy an annual pass to visit again and again and again. All ages. 10am-6pm, day pass from £6 /annual pass from £10 or £39 per family (ongoing)

Thu-Sun: Battersea Arts Centre: Neverland, Lavender Hill, SW11 5TN (Clapham Junction rail/overground, Clapham Common/Stockwell tube)
LAST CHANCE: Enter a tented den and embark on a journey inspired by JM Barrie’s Neverland in Peter Pan, a co-production by Tom Penn and the BAC. Neverland is an immersive show created specially for adult/child pairs, aimed at encouraging that sense of playfulness and wonder between kids and their grownup carers. Be dazzled by 360 video projections and let your imagination free, as music and performance combine to create a truly magical experience. For ages 1-3 and their grownups. 10am, 11.15am & 1.45pm (Mon-Fri); 10am, 11.15am, 1.30pm & 2.45pm (Sat-Sun); £16-£20 for adult + child pair (Oct 7-16)

Thu-Sun: Shake, Rattle & Roll at Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1SB (South Wimbledon tube)
LAST CHANCE: A mind-enhancing experience for babies and toddlers, blending neuroscience with interactive theatre in a collaboration between scientists from Birkbeck University’s Baby Lab and theatre director Sarah Argent. For ages 0-18 months. Varying times from 11am; £12.50/concs £9; babies under 6 months FREE (until Oct 16)

 

 
Thu-Sun: Picasso Portraits at National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place (off Trafalgar Square), WC2H 0HE (Charing Cross tube)
The National Portrait Gallery’s much hyped exhibition explores one of the best known mavericks of modern art’s work, in a breathtaking range of portraits featuring family, friends and lovers. Babies and kids will enjoy gawping at silly looking caricatures and playful takes on Cubism, and this Sunday (Oct 16) tiny hands can take part in The Big Draw family drawing workshop inspired by Picasso Portraits. Advance booking strongly recommended. All ages. adult £17/concs £15.50/child under 12 FREE (Oct 6-Feb 5)

Thu-Sun: Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave, multiple locations across London
Following the success of Up and Down, Gaga Theatre return with a citywide tour of Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave, the first ever adaptation of Quentin Blake’s best loved picture book. The gnarly Mrs Armitage and her dog Breakspear are poised to ride the Californian seas on her custom-built board. All they’re waiting for is the Big Wave… Original music, clever props and projections keep this fun tale surfing along in a theatre piece that’s accessible to all, and best suited to kids aged up to 8. Catch the waves at varying dates and times from 10am at Clapham Picturehouse, Watermans, Brentford, The Tabernacle, Notting Hill, Jacksons Lane, Highgate; Kingston, Grammar Theatre; Hackney Picturehouse; Ritzy Picturehouse; Royal Albert Hall; Abbey Theatre, St. Albans; Chelsea Curzon. Tickets adult/child £14/under 2s FREE (sitting on adult lap) (Oct 5-30)

Fri-Sun: The Chocolate Show, Olympia National Hall
Hammersmith Road, Kensington, W14 8UX (Kensington Olympia tube)

Chocolate. End of. Alright, in case you require more persuading, I’ll mention gooey chocolate cakes, rich velvety truffles, cocoa scented bars, salted caramel scones in a chocolate Afternoon Tea… need I go on? One of the most popular events on the calendar for foodies and chocoholics, the Chocolate Show returns to Olympia this weekend for a feast of activities. Go for tastings, demos by celebrity chefs and brands (Paul A Young, Hotel Chocolat etc), chocolate sculptures, Roald Dahl inspired chocolate workshops with Rococo, there’s even a Chocolate Fashion Show featuring outfits designed entirely with the good stuff. Cocoa Chanel… eat your heart out. All ages. 11am-7pm (Fri), 10am-7pm (Sat), 10am-6pm (Sun); adult £12.50 adv, £15 door/child £8 adv, £10 door/family of 4 £35 adv, £40 door/under 4s FREE (Oct 14-16)

 

 
Sat: Great Ormond Street Hospital Open Day, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, WC1N 1EH (Euston Square/Warren St tube)
The children’s hospital hosts its annual open day in their Biomedical Research Centre. Families are invited to come in for a child-friendly day of investigations and interactive activities exploring medical research and how it improves child health. You can meet researchers and play games to discover the immune system, or how to build your muscles up. Dress up in cell therapy suits, craft a skin model, take part in clinical trials with a twist… and loads more hands-on learning. Ages 5+. 12.30pm-4.30pm, FREE (Oct 15)

Sat: Southbank Sinfonia at Cadogan Hall, Sloane Terrace, Chelsea SW1X 9DQ (Sloane Square tube)
If you can’t make it to the baby opera in Teddington (see Classical Babies above), why not book in for a Saturday session with the Southbank Sinfonia. Hear 33 electrifying young musicians lead you through the intricate wonders of their musical instruments, so that you feel like you’re right inside the orchestra. The show will feature big screen projections and dramatic lighting effects and is aimed at kids ages 5-11 and their families. 11am; adult £10/child £6.50/family of 4 £28 (Oct 15)

Sat-Sun: V&A Museum of Childhood: Magical Museum Sleepover at V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Rd, E2 9PA (Bethnal Green Tube)
Spending the night at a museum sounds like an awesome adventure, and more and more London museums are including a sleepover for slightly bigger kids on their programme. This weekend, the wonderful Museum of Childhood launches its very own Magical Museum Sleepover: an evening of magic, storytelling, twilight museum trail, top secret performance in the morning following a delicious breakfast on the marble floor. Also a great time to check out their new Board Games exhibition. Ages 7-12 + grown up. 7pm-9am, £45 per person (up to 2 children accompanied by minimum 1 adult) (Oct 15-16)

 

 
Sun: Geffrye Museum: Being At Home (Family Day), 136 Kingsland Road, E2 8EA (Hoxton overground)
The marvellous Geffrye Museum hosts a special Family Day for the whole community. Titled ‘Being at Home’, it focuses on how we spend our time in our gardens and our homes during autumn. There’s a wide mix of crafty activities including tea bowl decorating and tea tasting, scented herb bags, giant games, lantern making and a lantern parade finale. Throughout the day you can take part in a museum trail, buy lunch or snacks from the food stalls, or get your faces painted. All ages. 12pm-4.30pm, FREE (Oct 16)

Sun: Big Fish Little Fish: Hackney Pirate Family Rave, 13-18 Sidworth Street, London Fields, Hackney, London, E8 3SD (Hackney Central overground)
The biggest kid-friendly rave on the circuit typically sells out in a hot minute, so this is your chance to bop, twirl and shuffle along to their brand new venue in Hackney for an almighty pirate shindig. DJ Liquid is on the decks, spinning shipshape tunes for all ages to shake a peg to. When you’re not dancing, you can be making crafts in the Happy Monkey craft room, tucking into cakes and other treats, playing in the Villa Pia baby chill out space and much more. There’s also free glowstick and transfer tattoos, colouring mural, licensed bar, giant balloons, glitter cannons and parachute dance. For ages 0-8 and their grown ups. 2pm-4.30pm, Tickets are adult £9, child £6 and pre-walkers go free (Oct 16)

Sun: Dulwich Picture Gallery: World’s Longest Landscape, at Gallery Road, SE21 7AD (Peckham Rye overground, then North Dulwich rail)
Throughout October museums and galleries around the country celebrate The Big Draw, and at Dulwich Picture Gallery this weekend you can join the attempt to create he World’s Longest Landscape, inspired by the exhibition ‘Adriaen Van de Velde: Dutch Master of Landscape’. Renowned illustrators Marion Deuchars, Tom Clohosy Cole (10.30am-1pm), Nicholas Allan & Steve Antony (2pm-4.30pm) will lead the workshop to make a mixed media landscape with a South East London vibe. All ages welcome, best for ages 3+. 10.30am-4.30pm (2 sessions); regular admission prices adult £8/child FREE (Oct 16)

We also like
Celebrate the 4th birthday of Kerb street food collective with a foodie party in King’s Cross (Fri); head to Trafalgar Square for Africa on the Square, an African extravaganza for all the family (Sat); lights, colour, fireworks! It’s Diwali time and you can celebrate Diwali in Trafalgar Square (Sun); make monster finger puppets and hear beastly tales of things that go bump in the night at a Keats House Family Day (Sun);The Big Draw festival of drawing is back at venues across London (until Oct 31); ride on the singing Illuminated Seesaws in Leicester Square (daily, ongoing)

London Kids Cinema Listings

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

Barbican Cinema Framed Family Film Club, Cinema 1, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS (Barbican tube)
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (U) at 11am; Child £2.50/Adult £3.50 (Oct 15)

Electric Cinema Kids Club, 191 Portobello Rd, W11 2ED (Notting Hill tube)
Asterix and the Mansion of the Gods at 9.30am; adult/child £5 (Oct 15)

Phoenix Cinema Kids Club, 52 High Rd, East Finchley N2 9PJ (East Finchley tube)
Gnomeo and Juliet (PG) at 12pm; Adult/Child £3 (Oct 15)

Rich Mix Kids Cine Time, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA (Shoreditch High St overground)
The Secret Life of Pets at 12pm; £1.75 (Oct 15)

Coming Soon

Regent St Cinema Kids Kino Club, 309 Regent St, W1B 2UW (Oxford Circus tube)
Maleficent at 11.30am; £1.75 (Oct 22)

BFI Southbank: BFI Families, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XT (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Half Term Programme: Like Mike (PG) at 12.30pm (Oct 23) & 2pm (Oct 24) and Annie at 2.30pm (Oct 25) & 1pm (Oct 30); adult £11.75/child £4 (Oct 23-Oct 30)

Soho Hotel Children’s Film Club, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Kubo and the Two Strings at 10.30am (10am brunch); £10 (film only), or £20 (includes buffet brunch at 10am + popcorn and drinks for film) (Oct 30)

Check out our Parent & Baby cinema guide;
Our London Kids Cinema page launches soon, and don’t miss our picks for Top 150 Family Films!

Booking Ahead

Bloomsbury Festival (Oct 19-23)
Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue (Oct 21-Jan 29)
Big Fish Little Fish Halloween Monster Mash at Proud, Camden (Oct 29)
Little Angel Theatre: Let’s Fly, for ages 2 to 6 (until Nov 20)
Leaf for babies ages 0-3 at Half Moon Theatre (Nov 24-26)

Coming Soon: Our Half Term and Halloween guides!

Linking up with Cultured Kids