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

 

 
It’s been a very difficult couple of days for the world at large and Americans in particular, but here in London we can focus on celebrating a rich, diverse, multicultural, open-minded, fair-playing and welcoming environment for people of all ages. The London Kids Weekend Scoop features family theatre, the Southbank Centre Winter Festival, fireworks (still going) and fun ideas to keep everyone happy. Stay upbeat and enjoy the best of the city!

Thu: The Old Vic Families Programme: Tales from the Shed (top pic) at the Old Vic, The Cut, SE1 8NB (Waterloo rail/tube)
The Old Vic launches a delightful season of storytelling theatre for all ages. This weekend (and subsequent dates) sees the arrival of Chickenshed’s wildly popular Tales from the Shed, a world of music and magic featuring puppets that break into song, engaging stories and music for ages 0 to 6. This is a lively show with lots of encouragement for audience participation. Book early for upcoming shows and a special Christmas show on Dec 21! 10am & 11.30am/£6/babies under 6 months FREE (Nov 10 & 24, Dec 1 & 21)

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: 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)

 

 
Fri-Sun: Southbank Centre Winter Festival, South Bank, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Embankment/Waterloo tube)
Do you feel it in the air? That Christmas magic starting to spread from all corners, especially as the Southbank Centre Winter Festival reopens for the season. No Slava’s Snow Show this year sadly, but lots of lovely activities for all ages including: the return of the fabulous BUMP Rollerdisco; incredible tricks and artistry from NoFit State circus; Poggle, a mystical dance piece for little ones; virtual reality experience Treehugger; screenings of Stick Man, followed by storytelling with Julia Donaldson and live illustration from Axel Scheffler; Big Band Winter Karaoke and loads more. Plus the bustling Winter Market where you can pick up a trinket or two. Daily, 9am until late; varying prices for events, many activities are FREE (from Nov 11-Jan 25)

Fri-Sun: RHS London Urban Garden Show, RHS Lindley Hall, SW1P 2QW or RHS Lawrence Hall, SW1P 2QD (Victoria/Pimlico/St James Park tube)
Green fingers at the ready for the first ever London Urban Garden Show, co-curated by Cityscapes. This vibrant new experience provides Londoners and visitors a chance to explore ways to add some colour and life to your home, no matter how small your space. Enter a tropical paradise of species suitable for indoor use. Browse and buy from some of the countries best growers including plants for balconies, sills, small gardens and indoor plants (chillies, olives, oranges and more). Tuck into delicious fare from the likes of SpiceBox, Seedlip, Rupert’s Street, The Inkspot Brewery, Vegan Sweet Tooth, The Gin Garden, and Young Vegans. Meet the experts and take part in a range of workshops from Hand Tied Bouquets to Build Your Own Tinyjohn Terrarium. On Friday evening you can enjoy botanical drinks, artisanal food and DJ Soundclash with £5 entry. All ages (workshops best for older kids and adults). 6pm-9pm (Fri late); 10am-5pm (Sat-Sun) ; £6 adv/£9 door/RHS members FREE (Nov 11-13)

 

 
Sat: Africa Writes Family Workshop: The Eye of the Beholder, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA (Charing Cross tube)
Come and test your spoken word skills at this exciting creative writing workshop led by Joanna Brown of Africa Writes. Inspired by the current exhibition Malick Sidibé: The Eye of Modern Mali, kids are invited to express themselves and transform into Afrobeat poets! Africa Writes helps budding writers of the future develop their creative voice and this sounds like a wonderful session, as well as an opportunity for parents and kids alike to scope out the retrospective on the late, great Malian photographer. Ages 6-12. 12pm-5pm, drop-in (spaces may be limited), FREE (Nov 12)

Sat: Lord Mayor’s Show and Fireworks Display, (nearest tubes Bank/St. Paul’s to arrive, Blackfriars or Mansion House to leave, check TFL for best routes)
If Bonfire Night wasn’t quite your flow, why not check out London’s most exciting fireworks show (this side of New Year’s Eve)? You can hit one of the high spots around town (e.g. Parliament Hill or Primrose Hill) or brave the throngs trying to catch the best views along the river, Best viewing somewhere between Waterloo and Blackfriars Bridges, either on Victoria Embankment or on the South Bank. 5.15pm, FREE (Nov 12)

Sat: King Alfred School Fireworks at The King Alfred School, Manor Wood, 149 North End Road, NW11 7HY (Golders Green tube)
This is one of the best nights on the autumn calendar for the Babes about Town and Big Apple Hot Dogs clan. Every year these fireworks are held in the school grounds along with sensational light shows, glow toys, tasty street food (yup, hot dogs too) and drink, kids entertainment, bonfire and a simply stunning fireworks display. Gates 4.30pm, fireworks 7.45pm; £8-£12 (Nov 12)

 

 
Sun: Big Fish Little Fish West London ‘Around the World’ Family Rave at Acklam Village Market, Portobello Rd, W10 (Ladbroke Grove/Westbourne Park tube)
Lonely Planet Kids team up with BFLF family ravers for a special ‘Around the World’ themed party, with lots of prizes to give away. DJ Chad Jackson (Hacienda/Hear the Drummer Get Wicked) pulls out the big tunes to get up-for-it mums and dads boogieing with their babies and cool kids. These raves typically sell out in a heartbeat, so this is your chance to grab tickets for the hottest afternoon in town. When you’re not dancing, try your hand at crafts with Captain Cookie, hang in the Villa Pia baby chill out space, enjoy snacks and drinks from the licensed bar. 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. 1pm-3.30pm, Tickets are adult £9, child £6 and pre-walkers go free (Nov 13)

Sun: Arts Depot: Captain Flinn and the Dinosaur Pirates 2 – The Magic Cutlass, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, N12 0GA (Finchley Central/West Finchley/Woodside Park tube)
Les Petits, the kids’ theatre arm from the team behind Les Enfants Terribles (Dinner at the Twits, Alice’s Adventures Underground), bring you their hotly anticipated sequel based on the hit TV show on POP. Captain Flinn and the Dinosaur Pirates 2: The Magic Cutlass
is a wild and wondrous adaptation of Giles Andrea And Russel Ayto’s book. Let your child’s imagination sail off with dinosaurs who are pirates, schoolboy hero Flinn and his pals in this fun show filled with music, puppets, smelly sausages and lots of laughs. For ages 3+. 11.30am & 2pm; £8-£12 (Nov 13)

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)
Finding Dory (U) at 11am; Child £2.50/Adult £3.50 (Nov 12)

Electric Cinema Kids Club, 191 Portobello Rd, W11 2ED (Notting Hill tube)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children at 9.30am; adult/child £5 (Nov 12)

Phoenix Cinema Kids Club, 52 High Rd, East Finchley N2 9PJ (East Finchley tube)
Finding Dory (U) at 12pm; Adult/Child £3 (Nov 12)

Regent St Cinema Kids Kino Club, 309 Regent St, W1B 2UW (Oxford Circus tube)
Phantom Boy at 11.30am; £1.75 (Nov 12)

Coming Soon

BFI Southbank: BFI Families, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XT (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Preview: Moana + Q&A with Directors at 12.30pm (Oct 23) & 2pm (Oct 24) and Annie at 2.30pm (Oct 25) & 1pm (Oct 30); adult £11.75/child £4 (Nov 20)

Soho Hotel Children’s Film Club, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Trolls at 10.30am (10am brunch); £10 (film only), or £20 (includes buffet brunch at 10am + popcorn and drinks for film) (Nov 27)

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

Baddies the Musical at Unicorn Theatre (Nov 15-23)
Peter Pan at National Theatre (from Nov 17)
Raymond Brigg’s Father Christmas at Lyric Hammersmith (Nov 18-Dec 24)
Framed Family Film Festival at Barbican Centre (Nov 19-20)
Leaf for babies ages 0-3 at Half Moon Theatre (Nov 24-26)
Babe: The Sheep Pig at Polka Theatre (Nov 25-Feb 5)
Boing! at Unicorn Theatre (Nov 30-Dec 1)
Zoo Nation: The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at Royal Opera House (Dec 30-Jan 22)

Coming Soon: Our Christmas in London guide!