Mother’s Day London Weekend Scoop (Mar 8-11, 2018)

 

 
Today we celebrate International Women’s Day and, on Sunday, all the amazing mothers in our lives. High fives, mamas, we rock! For our special Mother’s Day Weekend Scoop, there’s everything from family theatre, to Arabic storytelling, Holi celebrations, roller derby and flower shows. Wishing you all a very Happy Mother’s Day from the whole Babes crew x

Mother’s Day Fun in London with Kids

 

 
Fri-Sat: Cinnamon Kitchen: House of Holi, 9 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YL (Bank tube/Liverpool St tube, rail)
Celebrate the Indian festival of colour this Mother’s Day weekend. Head to the pop-up paint pod outside Cinnamon Kitchen, for a riotous, paint-throwing experience with your family. Overalls and paints provided but prepare to get your hair dirty! There will be tasty nibbles on offer, plus a pop up bar serving colourful Holi cocktails (extra charges apply). Ages 5+. Various sessions between 2pm-8pm (Fri) & 12pm-8pm (Sat): £12-£24 (Mar 9-10)

Fri-Sun: Southbank Centre: Women of the World (WOW) Festival, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
The Southbank Centre’s Women of the World festival is a thought-provoking homage to International Women’s Day annually. Over the weekend, there’s talks, music, exhibitions, film and more. Family friendly activities include Under 10s Feminist Corner (for boys and girls), a comic book workshop, and Badass Girls from History tales. Other highlights: Eve Female Pro Wrestling, Mothers of Colour chat, author Chimamanda Adichie in conversation with Reni Eddo-Lodge and Mum to Mum speed mentoring. Various times and prices, 3 day festival passes available (£60-£80), many activities FREE (Mar 8-11)

 

 
Fri-Sun: Mother’s Day Tea (multiple locations)
If you want to score extra points this Mother’s Day, why not treat her to a lavish tea at one of these quirky Afternoon Tea spots! Nothing says ‘I love you, Mum’ like delicious cakes, fragrant tea, and fat scones with jam and clotted cream. Check out my handy guide for ideas of where to go. (ongoing)

Fri-Sun: Florimania at Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU (Hampton Court rail)
Hampton Court blooms again for Mother’s Day weekend, with stunning florals showcased in and around King William III’s state apartments. This year’s theme is ‘Flowers from Around the World’, with displays from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, India, Holland, Spain and more. Floral demos daily at 11.30am and 2pm, and the Hampton Court Florilegium Society will be showing off their painting techniques. Take the little ones for a run around the famous Hampton Court maze before you go. 10am-4.30pm; general entry adult from £19.20/under 16s from £9.60/under 5s FREE (Mar 9-11)

Fri-Sun: Orchids Festival at Kew Gardens (top picture), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE (Kew Gardens tube/Kew Bridge rail, overground)
LAST CHANCE: Mother’s Day is your last opportunity to see the vibrant Orchids Festival at Kew. The theme is Thailand, with a specially curated display of Thai orchid species. Throughout Mother’s Day weekend, you can also enjoy authentic Thai street food (pad Thai, red chicken curry, jasmine rice) and listen to Thai musicians at 1pm and 3pm. There’s even a Thai afternoon tea menu to spice up your visit. 10am-5.45pm daily (last entry 5.15pm); adult £16/child 4-15 £4/under 4s FREE (until Mar 11)

 

 
Sat: London Roller Girls vs Dublin Roller Derby at Tottenham Green Leisure Centre, 1 Philip Lane, N15 4JA (Seven Sisters tube)
London Roller Girls are back for 2018, taking on two Dublin teams. Watch Batter C Power go toe to toe with the B’s from Ireland, then see Brawl Saints compete against the Dublin Roller Derby A’s. There’s delicious treats and a well-stocked bar. All ages welcome, best for 7+. 4.30pm (doors), 5.30pm (first game starts), 7.30pm (second game starts), 9.30pm (after party); adult £16.15/child £8.43/group discounts available (Mar 10)

Sat: Lake of Stars London Festival, multiple venues including hub at Walthamstow Assembly Hall, E17 4JF (Wood Street overground, Walthamstow Central tube)
Bringing some African heat to London, Lake of Stars is a Malawi-grown festival, taking place in the first London Borough of Culture, Waltham Forest. Take your fly Mama for an infusion of live arts and culture from across Africa and the UK. There’ll be music, film, exhibitions, theatre and more. Daytime activities include family-friendly arts and crafts, Bebop Baby Disco, Family Drumming workshop, hip hop storytelling, and children’s theatre with The Magic Box & Heather’s House of Stories. Stick around for evening gigs by artists from around the globe. All ages welcome. 10am-5pm, mostly free (children’s theatre £6); 5pm-11.30pm, £21-£25; after party until 2am (Mar 10)

 

 
Sat: AWAN: Answer Me, Leila! Children’s Workshop with Nadine Kaadan at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA (Shoreditch High St overground)
Part of Arab Women Artists Now (AWAN) festival at Rich Mix, author/illustrator Nadine Kaadan discusses her children’s book Answer Me, Leila! Dedicated to children with hearing difficulties, the award-winning book tells of Leila in her high tower and Sami who calls her from below. When she doesn’t answer, he works out they speak different languages. Nadine will read in English and Arabic, then lead a live drawing event where kids can create their own Leila character. Also don’t miss the FREE exhibition for AWAN featuring 7 women artists. Answer Me, Leila! is suitable for families with kids ages 5+. 12pm, £4 (Mar 10)

Sat: An Afternoon with Jacqueline Wilson, Museum of London Docklands E14 4AL (Canary Wharf DLR/tube)
Children’s literature favourite Jacqueline Wilson is at Museum of London Docklands to discuss Wave Me Goodbye, her first novel set in World War Two. It’s about 10-year-old Shirley, an East End girl evacuated to the countryside to live with the reclusive Mrs. Waverley. Author of more than 100 books, including the popular Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline will give a 45-minute talk and stay for questions and signings after. All ages, best for 5+. 2pm-3pm, FREE but require ticket (Mar 10)

Sat: Kidzania Wonderlab Pop-Up, Westfield London, Ariel Way, W12 7GA (Shepherd’s Bush tube/overground)
Stun three birds with one stone for Mother’s Day weekend by treating mama to a day of shopping, but also stopping off at Kidzania London for an event with Science Museum! Kicking off Science Week, this one-day show sees the Science Museum’s Wonderlab bringing elements from their interactive gallery for families with 4 spectacular shows. A great opportunity to get the little ones engaged in STEM activities. Recover afterwards with more shopping and Westfield’s food court. All ages welcome. Shows at 10.30am, 12pm, 2.30pm & 4pm; adult £16/child 4-14 £28/child 1-3 £10/under 1s FREE but booking required (Mar 10)

 

 
Sun: Royal Institution: Recipes for Wonder at Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, W1S 4BS (Green Park tube)
Papa and science teacher Alom Shaha hosts an afternoon of invention, using bits and bobs you can find lying around the house. He’ll deliver a talk in the theatre, followed by interactive experiments around the building. Come for fun demos and an exciting approach to hands-on science. For ages 7+ and families. 1.30pm-4.30pm; £16 standard/£10 concs/£7 RI members and patrons (Mar 11)

Sun: Big Fish Little Fish Mother’s Day Rave at Fire & Lightbox, 39 Parry Street, SW8 1RT (Vauxhall tube/rail)
What cooler way to celebrate Mother’s Day in London than raving with multi-award winning Big Fish Little Fish? Dust off your dancing shoes for some big house-meets-rock tunes, spun by world famous Eddy Temple-Morris. Baler & Beale are back with their Techno Tunnel room in Lightbox. As usual, there’s crafting with Captain Cookie, Villa Pia baby chill out zone, bubbles, balloons, glitter cannons, parachute finale, and a licensed bar! Good times guaranteed. Ages 0-8 and their families. 2pm-4.30pm; adult £10/child £7/pre-walking infant FREE (Mar 11)

Sun: Windibops at Jacksons Lane, 269a Archway Road, N6 5AA (Highgate tube)
Volta Flatulence, Caroline Trumpface, Sally Silent But Deadly and Daisy Parphead are creating an explosive experience for little ones at the Windibops laboratory. Bring your own little windbags along, as the trump-some foursome investigate the link between flatulence (yup, farts!) and global warming. The all-female dance theatre company explain the science bit, with dazzling choreography, comedy, colour and fart jokes. Perfect for ages 3-7 and families. 12pm & 3pm; £9.95 (Mar 11)

 

 
Sun: Disco Loco: Mind, Body & Soul at Hackney Showroom, Hackney Downs Studios, Amhurst Terrace, E8 2BT (Dalston Kingsland/Dalston Junction overground/Rectory Rd rail)
Nanas get in free at this Mother’s Day family party with East London ravers Disco Loco. Bringing something for your mind, your body and your soul, the disco crew will be ripping out Motown, R&B and rare groove tunes. The legendary Chu-I hosts with DJs Rev Milo Speedwagon & Mark Rostron, plus DJ Emilia Harmony creating soundscapes for the mind. Licensed bar and refreshments on offer. All ages welcome, from babies ages 6 months and up. 2pm-5pm, £4 per person adv/door, pre-walkers and grandmothers FREE (Mar 11)

Sun: Finders Keepers (Inclusive Family Comedy), at Watermans, 40 High Street Brentford, London TW8 0DS (Kew Bridge rail)
What would happen if two quirky characters, living on the fringes of society, had to look after a tiny baby? Enter the topsy turvy world of Mr Pharaoh and his daughter in a delightfully silly show, described as ‘Steptoe and Son meets Three Men and a Baby’. Their worlds are rocked when a baby turns up in their junkyard home… where did it come from? And does it come with a manual? Highly visual and physical comedy, Finders Keepers is also suitable for audiences with learning difficulties, people with English as a foreign language, and Deaf audiences. For ages 4 to 8 and families. 3pm-4pm; £10/concs £9/family £36 (Mar 11)

Sun: South London Gallery: Sunday Spot with Sofia Niazi, 65-67 Peckham Rd, SE5 8UH (Oval/Vauxhall tube then bus 36 or 46/Elephant & Castle tube then bus 12 or 171, Peckham Rye rail)
Sofia Niazi of OOMK transforms Clore Studio into an experimental printing press, using DIY tools. This Saturday, families can design and print flags and banners to stake their claim on the neighbourhood. Then you can take your flag on a local march, or make it part of the exhibition’s installation. Sunday Spot is an ongoing series of free family activities, every Sunday from 2-4pm. For ages 3-12 and families. 2pm-4pm (gallery open from 11am-6pm), FREE (Mar 11)

We also like
Be inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s flying machine sketches at super cool Lab Live workshop for budding scientists, in Vauxhall (Sat, £7 10am-5pm); head to Poplar Union for their Women in Focus festival (Sat-Sun, various times and prices); great for a Dates with Dads outing, One Aldwych hotel is hosting a Mother’s Day screening of classic film Amelie, with three course meal and bubbly (Sun, £55, 4.30pm); MBNA Thames Clippers are giving a free ticket to mum and a free glass of wine, with an adult river roamer ticket (Sun, £16.30, all day – use code TREATMUM18); wander through 4,000 daffodils in the Garden of Light for the final time at Paternoster Square, representing all those Marie Curie will support in March (ends Sun, all day, FREE)
 

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)
How to Train Your Dragon (PG), 11am; Child £2.50/Adult £3.50 (Mar 10)

CineKids at Cine Lumiere at Institut Francais, 17 Queensberry Place, SW7 2DT (South Kensington tube)
Early Man at 2pm (Sat): £5 (Mar 10)
En Sortant de L’Ecole – Paul Eluard at 11am (Sun); £5 (Mar 11)
Screenings in French, English or French with English subtitles.

Electric Cinema Kids Club, 191 Portobello Rd, W11 2ED (Notting Hill tube)
Horton Hears a Who at 9.30am; adult/child £5 (Mar 10)

Clapham Picturehouse, 76 Venn St, London SW4 0AT (Clapham Common tube)
Moana Singalong at 11.45am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10)

Crouch End Picturehouse, Crouch End Picturehouse, 65 Tottenham Lane,cr Crouch End, N8 9BY (Hornsey/Harringay/Crouch Hill rail)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at 16.20pm; adult/child £2 (Mar 9)
Moana Singalong at 11am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10)

East Dulwich Picturehouse, 116A Lordship Lane, SE22 8HD (East Dulwich rail)
Moana Singalong at 10.30am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10)

Gate Picturehouse, 87 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JZ (Notting Hill tube)
Moana Singalong at 10.30am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10)

Greenwich Picturehouse, 180 Greenwich High Road, Greenwich SE10 8NN (Greenwich Rail)
Moana Singalong at 10.30am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10)

Hackney Picturehouse, 270 Mare Street, E8 1HE (Hackney Central overground)
Moana Singalong at 10.30am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10)

House of Vans: Little Rippers Film Club at Arches 228-232 Station Approach Rd, SE1 7AE (Southwark/Lambeth North tube)
Skate Skool for Little Rippers, followed by screening of classic family films every weekend.
Movie of the Week at 10.15am & 12pm (Sats) & 12.15pm (Suns) – times vary slightly; FREE (Mar 10-11)

Odeon Kids, at Odeon Holloway and multiple locations (some films may vary by venue)
The LEGO Ninjago Movie at 10am; adult/kid £2.50 (Mar 10)

Phoenix Cinema Kids Club, 52 High Rd, East Finchley N2 9PJ (East Finchley tube)
Moana Singalong at 12pm; Adult/Child £3 (Mar 10)

Regent St Cinema Kids Kino Club, 309 Regent St, W1B 2UW (Oxford Circus tube)
Cinderella (animated) at 11.30am; £1.75 (Mar 10)

Ritzy Picturehouse, Brixton Oval, Coldharbour Lane, SW2 1JG (Brixton tube)
Moana Singalong at 10.30am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10)

Stratford Picturehouse, Stratford Picturehouse, Salway Road, London E15 1BX (Stratford tube/DLR/overground/rail)
Moana Singalong at 10.30am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10)

Vue: Mini Mornings, at Vue Islington and other locations (some films may vary by venue)
Ferdinand (U) at 10am; adult/child £2 (Mar 10-11)

Whirled Cinema: Kids Whirled, 259 Hardess Street, SE24 0HN (Loughborough Junction rail/Brixton tube)
The Iron Giant at 10.30am (doors) for 11am (film); adult/child £3 (Mar 10)

BFI Southbank: BFI Families, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XT (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Funday: Wallace & Gromit – The Restored Shorts + Q&A with Aardman co-founder David Sproxton. Funday workshop in the foyer at 11.30am, screening + Q&A at 1.30pm; adult £8/child £4 (Mar 11)

Prince Charles Cinema: Studio Ghibli Forever, 7 Leicester Pl, WC2H 7BY (Leicester Square tube)
Pom Poko at 3.15pm; non-member£8.50/member £6/child £4 (Mar 11)

Coming Soon

BFI Southbank: BFI Families, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XT (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Bambi (U) at 3.30pm; adult £8/child £4 (Mar 18)

Soho Hotel Children’s Film Club, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Easter Special: Early Man at 10.30am (10am brunch); £10 (film only), or £20 (includes buffet brunch at 10am + popcorn and drinks for film) (Mar 25)

Booking Ahead

So You Think You Know about Dinosaurs at Pleasance theatre, Islington (Mar 16-18)
Move it Dance Weekend at ExCel London (Mar 16-18)
Ideal Home Show at Olympia London (Mar 17-Apr 2)
Mwalimu Express African family club at Rich Mix, Shoreditch (Mar 18)
Michael Rosen’s Chocolate Cake at Polka Theatre, South Wimbledon (Mar 23)
The Great British Seaside exhibition at National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (Mar 23-Sep 30)
Fun DMC: Jazzie B Special at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen (Mar 25)

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