Come out, come out, wherever you are summertime! Don’t let the gloomy weather get you down, there’s lots of family friendly things to do in London this weekend, from a Punch and Judy festival in Covent Garden, to a Kite Day on Streatham Common. And if you’re in the party mood head to legendary nightclub Fabric for the Ultimate Family Rave with Big Fish Little Fish (details further below)!
12 Family Friendly Things to do in London this Weekend
Thu-Sat: Sister Act at Arts Depot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, N12 0GA (Finchley Central/West Finchley/Woodside Park tube)
Sing Hallelujah for Impact Theatre’s bold production of the hit movie, supporting The Amy Winehouse Foundation. Based on the popular ‘90s film with star turn by Whoopi Goldberg, it follows the trials and tribulations of Deloris, a murder witness who hides out at a convent to avoid her gangster boyfriend. She soon finds her calling transforming the stuffy church choir into a sisterhood with soul. Classic musical comedy suited to ages 5+. 7.30pm (Thu-Fri), 2.30pm & 7.30pm (Sat); £22.50/concs £18.50 (May 9-11)
Thu-Sun: Little Angel Theatre: A Necklace of Raindrops, 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 2DN (Angel tube)
Hurry, there’s just a few tickets left for this adaptation of Joan Aiken’s classic book. Discover a world of magic, mayhem and moonlit adventures. Brave young kids go on a voyage through snow and deserts, told through hand-crafted shadow puppets, moving paper scenery, live music and dramatic storytelling. For ages 4 to 11. 1pm on Thu & Fri (last few tickets remaining); adult £13/child £11 (May 8-12)
Fri: Planet Play, Chickenshed Theatre, 290 Chase Side, Cockfosters, N14 4PE (Cockfosters tube)
Friday mornings are a time for puppets, fun and games at the popular Chickenshed Theatre space. Watch and encourage your child as they explore the world around them through a multi-sensory experience of music, song and movement. Ages 0-3 and carers. 10am-10.45am (Fris, except May 31, 2019); adult £6, child £6, babies under 6 months FREE (Fridays until Jun 14)
Sat: Underbelly Festival: Comedy Club 4 Kids, Southbank, Belvedere Road Coach Park, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube, rail)
The Underbelly Festival hosts its first ever Family Fest, and this weekend you can catch stand-up acts suitable for ages 6+ with Comedy Club 4 Kids (May 11 at 3pm, tickets from £10.25). Coming this summer: Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance hall & brand-new Baby Cabaret, Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure for Kids, Morgan & West’s Utterly Spiffing Spectacular Family Magic Show for Kids (and Childish Grownups), Trash Test Dummies, Arr We There Yet, The Noise Next Door, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, Shark in the Park and Basil Brush! All ages welcome (some age restrictions apply for certain acts). Varying times, dates and prices from £8.50; book ahead (Apr 5-Sep 29)
Sat: Royal Observatory Greenwich presents Morning Stars, at Royal Observatory Greenwich, SE10 8XJ (Cutty Sark DLR)
Head to Greenwich for this exclusive early morning show, inviting children with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) plus their families and carers along for an out of this world experience. Explore the night sky and learn what’s visible on the night of your visit and the coming month, with a Royal Observatory Astronomer on hand to answer all your questions. This event saves 50% on the price of a planetarium show with access to the historic Royal Observatory, an Explainer-led activity and time to explore at your leisure. Carers go free. For ages 5+. 10am-10.45am; adult £13, child £6.50, carer FREE (May 11)
Sat-Sun: Barnes Children’s Literature Festival, multiple venues, SW13 (Barnes Bridge rail)
Bookworms large and small converge in Barnes for the annual festival of kiddy lit. See big names like Children’s Laureate Lauren Child, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Ade Edmondson, Matthew Syed, Francesca Simon and many more. There will be sessions with Aardman Animations, author and illustrator talks, signings and workshops, along with live theatre and pop-up performances. Varying times and prices, many activities are FREE (May 11-12)
Sun: The Secret Life of Pets 2: Pomeranian Cafe, The Happenstance, 1a Ludgate Hill, EC4M 7AA (St Paul’s tube)
Here’s something a little bit different, and by little we mean tiny dogs. At the Pug Cafe, they celebrate small dogs like dachshunds, pugs and this weekend it’s the Pomeranian that takes centre stage. The pop-up Pomeranian Cafe is a one-off event in association with Universal Pictures to promote the release of The Secret Life of Pets 2. It’s a select gathering for poms and pom-lovers, where your furry friends will get the star treatment. Pupcakes, popcorn, dognuts, puppuccinos and other goodies are available, as well as food and drink for human guests (afternoon tea, burgers and more). All ages welcome, bear in mind it will be busy! NB: Send booking requests to PomOwnerBooking@gmail.com (Pom owners) or PomLoverBooking@gmail.com (Pom fans): details on Facebook page. Booking slots 12.30pm or 4.15pm (arrive 10 minutes early for a 75 minute slot); £14/£10 for Pomeranian owners (May 12)
Sun: Big Fish Little Fish: Ultimate Family Rave at Fabric, 77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ (Farringdon/Barbican tube)
Prepare for A Party Like No Other, as the multiple award-winning family ravers head back to iconic nightclub Fabric, for only their second time ever. The inaugural Fabric bash was an epic event, and this time it’s DJs Baker & Beale (BFLF legendary residents), Alex Patterson (The Orb – DJ Rave Set), DJ Trax (Moving Shadow) and London Elektricity bringing the dance floor heat. Relive those heady days with your tiny movers, dancing the afternoon away at one of the world’s best venues. These unmatchable events feature Villa Pia baby chill out area, Captain Cookie craft room, licensed bar and mini stalls, free transfers and glowsticks and a parachute dance finale. All ages welcome, best for ages 0 to 8 and carers. 2pm-4.30pm; adult from £12/child £8.50/pre-walking infant FREE (May 12)
Sun: Streatham Common Kite Day High Rd, SW16 3HG (Streatham/Streatham Common rail)
Hey fly girl, it’s that time of year again. Join the Common People in Streatham for the annual Kite Day. The weather seems about right for a breezy day of kite-flying fun, with street food on offer, face painting, bouncy castle and more. Bring your own kites or buy one at the site, and look out for master moves from professional flying crews. All ages. 11am-5pm, FREE (May 12)
Sun: Covent Garden May Fayre & Puppet Festival, St Paul’s Church Garden, Bedford St, WC2E 9ED (Covent Garden tube)
Punch and Judy professors from around the world gather in the garden of St Paul’s Church (aka the Actors’ Church) for this annual celebration of puppets, ribald comedy and family fun. The garden is where Mr Punch first appeared in England way back in May 1662 (featuring Samuel Pepys). Celebrate this uniquely British tradition with brass band procession (from 11am), Punch & Judy shows, maypole dancing, folk music and puppet workshops. All ages. 11am procession, shows from 12.30pm-5.30pm; FREE (May 12)
Sun: Royal Academy Family Studio: Music to My Ears, Clore Learning Centre, Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Heads, shoulders, knees and toes. Get those bodies moving and those imaginations dancing at this fun celebration for National Children’s Day 2019. Dance artist Amy Toner leads a session of music, movement and making that brings the RA Collection of paintings to life. All ages welcome. Drop in between 11am-3pm; FREE (May 12)
Sun: May in a Day Family Folk Festival at Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Rd, NW1 (Camden Town/Chalk Farm tube)
Who’s up for a barnstorming afternoon at Cecil Sharp House? The annual May in a Day family folk arts festival is a celebration to welcome the spring, and it should certainly put a spring in your step. Come for ceilidh, maypole dancing, even clog dancing to keep you on your toes. There’s live music and callers, folk dance performances, and folksy arts and crafts workshops in the garden. 1.30pm-4.30pm, adult £9/child £7/under 2s FREE – limited tickets, booking ahead recommended (May 12)
London Kids Cinema
There’s a late night (9pm) Bugsy Malone singalong this Sat (May 11) at Prince Charles Cinema if you’re feeling nostalgic and want to keep your older kids up. Find links to more Singalong Screenings (Bohemian Rhapsody, Grease etc), plus our regular Kids Club movie listings with weekend screenings for under £5 on our LONDON FAMILY CINEMA page for details!
Booking Ahead
Open Air Theatre at Regent’s Park (May 16-Sep 21)
Urban Village Fete, Greenwich Peninsula (May 19)
Wake Up Gigs for Parents with Luke Marzec + TBA at Ace Hotel, Shoreditch (May 26)
How Does It Feel to Be Loved Kids Disco at The Phoenix, W1 (May 26)
Digital Kids Show at Battersea Evolution (May 26)
Polo in the Park at Hurlingham Park (Jun 7-9)
Peter and the Wolf & Other Stories at Kings Place, N1 (Jun 9)
Zip Now London, central London (Jun 12-Sep 15)
Dots Day: Opera and Ballet workshops for under 5s at Royal Opera House, WC1 (Jun 15)
Fork to Fork at Franklin Primary, NW6 (Jun 16)
Open House Families (architecture festival), multiple locations (Jun 22-23)
The Cally Festival, Caledonian Rd, N1 (Jun 23)
The Great Exhibition Road Festival, Imperial College London (Jun 28-30)
Fun DMC Daytime Family Block Party: Hip Hop Sepcial, Pitch Stratford (Jun 29)
Gelato Festival at Canopy Market, King’s Cross (Jun 29-30)
Aurora Orchestra Far Far Away, Kings Place, N1 (Jun 29-30 & Jul 6-7)
London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival (Jun 30)
**NB: Please note that all event timings and prices are subject to change/cancellation at short notice, so always check ahead with the venue before making a trip!**
May Bank Holiday Weekend Scoop (May 3-6, 2019)
