Happy 4th of July to all our American readers. At King’s Cross Everyman Summer Love Festival, you can catch a FREE outdoor screening of Independence Day in Granary Square (5pm-7.30pm). And throughout Wimbledon 2019, you can also watch the tennis broadcast live! It’s first come, first served, so get there super early if you want to nab a bean bag.
Our London Kids Weekend Scoop features more Wimbledon screenings around town, circus shows, family theatre, London festivals, toddler-friendly concerts, parent and baby theatre, and poolside family raving at a lido. Dive in.
If you only see ONE THING this weekend…
Thy-Sun: Flip Fabrique: Transit at Underbelly Festival, Southbank, Belvedere Road Coach Park, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube, rail)
We were blown away by Quebecois company Flip Fabrique when we saw their show Attrape Moi (Catch Me) at Edinburgh Festival. Their latest show Transit at Underbelly Festival is packed with wow factor, everything from jaw-dropping aerial stunts to crazy tumbling, hula hooping tricks, mad balancing skills and a trampoline finale that will totally flip you out. We loved it and highly recommend you catch it before they leave town! All ages welcome. 7.30pm (Thu-Fri), 2.30pm & 6pm (Sat); 6pm (Sun); adult from £21/child under 16 from £19.50 (until Jul 7)
London Kids Weekend Scoop: 13+ Brilliant Things to do
Thu-Sat: Greenwich + Docklands International Festival: Closing Weekend, various sites around Greenwich (Cutty Sark DLR/Greenwich rail/Canary Wharf tube)
LAST CHANCE: It’s the final weekend of the festival of outdoor art and performance and you don’t want to miss it. Peep through the doors and windows of a pop-up circus in My House (at Passey Place on Jul 4-5, 11am, 1pm & 3.30pm); and for the glorious finale – Cristal Palace at RAD London – the Royal Docks are transformed into a glittering circus ballroom, followed by fireworks lighting up the sky (at RAD London on Jul 6, 9.30pm). All ages welcome! (until Jul 6)
Thu-Sun: Summer Fun and Wimbledon Screenings at the Postal Museum, 15-20 Phoenix Place, WC1X 0DA (Farringdon, Russell Square, Chancery Lane tube; King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Celebrate the Great British Summer at the Postal Museum with Wimbledon screenings, outdoor games, and beach-themed family fun. Sit on deckchairs in the garden to watch tennis (Jul 1-14), with Pimms, strawberries and cream, scones and cupcakes on offer. On July 20 you can enjoy the first weekend of the summer holidays with live music, planting, games and a delicious BBQ. Of course, there’s lots indoors + Sorted! play space (ages 0-8), and you can take a ride via Mail Rail’s secret subterranean tunnels. Open daily 10am-5pm; adult online from £16/child under 16 from £9/child with Sorted! from £11/under 3s FREE (Jul 1-Aug 31)
Thu-Sun: Everyman Summer Love: Wimbledon Screenings at Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4BH (King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Watch Wimbledon on a big screen in Granary Square as the Everyman Summer Love film festival returns. Catch good vibes and fast serves from centre court. On weekday lunches, grab some delicious street food from KERB’s popular mix of traders. And of course there are fabulous fountains to cool you down if things get heated. The Everyman Summer of Love movie screenings are sold out already, but you can stick around in the evening for returns. All ages. Daily, FREE (daily until Jul 14)
Scroll to the bottom of the Scoop to find more great places to watch Wimbledon screenings!
Fri: Spiderman: Far From Home (Parent & Baby screening) at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA (Shoreditch High St overground)
Take your babes along to Rich Mix for a special Parent and Baby screening of brand new Spiderman movie. We’re hearing great things about this film that picks up after Avengers: Endgame, following Peter Parker on a summer vacation with his mates. Of course, major hijinks ensue. These early screenings are for parents and carers with tiny ones and offer a relaxed environment, lights slightly raised, buggy parking and baby-changing. For adults with babies ages 2 and under. 12pm; adult £6/under 2s FREE (Jul 5)
Find more Parent and Baby screenings on our London baby cinema page
Fri-Sun: Africa Writes at British Library, Harry M Weinrebe Learning Centre, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB (Euston/Kings Cross St Pancras tube and rail)
How’s that African literature stacking up on your book shelf? Whether you’re a long time fan of writers from Ben Okri to Helen Oyeyemi to the fresh new voices coming up, this is a not-to-be missed festival. Three days of words, stories, performances, talks and workshops celebrating the diversity of the continent. Most events are ticketed, but there are FREE storytelling workshops for families (Sat Jul 6 at 1pm-2pm, ages 2-5 & 3pm-4pm, ages 6-11). Find the full programme HERE. Multiple events and timings: day tickets Sat £15/under 18s £10; Sun £12/under 18s £8; weekend pass £20/under 18 £12 (Jul 5-7)
Fri-Sun: The Other Art Fair at Canopy Market, West Handyside Canopy, Just off Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4BZ (King’s Cross St Pancras)
Visit the UK’s leading artist fair presented by Saatchi Art, showcasing emerging talent. This weekend sees the first ever summer edition of the Other Art fair at buzzy Canopy Market. Browse through some astonishing finds from 100 artists whose works are on display, and maybe pick up a gem for your collection. Keep the kids busy with foodie treats, ice cream from Ruby Violet or a splash in Granary Fountain nearby. All ages welcome. Open Fri (12pm-9pm), Sat (11am-7pm) & Sun (11am-6pm); FREE entry (Jul 5-7)
Sat Big Fish Little Fish at Belvoir Sip & Dip Pool Parties, Park Road Pools & Fitness, Park Road, Crouch End N8 8JN (Hornsey rail, Highgate tube)
Come for a pool party with our favourite family ravers, hosted by Belvoir Fruit Farms who will be providing mocktails and cocktails (after 7pm) for you and your brood. Camp Bestival’s DJ Chris Tofu works the decks from 10am. Then fresh from another mad one at Glastonbury, Big Fish Little Fish bring the big tunes all afternoon (2pm-5pm). In the evening, the fun continues with headline DJs Lauren Laverne & Melanie Blatt. Throughout the day, kids can take part in fruity kitchen workshops, face painting, arts and crafts and glitter tattoos. Swimming, chilling and dancing, what more could you ask for on a Saturday? All ages welcome. Sessions at 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm (NB: BFLF only appearing at the 2pm sessions) & 6pm-10pm, adult (16+) £6/child aged 2-15 £4.10/under 2s FREE (Jul 6)
ALSO AT: Brockwell Lido, Dulwich Rd, SE24 0PA, Herne Hill rail (Jul 13)
Sat-Sun: A Child’s Garden of Verse at Puppet Theatre Barge, Little Venice, opposite 35 Blomfield Road, W9 2PF (Warwick Avenue tube)
LAST CHANCE: Hop onto the puppet theatre barge in Little Venice to catch this enchanting show of shadow puppets and marionettes. Delightful stories, poetry and music for ages 3+. 11am, 2pm & 4pm (Bank Holiday shows May 2-6), then 11am & 3pm (regular Sat-Sun); adult £13/child £9/concs £10 (until Jul 7)
Sat-Sun: Aurora Orchestra Far Far Away at Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG (Kings Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Another weekend of gorgeous music with the Aurora Orchestra. Play in the lavender, be a wiggly worm, and let a twinkling firefly sing you to sleep. Kate Wakeling, poet and Aurora Writer-in-Residence, creates stories set to new chamber arrangements of Mozart’s music, so audiences can play, sing and dance along. For ages 0–5 and families. 10am, 11am, 12pm & 1.30pm; £6.50-£8.50 (Jul 6-7)
Sun: Family Arts Workshop: Lines of Expression at Parasol Unit, 14 Wharf Road, N1 7RW (Angel/Old St tube)
Artist educator Alexandra Hughes leads another engaging session, inspired by artist Navid Nuur. Adults and kids are invited to take a tactile and playful approach. You’ll use bold colours and expressive gestures to create vibrant doodles and body tracings on large paper. For ages 5+. 2pm-4pm; adult £3 + child £2 (Jul 7)
Sun: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, at Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, London, SW6 6EA (Putney Bridge tube)
If you and your family loved Aladdin, then you’ll be enchanted by Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Head to Fulham Palace for a special outdoor performance of one of the most legendary tales from the Arabian Nights. Just 5 actors portray the 40 thieves and the lead Ali Baba, who discovers a cave overflowing with treasure. All ages welcome. Gates open 2pm, show at 2.30pm-4.50pm; adult £14/child £8.50/under 3s £3 (Jul 7)
Sun: FREE Outdoor Screening: The Incredibles, Waterside Cinema, Republic, 2 Clove Crescent, East India, E14 2BE (East India DLR)
Watch one of the greatest animated adventures, against an urban lake backdrop. Waterside Cinema is the Republic’s outdoor summer screening event and to wrap up their one week pop-up, there’s a special matinee of The Incredibles. Sit on a deckchair to catch the action, pick up food and drinks on site and best of all you don’t have to fork out for cinema prices! 12pm (last entry 12.45pm)-3pm; FREE – limited numbers so show up early! (Jul 7)
London Kids Cinema
The big cinema release is Spiderman: Far From Home and it’s gaining rave reviews. We love Tom Holland in this role and look forward to some kick-ass action. And if you haven’t seen it already, go watch Toy Story 4 – it’s amazing!
Find more weekend Kids Club screenings for under £5 on our LONDON FAMILY CINEMA page.
Watch Wimbledon Tennis on a Giant Outdoor Screen
Stratford Summer Screen at the International Quarter, Stratford (Jul 1-14); Big Screen Tennis at the Piazza in Wimbledon (Jul 1-14); Wimbledon: Serving Up Summer for Summer Screens at Cabot Square, Canary Wharf (Jul 1-14); Sun, Drinks & Tennis at One New Change rooftop in EC4 (St. Paul’s tube, daily until Jul 14); Sun, Drinks & Tennis on the Rooftop at Cardinal Place in Victoria (daily until Jul 14); Summer By the River: Wimbledon at London Bridge City, SE1 (daily until Jul 14); Sun, Drinks & Tennis in New Street Square, Chancery Lane (weekdays Jul 1-12); British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park: Open House (free activities and screenings) (Jul 8-11); semi-finals and finals at Strawberries & Screen at Duke of York Square in Chelsea (Jul 12-14)
Booking Ahead
British Summer Time: Open House (Free Family Fun) at Hyde Park (Jul 8-11)
Top Secret at Science Museum (Jul 10-Feb 23, 2020)
Early Years Arts Workshop: Project Light at Parasol Unit, N1 (Jul 11)
Big Fish Little Fish at Belvoir Sip & Dip Pool Parties at Brockwell Lido (Jul 13)
Screaming with Laughter: Parent & Baby Comedy at Underbelly Festival (Jul 13)
On Blackheath Festival, Blackheath Common (Jul 13-14)
Big Screen on the Green summer party, at Fulham Palace Gardens and Morden Hall Park (Jul 13-14)
RA Family Studio: Beside the Seaside at Royal Academy (Jul 14)
The Moon at National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (Jul 19 ongoing)
Lyric Fest at Lyric, Hammersmith (Jul 19-20)
Family Dance Day at The Place, WC1 (Jul 20)
Buckingham Palace State Rooms Summer Opening (Jul 20-Sep 29)
Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave at Horniman Gardens (Jul 28)
The Golden Hinde Night Voyage (Family Sleepover), at The Golden Hinde, SE1 (Aug 3 & Sep 14)
How Does It Feel to Be Loved Kids Disco (Sep 29)
My BIG guide to Summer in London will be out sooner than you know. Stay tuned!
**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!**
London Kids Weekend Scoop (June 27-30, 2019)
