Woah, was it snowing earlier today? It’s definitely feeling chillier about town, but that’s no excuse not to head out and enjoy some excellent family events this weekend in London. Take a look at our Booking Ahead section below, to get you in the mood for some amazing things happening in Spring (it’s coming, don’t you worry). Have a happy weekend and enjoy an extra day of February!
If you only see One Thing this weekend in London
Sun: Family Sunday at British Library: Meet Pippi Longstocking, Matt Haig and Anna James + Comedy Club 4 Kids, Knowledge Centre, British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB (King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Head to the gorgeous British Library this Sunday, for your last chance to see the exhibition Marvellous & Mysterious: Literature’s Young Rebels. There’s also a plethora of fabulous family events on the roster (pictured above). Meet Pippi Longstocking celebrates the 75th birthday of Astrid Lindgren’s spiky heroine, in a storytelling performance from Danyah Miller and award-winning director Helena Middleton (10.30am-11.30am, adult £14/child £10.50); bestselling author Matt Haig (The Truth Pixie) talks about his latest book Evie and the Animals (12.30-1.30pm, adult £11/child £5.50); Anna James (Tilly and the Lost Fairy Tales) explores the magic of bookwandering (1.45pm-2.45pm, adult £9/child £4.50). Round off your day with Comedy Club 4 Kids and Silly Politics investigating How Does This Politics Thing Work Then? (3pm-4pm, adult £11/child £5.50). All activities suitable for ages 7+, booking ahead recommended (Mar 1)
11 Excellent Family Events this Weekend in London
Thu-Sun: Fairy Tales at Discover Children’s Centre, 383-387 High Street Stratford, E15 4QZ (Stratford tube/overground/DLR)
Enter a magical world of gingerbread houses, magic beans, giants, trolls and treasure caves. There’s a trail of breadcrumbs to lead you through, and you can stand in a giant’s footprint, or party in a palace disco with the musicians of Bremen. Fairy Tales at Discover Children’s Story Centre is designed to bewitch ages 0 to 8. From 10.10am daily (sessions last 45 minutes); £2 (ongoing)
Thu-Sun: Crazy Golf at Coal Drops Yard, off Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4BH (King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Putt your back into it at the pop-up outdoor Crazy Golf course at Coal Drops Yard. Designed by artists Baker & Borowski and inspired by King’s Cross famed rave scene, the 9 holes will have you navigating stairs and a whole bunch of obstacles. Head to Club Golf to tee off with your crew. All ages welcome, under 12s must be accompanied by an adult. 12pm-8pm (Mon-Sat) & 12pm-6pm (Sun); £5/under 12s FREE – advanced booking recommended, limited walk-ups on day (Feb 19-Mar 25)
Thu-Sun: The Tiger Who Came to Tea at Osterley Park and House, Jersey Rd (off Thornbury Rd), Isleworth, London TW7 4RB (Osterley rail)
LAST CHANCE: Immerse yourself in Judith Kerr’s imagination at this 50th anniversary exhibition for her classic picture book. Learn how she escaped Nazi Germany and step right into scenes from The Tiger who Came to Tea. All ages welcome. 11am-4pm, free with Osterley Park admission: adult from £10.10/child from £5.05/family from £25.25 (until Mar 1)
Thu-Sun: Lightopia at Chiswick House and Gardens, Chiswick, W4 2QN (Gunnersbury overground/Turnham Green tube/Chiswick rail)
LAST CHANCE: Walk along a winter light trail at Chiswick House and Gardens. Lightopia attracts visitors from all over for a surprisingly emotional light and interactive visual feast, inspired by natural elements. 5pm-9pm (Wed-Sun); from £13 (until Mar 1)
Thu-Sun: Cirque du Soleil: Luzia at Royal Albert Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP (South Kensington/High St Kensington tube)
LAST CHANCE: Be dazzled by the world famous circus with their latest show Luzia, set in Mexico. Acrobats, clowns, trapeze artists and aerial performers create a stunning production for all ages. Babes in arms free on parent’s lap, kids aged 3+ must have own seats. From £40.20 to £255.50 for premium with dining (child discounts available); 11am, 3pm, 3.30pm, 7.30pm, 8pm (until Mar 1)
Sat: Little Lyric: Alice and The Little Prince at Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, King St W6 0QL (Hammersmith tube)
Curiouser and curiouser. An Oxford girl meets a boy from Asteroid B-612 in what’s billed as a joyous mash-up of Alice in Wonderland and The Little Prince. When the prince is banned from the Queen of Hearts’ rose garden, will he head back to his planet or stay with his pal Alice (and risk losing his head)? Charming theatre for anyone ages 5+. 11am & 2pm; £9 (Feb 29)
Sat: Tower Bridge Family Activity Days: Making the Bridge Sing, Tower Bridge Road, SE1 2UP (Tower Hill/London Bridge tube/rail, Tower Gateway DLR)
Climb up Tower Bridge this Saturday for another in a series of Family Activity Days at the London landmark. This weekend, you can book a spot on the tower’s new music workshop, inspired by the exhibition Making the Bridge Sing. Play musical games, make sound collages and write your own sea shanty. Why not download the family trail app and take a walk along the glass-bottomed bridge floor! All families get a Family Activity Pass giving you free entry on any family activity day for 6 months. Events are open to all ages, best suited for ages 6 to 10. Activities included in price of Tower Bridge admission. 10.30am-12pm & 1pm-2.30pm; adult £8.80/child 5-15 £3.80/under 5s FREE/family £15.30-£27 (Feb 29)
Sat: Bonhomme at The Cockpit theatre, Gateforth Street, NW8 8EH (Marylebone tube/rail)
Every last Saturday of the month, the Cockpit puts on a family show. This weekend, discover an immersive and participatory show that blends philosophy for kids, object theatre, storytelling and live music to ask the essential question – What makes a good human? ‘Bonhomme’ is described as a family show built with mud and powered by thoughts, suitable for kids age 5-8. All ages welcome, best for 4+. Shows at 11.30am & 2pm; £7/family of 4 £24 (local discounts £5/£16 family of 4, for people living in Church Street Ward postcodes: NW1 5**, NW1 6**, NW8 7**, NW8 8**, W2 1**. Bring proof of address) (Feb 29)
Sat: Meet Florence Nightingale, Florence Nightingale Museum, 2 Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7EW (Lambeth North tube/rail)
Every Saturday, you can meet Miss Nightingale and celebrate her bicentenary in 2020. Find out more about the ‘Lady with the Lamp’ and get to see her pet owl, as well as the actual lamp she once carried! All ages welcome, best for 5+. Museum opens 10am-5pm. Meet Miss Nightingale at 11.30am, 1.30pm & 3pm; free with regular admission – adult £8/child £4 (Feb 29/every Sat)
Sat-Sun: House of Vans: Skate Skool, at Arches 228-232 Station Approach Rd, SE1 7AE (Southwark/Lambeth North tube)
Grab your little rippers and get your skates on for this weekend activity, suitable for young and old. Pick up some skateboarding basics and a few cool tricks with capable instructors to guide you. Ages 5+ for beginners to intermediate skaters. Hurry, as tickets fly fast. Lessons last 1 hour, 10am & 11am (Sat), 12pm & 1pm (Sun); FREE – booking required (tickets held up to 10 min. after start of each session). (Feb 29-Mar 1/every weekend)
Sat-Sun: Brer Rabbit Visits Africa at Puppet Theatre Barge, Little Venice, opposite 35 Blomfield Road, W9 2PF (Warwick Avenue tube)
Visit this sweet boat theatre in Little Venice to see Brer Rabbit travel to Africa. When he visits his grandma and gets into trouble, animal friends – elephant, lion and tortoise alike – gather to help. Written especially for the Puppet Theatre Barge, this show is based on the classic Brer Rabbit tales. Performed using traditional hand carved marionettes and is narrated beautifully by Rudolf Walker. For ages 4+. 11am & 3pm; £5 + donations welcome (Feb 29-Jul 5)
London Kids Cinema
The fantastic How to Train Your Dragon 2D is this weekend’s Saturday movie matinee at Picturehouse Cinemas around London.
Find other weekend Kids Club film listings (tickets for under £5) on our LONDON FAMILY CINEMA page.
Booking Ahead
Mustard Doesn’t Go with Girls at Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith (Mar 7)
Mi5 Fantastic Secret Agent Spy Party, at Under 1 Roof, Woolwich SE18 (Mar 7)
Tommee Tippee SleepFest, The Yard, Hackney (Mar 13)
Opera for Kids: Serenades and Songs at Royal Albert Hall, SW7 (Mar 14)
Family Day: Funky Flowers at Keats House, Hampstead (Mar 15)
Tiny Dancers Family Rave: Mother’s Day at the Clapham Grand (Mar 21)
Mulan, live action (opens Mar 27)
Knightmare Live at Kings Place, N1 (Mar 29)
Electronic: From Kraftwerk to the Chemical Brothers for ages 12+ at Design Museum (Apr 1-Jul 26)
Groove Baby Presents: Groove into the Woods at Kings Place, N1 (May 3)
Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature at Natural History Museum (May 22-Jan 3, 2021)
Relaxed Performance: The Gruffalo + the Snail and the Whale in Concert at Royal Albert Hall, SW7 (May 29)
Life of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Rd, WC2H 0DA (Jun 28-Oct 4)
**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!**
Pancake Day: London Races + Easy Pancake Recipe
