Christmas lights are on in central London, another ice rink is open (and a buzzy new rollerskating rink) and those festive bells are definitely starting to jingle. My Family Friendly Guide to London this Weekend includes puppets, monster shopping, intergalactic adventures, wintry sports and more. Also the Black Panther sequel opens on Friday and I’m counting down the minutes. Don’t forget Sunday is Remembrance Sunday with a two-minute silence and a number of activities happening around the city.
Family Friendly Guide to London this Weekend: 12 Things to Do with Kids
Thu-Fri: Pinocchio at Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley St, SE1 2HZ (London Bridge tube/rail)
Meet the little puppet who is so desperate to be a real boy but can’t help telling fibs. Enter Geppetto’s workshop at Unicorn’s latest Christmas production, filled with gingerbread villages and snow-capped mountains. For ages 7+. Various showtimes at 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 1pm & 2.30pm (Tue-Fri); adult £19-£29.50 (previews £14)/child £13-£21 (previews £11.50) (Nov 6-Dec 31)
Thu-Fri: Hoxton Street Monster Supplies at Leadenhall Market, 16 Leadenhall Market, Gracechurch St EC3V 1LT (Monument/Bank tube, Fenchurch St rail)
LAST CHANCE: Rat brains, anyone? What about some claw and paw soap? Pick up a gruesome treat from the East End’s most famous monster shop at their Leadenhall Market pop-up. 11am-6pm; FREE entry (until Nov 11)
Thu-Sun: Secret Cinema X Marvel Studio: Guardians of the Galaxy, at Secret Location, Wembley Park, London (Wembley Park tube)
Escape reality on a sci fi cinema mission that plunges you into the heart of the Guardians of the Galaxy storyline. Ages 18+ with selected matinees for ages 12+. Limited availability. 6pm (Wed-Thu), 5.30pm (Fri), 2.30pm & 5.30pm (Sat), 1.30pm & 4.30pm (Sun); from £35 (until Dec 4)
Thu-Sun: Club Curling at Coal Drops Yard N1C 4DQ (King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
It’s back! Coal Drops Yard is home again to the sport they’re calling ‘bowling’s cooler cousin’. Up to 6 people per team can play on the sustainable curling lanes. Act like you’re at the Winter Olympics and have a go with your whole crew. 12pm-8pm; £7 per person/under 12s FREE (when accompanied by an adult) (Nov 9-Feb 26)
Fri-Sat: Monopoly Travel World Tours, Noho Studios, 46 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7QA
Passports at the ready. Intrepid travellers are invited on a global expedition, visiting iconic sites such as the Great Wall of China, Colombia’s Carnaval de Barranquilla, and the Great Barrier Reef. Have a go at the interactive adventure, and then enter to win a trip to any destination on the Monopoly Travel World Tours board game! Best for ages 8+ and families. 10am-5.30pm (arrive 15 mins before your time slot); FREE (hurry, tickets are flying) (Nov 11 & 12)
Fri-Sun: Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace at Exhibition London, Ariel Way, W12 7SL (Shepherd’s Bush overground/tube, White City/Wood Lane tube)
Well this is exciting. The legendary LA skater hub, known as ‘Studio 54 on wheels’, once saw the likes of Nile Rodgers, Jane Fonda, Cher, Elton John and my man Prince spinning their stuff on its silky dance floor. Now it’s launching in west London and it’s time for all you new lockdown skaters (that includes me!) to strap up and roller boogie. Rent skates for £5 or bring your own. There’ll be live DJs, fun vibes and hungry skaters can refuel at Hot Dogs and Caviar, named after the original Flipper’s LA diner. Ages 5+ (under 4s not admitted). 3pm-9pm (Tue-Wed), 12pm-12am (Thu-Fri), 10am-12am (Sat) & 10am-9pm (Sun); adult from £15.50 (£20.50 with skate hire)/child age 5-17 from £11.50 (£16.50 with skate hire) (opens Nov 11)
Fri-Sun: Enchanted Woodland at Syon House, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 8JF (Waterloo to Kew Bridge/Brentford or Syon Lane rail)
A super popular event every festive season, this special event sees a magical trail lighting up the historic arboretum. Catch installations from the Syon gardens team and dazzling special effects through the trees and across the lake. 5pm-9pm (Fri-Sun); adult £10 (Fri), £15 (Sat), £12.50 (Sun)/child £7.50/under 3s FREE (Nov 11-27)
Fri-Sun: Glide ice rink at Circus Rd W, Nine Elms SW8 5BN (Battersea Power Station tube, Battersea Park rail/overground)
Have you been to the newly refurbished Battersea Power Station? This Christmas season is an awesome time to visit. Glide is now the only riverside skating experience with three interconnecting rinks providing views of the Thames. Skate against the backdrop of the iconic building, or enjoy other activities like vintage funfair rides, mulled wine in a cosy cabin, street food and live entertainment. 10am-10pm (Mon-Fri, site open for skaters 9.20am), 9am-11pm (Sat-Sun, site open to skaters 8.20am); ;adult from £12/child from £8/family from £36/adult and toddler from £11.50 (Nov 11-Jan 8)
Sat: Lord Mayor’s Show (nearest tubes Bank/St. Paul’s to arrive, Blackfriars or Mansion House to leave, check TFL for best routes)
One of London’s most colourful events, dating back to the 13th century. Celebrate the 694th Lord Mayor of London with a joyful procession of 3 miles of floats, filling up the area from Bank to Aldwych. All ages welcome, expect crowds. 11am-2.30pm; FREE (Nov 12)
Sat: Science Fiction Astro Nights Sleepovers at Science Museum, Exhibition Rd SW7 2DD (South Kensington tube)
SOLD OUT: Unsurprisingly, this special sleepover at one of the capital’s favourite museums is fully booked now. However, there’s still spots for next month (Dec 10) if you act fast. Spend a night exploring the museum, visiting their Science Fiction exhibition and taking part in workshops and science shows. If you’ve missed out on the Astro Nights, you can still check out the immersive exhibition by day as well as other fun galleries like the Wonder Lab. For ages 7-11 plus at least 1 adult companion. Astro Nights is monthly and costs £70 per person. (Nov 12-Mar 24)
Sat-Sun: Making Modernism at Royal Academy of Arts, Clore Learning Centre, Burlington Gardens W1S 3ET (Piccadilly Circus/Green Park tube)
Welcome to the UK’s first major show devoted to pioneering artists from Germany in the early 1900s: Paula Modersohn-Becker, Kӓthe Kollwitz, Gabriele Münter and Marianne Werefkin. See 65 thought-provoking pieces including still-life, self portraits, landscapes and depictions of the female body, reframed. All ages. 10am-6pm; £17-£19/concs available (Nov 12-Feb 12)
Sat & Mon: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Parent & Baby Screening) at Barbican Cinema 3, Beech Street EC2Y 8DS (Barbican tube)
I’ve heard amazing things from my siblings (who attended the Lagos premiere, lucky things). And it feels like we’ve been waiting FOREVER to return to Wakanda. The sequel to the global smash hit features a badass cast, including newcomer Michaela Coel, and an emotional tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. This screening is designed for parents with babies ages 12 months and under, relaxed lighting and sound and buggy parking. Up to 4 adults can accompany a baby, adults without infants won’t be admitted. 11.15am (Sat & Mon); £6 (Nov 12-14)
BOOKING AHEAD
- Skate at Somerset House (Nov 16-Jan 15)
- Special Edition: Poetry and Motherhood at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (Nov 17)
- Bring Your Own Baby Comedy at Arts Depot, North Finchley (Nov 17)
- Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park W2 (Nov 18-Jan 2)
- Jakob Kvist: Dichroic Sphere at Southbank Centre (Nov 18-Jan 8)
- Illuminature at London Wetland Centre, Barnes (Nov 18-Jan 8)
- Tots Tunes at London Jazz Festival, Southbank Centre (Nov 19)
- Groove Baby Presents: Grooving with Pirates, at Kings Place, N1 (Nov 20)
- Matilda the Musical, UK cinema release (Nov 25)
- Rebel Rebel: Family Day at Barbican Centre (Nov 26)
- For Crying Out Loud Parent & Baby Concert at Wigmore Hall, W1 (Dec 2)
- To the Moon and Back at Barbican Centre (Dec 9-17)
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Gillian Lynne Theatre (until Jan 8)
- To Kill A Mockingbird at The Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 (ongoing)
- Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift at Southwark Cathedral (Jan 4, 2023)
**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!**
Bonfire Night Weekend: London Kids Scoop (November 3-6, 2022)
