If you’re spending Mother’s Day weekend in London, I have some fantastic ideas for all ages and appetites. Whether you’re into raving with your family, joining in a baby-friendly barn dance or a St Patrick’s Day ceilidh, throwing coloured powder on each other for Holi, singing along with the legendary Mrs H, visiting a David Hockney show, wining and dining, or settling in for a movie… it’s all happening this weekend.
Some Thoughts on Mother’s Day
I feel so lucky to be a mother and a stepmother and to have had such an incredible mother and to be a daughter-in-law to two amazing women and to come from such an esteemed line of grandmothers and mother figures including aunties, godmothers, and the women I’ve taken as my honorary mothers e.g. Mama Toni Morrison, Mama Alice Walker, Mama Maya Angelou.
I am so grateful for my circle of mum friends who have been with me at each and every stage of this journey. I am so grateful to Mother Earth for her abundant generosity, in spite of everything. I know Mother’s Day can be difficult for many for different reasons, however I don’t see the point of diminishing our celebrations rather than paying tribute to the mother energy that gave us all life.
Maybe if we spent a little more time honouring motherhood in all its forms, and doing our best to mother ourselves and each other, the world would be in better shape.
Alright, I’m clambering off my soapbox now. Happy Mother’s Day to you, your mum circle, and to our mothers who’ve passed on. Have a lovely weekend.
14 Fabulous Ideas for Mother’s Day Weekend in London
Thu-Sun: David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts About Painting, Serpentine North Gallery, West Carriage Drive, W2 2AR (Lancaster Gate tube)
Hyde Park gets a glow up with a FREE exhibition of David Hockney’s colourful, luminous artwork, most of which was created on an iPad in recent years. See his 90m long frieze A Year in Normandie, making its London debut. It’s inspired by the Bayeaux tapestry and reflects his attention to light, seasonal change and the simple joy of noticing everyday beauty. 10am-5pm; FREE but advanced booking recommended. If it’s sold out online, walk-ups are welcome but you might need to queue. For restless kids, the Diana Princess of Wales playground is closed for renovations until the summer, but there’s plenty of space to romp around in the park. (Mar 12-Aug 23)
Thu-Sun: Mother’s Day with Côte Brasserie and Côte at Home, multiple locations
Indulge with a Mother’s Day feast at Côte Brasserie (Mar 15). Their offerings range from a Mother’s Day breakfast menu from £16.50 (add a glass of champers for £10) or a delicious set menu from £32.50 (think French onion soup, steak frites, and other brasserie classics). They’re also dishing out complimentary Mother’s Day cards, in case you’ve forgotten! And if you can’t make it out, you can order a Côte at Home box (available for delivery Mar 11-14) with an easy to prepare meal (Roast Chicken or Chateaubriand with all the trimmings) from £44.95. (Mar 11-15)
Fri: Afternoon Tea at Kona, Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, 51 Buckingham Gate, SW1E 6AF (Victoria tube/rail)
Got money to blow over Mother’s Day Weekend? Enchant your guest of honour at this Shakespeare-inspired afternoon tea. It’s an exquisitely curated 5-act experience taking you through savoury and sweet treats with a sprinkling of fairy dust. Family friendly and properly out of this world. 12pm & 2pm; from £85pp/child 50% discount (Mar 13-Apr 5)
Find more quirky afternoon tea options in my Babes About Town tea time guide
Fri-Sun: Kish Kush at Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1SB (South Wimbledon tube)
Two strangers from distant lands meet for the first time, only separated by a paper wall. Can they learn to understand each other through a common language of art, sound, movement and stories? This gentle show celebrates the joy of connecting and embracing each other’s cultural differences. Ages 3-8. 10.30am & 1.15pm (Fri), 10.30am & 1.30pm (Sat-Sun); from £13 + £2.50 fees (Mar 13-15)
Fri-Sun: Mother’s Day Weekend at Fulham Pier, Stevenage Rd, Fulham, SW6 6HH (Putney Bridge tube, Putney rail)
Head to Fulham Pier to sample their curated programme of events designed to celebrate mums. Highlights: World Sleep Day restoration event with Bon Charge light therapy (Fri, 7.30pm, £30); the Art of Facial Gua Sha with Charlotte Habibi (Sat, 10.30am, £30); Bottomless Brunch at Riverside Market (Sun, 12pm, £35); Little Tweaks movement for ages 2-5 (Sun, 10am-11am, £10) and Roller Disco at Orange Box (Sun, slots from 1pm-5.15pm, £5). Visit fulhampier.com for individual bookings (Mar 13-15)
Sat: Magic of India Holi Colour Dance Party at Hobbledown Heath, Staines Rd, Feltham TW14 0HH, UK (Hounslow Central rail)
Bring your clan to Hobbledown Heath for a colour party celebrating the Hindu festival of Holi. Share the fun of throwing coloured powders around to mark the arrival of spring. Come for dancers, bhangra, dhol troops, DJ, marquee tent and delicious street food. All ages welcome. 12pm-5.30pm; adult or child age 9+ £14/child age 3-9 £11/group of 4 £52/under 3s FREE (Mar 14)
Sat: Firmdale Film Club: Crime 101 at Covent Garden Hotel, 10 Monmouth Street, WC2H 9HB (Covent Garden tube)
How about a helping of Chris Hemsworth’s charms for Mother’s Day? Crime 101 stars the Aussie heartthrob along with Halle Berry and Mark Ruffao in a thrilling heist movie that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Amp up the screening with a 3-course menu or afternoon tea £55, add champagne for £65! Suitable for ages 15+. 8pm; £25-£65 (all tickets include popcorn) (Mar 14)
Sat-Sun: Mother’s Day Weekend at Battersea Power Station, Circus Rd W, Nine Elms SW8 5BN (Battersea Power Station tube, Battersea Park rail/overground)
Treat your favourite mama to a sky-high view of London at The Chimney Lift at Battersea Power Station. You’ll ride a glass elevator up 109m above the city for a 360-degree view of the capital. (FYI: Spend £50 in the Power Station and earn a FREE ride on The Chimney Lift until Mar 30). Follow up with a delicious lunch or dinner at a local restaurant with Mother’s Day offers e.g.: free glass of bubbly and a lime cheesecake at Gordon Ramsey’s Bread Street Kitchen & Bar; a Mother’s Day Oyster Masterclass at Wright Brothers; or a limited edition, world-first collagen doughnut from Crosstown bakery (Mar 14-15 exclusively). (until Mar 15)
Sat-Sun: Celebrating Mums at Sea Containers London, 20 Upper Ground, South Bank, SE1 9PD (Waterloo/Embankment tube/rail)
Mother’s Day offers at Sea Containers include everything from a deluxe spa package for mums to a three-course riverside lunch. Shake things up with a creative cocktail at Lyaness or settle in for a cosy afternoon at Curzon Cinema. For an extra luxurious gift, why not splash out on a Mother’s Day staycation for the night or the whole weekend? Various times and prices. (Mar 14-15)
Sun: Bring Your Mum Family Pub Quiz at Big Penny Social, Priestley Way, E17 6AL (Blackhorse Rd overground)The hosts of the London-wide Bring Your Baby Pub Quiz series (playing at Big Penny Social every 4th Friday are throwing this special edition for Mother’s Day. This all-inclusive quiz has questions for all ages and is open to everyone. Bring your baby, your besties, your neighbour, your nan… and of course mums are the stars of the day. Lunch menu on offer, highchairs and baby changing available, prizes and treats for quizzers. Come with toys/games for non-quiz playing kids. All ages. 12pm-4pm; £9.15pp (Mar 15)
Sun: St Patrick’s Day Family Party at Big Penny Social, Priestley Way, E17 6AL (Blackhorse Rd overground)
Come and celebrate St Patrick’s Day with your whole family. Join in a family friendly ceilidh with traditional Irish music from Solas Trio, plus the Maguire O’Shea Dance Academy showing off their moves. You can book for lunch too with Sunday Roasts and Coddle served along with the regular menu. All ages welcome. 2pm-4pm; from £8.50pp (Mar 15)
Sun: Big Fish Little Fish Mother’s Day Family Rave at Peckham Levels, 95a Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4ST (Peckham Rye overground/rail)
Get on the dance floor with your minis this Mother’s Day at Peckham Levels. The world-famous family ravers are taking over the venue for an afternoon of musical mayhem, with DJ Prime Cuts ripping up the decks. The theme is Flower Power so come dressed to bloom and enjoy great tunes, good vibes, arts and crafts, face painting (extra charge), balloons, bubbles, glitter cannons and parachute dance finale. 2pm-4pm; adult from £12/child from £9/non-walking human FREE (Mar 15)
Sun: Family Barn Dance: Maypole Special at at Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Rd, NW1 (Camden Town/Chalk Farm tube)
Swing your mama (or your bubbas) around on Mother’s Day at the popular family event. Enjoy live music from Jenny Newman (fiddle) and Andy Glass (guitar) and dance instructions from expert caller Sheena Masson. All ages welcome, from 0-100. 3pm-4.30pm; adult £10/child under 18 £8/under 2s £2.50 (Mar 15)
Sun: Mrs H and the Sing-along Band at Arts Depot, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, N12 0GA (Finchley Central tube)
The legendary Mrs H has been entertaining kids and grownups since my teens were smallies and now she’s bringing her thigh-slapping brand of folk-soul-Afro-Latin-dub and comedy fusion to the Arts Depot. Joined by her all-star band including Red snapper, Emily Barker and The Red Clay Halo, Beth Orton’s band and The Leisure Society, it’s so much fun you can’t help but sing along! Ages 0-9 and grownups. 11am; from £13.75 (Mar 15)
We also like
LAST CHANCE to see the Jane Austen at 250 display in the British Library Treasures Gallery (until Fri); get artsy with Rembrandt van Wine Paint and Sip parties in Finsbury Park, soon to launch in Dalston! (Fri-Sun/ongoing); ride free on vintage buses between Victoria and Hackney on the Route 38 Heritage Day (Sat); you can visit the gardens at Hampton Court Palace for free this weekend (Sat-Sun); celebrate Persian New Year with a Nowruz Bazaar and Nowruz Family Day, part of the Nowruz Festival at Lauderdale House in Highgate (Sat-Sun, until Apr 6); snap up a gift voucher from London Cabaret Club at just £25 for a brilliant night out – a lovely Mother’s Day (or any day) treat (ongoing); and don’t forget the big St Patrick’s Day festival in Trafalgar Square (Sun)
Booking Ahead
- Daughters of Persia at The Playground Theatre, W10 (Mar 25)
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt at Polka Theatre, SW19 (Mar 25-Apr 12)
- Star Trek at 60 at Science Museum, SW7 (Mar 26-Sep 8)
- Astronomers Take Over at National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (from Mar 27)
- Alice in Wonderland at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith W6 (Mar 27-Apr 12)
- Family Fun Day: Spectacular Space! at Royal Institution, W1 (Mar 28)
- The Cat in the Hat at Greenwich Theatre, SE10 (Mar 28-29)
- Black History Bus Tour, from Brixton across London (Mar 29)
- Family Wildlife Drawing Easter Special at Dulwich Picture Gallery, SE21 (Mar 29)
- English National Ballet – My First Ballet: Cinderella at Sadler’s Wells East, E20 (Apr 1-12)
- Unboxing the Universe at National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (from Apr 3)
- Easter Family Disco at Big Penny Social, E17 (Apr 5)
- Ideal Home Show at Olympia London (Apr 10-19)
- Hetty Feather Day at Foundlng Museum, WC1 (Apr 11)
- Brainiac Live! at Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 (Apr 11)
- World’s Greatest Lover: The Musical at The Other Palace (Apr 12-Jun 7)
- AstroNights Sleepovers at Science Museum (Apr 24, May 15, Jun 19, Jul 10)
- The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind at Soho Place (Apr 25-Jul 18)
- Noughts and Crosses at Hackney Empire, E8 (May 12-14)
- Ballet Black at 25 at Hackney Empire, E8 (May 21-23)
- Exploring Black British Literature Live with Malorie Blackman at British Library, NW1 (May 22)
- Dog Man the Musical UK tour hits London at Southbank Centre, SE1 (Jul 29-Aug 16)
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**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 (Mar 5-8, 2026)
