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ESTABLISHED 1996
EE
ISSUE NO. 184
FR
MAY JUNE 2017
®
southeast london familiesSE.co.uk
online edition
with working website links
DID SOMEONE SAY PARTY? Top tips, and southeast London party people WIN Tickets to see What the Ladybird Heard WHAT’S ON Where to go, what to see, what to do this spring
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“For my birthday....” our daughter’s dropping hints already, and hers isn’t until September - talk about forward planning - mine’s coming up first in June (hint hint). She has a point though - the best entertainers are booked months in advance. We’ve tracked down southeast London’s favourites for our party feature this month. Meanwhile, at last it’s spring. After a rather grey start, at the first hint of sun we’ll gather up whoopfuls of our children plus friends and go and play in the park. Now, where did we put the picnic rug at the end of last summer? Robina Cowan, editor
IN THIS ISSUE 3-5
Local News and Views See Jack and the Beanstalk, appear in Beauty and the Beast, win theatre tickets; play tennis in a park; and what’s new
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Holiday Workshops Making a song and dance - part 1 of our summer activity listings
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Education News Making homework fun - yes it can be done!
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Party People How to make children’s parties go with a bang (and we’re not talking stomping on balloons)
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The Book Page Half blog, half book review - Justine’s view of spring, through the pages of new publications
FREE
Toddler takeover Sat 20 & Sun 21 May
11-15
What’s On Our pick of the best events, shows and workshops to see you into and beyond May’s half term
Toddlers are taking over the museum!
Bring your little ones to the Museum of London Docklands for a weekend full of exciting activities designed especially for under 5s and their parents and carers. Families will have the chance to explore, create and play with a range of interactive crafts, workshops and performances. Enter a different world and let your imagination run wild in our sensory space where lighting and sound create the perfect place to chill out. Release some energy with toe-tapping music and movement performances and workshops. Then bring along your own lunch, or buy a snack from our café, and join our special storytelling picnic where you can sit back, relax and enjoy a captivating tale out on our picturesque quayside.
West India Quay, London E14 4AL
www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands
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families south east - may june 2017
Families London South East
@ FamiliesSE
Front cover: Girl wears top £6, jeans £18, M&Co, 0800 092 4686, www.mandco.com
Summer issue 30 June, deadline 2 June
Families South East PO Box 11591, London SE26 6WB 020 8699 7240, www.familiesse.co.uk, editor@familiesse.co.uk
Families South East is part of Families Magazines Ltd a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families® is a registered trademark of Families Magazines Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families South East are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of the publisher. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.
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LocalNews email your news to editor@familiesse.co.uk
Life in SE23 There’s a great vibe to Forest Hill these days, thanks largely to the entrepreneurial spirit of its local, independent traders. Too numerous to mention them all, our favourites include Emmanuelle Marshall children’s shoe shop, great cafe/ eateries such as Archie Parker and Canvas & Cream, BOnA and Piazza della Cucina, Aga’s Little Deli, Sugar Mountain sweetshop, Bunka for clothing and gifts, Wild Horses for vintage homewares, Finches for cycling, ski and skateboarding equipment, a lively local forum www.se23.life, and of course the library. Saved from council closure, the library re-opened at the end of October last year as a community hub, which alongside traditional book lending, offers events for children, facilities for jobseekers and even
a philosophy club. The library is now run by the arts organisation V22, the Forest Hill Society and the Forest Hill Traders’ Association, along with a team of volunteers (more welcome). The vibe continues in the form of a new outlet on its way to 57 Dartmouth Road, which has been empty for six years. As a home for culture, art and the written word, Leaf and Groove will sell largely donated books and records in order to provide a sustainable income for the library. Or as the organisers describe it: “A second hand bookshop of distinction, also selling vinyl, donating profits to the community library scheme. Not only that, but also an underground lounge space for secret meetings & speakeasies; robotic engineering & art lessons; a
writing group & a gin club; board games & tai chi - unbounded possibilities.” The Friends of the Horniman Museum have made a generous contribution, and Spacehive crowdfunding raised nearly £20,000 to kickstart the venture. Read more at www.leafandgroove.com, and https://fhlibrary.co.uk. And next time you’re visiting the Horniman, why not take a stroll to appreciate the rest of what Forest Hill has to offer.
NEWS FOR PARENTS
Ladybird ladybird where are you? WIN tickets to see What the Ladybird Heard What the Ladybird Heard is coming live to the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue from 5 July to 10 September - and you could be there! Book early for this perfect family treat, live on stage in the West End, on 0330 333 4812 or www.whattheladybirdheardlive.co.uk. Join the woolly sheep, the hairy hog, the fat red hen and the dainty dog in this glittering stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks’ colourful farmyard adventure. With live music, puppetry, plenty of audience participation and lots of laughs, the production is suitable for ages 3+. Read more in our What’s On pages.
Brockley Max is Back Make a diary note for Brockley Max, which will run from 2 to 10 June. The annual, not-for-profit community arts festival offers a packed programme of daytime and evening gigs, films, art exhibitions, theatre shows and crafts across Brockley, Crofton Park, Honor Oak Park and Ladywell. Children can take part in Faeryland, play-in-a-day and dance workshops, or simply dance for joy at two family fun days. For the full line up, go to www.brockleymax.co.uk.
WIN! To celebrate the premiere of What the Ladybird Heard in the West End, Families magazine has one family ticket (admits 4) to be won. A number of ladybirds have landed on the pages of this magazine (here’s one to get you started). For your chance to win the prize, find them all, count them up and with ‘Ladybird Families SE fun’ in the subject line, email your name and answer to info@kennywax.com, before 31 May 2017.
T&Cs. Prize is for one family ticket (admits 4, min 1 adult) to see the West End production of What the Ladybird Heard at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue from 5 July - 10 September 2017. The winner will be selected from by random prize draw of all entries with the correct answer. Tickets are subject to availability, non-transferable and hold no cash value. Answers will not be accepted after the closing date of 31 May 2017. The draw will take place on 1 June 2017. The decisions will be final.
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Walk to School Week
Mobile Manicure – pedicure 020 3609 2417 / 07496 908 733 (OAP discount)
A generation ago, 70% of us walked to school - now it’s less than half. Apart from the resultant traffic congestion and pollution, children are missing out on the benefits that walking brings. It’s been proven that children who do some form of exercise, especially a walk before school, do better in class because they arrive refreshed, fit and ready to learn. Living Street’s annual Walk to School Week runs from 15 - 19 May this year, aiming to reverse the decline and encourage more children to experience the benefits of a daily walk. Free resources are available to inspire schools and parents to take part, available from www.livingstreets.org.uk/walktoschool.
Handyman For all your household repairs and odd jobs. I offer a professional and courteous service
www.shaunthehandyman.co.uk 020 8249 3264 or 07913 656 502
PAINTING & DECORATING Interior / Exterior Experienced, Reliable, Clean Fully Guaranteed / Insured FREE ADVICE AND QUOTE
WHAT’S NEW
John:- James & Lamont
New play cafe
020 8462 4646 - 07802 535695
Crystal Palace’s newest cafe has to be the most child friendly too. Newly opened in March, Dream Catcher is a play cafe and children’s venue, serving tasty home made snacks, meals and juices (and excellent coffee), with a buggy park and safe play space. From Mondays to Fridays, upstairs comes alive with drop-in music, dance and arts and crafts classes for children, yoga and photography classes for adults; at weekends it’s a bookable party venue. Dream Catcher is open daily at 24 Westow Hill SE19 1RX, www.dreamcatcherparties.co.uk.
France with the Family Justine’s family friendly house in rural Normandy is available to rent. Sleeps 6+, fully equipped, beautiful location Contact Justine@Justinecrow.co.uk thenormandienest.wordpress.com
Injured? Postural fatigue? Under performing in work or sports? Professional and effective solutions for your aches and pains.
The Vale Practice
Osteopathy, Cranial Osteopathy, Acupuncture, Nutrition, Massage, Counselling and Reflexology...
64 Grove Vale, London SE22 8DT
T. 020 8299 9798
www.thevalepractice.co.uk E. info@thevalepractice.co.uk
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£99 max fee to find a professional interviewed and referenced checked
• Nanny • Registered Childminder • Evening Babysitter call 020
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Childcarers join for free Based Beckenham High Street
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Childline ‘For Me’
Go hit it!
Young people have a further way to access help from the NSPCC’s Childline, thanks to a new, free app. Called For Me, the app offers live chats with a counsellor, Ask Sam problem pages and private ‘locker’ areas where users can log their personal thoughts and track their moods. For Me was invented by four teenagers who wanted to use technology to address the urgent need for support among young people. Childline founder Esther Rantzen said: “We know hundreds of thousands of young people use our website for help and support, with more than half those visits coming via mobile devices. Now young people can get immediate access to our counsellors through this brilliant, innovative app.” Read more and download the app from www.childline.org.uk.
Tennis in a leafy park what an appealing idea. In four of Lewisham’s parks - Mayow Park, Sydenham Wells Park, Ladywell Fields and Manor House Gardens the tennis courts are having a fresh new facelift with brand new surfaces, LED floodlighting, and an online booking facility with the option of an annual season ticket which is valid for all of the courts. The upgrade is thanks to a partnership of the LTA, the London Marathon Trust, Lewisham Council and Glendale. For completion dates and details, go to www.playtennislewisham.com. If you need to brush up your skills, South East London Tennis runs many community tennis coaching schemes for all ages and abilities, all year round and during school holidays for children; www.southeastlondontennis.com.
Potty on the go
revitalise your website
lots of fresh ideas for websites, blogs & shops 020 8658 9975
www.lancasters.co.uk 4
families south east - may june 2017
What do you do when your little one ‘needs to go - now’, and there aren’t any facilities around? New from Hippychick, Tron (‘throne’ in Polish) is a lightweight, small and biodegradable disposable potty. Compact enough for a handbag or change bag, simply unfold, use and fold back into its compact form to dispose of in the nearest bin with no leaks or mess. Useful too if you have a carsick passenger on long journeys (or at festivals, fill with ice and chill your beers!) Manufactured from environmentally friendly materials, Tron is available as single or 12 packs from www.hippychick.com.
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AC TI V ITIES FO R CHI LD REN
Spontaneous Productions in southeast London Spontaneous Productions has launched a series of new theatre shows for children and adults Upstairs at the Sydenham Centre. Currently on is a musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ for families with children aged 10 and under, starring CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson as Jack (pictured). For adults, there’s a new musical adaptation of Jerome K Jerome’s comic masterpiece ‘Three Men in a Boat’ featuring original and period songs, and even an animatronic dog! A packed summer schedule will include high profile author events, comic poetry, playwright showcases, and educational workshops for budding writers, actors and singers devised by creative director Jonathan Kaufman. Upstairs at the Sydenham Centre is a recently refurbished 100-seater studio space equipped for live performances. For information and bookings, see www.spontaneousproductions.co.uk.
s e s s Cla ow n ing book
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast on stage It’s show season at South London Youth Theatre, with 200 talented students taking to the stage this summer for three full-scale musical productions at theatres across south London. Enrolment has opened for their ever-popular Summer Workshops, running in Dulwich throughout August. The courses attract talented ‘theatre mad’ students of all ages from across London, who relish in producing full-scale theatrical productions with a team of West End professionals and hoards of like-minded comrades for a summer experience to remember. Following the success of previous productions of ‘Les Miserables’, ‘Hairspray’ and ‘The Wiz’, ‘Matilda’ and ‘The Lion King’, SLYT will now present a live musical adaptation of Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’. For information and bookings, visit www.slyt.co.uk or call 020 8850 0516.
Call your local Stagecoach: Dulwich 020 8949 4116 Blackheath 020 7112 8242 Sydenham 020 7228 0981 Upper Norwood 0744 253 2386 www.stagecoach.co.uk
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Clubs and Classes
Holiday Workshops THE STRINGS CLUB HOLIDAY CAMPS
FUNKY MONKEY’S ‘ONE HIT WONDER’ TASTER DAYS
30 May - 2 June and 17 July - 1 September in BROCKLEY, 0121 296 9204, www.thestringsclub.org/brockley The Strings Club's Ofsted registered Holiday Camps are perfect for both those who have never played an instrument before and those budding strings players! Each day is different and includes “Learn Together, Play Together” sessions in the morning where your child can learn to play the guitar, violin or ukulele. Each afternoon offers an interactive workshops, ranging from musical theatre to body percussion to beat boxing. Ages 4-11, bookable by half day, full day or full week, with wrap-around care available from 8.30am-5.45pm. Childcare vouchers accepted plus 10% discount for siblings. READER OFFER: Quote 'FAMILIESSE2017' for up to 10% off when you book.
29-31 May and 1 + 2 June in HERNE HILL, SYDENHAM, BALHAM, STREATHAM and SEVENOAKS, 01732 457 100, www.funkymonkey.info A brilliant all-round introduction to the electronic keyboard for 4-8 year old beginners. Each carefully devised, fun-packed and varied day incorporates how to read, play and write notes C-A alongside learning basic keyboard technique. Wrap this around countless inspired music-based activities including composition, artwork, singing and performance skills and you have the perfect day of music making that little ones love. 10am-2pm per day, maximum 10 children per class so book early.
Don't GAMBLE on any old music class! We've got
fun-packed lessons down to a fine art! Group keyboard tuition 4-9 yrs Read & write music Term time and holiday courses First lesson FREE!
ZAK & ZARA’S CYBERSPACE ADVENTURE,
DISNEY’S ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’ SLYT MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOPS 7-26 August in EAST DULWICH, 020 8850 0516, www.slyt.co.uk South London Youth Theatre will be bringing together hundreds of young performance arts participants this summer with three actionpacked holiday workshops filled with acting, singing, dance, music and costumes - and a show at the end. Each course is tailored to the age group and run by industry professionals. Choose from: SENIORS, 7 - 19 August, ages 13-19, 10am-6pm daily. INFANTS, 14 - 18 August, Reception to Year 3, 9.30am - 12noon daily. JUNIORS, 21 - 26 August, ages 8-12, 9.30am - 4.30pm daily.
STAGECOACH DULWICH: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 31 July - 4 August in DULWICH, 020 8949 4116, www.stagecoach.co.uk/dulwich Join Stagecoach’s talented team on the Monday and set about creating a wonderful show in just five days. Costume, lights and sound are all provided and the players will perform for friends and family in the fabulous Michael Croft Theatre at Alleyn’s School, Dulwich at the end. Ages 8-18, £185 per child, sibling discount available.
SE5, SE22, SE24, SE26, SW2 PERFORM SUMMER COURSES
01732 457 100
www.funkymonkey.info
asses ool dance cl funky presch boys for girls and
24 July - 11 August, John Ball Primary School, BLACKHEATH SE3 0TP, 020 7255 9120, www.perform.org.uk/holidays Perform courses are packed with dance, drama, singing and fun and are run by highly skilled trained actors. Prices start from £175. BEAUTY & THE BEAST, 24 - 28 July. This summer, your child could be acting out the classic Beauty & the Beast fairytale on a five day course. Venturing into the Spooky Wood and exploring the grand Palace Of Dreams, they’ll learn songs, rehearse dances and put together scenes that tell the story of how Beauty met the Beast. Ages 4-7, 10am3pm each day.
7-11 August. Dance, sing and join the fun this summer. In Perform’s five day course, your child could rehearse and perform a specially written funky show exploring online safety. Ages 7-12, 10am-3pm each day.
FREEDOM ACADEMY SUMMER WORKSHOPS 14-25 August in SYDENHAM, 07530 061 658, www.freedomacademy.co.uk Now in their 10th year, Freedom Academy are back with four brand new summer workshops, run by professional actors, vocal coaches and choreographers. WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, 14-18 August. Become an explorer and go on an exciting adventure to track down a bear, with lots of songs, dances and a mask making session along the way. Ages 3-6, 9am-12noon or 1-4pm each day. ROOM ON THE BROOM, 21-25 August. Zoom away with the witch and her friends on a magical all singing, all dancing journey. The week will be filled with fun, games and themed arts and crafts sessions. Ages 3-6, 9am-12noon or 1-4pm each day. POP ACADEMY, 14-18 August. Budding performers will be guided by expert coaches to write and create their very own songs, and choreograph an accompanying dance routine. Then it’s on to a professional recording studio in Forest Hill to make their very own music video to take home. Ages 7-16, 9am-3.30pm each day. FILM SCHOOL, 21-25 August. Professional actors and directors will take children out on locations where they will shoot their own film, learning writing, filming, editing and directing techniques. At the end of the course children will receive an online link to view their creations time and time again. Ages 7-16, 9am-3.30pm each day.
SUPERCAMPS 10 July - 25 August, various venues including Blackheath High School in BLACKHEATH and St Dunstan’s School in CATFORD, 01235 467300, www.supercamps.co.uk Super Camps keep children active in body and mind, with a range of multi-activity camps and themed courses to suit everyone. The venues offer sports, water activities, outdoor and indoor games, arts and crafts. You can also rest assured knowing that your children are at the best camp in town after receiving yet another Outstanding Ofsted rating in 2016. Ages 4-14 years, 8am-6pm, bookings available by day or week.
And there’s more... These are just a taster of the fun coming up this summer. For extensive workshop listings, see our summer issue, published at the end of June. Contact us to advertise yours!
COMPUTER CODING FOR KIDS Games Coding, Robotics Drones, Websites, Minecraft Fun, engaging sessions Term/Holiday courses Ages 5 to 14+
classes held across SE London for more information and to book call Anne-Marie : 07973 982790 email: info@diddidance.com
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Tiny Tots age 2.5-3
Little Aces Junior Champs Grand Slammers age 3-4
age 5-7
age 8-11
fun filled tennis games and activities indoors with sponge balls and mini tennis rackets
FREE introductory session Email hello@spark4kids.com Call 020 8090 1444 www.spark4kids.com
phone
07877 391005
www.tennis-4-kids.com email: gordon@tennis-4-kids.com
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Education News
7 ways to make homework fun By Explore Learning “Homework? Boo..oring!” Is this a regular moan in your house? We’ve all been there. We want our children to progress and do well at school but after a long day, many youngsters will feel reluctant to sit down to get on with their homework - and no amount of nagging seems to help. We’ve teamed up with the experts at Explore Learning to bring you seven awesome ways to make homework actually fun. 1. Set up a fun and creative space Having a special place to do work, decorated in personalised decor, can really help children to focus. Avoid busy areas and make sure there are no other distractions, like technology or televisions. Younger children may appreciate their own artwork hung on the walls, while older children may prefer more desk space and personalised planners, so they can organise their work. 2. Magical motivators Keep homework battles at bay by using incentives to keep your child on track. Younger children may be motivated by sticker charts, where they can pick a reward once it is full, whilst older kids may be persuaded to crack on with their work with the promise of time on the iPad. Make sure your child understands the value of developing good homework habits, rather than just receiving a reward.
3. Find a study buddy Hold a homework playdate where your child and one of their friends do their homework together. Set some rules ahead of time and reward them afterwards with an activity of their choice. Or join your child yourself and accomplish some work of your own - be it catching up on emails, paying bills or planning a holiday. Win-win! 4. Turn it into a game Turn learning into a fun game. For spellings, you could use flashcards or writing words in foam, or for maths, you could use sweets like Smarties to help visualise numbers. When they get a right answer, they get to eat some! 5. Get outside If the weather is good, why not let your child do their homework outside? The fresh air will help them concentrate after being inside a stuffy classroom all day. Let them have a short break in between exercises, like a game of Frisbee or football. 6. Be positive Always be upbeat about school and homework and give your child bags of encouragement. Reinforce how well they are doing, write them inspiring messages and chat to family members about your child’s achievements.
7. Make it visual If your child feels overwhelmed by everything they have to do, visually being able to see their progress will help. Make a list or chart on a white board or special planner and get them to cross each task off as it is completed. Some new pens and exciting stationery will also keep them happy! About Explore Learning Explore Learning offers tailored maths and English tuition from expert staff, and exam preparation workshops and parent information evenings throughout the year so that everyone feels confident at home. There are local centres in Lewisham, New Cross Gate, Sydenham, Abbey Wood, Brixton and Greenwich - all of which offer FREE trial sessions. Book yours by calling 030 3003 4006, or online at www.explorelearning.co.uk.
EducationInvestor
Awards 2016
/explorelearning
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@exploretutors
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Southeast London
party people N
DID SOMEONE SAY party? Yes - yippee! Let’s make your child’s birthday one they’ll talk about, until at least next year...
Amigo’s Magic
Before you start The differing needs and interests of each age group largely dictate what makes for a successful party. Don’t feel the party has to last all afternoon - around two hours is enough, before everyone gets tired and emotional (not least the host parents). As a guide: One and two year-olds aren’t yet ready for a big affair. Most parents opt for a family get-together or a not too big buffet with a handful of friends with similar aged children. Enjoy it while you can - it’s a doddle to organise and sociable for the adults (it has been known for babies to sleep right through while the grown ups catch up over nibbles). Three year-olds respond well to simple planned activities. Name sticker them on arrival then capture their imagination with simple ‘circle time’ singing and clapping games, or ‘dancing’ (ie jumping up and down to music). Balloons burst and it can all end in tears - hang them high as decorations rather than introducing them as playthings. Four to six year-olds enjoy joining in. Plenty of engaging games and giggles keep things rolling, and if you’re hiring help, puppeteers, music-makers or storytellers are a good bet. Allow space and
time too for simply zipping around for a burst of unstructured play (which is where you’ll be thankful you blew up all those balloons). Finish with a round of Sleeping Lions so everyone can calm down a little. Seven to nine year-olds are ready for more concentration and involvement in the party entertainment. Most are now old enough and skilled enough for arts and crafts (making their own goodie bag filler at the same time is jolly handy). Alternatively, dancing, circus skills, drama or a team treasure hunt are good ways of harnessing energy if you fail to plan they’re likely to fall back on that old favourite - “who can scream the loudest?” Tens to teens and this worldly-wise lot is unlikely to want Mummy and Daddy embarrassing them by donning a paper hat and insisting on joining in (save it for when they’re reaching their teens - it’ll be SO much more fun for you). They’ll be wanting to do something special such as bowling, karting, a mini dance club in the living room, or a themed drama and singing workshop. Alternatively, a good bet is a jaw-dropping magic show, particularly when it’s interactive’.
Call in the professionals Crowd control - ah that’s the way to do it! Experienced party entertainers are a sound investment, bringing fun and games so you can sit back and enjoy the fun. Perform parties are high energy, fun and totally infectious. Based around a colourful theme, Perform’s enthusiastic and energetic party leaders use a magical mix of songs, games and laughter
Perform Parties
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where every child is part of an enthralling adventure. From the moment the lively leaders walk in the door, they promise your child and friends the best birthday party they’ve ever had. Whether your child wants to be a swashbuckling pirate, a shimmering mermaid or a dazzling superhero, they’ll be sure to have a brilliant time. 020 7255 9120, www.performparties.co.uk.
The Bedlam Bunch
Brockley-based children’s entertainment company The Bedlam Bunch is a team of professional theatre actors with special training in immersive performance, children’s parties and clowning. Meet Pirate Pete, Fairy Fidget, Rocket Ron, Sally Spin and many more colourful characters, each of whom lives on Bedlam Island, where they play games, climb trees, get stuck in trees and tell jokes all day long. Each has a story to tell and, when they hear of children’s birthday parties, they’re sent out to make them as magical as can be. Using the children’s imaginations, they travel into mystical lands, solving clues, learning magic and accomplishing challenges to move them further along in their mission, ending with a Bedlam Balloon Bonanza for the birthday boy or girl and all their guests. Woven into these interactive adventure stories, you can expect games, balloon-modelling, puppets, magic, races, riddles and more. Suitable for 3-8 year-olds, 07846 068 583, www.thebedlambunch.co.uk, email bookings@thebedlambunch.co.uk. Amigo’s Magic brings a magical show for all ages from 3 - 99+. With over 20 years’ experience across the world (and a member of the Magic Circle), award-winning Simon brings fast, exciting and interactive entertainment complete with balloon models for all the children. Expect plate spinning and interactive games set to music, with a bubble machine at the end. Amigo’s Magic also offer 9+ Magic parties for children who are older and don’t want to be shouting “Izzy Whizzy let’s get busy” and want to see some serious Magic. Then there are school fundraising shows that can make a lot of money for your school. They cost nothing to put on so you have nothing to lose. Choose from Magic of Maths for Schools - Making Maths Fun; or Stimulating Magic. For adults, Close Up Magic for Weddings and events, and Mind-Reading and Parlour Shows make your own celebrations really memorable and special. 020 8480 8176, www.amigosmagic.co.uk, email simonrosselli@themagiccircle.co.uk.
Stagecoach Parties
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It's So My Party
Children's Theme Parties
Call: Call: 07961 523306
www.itssomyparty.co.uk Nutty's Children's Parties
Do you want your party to be the talk of the tots? diddi dance SE London offers dance parties for children up to 7 years old. At your choice of location, diddi dance comes to you so your little ones can enjoy some great dance activities at their party including dancing games, action songs, hoops, ribbons, bubbles, balloons and lots of fun. The parties offer fantastic, fun and affordable entertainment that will ensure your party is the talk of the tots. Sessions can last up to one hour depending on age and preference, and are totally interactive. There is no sitting and watching a show, diddi dance is all about getting all the children dancing, grooving and boogying to original, funky tunes. 07973 982790, www.diddidance.com, email annemarie.martin@diddidance.com. Nutty’s Children’s Parties is one of London’s leading, high quality children’s entertainment companies. Run and owned by actor, voice-over, DJ and father Danny Nutt, they’re based in West Norwood and cover all of London and the South East. They offer a variety of fun-packed, exciting, dynamic, highly interactive and original Adventure Parties, Discos, Drama Workshop Parties, Football Parties, Creative Arts and Crafts Parties and more for ages 3-11. Especially aimed at those with active imaginations and bags of physical energy, kids will be transported to... Pirate Dan’s Treasure Hunt, Super Dan’s Adventure, Explorer Dan’s Adventures (for fans of Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures and Indiana Jones), Danijel The Space Warrior’s Mission (for Star Wars fans), The Fairy’s Journey and The Princess’ Adventure (for fans of Frozen), plus many more themes. All parties are run by experienced, dedicated, professional actors and most themes can be catered for. Nutty’s also offer regular holiday drama workshops. 0788 405 0954, www.nuttyschildrensparties.co.uk, email danny@nuttyschildrensparties.co.uk.
It's So My Party
Diddi Dance
It’s So My Party offer tailor made children’s theme parties with a unique musical and theatrical twist. Each party begins with a short musical or scripted performance for the whole family to enjoy. The team’s talented entertainers come from the world of musical theatre and performing arts, bringing that extra touch of magic to your child’s special day without the need for tricks. The themes include favourites such as Princess, Pirates, Pop Star, Super Hero and Classic Fairy Tales with a modern twist, as well as special drama and musical based parties where your child and their special friends have the chance to become characters within the storyline. Each party runs for two hours and is most suitable for ages 4 -10. You can also add face painting to complete the theme or individually. 0796 152 3306, www.itssomyparty.co.uk.
Adult & Children’s Entertainer Magic, Plate Spinning Balloon Modelling Interactive Games, Karaoke, Mini Disco
Tel: 020 8480 8176 www.amigosmagic.co.uk
Stagecoach Dulwich run themed parties for 4-10 year-olds, where young noble knights and princesses, wizards and witches, pop stars or jungle animals come together for games, storytelling, singing and dancing. For older children, 11-16 year-olds are encouraged to get into character and join in a Murder Mystery ‘whodunnit’ filled with fun, excitement and suspense. 020 8949 4116, www.stagecoach.co.uk/ dulwich. Up in Crystal Palace, Dream Catcher cafe is also a venue for bespoke parties at weekends. Dazzlingly dreamy, brilliantly breathtaking and spellbindingly silly, the package can be anything from a themed party to bounce-filled discos and includes entertainment, delicious party food, a helium balloon and take-home bags for all the guests. 07896 040145, www.dreamcatcherparties. co.uk.
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The Bookseller Crow
is a fantastic, volume stuffed shop run by some of the most knowledgeable bookworms in the business. Call in for the feel of a real bookshop, or if you’re too busy, pick up the phone or head to their website for a fast mailorder service. Justine Crow recommends this month’s best titles. It’s at election-tastic, Brexit-crashing times like these that one’s thoughts turn to the simpler things in life. Like food and fresh air and books. I mean, it may get harder before it gets easier - nuclear war anyone? So, we might as well combine all three elements while we can. Suddenly a picnic and a story somewhere as far from the news as possible like a park or a field or a garden or a beach (but not near a cliff, don’t even mention those) is infinitely preferable to those ghastly worries saturating social media. World conflict, autocracies, political infighting and natural disasters were so much better when we only ever caught the end of the six o’clock news before Wogan came on, don’t you think? COUNTING WITH TINY CAT by Viviane Schwarz Walker Books rrp £11.99. And it doesn’t get simpler than this. You may recognise the style from her previous THERE ARE CATS IN THIS BOOK (and follow-ups) but now she has perfected the pared down concept with the basic narrative of a two-colour moggie grappling with the notion of quantifying. As you do. It starts with nothing, then it begins to tally up the gains and finally, our feline fluffmonger is overwhelmed by a mountain of bright red balls of wool. I could read it over and over again and not get bored with that animal’s wide-eyed gulp when it realises it has dropped a precious ball but its paws are already too full with the rest to retrieve it. Just like certain politicians right now. CIRCLE, TRIANGLE, ELEPHANT! A Book of Shapes & Surprises by Kenji Oikawa & Mayuko Takeuchi - Phaidon rrp £7.95. Glorious simplicity here too as this is a board book brimming with ideas for toddlers to get their teeth into. Initially we deal with the customary discussion about shapes and colours, then just as we get going a couple of pachyderms pop up to spoil the pattern. Or do they? Before long boats and birds and buses arrive to interrupt and expand the conversation. Yes, that is what I mean. You see, there aren’t many actual words on the page because it is you, dear reader, who will do the talking. JANE FOSTER’S LONDON - Templar rrp £6.99. If, like me, you are unabashedly selfish and get your children’s books according to what you favour as an adult blessed, if not with wealth, at least with taste (plus a low boredom threshold) as opposed to the tedious ubiquity the global merchandisers would prefer you to buy your babies’ minds with (Peppa Pig, I’m looking at you), then Jane Foster has to be your go-to in board book land. Out at the same time, JANE FOSTER’S NEW YORK suddenly reminds me of when I was crossing Fifth Avenue and actually overheard one shopper say to another: “Fendi. It’s my go-to.”
AMAZED Aleksandra Artymowska - Laurence King rrp £12.99. One of the most regular requests in the bookshop (apart from: “Photocopying?” as they point to a sheet of A4 in the doorway) is for presents for rising five year-olds, the problem being that picture books seem too babyish but that most five year-olds can’t actually read complicated sentences. Put your hand down - I said, most. Anyway, I always recommend something classic to keep and read with an adult like FUNGUS THE BOGEYMAN, or suggest a illustrated activity based distraction such as WHERE’S WALLY. This fits neatly into the latter genre as it features a series of elegant mazes to conquer and, as working in Early Years taught me, there’s more to learning to read and write than letters alone. We have synapses to connect. Meanwhile, I don’t think the author was really born with that surname... THINK AND MAKE LIKE AN ARTIST by Claudia Boldt & Eleanor Meredith, Thames & Hudson - rrp £12.95. Speaking of artiness & synapses, what a segue! And I love this. It manages to mash creativity with curiosity - the ideal template for learning. With examples from genuine artists and lots of questions about how ideas develop, vitally the projects are do-able and I do wish I’d thought of making a Subbuteo style football game with painted pebbles when my boy was small. I had the only child in the universe that didn’t like going to the beach. HOW TO BE A SCIENTIST by Steve Mould - DK rrp £12.99. And as our theme continues to be simplicity (chaos theory in practice being evident all around currently), the experiments here using a paper-plate as a sundial, a friend’s back and a bunch of straws to test nerve reactions and, cleaning coins in fruit juice to see which works best, are very apt. Not to mention, cheap. Some of us won’t be seeing Fifth Avenue again for a long, long while. SILVER by Walter de la Mare, illustrated by Carolina Rabei - Faber rrp £6.99. I bang on about this famous writer, not just because I grew up spoon fed on his verse but also because he was a local boy. Seriously, he grew up in Forest Hill and had a married life in Anerley, where he was visited by more than a few actual literary mega giants including Edward Thomas and Siegfried Sassoon - war poets of Penge, if you will. This is the latest in a series of gentle picture books that reflect his unique talent for evoking nature as well as nocturnal adventure specifically for children. SUPERDAD’S DAY OFF by Phil Earle, illustrated by Steve May - Barrington Stoke rrp £6.99. Another tale from the ex-local word-machine that we know best for
his Storey Street exploits. The Little Gems imprint is designed to make reading chapters less daunting for those whose literaracy development takes an alternative course to the established one, with an accessible font, some nifty drawings and in this case, a narrative about a burned out superhero, some burst pipes and a monster truck, that rolls along at a fair old, satisfying clip. What could possibly go wrong? AMAZING FAMILY ADVENTURES by Sim & Jen Benson - Pavilion rrp £12.99. A rather attractive bunch of ideas here for real live days off - weekends even for the whole tribe (if you can get them out of bed), combining some rigorous outdoorsy stuff with the more sedate educational discipline of wandering around National Trust places. With lots of survival tips and fascinating facts, when they suggest wild swimming coupled with a country house, they don’t mean jumping in the fountains at Chatsworth. NOBODY TOLD ME by Hollie McNish - Blackfriars rrp £8.99. Subtitled Poetry & Parenthood, I can already see the expressions on your faces - move along, nothing to see here, let’s get back to our lives. But, as somebody with an in-built precision baloneybarometer I can tell you now: I have never read anything as realistic as this about getting up the duff and the subsequent process of sprogging. Not in all the guides. Not in the land of Pleach and Stoppard and Kitzinger. Forums? Schmorums. The conventional poetry it contains is modest, sparse and absolutely lacking in the dingley-dell flowery dept, but it’s the compelling prose that takes the prize. With her poet’s heart she is unafraid to be afraid, to show the blood, to yell and to be baffled; she sniggers, she swears, she weeps - the emotions and discomfort in her dayto-day descriptions are bang-on, yet she isn’t maudlin. In fact, stick an index in the back and it could be the best pregnancy and birth manual you ever buy. Recently, the rubbish poet in me was gagging to scream at the sea (oh, the city angst), so I took a day trip to the coast with my nephew. It wasn’t nearly as difficult as dragging my own lad to the shore. While his ma went off somewhere to select the perfect handbag, Dink and I found ourselves on the pier. “It’s a sky-scraper sideways!” exclaimed the boy who grew up in Dubai. I was then forced to deflect a battery of requests on a loop for candy-floss, ice-cream, pick’n mix and doughnuts. Battle-scarred but unbowed, instead I marched him to the flashing arcade and handed him tub of ten pees. “Your aunty doesn’t do teeth-rot,” I told him but with a wink, “gambling...? You better learn quick because it’s your future, son!”
The Bookseller Crow, 50 Westow St. Crystal Palace, London SE19 3AF Telephone: 020 8771 8831 email: info@booksellercrow.co.uk Twitter @booksellercrow www.booksellercrow.co.uk 10
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ROBOT ZOO AT HORNIMANS
MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS
THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM
What’sOn MUS EUMS A ND EVENTS THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM
MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS
HORNIMAN MUSEUM and gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ, 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk Museum open 10.30am-5.30pm daily, general admission free, charges apply for special exhibitions and the aquarium. The museum’s music gallery and hands-on base, regular weekend and holiday drop-ins and workshops allow family visitors to explore the collection through arts and crafts, music, stories and hands-on sessions. All this within 16 acres of beautiful green space which has the oldest nature trail in London, an animal corner and a Farmers’ Market every Saturday. ROBOT ZOO, until 29 October. Come face to face with a robotic rhino, a squid with 18-foot tentacles and a huge housefly with a vacuum cleaner for a mouth. Robot Zoo houses larger-than-life robot animals made from familiar machine parts and gadgets, in an exciting hands-on family exhibition revealing some of nature’s most amazing adaptations. Interactive games and challenges explain how a chameleon changes colour, what makes grasshoppers leap so high, and why a platypus looks so strange. Children £4.40, adults £7.70, families £18.70.
MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, Warehouse 1, West India Quay E14 4AL, www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands TODDLER TAKEOVER, 20 + 21 May. Take your little ones to the Museum of London Docklands for a weekend of exciting free activities designed especially for under 5s, their parents and carers. Families will have the chance to explore, create and play with a range of interactive crafts, workshops and performances. Enter a different world and let your imagination run wild in the sensory space where lighting and sound create the perfect place to chill out and join in with a craft. Release some energy with toe-tapping music and movement performances and workshops. Bring along your own lunch, or buy a snack from our café, and join a special storytelling picnic where you can sit back, relax and enjoy a captivating tale out on the museum’s picturesque quayside. Takeover Day is a celebration of children and young people’s contributions to museums and is coordinated by the charity Kids in Museums. The festival has been created in collaboration with local families, so join in the fun! THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CROSSRAIL, until 3 September. See the most complete range of archaeological objects unearthed by the Crossrail project, and discover the story of this great feat of engineering. All ages, free.
MUSEUM OF LONDON MUSEUM OF LONDON, London Wall EC2Y 5HN, 020 7001 9844, www.museumoflondon.org.uk Find out more about London’s history, through displays covering events such as the Great Plague, Londoners’ jobs and occupations, and Roman life. Open daily 10am-6pm, admission free. On Sundays, museum hosts help visitors explore the galleries through fun, hands-on activities at 11am and 2pm. PLAYTIME! A specially devised gallery for early years and beyond explores the playtime experience for London children through time. Watch 1950s children’s TV shows in black and white and imagine how life changed for children when new toys became available. CREATIVE CATTLE, 27-29 May. Life on an Anglo-Saxon farm was tough. There were trees to cut down, fields to plough and cattle to herd! Discover the jobs families did in London 1000 years ago by making your own model cow and helping to herd them in to our Saxon house. Free drop-in workshops, 12.30-2pm and 2.30-4pm. BEAUTIFUL BROOCHES, 28 May - 4 June. What can archaeologists tell from an old brooch? Explore some beautiful brooches and some amazing stories, and then make your very own to take home. Free drop-in workshops, 12.30-2pm and 2.30-4pm. THE TALE OF KING ALFRED, 28 May - 4 June. Discover more about the man who defended London against the Vikings in this interactive storytelling session. Meet Alfred as both king and father, and be enchanted as this tale weaves though the history of the last kingdom of Wessex and the Viking invasions. Free, at 1, 2 and 3pm.
BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R, 020 7601 5545, www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the UK’s central bank. Examine intricately-designed banknotes, feel the weight of a genuine gold bar and see the pikes and muskets that were once used to defend the Bank. Children’s activity sheets provide fun for younger visitors. Open 10am5pm Mondays to Fridays, admission free.
THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM 40 Brunswick Square, Camden Town WC1N 1AZ, 020 7841 3600, www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk Britain’s first home for abandoned children and London’s first public art gallery reveals the stories of the Foundling Hospital’s founder Thomas Coram, the artist William Hogarth and composer George Frideric Handel. It houses significant collections of eighteenth-century art, interiors, social history and music. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and from 11am Sundays. Admission free for under 16s, £8.25 adults/ £10.25 with an exhibition ticket.
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PICTURING HETTY FEATHER, 26 May - 3 September. Since the first Hetty Feather book was published in 2008, Dame Jacqueline Wilson’s series of novels has delighted young audiences with the adventures of the spirited Victorian foundling Hetty Feather, a girl who uses imaginative storytelling or, as she calls it, ‘picturing’ to deal with life’s challenges. This family friendly exhibition features props and original costumes from the CBBC Hetty Feather television set, alongside unseen treasures from the Foundling Hospital Collection and archive. Visitors will be able to try on costumes made for the CBBC production and take part in a range of interactive activities. BACH TO BABY, 1 June. A classical concerts for babies and their families, performed by mother and pianist Miaomiao Yu, along with other internationally-renowned musicians. 10.30-11.30am, adults £12, children free. THE GREAT GET TOGETHER, 17 June. Bring a picnic lunch and a favourite children’s book to join in with a celebration of community. Actors will be on hand to bring much-loved tales to life, and the museum will be joining forces with the Charles Dickens Museum to bring together friends in King’s Cross and Bloomsbury. Noon-2pm in Brunswick Square Gardens adjacent to the museum. Free.
SCIENCE MUSEUM SCIENCE MUSEUM, Exhibition Road SW7 2DD, 0870 870 4868, www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Aiming to be the best place in the world for people to enjoy science, the Science Museum makes sense of the science that shapes our lives, sparking curiosity, releasing creativity and changing the future by engaging people of all generations and backgrounds in science, engineering, medicine, technology, design and enterprise. Open daily 10am-6pm except 24-26 December. WONDERLAB: THE STATOIL GALLERY. The UK’s biggest interactive science gallery is filled with specially-commissioned exhibits and artworks, live science shows, explosive demonstrations and immersive experiences led by the museum’s talent team of science communicators. Day pass £8 adult, £6 child, £22.50 families. OUR LIVES IN DATA. Information about our lives is increasingly being captured, analysed and used, transforming the world around us. From toys that can understand a child’s personality and smarter public transport planning to new genomic technology that is helping uncover the causes of rare diseases and cancer, big data’s invisible revolution has begun. Ages 8 to adult, free.
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 5BD, 020 7942 5000, www.nhm.ac.uk Dinosaurs, volcanoes, precious gems and creepy crawlies - discover the diversity of the natural world through the nation’s finest collection of natural history specimens. Fascinating exhibitions display up to 70 million plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals, with a hands-on education centre where you can meet real scientists at work. Museum open 10am-5.50pm, admission free. INVESTIGATE FOR FAMILIES, every weekend. Get a feel for how scientists work by having a go yourself. Explore hundreds of real nature specimens that form the evidence Museum scientists use in their daily work. Drop-in, 11am-5pm.
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CUTTY SARK
GEFFRYE MUSEUM
SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE
ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH
MoreWhat’sOn Find even more activities: www.familiesonline.co.uk then click What's On
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR, throughout March and April. Enjoy the world’s best nature photography revealing the astonishing diversity of life on our planet, from urban foxes to mountain hares. COLOUR AND VISION. Discover the earliest life on Earth and trace the evolutionary history of colour and vision. Find out how early interactions gave rise to the wide variety of colours that we now see in the natural world.Adults £12, children £6. DINO SNORES, once a month on Saturdays. Discover what really happens at the museum when the staff and visitors have gone home. Children aged 7-11 years, from 7pm to 9.50am the following day. Tickets £60. T.REX GRILL. A fun dinosaur-themed restaurant, primarily aimed at families with children aged 12 and under, transports visitors back millions of years to dine with dinosaurs. The animatronic velociraptors are a big hit alongside a dinosaur themed menu which includes T.rex burgers, fish and stone-baked pizza and dino topped ice creams.
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM V&A MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 2RL, 020 7942 2000, www.vam.ac.uk/families Pick up a family trail from the Information Desk and explore the museum through puzzles, drawing and observation. Suitable for 7-12 year-olds. There are also hundreds of exciting hands-on exhibits containing plenty to touch and try out. Museum open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free. BACK-PACKS, Saturdays. Pick up a back pack and explore the museum with fantastic jigsaws, stories, puzzles and games. 10.30am5pm.
Greenwich Office Norman House 110-114 Norman Road London SE10 9EH
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POP-UP PERFORMANCES, Saturdays until 24 June. Take part in fun and interactive performances for all the family, including early years (unless otherwise stated). Free tours throughout the Museum bring to life the exhibits and exhibitions. 11am, 1 and 3pm, free drop-ins.
V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, www.museumofchildhood.org.uk This gem of a museum houses dolls, dolls’ houses, puppets, teddy bears, games, childcare, clothing, furniture and art and photography. Everyday drop-in activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, and trails. There’s dressing-up, role play and an under 3’s area, an indoor sandpit, and regular special events. Open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free. SEARCHING FOR GHOSTS, until January 2018. Get a glimpse of what life was like for east Londoners. This photographic exhibition is an intergenerational journey of discovery, unearthing stories of the people who inhabited the area. PLACE, HOUSE AND BUILDING, 29 May - 2 June. Workshops and craft activities inspired by Rachel Whiteread’s celebrated ‘Place (Village)’, which is on display at the museum.
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM St THOMAS’S HOSPITAL, 2 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 7EW, 020 7188 4400, www.florence-nightingale.co.uk Known as ‘The Lady with the Lamp’, Florence Nightingale was a pioneering nurse, writer, and noted statistician. The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates her life and work, through personal material associated with Florence Nightingale, items relating to the Crimean War and nursing artefacts. Open 10am-7pm daily, admission £7.50 adults, £3.80 children.
National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, Greenwich SE10, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.uk Royal Museums Greenwich holds the world’s largest maritime collection. It is housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the 17th-century Queen’s House, and Cutty Sark. The Museums works to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people, and is also a major centre of education and research. On Saturdays and Sundays free performances and workshops entertain family visitors, while on Tuesdays preschoolers can make music and play with parents and carers. Open 10am-5pm daily. General admission is free; some buildings, special exhibitions and events have an admission fee. THE GREAT EXPLORER is an interactive game for families. Borrow a tablet device and set sail across The Great Map to explore distant lands and discover treasures from all around the world. Where will you visit and what will you find? Take a photo and share your adventure. 11am-4pm, free. CHARACTER ENCOUNTERS, Saturdays. Join an exciting performance and journey bringing maritime history to life. 12noon, 1, 2 and 3pm.
CUTTY SARK CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, 020 8858 2698, www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark The world famous 19th century tea clipper offers visitors four levels to explore. Take in the views from the main deck and steer at the ship’s wheel, meet the crew who worked on board, explore the various cargoes from wool to whiskey, and see how tea was loaded on board through interactive displays, props, information boards and animations. Family friendly events run at weekends and during school holidays. Open 10am5pm Tuesdays to Sundays, admission £7 children, £13.50 adults, from £24 families. Bundled tickets are available with the other Royal Museum Greenwich attractions.
Blackheath Office 9 Hare & Billet Road Blackheath London SE3 0RN
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INSPIRE YOUR CHILD THIS SUMMER IN THE NIGHT GARDEN LIVE
TODDLER TIME, Termtime Wednesdays. Bring your little sailors along for songs, stories and playtime. 10-11.30am. THE SAILOR’S CHALLENGE, 29 May - 4 June. Have you got what it takes to join Cutty Sark’s crew? Join the sailor’s challenge, and demonstrate your sailor skills as you navigate around a life-sized gaming board. Will you be able to collect all the cargoes from around the world and make it back safely to England? 11.30am-1.30pm and 2-4pm, included in venue ticket price.
THE QUEEN’S HOUSE GREENWICH THE QUEEN’S HOUSE, Romney Road, Greenwich SE10 9NF, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house Designed in 1616 by Inigo Jones for James I’s wife, Anne of Denmark, the Queen’s House is Britain’s first classical building and a masterpiece of 17th-century architecture. The House showcases over 450 works of art focusing on the people and events key to the building’s creation and history. Highlights include the beautiful Tulip Stairs, which in turn have inspired a spectacular art commission on the ceiling of the Great Hall by Turner Prize-winning artist, Richard Wright. Open 10am-5pm, admission free.
THE BRITISH MUSEUM BRITISH MUSEUM, Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8181, www.britishmuseum.org The British Museum was founded in 1753, the first national public museum in the world. Each year nearly 6 million visitors pour through the doors to see the museum’s collection of ancient and historical artefacts including the ever-popular Egyptian mummies, or to take in the latest block-buster exhibition. Open 10am5.30pm daily, admission free, charge for some exhibitions. DIGITAL DISCOVERY CENTRE, weekends. Learn, discover and create in the Museum’s digital centre. Free activities and workshops using the latest Samsung digital equipment, enabling children to bring the world’s history and cultures to life through advanced technology.
GEFFRYE MUSEUM GEFFRYE MUSEUM, Kingsland Road E2 8EA, 020 7739 9893, www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Special workshops and quizzes inspire creativity and provide amusement for accompanied 5-11 year-olds on the first Saturday of each month and during school holidays. Places allocated 30 minutes in advance of each workshop. Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, from noon Sundays. PATTERNS, PATTERNS, PATTERNS! 30 May 2 June. Use your favourite patterns from the museum and gardens to create stunning stained glass, wacky wallpaper and patterned prints. 10.30am-12.30pm and 2-4p, free drop in.
GRANT MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY UCL Rockefeller Building, 21 University Street WC1E 6DE, 020 3108 2052, www.facebook.com/GrantMuseumUCL CREATURE CREATIONS, 20 May and 24 June. Create works of art inspired by some of the weird and wonderful animals that call the Grant Museum home, or invent your very own brand new animal, give it a name and add it to the collection in this family art day. Drop in between 1.30-4:30pm, free. EXPLORE ZOOLOGY, every other Saturday from 27 May to 10 June. Have you ever wondered how heavy an elephant tusk is, how sharp a shark’s tooth is or how many scales a pangolin has? Join in with family hands-on specimen based activities and find out more with enthusiastic museum educators. Drop in between 1pm and 4pm, free.
KILLER CARNIVORES, 30 May - 2 June. From lions to pythons and sharks to crocodiles, go along this half-term holiday to investigate the amazing ways that meat-eaters find, catch and eat their prey. Take part in the fun specimen based activities and get up close to the skulls and skeletons. Drop in between 1 and 4:30pm, free.
SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE 21 New Globe Walk SE1 9DT, 020 7401 9919, www.shakespearesglobe.com Founded by the pioneering American actor and director Sam Wanamaker, Shakespeare’s Globe is a faithful reconstruction of the open air playhouse designed in 1599, and is dedicated to the exploration of Shakespeare’s work and the playhouse for which he wrote, through performance and education. SHAKESPEARE’S TELLING TALES, 28-30 July. A weekend long festival for families, which celebrates the joy of storytelling. From talks with leading children’s authors and practical workshops, to tales told by candlelight in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, there is something for everyone! For the full line up and booking discounts, see the website.
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LIVE ON STAGE
THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR LONDON, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden WD25 7LR, 0345 084 0900, www.wbstudiotour.co.uk The Forbidden Forest may be strictly off-limits to Hogwarts students, but for the first time this March, visitors to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London are invited to defy Professor Dumbledore’s orders and follow the footsteps of Harry, Ron and Hermione deep into the grounds of the Forbidden Forest. The unique attraction offers visitors the ultimate chance to get up close to authentic sets, discover the magic behind spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter film series.
DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD, 020 8693 5254, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11am weekends and bank holidays. Admission free for accompanied children, £8 adults. Listed activities free for families with a gallery ticket or £3 per child. VANESSA BELL, until 4 June. Widely acclaimed as a central figure of the Bloomsbury Group, the modernist painter, Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) was a pivotal player in 20th century British art, inventing a new language of visual expression. This first major exhibition of her work shows approximately 100 paintings, ceramics, fabrics and photographs arranged thematically to reveal her pioneering work in the genres of portraiture, still life and landscape. £14 adults, children free. SARGENT: THE WATERCOLOURS, 21 June 8 October. The first UK show in nearly 100 years devoted to watercolours by the Anglo-American artist, John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). Renowned as the portraitist of his generation, Sargent also devoted time to developing his talent in watercolour, undertaking several painting expeditions to Europe in the early twentieth century. This exhibition brings together 80 paintings from private and public collections, revealing Sargent’s idiosyncratic view of the world and the scale of his achievement. ART PLAY, first and last Sunday of each month. Creative drop-in workshops for adults and children, with a different activity each session. Make anything and everything from bunting to block printing and all things in between. 2-3.45pm. FREE FAMILY TRAIL. Ask a gallery assistant or stop by at the Gallery Friends desk for a free trail; updated frequently and available for the permanent and temporary exhibitions.
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WEST END PREMIERE Awesome ideas for fun things to do, make and see with your family. Click online for childcare, education, clubs, parties, eating out, local services, competitions, offers and local What’s On listings. Far more than we can squeeze into our magazine pages
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17-19 Blackwater Street East Dulwich SE22 8SD
020 7720 1144 may june 2017 - families south east
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MARK THOMPSON AT GREENWICH THEATRE
ELTHAM PALACE
MoreWhat’sOn Find even more activities: www.familiesonline.co.uk then click What's On
FULHAM PALACE
THE 02
Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham SW6 6EA, 020 7736 3233, www.fulhampalace.org The Museum of Fulham Palace charts the long history of the palace site, from Prehistoric times and Roman settlement, through Medieval, Tudor, Georgian and Victorian bishops to the present day. The museum collection includes paintings, archaeology and artefacts. Open noon4pm Sundays, 12.30-3.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, admission free. HANDS-ON ARCHAEOLOGY, 21 May. Get up close and personal with archaeology at Fulham Palace. Learn how to measure and record an object in the manner of a professional, examine a range of mystery London objects, and even delve into the world of the Roman Empire with costumes to try on and real and replica items to engage with. This drop-in session is for archaeology enthusiasts of all ages. 1-3pm, free.
02 ARENA, Peninsula Square, Greenwich SE10 0DX, www.the02.co.uk/events UP AT THE 02. Dressed in full explorer attire, climb onto the roof of the 02 on a journey to the viewing platform where spectacular views of the city await. Ages 9+, tickets from £30, booking recommended. STAR WARS IDENTITIES, Until September. Rediscover the unforgettable characters of Star Wars in a whole new way, through an exclusive collection of 200 props, models, costumes and artwork from the Star Wars films. Explore what makes the characters of Star Wars who they are, and take on an interactive identity quest to discover your own personalised Star Wars character. Tickets from £10 children, £20 adults, £48 families.
LOVE WEST DULWICH SPRING FAIR 20 May, Park Hall Road, Croxted Road and Rosendale Road SE21 Local businesses and residents will once again create a day of fun, with arts and crafts stalls, street produce,children’s workshops and activities. 10am-5pm.
IN THE NIGHT GARDEN LIVE
WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD
25 May - 10 June, CIRCUS FIELD, off Charlton Way SE10 8QY, 0330 1200 www.nightgardenlive.com Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and friends are all brought beautifully to life on stage using full-size costumes, puppets, music and projections. On a national tour, In the Night Garden Live takes place in its own all-weather, purpose-built inflatable Showdome, full of family-friendly facilities. 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm, tickets from £12.50.
5 July - 10 September, LYRIC THEATRE, Shaftsbury Avenue W1D 7ES, 0330 333 4812, www.whattheladybirdheardlive.co.uk Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a whole farmyard of fun! Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. But they reckon without the tiniest, quietest creature of all: the Ladybird has a plan of her own! Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’ award-winning picture book bursts onto the West End stage with plenty of colour and verve. Ages 3+. WIN! We have a family ticket to be won. See page 3 for how to enter.
GREENWICH THEATRE
ALBANY THEATRE Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 4AG, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk THE ADVENTURES OF THE LITTLE GHOST, 27 + 28 May. At the stroke of midnight each night The Little Ghost wakes up. He haunts the castle, visits the knights as well as his friend the owl. At the stroke of one, he falls asleep in his chest. His greatest wish is to see the world in daylight, just once. But how can he make his wish come true? And what will the townsfolk make of a ghost in the daytime? Ages 4+. 12.30 and 3pm, tickets £7.
CANADA WATER CULTURE SPACE 21 Surrey Quays Road SE16 7AR, 020 8692 4446, www.canadawaterculturespace.org.uk BIG WOW, SMALL WONDER, 20 May. Justin is the smallest boy in the whole town. So small that he can swim with goldfish. So small his sister takes him to school in her lunchbox. So small the class bully wants to catch him and keep him as his new pet. Told with huge helpings of humour, poignant poetry and original music, this is a tall story about the wonders of being small. Ages 4+, 1pm and 3pm, tickets £7.
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BABY SHOW, until 19 August. Time for a walk, better wrap up warm. Poppers, buttons, zips. Scarf, hat, mittens. Inside out, upside down, back to front. This brand new show is a sensory performance with captivating images and intriguing sounds that will keep your little ones rapt. £10 per adult and child. SENSACIONAL 2017, 29 June - 17 July. Bring your toddler along to a sound and light show in which they are the participants. Watch as your child puts on a white suit and becomes part of a digital world of ladybirds, shapes, squiggles and squarks that won’t keep still, no matter how hard you try to catch them! Make a day of it at the Unicorn by enjoying the soft play area and cafe in the foyer. Ages 18 months 3 years, tickets £10 (includes 1 child & 2 adults).
LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE
THEATR E S HOWS
Crooms Hill, Greenwich SE10 8ES, 020 8858 7755, www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk MARK THOMPSON’S SPECTACULAR SCIENCE SHOW, 29 May. TV astronomer and author Mark Thompson has been enthralling audiences for over 20 years with his fascinating journeys around the Universe. Now he turns his infectious enthusiasm to things a little closer to home. Explore the strange and magical properties of matter with exploding elephant’s toothpaste, vortex generating dustbins, dancing paste, vanishing beakers and even exploding Pringle tubes! 1.30 and 4.30pm, tickets £8.50 children, £13.50 adults. MUCH ADO ABOUT PUFFIN, 29 May. Using skilful puppetry, beautiful music, and good old fashioned storytelling, Much Ado About Puffin is about old habits, new friendships, and stepping out into the unknown! Join Open Attic as they traverse stormy seas and reckless tides to bring you this funny tale about a man all alone, a friendly puffin, and a whole lot of fuss over nothing. Ages 4+, 12noon and 3pm, tickets £8.50 children, £11 adults.
WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD
LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE, 14 Dagmar Passage, Cross Street N1 2DN, 020 7226 1787, www.littleangeltheatre.com DOGS DON’T DO BALLET, until 16 July. Biff is not like ordinary dogs. He likes moonlight. And music. And walking on his tiptoes. The sublime and the ridiculous combine in this hilarious story of a small dog with a big personality and even bigger dreams, brought to life using beautiful puppets, well-loved ballet music and dazzling theatrical comedy. Ages 2-7, tickets £10 children, £12 adults. RED RIDING HOOD AND THE WOLF, until 16 July. You may think you know the story of Red Riding Hood, sugar and spice and all things nice. But there are two sides to every story, so let’s hear it from the Wolf himself! Here’s the story never heard of a kind and hungry wolf who strayed from the path and lost his friends. Ages 5 to adult, tickets £10.50 children, £12.50 adults.
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
SOUTHBANK SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX, 0844 847 9944, www.southbankcentre.co.uk KARACHI LITERATURE FESTIVAL FOR KIDS, 20 May. A day of songs and stories in partnership with Karachi Literature Festival. 11.45am, tickets £10. ALCHEMY PRAM JAM, 24+25 May. Presented as part of the Alchemy festival, these early years dance and music sessions get you and your little ones moving and grooving to a South Asian vibe. £5 for one adult and up to two under 5s.
UNICORN THEATRE 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7845 0580, www.unicorntheatre.com UP CLUB, Saturdays to 31 July. Join the Unicorn Play Club most Saturdays for free drop-in activities from portrait painting and potato printing to giant rocket making and more! Just turn up to join or sign up online for e-news. All the arts and crafts are activities designed for you and your tiny human to create together. There will usually be cutting and sticking responsibilities for the grown-ups. 12noon - 2pm. THE MAN WHO KNOWS IT ALL, 31 May - 5 June. Two performers and a musician go on a quest in search of everything it is possible to know. Along the way it becomes evident that the questions and answers just keep coming, especially when the audience gets involved. Knowing everything is more difficult than we imagine. A tribute to not really knowing much about anything, an awkward and hapless man and his sidekick fail spectacularly again and again in front of a mercilessly curious audience. Ages 4-10, tickets from £8. DOUBLE DOUBLE ACT, 20 June - 9 July. Two children are performing their famous comedy routine. But they keep being interrupted by a pair of pesky grown-ups who are trying to perform their own act. The man looks like the boy. The woman looks like the girl. This can only end one way - chaos! Packed with word-play, comedy and slapstick, Double Double Act is a playfully subversive look at growing up, being serious, kidding around and playing the fool. Ages 6+, tickets from £8.
ROH, Bow Street, London WC2E 9D, 07304 4000, www.roh.org.uk FAMILY SUNDAYS, Last Sunday of each month. Explore the Royal Opera House, its artists and the world of opera and ballet. Sundays are packed full of creative and practical activities for all the family including informal performances from Royal Ballet dancers, plus interactive singing and dance activities. Ages 6+, 12-4pm, £5 adults, £3 children. FIRST OPERA: WELCOME PERFORMANCES. Welcome Performances are for families who have never been to a ballet or opera at the Royal Opera House before. You don’t need to know anything about either - just come along and give it a try. Tickets £5-£20. BACKSTAGE TOURS. The Backstage Tours include an introduction to the colourful history of the theatre, an insight into the redevelopment of the Royal Opera House and a look at aspects of current productions. Each tour is a unique experience, and may include opportunities to see The Royal Ballet in class, or the magnificent backstage technology in operation. Suitable for ages 8+, book first.
POLKA THEATRE POLKA THEATRE, 240 Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB, 020 8543 4888, www.polkatheatre.com SARAH AND DUCK’S BIG TOP BIRTHDAY, until 14 May. See the BAFTA award-winning Cbeebies duo and friends live on stage. Sarah and Duck decide to hold a circus party for Scarf Lady in their garden, to celebrate her birthday. All their friends turn up to practise different routines and create a big top birthday to remember. Age 3-6, adults £15, children £10. UNDER THE RAINBOW, until 28 May. With evocative music, puppetry and a beautiful transformative set we gently tell the story of one woman’s courageous journey. As she crosses land and sea, she befriends a turtle and a colourful bird of paradise, discovering a plentiful island that gives her hope for the future. In Polka’s intimate Adventure Theatre, children will feel part of the journey, with opportunities to interact with the performer on her remarkable journey, before she builds her new home on stage. Ages 3-6, tickets £12.50.
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FERIA DE LONDRES
BST HYDE PARK OPEN HOUSE
BATTERSEA ARTS CENTRE
CHURCHILL THEATRE BROMLEY
BAC, Lavender Hill SW11 5TN, 020 7223 2223, www.bac.org.uk FAMILY SATURDAYS. On the last Saturday of every month, families take over BAC for a day of fun, food and free activities. There is something for everyone to get involved with and space for the whole family to chill out and relax. 10am-3pm, check website for details.
CHURCHILL THEATRE, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA, 0844 871 7620, www.churchilltheatre.co.uk MISTER MAKER, 29 May. CBeebies’ Mister Maker is back on stage in his smash hit live theatre tour. With a fabulous supporting cast and art at its heart, this fantastic live show encourages Mini Makers and grown-ups to sing, dance and make some noise. Share the fun with Circle, Square, Rectangle and Triangle too. Tickets £13.50 children, £16.50 adults. CARNIVAL PUPPETRY: A PLAY IN A DAY, 31 May. Design and build a giant animal puppet that will be used in an end of the day parade for your family and friends. Participants will learn the cornerstones of puppetry manipulation and movement whilst getting to grips with their very own giant parade puppet. Ages 8-13, 10am-4pm, £10.
LYRIC THEATRE HAMMERSMITH LYRIC HAMMERSMITH, One Lyric Square, Hammersmith W6 0QL, 020 8741 6850, www.lyric.co.uk THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES, 30 May - 3 June. An inventive romp through the tale of the eccentric Emperor who loves clothes more than anything but doesn’t realise the spectacle he is about to make! Ages 5-11.
CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE GARDENING
MILKSHAKE! LIVE, 11 June. This all singing, all dancing, musical masterpiece takes audiences on a journey through the world’s favourite fairy tales. Set amongst Milkshake’s magical bookcase, this brand new live show will bring songs and stories that audience members, young and old, will know and love. 11am and 2pm, tickets £16 children, £18 adults. GOLDILOCKS & THE THREE BEARS, 17 June. Goldilocks is a mischievous little girl with hair as bright as gold. Always on the look-out for an adventure, one day her curiosity leads her to a house full of many surprises. Bringing this classic children’s story to life, Northern Ballet’s production of Goldilocks & the Three Bears is the perfect opportunity for your little ones to enjoy live ballet, music and theatre for the first time. 12.30 and 2.30pm.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS 2017 LONDON GO DAD RUN 21 May, SOUTHWARK PARK, Gomm Road, Southwark SE16 2EH, www.godadrun.co.uk Go Dad Runs are a series of 5K and 10K runs for men and boys to raise awareness of and funds for important men’s health charities. Founding ambassador and six time world swimming champion Mark Foster will be joined by Royal Ballet soloist and Dancing with the Stars judge Fernando Montano, Olympic silver medalist diver Leon Taylor and some other very famous faces as they set the runners off and then put the medals around their necks when they cross the finish line!
CANCER RESEARCH RACE FOR LIFE 27 May, REGENTS PARK, London NW1 4NR, 0300 123 0770, https://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org Cancer Research UK’s Race for life is a series of women-only events raising money for research into all 200 types of cancer. Since 1994, women of all ages and fitness levels across the UK have come together at these inspiring events to walk, jog or run 5 or 10 distances to help beat cancer.
KINGS & QUEENS, 29 May - 2 June. Put on a right royal welcome at Eltham Palace as you learn to avoid the pitfalls of palace life and impress your regal rulers. Uncover the ultimate curtsey, bow like a pro, and entertain without being a fool. Find out how to be the King’s right hand man or the Queen’s favourite lady in waiting at this school for novice nobles. Get it wrong and it’ll be off with your head! Admission adult £14.40, child £8.60, families £37.40.
FERIA DE LONDRES 27+28 May, POTTERS FIELD PARK, Tower Bridge SE1 2AA Inspired by traditional festivities of Andalusia’s colourful spring fairs, Feria De Londres will be a weekend of delicious Spanish tapas, beer, wine and live entertainment, never seen before in the capital. Guests will be encouraged to join in the fun with Sevillanas and Rumba dancing lessons, along with Flamenco clapping and castanets workshops. In true Spanish style, Feria De Londres will be a free event for the whole family, packed with delicious Spanish tapas, live entertainment and workshops. Noon - 10pm each day.
BROCKWELL PARK COMMUNITY GREENHOUSES
ELTHAM PALACE Court Yard, Eltham SE9 5QE, www.english-heritage.org.uk/eltham Travel back in time from Art Deco modernity to a medieval masterpiece. First recorded in the Domesday book, Eltham estate was presented to King Edward II in 1305. It developed into one of the most favoured royal palaces which had 1,000 acres of deer park on its doorstep.
BROCKWELL PARK, Dulwich Road SE24 0PA, www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk On the first and third Saturday of the month, volunteers hold creative, family fun sessions exploring a whole array of fun things to do both in and around the Greenhouses.
A R T A C TI V ITIES NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
THE WALLACE COLLECTION
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE, 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk
THE WALLACE COLLECTION, Hertford House, Manchester Square W1U 3BN, 020 7563 9500, www.wallacecollection.org The Wallace Collection displays wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess, in their main London townhouse. Family multi-media tours and trails bring the exhibits to life for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm daily, admission free.
The gallery features thousands of portraits of the most famous people in British history, from the 16th century to the present day. Open 10am-6pm daily. DROP IN FAMILY SUNDAYS. On the third Sunday of every month, families are invited to drop-in with children aged 3+ to take part in portrait-related events.
ART AT SIR JOHN SOANE’S HOUSE SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3PB, 020 7440 4263, www.soane.org Tucked away in Lincoln’s Inn Fields at the heart of London, this magical, mysterious museum encourages young visitors to explore Soane’s treasures and develop new skills with specialist guidance. Sir John Soane (1753- 1737) was an inveterate collector, filling every nook and cranny of his beautiful home with items that fascinated him. From fossils to classical fragments from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and from contemporary paintings to architectural models, drawings and literature, he intended that after his death both his house and its extraordinary contents should be used to educate and inspire. Free drop-in activities run on the third Saturday of every month, with activities for all ages and families can take part together from 1.30-4.40pm.
SOMERSET HOUSE SOMERSET HOUSE, Strand WC2, 020 7845 4600, www.somersethouse.org.uk Art and culture in the heart of London in a stunning riverside setting. Open daily, admission free with a charge for some exhibitions. Free family workshops run on occasional Saturdays - check the website for details. Children aged 6-12 years must be accompanied by an adult.
THE NATIONAL GALLERY TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2N 5DN, 020 7747 2885, www.nationalgallery.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, Fridays to 9pm, admission free. With over 2,300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasons to visit the gallery, along with free hands-on art workshops and magic carpet storytellling for families at weekends and during school holidays. No need to book, but places are limited and allocated on arrival up to one hour before the start.
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BUG BONANZA, 20 May. Get up close and personal with creatures that creep, crawl, slither and slide. Admire exoskeletons, antennae and mandibles. Play life-cycle games, investigate micro-habitats, and finish off with some bug crafts. 10.30am-12.30pm, £5 per child/ £2.50 low-income. All ages, book first online. SENSORY EXPLORERS, 30 May. Engage all your senses to take in the wonderful sights, sounds, textures, tastes and smells of the gardens in late Spring. Make your own scented water, draw a sound map, play a camouflage game, and make a natural rubbing or print. 10.30am12.30pm, £5 per child / £2.50 low-income. All ages, book first. ONE, TWO, TREE! 31 May. Help mark London Tree Week by celebrating the trees in the gardens and Brockwell Park. Have fun, learn and become a tree champion! There’ll be blindfolded tree hugging, a mirror walk, folklore trail, and nature crafts. Ages 5+, 10.30am-12.30pm, £5 per child / £2.50 low-income, book first.
THE CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE GARDENING 28 Marsden Road SE15 4EE, 020 7252 9186, www.wildlondon.org.uk WILDLIFE ON SATURDAYS, Drop in to free, fun family activities run by London Wildlife Trust on Saturdays at the Centre for Wildlife Gardening. The sessions are jam packed with fun activities including pond dipping, bug hunting, wild crafts, stories, games, songs, making wildlife habitats and bushcraft. 10.30am - 12.30pm for younger children (up to 7); 1.30pm - 4.30pm for older children (7 and up), all courses for parents/ children together. GARDEN IMMERSION, 1 June. ‘Forest bathing’ is a form of active mindfulness when walking in nature (nothing to do with swimming!). Begin your day with this parent and baby friendly ‘Garden Immersion’ session, which will take inspiration from this thoughtful practice. 7.30-8.30am, book first. NATURE MASH UP, 1 + 2 June. A fun, free family learning course for parents and children together. Forage for wild edible plants, make herbal remedies and recycled paper. 11am start, book first.
HALL PLACE AND GARDENS Bourne Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 1PQ, 01322 526574, www.bexleyheritagetrust.org.uk/hallplace THE DOG AND THE DINOSAUR, 30 May - 2 June. What did the dog dig up in his garden? Find out in this hilarious story and make your own dinosaur to take home. 10am and 2pm, £ 4 children, adults free.
COLOUR RUN 25 June, DANSON PARK, Danson Road, Welling DA6 8HL, www.communityhospice.org.uk Crawl, walk, jog or if you have a burst of energy even run or dance your way round the 5km course to get covered in colour while raising money for your local hospice. There will also be food, drink, music and face painting so you can make a day of it as we get colourful in support of our local hospice. Registration includes sunglasses, a bag of powder paint for you to celebrate with at the finish line and a medal. 11am start, ages 12+, £15 in advance, or £25 on the day.
BST HYDE PARK OPEN HOUSE 2017 3, 4, 5 and 7 July, Parade Ground, HYDE PARK, W2 2UH, www.bst-hydepark.com/openhouse British Summer Time Hyde Park’s Open House returns for a week of summer activities, in-between two weekends of legendary musical line-ups. Enjoy outdoor movie nights, tennis screenings live from Wimbledon, street food stalls, pop up bars, live music, and entertainment for all ages including Chicken Shed performances for children. Admission free - see the website for the full line-up.
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Families South East Tel: 020 8699 7240 Email: info@familiesse.co.uk Contact: Robina Cowan MAGAZINE DESIGN: Lancasters 020 8658 9975 www.lancasters.co.uk Printed on paper from sustainable forests. www.russellpress.com
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Basmati with vegetables full of goodness and tastes great too. Find us in the toddler food aisle
For delicious recipe inspiration visit Tilda.com
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