Tracy Tristram- Tracy Tristram
Things to do in London this weekend with kids
It's half term next week, but in the meantime and before then we've got a few fun things to do in London this weekend with kids to busy ourselves with.
Go to a toe tapping show
Want to feel the funk at one of our fave theatres in town, the Little Angel Theatre? Then catch a live performance of The Instrumentals: a brand-new show for all children with characters, stories and inspiration from the African-Caribbean diaspora. Combined with innovative puppetry and comedy, this wonderful musical journey will have you dancing in the aisles this weekend and beyond
When: Workshops, 11th to 19th February. The Instrumentals, 10th February to 16th April.
Where: The Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, London N1 2DN Cost: From £8
www.littleangeltheatre.com/whats-on/the-instrumentals/
Get your vet on, at the zoo!
Calling all wannabe vets to the zoo! Kicking off this weekend and happening through February half term, Vets in Action, an award-winning role-playing experience for budding veterinarians, is back at ZSL London Zoo, and we can't wait! Running from 11th to 19th February, kids can step into the role of vet during a fun week of interactive family events celebrating the incredible work of its veterinary team. Activities will run from 10.30am - 12.30pm, and 1.30pm - 4pm. When: 11th to 19th February 2023 Where: ZSL London Zoo, Outer Circle, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY Cost: Free with admission ticket www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/whats-on/vets-in-action
Get your craft on: for free
Head along to the Kids Craft club for a fun, free event at Wood Street Library. When: Saturday 11th February, 3pm-4pm
Where: Wood Street Library, 1 Troubridge Square, Walthamstow, London E17 3GN
Cost: Free www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wood-street-library
Ditch the kids and go on a date
Chances are it's been agggges since you ditched the small humans and went out on a date. Whether it's with your other half or a posse of friends, you definitely need Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons on your 'night out radar'. It's a limited season AND it stars Aidan Turner (Poldark) and Jenna Coleman (Young Victoria). Say no more. We saw it this week so check out our review here before booking your tix.
When: Now - 18th March 2023
Where: Harold Pinter Theatre, 4 Panton St, London. SW1Y 4SW Cost: From £25 (plus booking fee). www.lemonstheplay.co.uk
Fling yourself off of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Now here's a fun-packed adventure the kids are sure to love: the Dare Skywalk over at Tottenham Hospur FC! You'll need a head for heights when climbing to the top of the stadium before standing at more than 46 metres high above the famous pitch below. And if you're over 12, then you can also fling yourself off the side: abseil style! Which is exactly what Mum was about to do in that pic above.
The Dare Skywalk is open to children from the age of 8, and for younger fam-members there's the rather excellent stadium tour for families: check out our review of that right here.
When: Various times Where: Lilywhite House 782 High Road London N17 0BX Cost: From £44 for adults and £33.50 for kids. Member discount available.
www.experience.tottenhamhotspur.com/the-dare-skywalk/
Blast down the Thames
Kickstart 2023 with a highspeed activity that's guaranteed to thrill! Revved up and raring to fly, the Thames Rockets team will take you on a sightseeing tour like no other and one packed not just with high speeds, but with lots of humour and banter too. The perfect combo! There are all kinds of tour options happening, so take a look at our review here, pick the adventure you fancy the most (you can't go wrong with any of them) use the link below to book. When: Daily, various times
Where: Boarding Gate One, The, London Eye Millennium Pier, London SE1 7PB Cost: From £39.95 for kids and £44.95 per adult (before discount code)
www.thamesrockets.com/ultimate-london-adventure/?offer=londonforkidz
Eat ALL the dumplings
Chinese New Year might be over but eating your bodyweight in delectable dumplings should deffo be a year-round pursuit. We've got a whole guide on the best ones in town right here.
Hop aboard a floating museum
For an interactive gem of a day out it doesn't get much better for families than hopping aboard HMS Belfast. We recently checked it out and it was a huge success with the kids: even the teenager! All the wins and a surprisingly cool adventure. Read our full review here. When: Open daily 10:00am - 5:00pm
Where: The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2JH
Cost: Adults from £23.60. Members and under-fives free.
www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast
Flex your paleontologist skills: VR Style
New adventure kid on the block DIVR Labs has brought a prehistoric world to Westfield London and we had a blast checking it out. With its state of the art VR system and a huge arena to explore, this is a roarsome activity the whole gang will love. Suitable for kiddos age around 7 and up, this Virtual Reality experience will take you on a mission around prehistoric terrain that features not just mindbogglingly real swamps, volcanoes and landscapes, but also a life-sized T-rex amongst other dinos. A huge hit here for Team London for Kidz and, if you're game, we happen to have a 15% saving for you. Just pop the code TRACY15 in at checkout and voila: a lovely saving.
When: Daily, various times
Where: Westfield London Shopping Centre Ariel Way, London W12 7GF Cost: From £27.45 per person (before discount) www.divrlabs.com/global
Shop at a Farmer's Market
Shady tree lined Phillimore Walk is the perfect place for a farmer's market and that's what you'll find there this Sunday: rain or shine. We're talking fresh food in the fresh air including from freshly caught fish and shellfish, seasonal fruit, vegetables, pies, bread, seasonal game, free range and organic eggs plus poultry, meat, preserves, flowers and much more. Happy browsing!
When: Every Sunday, 10am-2pm
Where: Phillimore Walk, High Street Kensington W8 7RX
Cost: Free admission
www.lfm.org.uk/markets/high-street-kensington/
Have an awesome time at Lego Club
It's free and it's awesome: yep, it's the weekly Lego Club held at Blackfen Community Library every Saturday. Unleash your inner Master Builder and have a fun, family time whipping up creations galore. If the whole team are on board then make sure to book a family table to play and create together on.
When: Every Saturday, 10-11am
Where: Blackfen Community Library and Rooted Coffee House, Blackfen Road, Blackfen DA15 9LU
Cost: Free but make sure to register.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saturday-lego-club-for-kids
Discover a love of art at Tate Modern
Entry to the gallery remains free for everyone, with a charge for some exhibitions, and we love that Tate Modern has a whole programme for families. Booking is needed for exhibitions, but tickets are available on the door, and we think Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms will definitely score big with the family. You don’t need to be an expert to look at or talk about art and Tate encourages this for kids with plenty of activity ideas designed with them in mind. It's ok to talk at Tate and noise is encouraged! Check out its website before you go for the family fun that includes workshops, tactile activities and plenty more.
When: open daily, 10am - 6pm
Where: 53 Bankside, Bankside SE1 9TG
Cost: Free admission
Check out a quirky, free museum
An aquarium, a butterfly house (closed for refurb right now) and the vast collections of well-travelled Victorian tea trader and philanthropist Frederick John Horniman, this wonderful gem of a museum is a treasure trove packed with anthropology, natural history and a stack load of curiosities. It's free to get into the museum and gardens but do book your spot ahead of time.
When: Open daily except Wednesdays
Where: 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ
Cost: Free (small charge for the aquarium, butterfly house and some exhibitions). Donations welcome.
Keep the kids busy with messy play
We love, love, love everything about Art Play nestled in the Shoreditch part of the city, and can highly recommend its cool weekend classes. These child-led sessions provide your little ones with the freedom to explore and create through sensory activities (and you don't have to do the clearing up!). All the wins.
When: Every Saturday, various times
Where: Art Play, 56 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EZ
Cost: Various depending on class.
Get down to a city farm
We've got not 1, not 2, not even 3 but 10 udderly fabulous farms and animal sanctuaries for you to check out in and around London this weekend and beyond.
www.londonforkidz.com/post/10-city-farms-in-london-plus-animal-sanctuaries
Take a flight with the Red Arrows!
How cool is this happening over at the Science Museum? Fly Kids is a pay-as-you-go flight simulator that lets your child experience the sights and sounds of flying with the Red Arrows during one of their aerobatic displays, and is suitable for little ones age 2 to 5 years. For the bigger kids there is the equally as cool Red Arrows 3D. When: Open daily, 10.20–17.00. Last ride at 17.00
Where: Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
Cost: It's free admission into the museum, but Fly Kids is £2 per child and Red Arrows is £5 per child.
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/fly-kids
Discover London's dark history
If it's a day out with a difference you're after when it comes to things to do in London with kids, then Clink Prison Museum is exactly the kinda gruesomely good adventure you're after. Read our review on one of the best museums in London when it comes to hands-on, historic family fun and then get yourselves over there this weekend. When: 10am-6pm daily Where: 1 Clink Street, London SE1 9DG (nearest station: London Bridge)
Cost: From £6.50 per person
Check out the oldest natural history collection in the UK
Pickled brains, bones aplenty and over 68,000 zoological specimens: For an unusual day out in London with kids it doesn't get much quirkier than this! Head over to The Grant Museum of Zoology for a fascinating journey around the animal kingdom through a heap of family activities: all for free!
When: Every Saturday 11am-5pm
Where: Grant Museum of Zoology, Rockefeller Building, University College London, 21 University Street, WC1E 6DE
Cost: Free, and no booking currently required
www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/grant-museum-zoology
Go on a free walking tour
The City of London has been plagued by disaster for Centuries and this free walking tour will take you to some of the historical sites you might not otherwise know about. From Pudding Lane (where the Great Fire of London started) to Roman ruins, mass plague graveyards to execution sites from the middle ages, this is a fascinating, guided tour not to be missed. When: Every Saturday, 2.30pm sharp
Where: Monument Station: look out for your guide carrying a green umbrella
Cost: Free
www.freelondonwalkingtours.com/tour/fire-pestilence-and-plague-tour
Take your Monopoly skills to the next level
Located in the heart of London, Monopoly Lifesized is an immersive, on-your-feet version of the world’s favourite family game brand played on a 15m x 15m lifesized Monopoly board! Try the Junior Monopoly Board to find out who is going to be Monopoly Champ on this race against the clock to solve a mystery, crack some codes and, of course, buy some of London's most iconic buildings. Bagsy Mayfair.
When: Check website for game times.
Where: 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7PS
Cost: From £32.50 per person www.monopolylifesized.com
Need more inspo when it comes to things to do in London this weekend with kids? Then how about:
Family guide to the Tower of London
Hobble on down to Hobbledown Adventure Farm
Nice buns, hun: best burgers in London
Best museums in London for families
Head over to Wands & Wizard Exploratorium
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