LittleLegends.biz

The problems with the main Little Legends site are ongoing so apologies!

However, if you are looking for something to do with the kids in London then why not check out the Kids London Guide.

Yes, the winter is upon us and with shorter, colder, wetter days, parents need to know where you can take your kids in the capital. That is why I drew up this list for Metrotwin and I thought I would share it here too:

Climbers & Creepers
An indoor interactive botanical playzone

Eddie Catz, Wimbledon (formerly Tiger’s Eye)
A great place for families on rainy days

Snakes and Ladders
One of the largest indoor playgrounds in London

Tumble in the Jungle
A jungle themed indoor adventure playground

Zoomaround
A great play venue in North London

Bramley’s Big Adventure
Indoor Adventure Playground for Kids

Gambado
All sorts of indoor fun for kids

Topsy Turvy World
Exhaust the kids before you go shopping

It’s A Kid’s Thing
Indoor Fun in Earlsfield

Eddie Catz, Putney
Indoor fun for under 5s

You are happily travelling around London, enjoying the sights when your child suddenly shouts out that familiar phrase “I need a wee …. now!”. You know you don’t have much time, so how do you go about finding the nearest loo (toilet)?

No matter where you are in London, you will find free conveniences at:
*Coffee shops such as Starbucks
*McDonalds
*Department Stores (you will usually have to go up to the third floor)

You might also find the following loos handy:
*Picadilly Circus Underground Station
*Covent Garden Piazza
*Westminster Underground Station (50p)
*Victoria, Waterloo and other mainline British Rail Stations (20p)

If you are really caught short and can’t find a nearby loo you might have to resort to letting your child pee in the gutter or preferably behind a bush!

One of the strangest UK laws is that a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants – even, if she so requests, in a policeman’s helmet!

If you have made the exciting decision to take the kids to London but you are looking for a bit of extra information, you will find the following tips useful:

Getting Around
1. Tube
Very few of the London Underground Tube stops have lifts. – there are mostly long escalators. If possible, avoid taking buggies on the underground. Papooses can be handy.
2. Buses
London Bus Drivers are notoriously unhelpful and sometimes they will not allow buggies on crowded buses and they have been known to drive off without waiting for you to fold it!
3. Taxis
For Safety reasons it is always advisable to take a Black Cab because they are licensed. Most mini-cab companies, although cheaper, are unlicensed. One exception is Addison Lee which is very reputable but busy, so book in advance.
4. Foot
London is a large city but it is a great place to walk around. It is very flat and there are fairly wide pavements everywhere. If you do choose to walk, you might be surprised how close some of the better known places are eg Covent Garden, Leicester Square (pronounced Lester Square), and Trafalgar Square.

Safety
1. Appearance
Try your best not to look like a tourist. Backpacks, shorts, trainers with white socks and large cameras are a dead giveaway.
2. Plan Your Route in Advance
If possible, avoid opening a map on a street corner and staring at it for ages. You will be better off planning your journey and asking if you get lost. If you do
3. Stay Close
London is an extremely busy city and it is easy for children to become lost. Keep your eye on excitable young children and stick together as a family.
4. Pick Pockets
Most of the major tourist attractions, such as Harrods, will be hunting grounds for pick pockets. The best way to avoid losing your wallet is to have a shoulder bag with a zip. Carry it trapped under your arm as much as possible. If you do stop in a restaurant, put your foot through the handles so no one can take it without you noticing.

Supplies
1. Nappies/Diapers, medicines etc
The largest chain of chemists is called Boots. Wherever you are staying you will find one near you. They will have everything you need from Calpol (liquid paracetemol for kids) to Baby Wipes.
2. Food
It can be costly buying sandwiches and drinks at cafes so you might choose to buy your food in advance. The largest supermarkets are Sainsburys and Tescos. The larger superstores are based slightly outside the centre and have car parking. However, if you do not have a car you will find mini supermarkets like Tesco Express on Oxford Street and the like.

London Culture
1. No Speaking on Tube
Generally you will find that people do not speak to each other on public transport and avoid eye contact. If Londoners are travelling together they talk quietly and frown on anyone who does otherwise.
2. Quick Walking
Everyone walks extremely quickly and they are usually in a rush to get wherever they are going, so people might seem aggressive.
3. Willing to Help
Whilst people may not seem very friendly, if you need any help you will usually find people are more than willing to point you in the right direction.

Where to go
1. Restaurants
There are the usual fast food chains as well as family friendly places such as Pizza Express and The Rainforest Cafe. However, if you do a bit more research you will discover some childfriendly local pubs and restaurants.
2. Museums
Probably the best museum for kids is the Science Museum. They might also enjoy the London Eye, which is next to the Aquarium and there are other favourites like Madam Tussauds , the London Dungeon and Hamleys Toy Shop.
3. Parks
One of the best things about taking kids to London is that no matter where you are there will be a park nearby. There are great playgrounds at Holland Park and Kensington Gardens (Princess Diana Memorial Playground). Battersea Park has an adventure playground and London Zoo is right next to both and Regent’s Park have zoos.
4. Day Trips
There are lots of places to see just outside London. You might want to consider visiting Legoland, Diggerland or if you fancy a bit more culture you could try Windsor Castle , Leeds Castle (which is actually in Kent!) or RHS Wisley Gardens.

Find out where you are staying and then use this site to find the best museums, days out, childfriendly restaurants and more near you. Feel free to share your own experiences as well.

London is a great city for kids and a place to be enjoyed. There is no need to worry unnecessarily and if you plan ahead you will have a wonderful trip that the whole family will remember. You will find that no matter what your interests or aims there will be something for everyone.

Source: Dimitry B @ flickr

You don’t have to spend money on sightseeing buses. Instead you can choose to take the regular number 15 bus from Tower Hill. The bus will take you all the way from The Tower of London through the City, past St Pauls, past Trafalgar Square and on to Regent St (where Hamleys Toy Shop is) and Oxford St. It’s a double decker and so make sure to get a seat upstairs

If you are coming to London with the kids then you are probably looking for somewhere to stay that is family friendly. You might be looking for somewhere with adjoining rooms or high chairs, or somewhere cheap as chips etc Obviously there are loads of places to choose from, but I thought I would share with you some of the hotels that appear on Little Legends:

The Carlton Tower – Perfect for shopaholics as this luxury hotel is situated within walking distance of both Harrods and Harvey Nichols!

Novotel London Waterloo – This hotel is very close to the London Eye and just across the bridge from Covent Garden and many theatres. There are also many childfriendly venues along the southbank so this is a good location.

London Thameside Youth Hostel – I doubt you will find anything cheaper than a Youth Hostel. This one is not far from the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and London Dungeon. There are also several others dotted across the capital.

Shepiston Lodge. This place is only 1.5 miles from Heathrow so handy if you need to catch an early flight.

Why not share your experiences of great (or terrible) hotels for kids in London? I am sure there are loads of parents out there looking for tips from families who have been there and done that

The Big Draw is taking place from 1st to 31st October this year. For those of you who don’t know, it is the national campaign for drawing.

It is inspired by the visionary Victorian artist and writer, John Ruskin. His mission was not to teach people how to draw, but how to see.

To accompany the Big Draw, the National Portrait Gallery is setting up a special event for kids and teens from 1pm to 4pm. Best of all it is FREE! Family visitors and young people will have the opportunity to work with professional artists on an exciting drawing project in the Gallery.

It sounds great fun and a good opportunity to bring Art alive in the perfect setting.

Source: Bordas@flickr

Holland Park used to be my local park. It amazed me that there was such a great local park for kids so close to the centre of London.

Holland Park has a wide variety of facilities. The best place for young children is the play area for under 5s. This is basically a large sandpit with swings, slide and climbing frame. The play area is handily situated right next to the WCs and not far from the cafe. There is also a One O’clock club, but this has fairly limited facilities.

Other attractions include a much bigger adventure playground for the older kids. The Japanese garden is fun to visit (although younger ones need to be supervised) because the kids can look at the fish in the pond and the waterfall, and even cross the stepping stones. There are also peacocks and rabbits located in various enclosures around the park.

If you want to bring a picnic, the area behind the main house is dog-free. However, if you are bringing your pooch then there is a huge playing field at the High St Ken end where your kids and your dog can run around.

Last but not least, if you contact the information desk they can tell you about nature trails for kids and the ecology centre.

All in all a well maintained, beautiful park with great facilities for kids.

If you know Holland Park, please share your tips and experiences here

On Saturday 27th September, there is a special family event taking place at the Cadogan Hall (Sloane Terrace, SW1X 9DQ).

Doors open at 10.15am when children will be able to as well as meet the inspring young musicians of Southbank Sinfonia take part in fun creative activities.

Children will recognise the main characters – the wolf, grandma and the little girl in a red cape – but not everything is as it seems in this mysterious and magical retelling by Roald Dahl

Tickets cost £6 per person or four tickets for £20. There are concessions for children attending Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Schools – One child goes free with every adult ticket.

You can book tickets by following this link or by calling the Box Office on 020 7730 4500

Source:Jim Snapper at Flickr

The Chinese New Year Celebration will be taking place on Sunday 10th February. There will be a grand parade along the Strand, Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue and on to Trafalgar Square. The parade will start at 11am and you will be able to see all sorts of performers including acrobats and Chinese dragons. There will also be fireworks to round off the celebrations.

There are lots of different activities for kids including:

+ China in London at London Zoo - learn about the species that form the chinese zodiac

+ Chinese Tales and Mask Art at the National Portrait Gallery - storytelling and mask making

+ Chinese Dagons Art and Craft at the Horniman Museum - sessions about chinese dragons

+ Animals of the Chinese New Year at the Natural History Museum - which year were you born?

+ China’s Terracotta Army at the British Museum - chinese games and workshops

+ Beijing Bailing Shadow Puppet Show - see the website for shows at various venues

+ Fan Dance and Animal Mask Workshops at the Museum in Docklands - plus other half term activities.

People born in 1972, 1984 and 1996 are Rats. So, that must mean that Piers is one (sorry – just gave your age away ). It sounds awful to be a rat, but read this flattering description from Wikipedia:

Being the first sign of the Chinese zodiacs, rats are leaders, pioneers and conquerors. They are charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and hardworking. Rat people are endowed with great leadership skills and are the most highly organized, meticulous, and systematic of the twelve signs. Intelligent and cunning at the same time, rats are highly ambitious and strong-willed people who are keen and unapologetic promoters of their own agendas, which often include money and power. They are energetic and versatile and can usually find their way around obstacles, and adapt to various environments easily. A rat’s natural charm and sharp demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone, but rats are usually highly exclusive and selective when choosing friends and so often have only a few very close friends whom they trust.

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

Anyway, enjoy the celebrations and Happy New Year!