Posts Tagged: Kids London


11
Sep 08

Family Days Out: Get on your bikes and ride

On Sunday 21st September the London Freewheel event, organized by the Mayor of London, will be taking place with the aim of encouraging more people to cycle around the capital.

It sounds like a great family day out, especially if you have older kids. Participants will be able to cycle round some of London’s most famous roads and landmarks including the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace.

The London Freewheel will not cost you a penny and is even suitable for wimps like me because the route is traffic free :)

Due to the huge number of cyclists taking part (some 38,000 odd last year), the organizers suggest that if you go as a family that you all wear the same colour/hat/flag/balloon etc so that you can keep track of each other.

To find out more about the route and to register visit the official site.

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29
Jan 08

Family Days Out: Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

I am not sure why the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is such a famous spectacle. Maybe it has something to do with the well known poem by A A Milne (author of Winnie the Pooh):

They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
Alice is marrying one of the guard.
A soldier’s life is terrible hard, – Says Alice.

Or maybe people are just curious to see men wearing tall, black, furry hats!

If you want to see the Changing of the Guard for yourself, it takes place daily at 11.30am from April thorugh to July and alternate days at 11am the rest of the year. Be warned though that it is frequently cancelled because of bad weather or other events.

Due to the popularity of the spectacle it is advisable to arrive at least an hour early to bag a good spot to watch from.

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26
Jan 08

Family Day Out to see the Henry Moore at Kew Gardens

This exhibition strikes me as the perfect day out for the family – the kids will have loads of space to charge around and everyone can enjoy a bit of culture at the same time. (I am a bit of an art lover so this event particularly appeals to me.)

Twenty-eight of Henry Moore’s sculptures have been sited around Kew Gardens and it is the first exhibition of its kind in London. All the sculptures are huge and intended to be placed outdoors. It is a great way of bringing art to life for kids:

Moore at Kew provides a unique opportunity to witness how the changing light, weather and surrounding foliage affect sculpture throughout the seasons.

Moore at Kew runs until 30 March 2008. The Gardens are open every day from 9.30am to 4.15pm. Adults – £12.25, Concessions – £10.25, Children under 17 (to be accompanied by an adult) – FREE

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25
Jan 08

Family Days Out: London International Mime Festival for Kids

The London Mime Festival is running until 27th January, so this weekend is your last chance to catch a couple of the shows. Mime really has moved on a bit since my day as a kid!

There are two very impressive family-friendly shows at the Southbank Centre this weekend:

Pep Bou from Spain
Sun 27 Jan 6pm – one performance only – runs approx 75 mins with no interval
Seats £12, £15, £18 (limited concs)
This master of mime creates beautiful, hand-blown bubbles in all sorts of shapes and sizes. These shimmering creations then dance to a variety of music (as shown in the above video)

Collectif Petit Travers from France
Sat 7.45pm, Sun 4pm – Runs approx 65 mins with no interval
All seats £13 (limited concs)

These three circus artists from France will keep you entertained with a variety of dance and acrobatics.

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24
Jan 08

Family Days Out: Afrika! Afrika! and other Musicals for Kids

If, like me, you are beginning to think about what to do for half-term and are thinking of taking the kids to a show in London, here are 6 ideas:

Afrika! Afrika! at the O2 Arena (17th January to 19th April)
Billed as The Magical Circus Adventure from the Amazing Continent, this show has over 100 performers from 17 african nations. There is everything from dancers and contortionists to acrobats and jugglers. Check the official website for further details.

The Lion King at http://www.littlelegends.biz/items/62069(Ongiong)
A spectacular visual feast, this adaptation of Disney’s much-loved film transports audiences to a dazzling world that explodes with glorious colours, stunning effects and enchanting music. At its heart is the powerful and moving story of Simba – the epic adventure of his journey from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre (Ongoing)
This colourful retelling of the biblical story about dreamboat Joseph, his uncanny abilities and his designer coat sings out to young and old alike with a score which is wall to wall hits – including Close Every Door and Any Dream Will Do

The Sound of Music at the London Palladium (Ongoing)
Hit follows hit in the THE SOUND OF MUSIC score which touches the hearts of all ages and brims over with some of the most memorable songs ever performed on the musical stage including My Favorite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Edelweiss, Climb Ev’ry Mountain, Sixteen Going on Seventeen, The Lonely Goatherd and of course the glorious title song The Sound of Music.

Grease at the Picadilly Theatre (Ongoing)
Sandy and Danny spend a summer in love, but think they will never meet again.That is until Sandy unexpectedly joins Danny’s high school to find that he is not exactly how she remembers him. Most famous for the 1979 film version starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, Grease has become a firm family favourite, not least for its songs which include Summer Lovin’, Hopelessly Devoted To You and, of course, Greased Lightning.

Stomp at the Ambassadors Theatre(Ongoing)
A very noisy show with 12 performers stamping, smacking and making all sorts of sounds with dustbin lids and other everyday objects. An unusual hit with slick choreography.

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23
Jan 08

Family Days Out: Baby Loves Disco!

If you are one of those uk parents who likes clubbing and you feel that your dancing days have taken a bit of a nosedive since you had kids then this is the event for you. Baby Loves Disco has events in London or Manchester where parents can groove along with their young kids and just have a bit of fun.

Baby Loves Disco is an afternoon dance party for little kids (6 months-7 years) and (especially) their parents: featuring Heart 106.2 DJs playing feelgood tracks guaranteed to get those little booties moving and grooving.

This latest and most unlikely dance craze was started in the States and pulled over the pond to debut in London and Manchester …

The fun spills out from all corners of the coolest clubs in town: bubble machines, baskets of instruments, a chill-out room (with tents, books and puzzles), diaper changing stations, a full spread of healthy snacks and dancing, LOTS of dancing (and yes, the cash bar will be open for mommy and daddy!).

Now that sounds fun – see you there :)

-all parties from 2-5 pm
-admission is £8 for all walking humans. (non-walkers free!)
-if the party is not sold out in advance, there will be a limited number of tickets available at the door and they are cash only.

London
The Clapham Grand
21-25 St John’s Hill
Clapham Junction
SW11 1TT

Manchester
Pure
The Printworks
27 Withy Grove
Manchester
M4 2BS

Visit the Baby Loves Disco website to buy your tickets now – booking advised.

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22
Jan 08

Family Days Out: New Event for Artistic Teens in London

Keeping Teenagers amused on holiday is no mean feat, so I was pleased to read about “New on the Scene” which takes place at the Courtauld Gallery.

It is an all day painting workshop for teenagers (13 to 18yrs) where they explore the world of Manet, Degas and others. They look at the way in which the invention of photography kickstarted artists’ preoccupation with modern life.

The best bit is when they can put their newfound knowledge to use by creating their own artwork.

Nearest Tube: Temple/Charing Cross
Saturdays 10.30am to 4pm
£10 each (booking advisable)
Tel 020 7845 4600 or email familyandlearningbookings@somersethouse.org.uk

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20
Jan 08

Family Days Out: The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race 2008

If you are looking for something different to do with the kids in London then don’t miss this bizarre event. It takes place on 5th February 2008 at 12.30pm. The location is Dray Walk by the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane E1. So what happens? Well, teams of four people, some in fancy dress, race up and down whilst flipping pancakes! All the teams are sponsored and proceeds go to Save the Children.

The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane E1 6QL
Situated close to the junction of Hanbury St and Brick Lane.
By Tube: Liverpool St, Whitechapel or Aldgate East.

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17
Aug 07

Great Family Days Out in London

You have planned a trip to the Big Smoke with the kids. There are hundreds of attractions to choose from, so where do you begin? Well, you won’t go far wrong if you start with one of the favourite attractions:

* The Science Museum
* Madame Tussauds
* The London Dungeons
* The Tower of London
* The London Aquarium
* The London Eye
* The Natural History Museum
* Tate Modern
* The Museum of Childhood
* London Zoo

You can find loads of other places for kids in London, including child friendly restaurants and hotels by searching LittleLegends.

Enjoy your trip and why not submit your own reviews of the places you visited :)

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15
Aug 07

Family Days Out: Free Theatre for Kids

During Kids Week (17th to 31st August) one child aged 5 to 16 can go free to any theatre performance listed here if they go with an adult paying full price. If you have other children you can buy up to two other tickets at half price. There is limited availability so book now!

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