Lambeth - What's on for the family - October 19th/20th 2013

I’m back – fingers crossed that I can keep this up for a while! But, hey let’s get back to the weekend. It’s that lovely time of year when the leaves turn brown, a chill hits the air yet there are still things to do outdoors.

So what’s on?

SATURDAY (19^th October)

Head to the Southbank and make friends with some grazing goats! From 12pm head up to the wildflower meadow on Queen Elizabeth Hall roof gardens. There will be seed and woodworking activities with tea and food in the garden.

The 59 and 68 to Waterloo will take you there. Or catch the tube or overground.

Fancy traveling further afield? Then head up to Russell Square for the Bloomsbury festival. Family activities on offer include:

• ·          The Indonesia Kontemporar at SOAS, University of London (10 Thornhaugh St, London WC1H 0XG) featuring music, dressing up, storytelling, crafts and food.
• ·         Turn your doodles into cartoons at the Cartoon Museum (25 Little Russell Street, WC1A 2HH) from 12pm to 12:45pm and 2pm to 2:45pm.
• ·          Lots of walking tours – check the programme for more details. Great for parents with little babies in buggies or slings.
• ·         Love anything underwater? Then take a look around the Grant Museum of Zoology, (UCL, Rockefeller Building, University Street, London WC1e 6DE) from 1pm to 4pm, for their Life Under the Waves activities.

The buses 59 and 68 will take you to Euston which is close by. Festival continues through to Sunday.

And one more for those who want to stay closer to home, pop over to Myatts Fields for the Big Draw! From 1 to 4pm, draw with chalks around the bandstand and enjoy live music!

Myatts Fields on a rainy day.

 

Myatts Fields is located on Cormont Road( SE5 9RA). Buses 36, 185 and 436 to Camberwell New Road, Buses 3, 59, 159  and 133 along the Brixton road. It's a ten minute walk from there.

SUNDAY (20^th October)

Heading back into Lambeth, take a stop at Streatham Common Community Gardens, located next to the Rookery and enjoy their Apple and Squash day. From 12pm to 4pm, you can make juice and eat squash. Yum! Buses up that way include the 417 and 249. 

More apples? Then head down to the Globe to catch the Lion’s Part perform… as part of October Plenty and Borough Market Apple Day. There will also be traditional games, storytelling and an apple orchard. To get to Bankside on bus, the 45 which passes through Brixton stops at Blackfriars Bridge Road. Alternatively, there is always the tube to Southwark.

Green Man at Lion's Part performance

And finally if it’s raining, check out A Family at Wartime exhibition at the Imperial War Musem (Lambeth Rd, London SE1 6HZ). It tells the real experiences of a family in Stockwell. The Museum is open from 10am to 6pm. The 3, 344, 59 and 159 buses pass the museum.

Have a good weekend!

Lambeth - What's on for the family - November 10th-11th 2012

Well, Christmas is well on the way. Halloween and Bonfire night have been and gone! So what's on for families this weekend?

SATURDAY (10th November) 

For parents with babies in buggies, this Saturday is the  monthly Brixton Market Heritage Walk led by the Brixton Society. Learn about the amazing history of the area. The tour starts at 2:30pm - meet at the corner of Beehive Place and Brixton Station Road. It cost £3 each and includes a free booklet.

Ready for a walk around Brixton

Buses through Brixton include P4, P5, 188, 196, 59, 159, 3, 133, 333, 45, 345, and 37. Alternatively you can catch the tube or the overground into the area.

If you have older kids and you can spare a few quid, then join your children up to the Kids Club at the Ritzy or Clapham picture house. Membership is £4. Films are on at 10:30 am in Brixton and 11:45am in Clapham. Kids and accompanying adult's entry is £1 each.

Travel through Brixton already mentioned. Buses through Clapham include the 35, 37, 322, 88, 155 and 345. Clapham Common is the nearest Tube station to the cinema.

If your little one is too young for these film clubs, then pop to your local library and check out the children’s movies on DVD. It’s £1 a film to rent for 3 days. And to make it more of a cinematic experience, cook up some popcorn and serve a juice drink with a straw!!

Happy to travel outside of the area? This Saturday, see the amazing Lord Mayor's Show, a three mile long procession through the City of London. The event starts at 11am and carries on to 2pm.

Suggestions for getting there are Thameslink trains from Herne Hill to get off at Blackfriars or  Farringdon. Or catch the tube to Bank.

Want something to exercise the brain cells? Then head out to the Festival of Geology.  Activities include handling extraordinary rocks, minerals and fossils, having a go at gem panning and casting a fossil. Events run between 10:30am to 4:30pm at UCL Main (Wilkins) Building, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT. The 59 bus will take you into the area.

 SUNDAY (11th November)

Looking for something on Sunday, then head to the Cartoon Museum to learn about 75 years of the Dandy comic. It costs £5.50 for adults but children go free. Catch the 59 bus up to Holborn to visit the museum on 35 Little Russell St, London WC1A 2HH. Sunday opening is noon to 5:30pm.

Want something to do closer to home? Then can I suggest a pleasant walk in Brockwell Park with a visit to the Community Greenhouses (open 12pm-4pm). Follow that with a slice of cake and a  hot drink at the cafe on the top of the hill or head to the Florence for a plate of chips (and a pint for mum and dad).

And whilst in Herne Hill, take a look at their Sunday Market 10am to 4 pm - foods and crafts. Buses into the area include 3, 196, 322, 68 and 37.

Ongoing events local to Lambeth  are the Charles Dickens Exhibition at the Cuming Museum or the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre in East Dulwich . More details in this October post!

Boo-boo was disappointed that there were no flashing lights.

 Head out, have fun and may your weekend be happy and good!