Lambeth - What's on for the family - December 22nd-23rd 2012

I imagine many parents will be trying to sort out some last bits of shopping and making sure everything is grand for Christmas day.

So here's some things to keep the children busy:

SATURDAY (22nd December)

Need to do some shopping still for christmas goods? Here's a list of local shops selling toys. Take the kids along!

Brixton

Morleys is located at 472-488 Brixton Road, SW9 8EH opposite the Underground and opens from 9:30am to 8 on Saturday, 10:30 to 5:30 on Sunday and 9am to 6pm on Christmas Eve

Diverse is located at 65 Atlantic Road, Brixton, SW9 8PU.  Their opening times are 11.00am to 6.30pm Monday to Saturday and 12.00pm to 5.00 on Sundays.

20 Storey is situated at 2A Market Row, Brixton, SW9 8LD and is open from 10:30am.

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.

Clapham

Under the Greenwood Tree shop is located at 11 The Polygon, SW4 0JG and opens from10:00am to 6 on Saturday, 11:00 to 5:00 on Sunday and 9am to 4pm on Christmas Eve 

The area is served by Clapham Common tube stations and buses 37, 345, 322, 35 and 88.

Herne Hill

Tales on Moonlane is located at 25 Half Moon Lane, SE24 9JU and is open Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 10:30am to 4:30pm.

Just Williams has two shops, one at 18 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, SE24 9HU and one at
8b Balham Hill, Balham, SW12 9EA. Both are open from Saturday 9:30am to 6pm and Sunday 10:30am to 4:30pm.

There is a farmers market at Streatham Vale this weekend from 10am to 2pm and it includes kids activities. It's located at Granton Primary School, Granton Rd, SW16 5AN, Buses 60 and 118 will take you nearest the school.

Alternatively pop up to the Southbank and head toward the London Eye to check out the Christmas Market which has 80 chalets of goodies to see!

To get to the London Eye, catch the 159, 77 and 12 or take the tube to Waterloo.

Perhaps take this evening to go and look at the Christmas lights. See our guide here.

SUNDAY (23rd December)

Need to get stuff done in the home? Then pop to the library and get out a few DVDs for the kids. Films usually cost a £1. Current offer at Brixton library is get 2 out for the price of 3!

You can find a map of Lambeth libraries here.

Another option is to take them swimming. Check out our list of reviews here. I should also mention that there are some reviews of local soft play facilities. I expect these places will be very busy!

So if you are looking for things to do at home, check out the Spit-Spot website. One of my favourite suggestions from their site is painting with condensed milk - I'm going to have to give that a go!

Hope you get everything done this weekend and have a wonderful Christmas day!

The Big Scream! Baby Cinema

Who would have thought that when it was our turn to bare the next generations, we could be keeping ourselves entertained, not with nursery rhymes for the little ones but by viewing the latest movie with babe in arms, either asleep or sucking furiously at the breast.

Yes, a big thank you to the person who thought of baby cinema. What a great idea - creating specific times when a mum can take her baby (as long as s/he is under 1 years old) to watch a film. The sound is not quite as loud as normal and the auditorium is not as dark. The showings are always on first thing (so around 11am at the Ritzy in Brixton). Tickets are at matinee prices.

When I was a bit more settled with my baby, we ventured out to baby cinema. I made sure the nappy bag was packed and slung it onto the pushchair. Upon arriving, we bought a ticket, met our other mummy and baby friends, and proceeded to park up the buggy. Then came the tricky bit, you have to take the nappy bag and the baby into the cinema.

So once in the cinema, I got a seat for all our stuff, and a seat for myself with the baby on my lap. The lights came down, adverts and films came on and the sights and sounds of baby cinema began. For a start there is usually some baby whaaaahing to be expected. But as we are in close proximity to the other mothers, we have noisy breast feeding babies and the sound of nappies being filled with poop! In fact it's actually quite funny when you look over to you neighbour with an "oh no, I just heard that too". My first visit had a leaky nappy drama - not once but twice.

We were watching the Being Elmo film ( a movie about the puppeteer behind kid's favourite Elmo) which I really wanted to see. However, the baby had other ideas. Or rather her nappies didn't work for her so half way through the movie I noticed I was wet and we had to navigate our way out of the cinema, jumping over little ones lying on the floor, to rush to the baby changing toilet for a complete change of clothes (for her not me).

However I had left my nappy bag on the pushchair so I had to wade through a mass of Maclaren XT and bugaboos with a mucky baby tucked under my arm. Even worst, I'd left the bag tightly wedged under the pushchair. ARGHHH! We survived.

I mention the explosive nappy happen twice. The second time I missed a key moment of the film - when Jim Henderson dies (insert sad face here). And this was not to be the only movie this happened in! Still, baby cinema is good for mums  - gives you something grown up to do whilst caring for the little one.

The Ritzy (Tel: 0871 704 2068 ) has their screenings on Friday morning at 11:00am. It's worth getting a booklet with listings to check what is on as the website isn't always up to date. There is usually two films to choose from. A ticket cost £7.50 and includes a hot beverage.

The Clapham Picture House (Tel: 0871 704 2068 ) has a screening on Thursday morning at 10:30am. Tickets cost £7.

For both cinemas, you have to join the Big Scream club but this only costs a £1. Enjoy your chance to catch up on all the latest film releases!