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!

Lambeth - What's on for the family - December 8th-9th 2012

First week of December has already gone past. Have you done your Christmas shopping yet? I think I've sorted all the pressies out! So what's on for the weekend?

SATURDAY (8th December)

Dads, want to give mum a break? Then take the kids to child-friendly pub Manor Arms for Punch and Judy Brunch. Doors open at 10am, show starts at 11am.

Manor Arms is located at 13 Mitcham Lane, SW16, 6LQ.You can catch the 333, 201 and 57 to the pub. It is also served by Streatham overground station.

And while dad is at Manor Arms, mum can pop out to the Railway on Greyhound Lane and check out their Christmas Craft and Farmers Market from 12 to 6pm. Free Santa's grotto from 2til 3:30pm so get dad to bring the kids over for that time!

To get to the Railway, catch buses 109,118, 250 and 50. Currently the road is closed so get off on Streatham High Street.

Want to do something together as a family than head to Vauxhall City Farm Open Day. meet the animals, watch some demonstrations, visit Santa and have some mulled wine! Events run from 11am to 4pm.

The farm is located at 165 Tyers Street, SE11 5HS and can be reached by buses 2, 88 and 196. The area is also served by the Overground and Underground.

Or head over to Clapham and visit the Christmas Fun day at Under the Greenwood Tree shop. Events include storytime, writing a letter to Santa and face painting and run from 11am to 4:30pm. Some events need to be booked so call them on 020 7627 4557.

The shop is located at 11 The Polygon, SW4 0JG. The area is served by Clapham Common tube stations and buses 37, 345, 322, 35 and 88.

And finally pop to Brixton market for the  monthly Brixton Market Heritage Walk led by the Brixton Society. This is a good walk for parents with buggy babies. 

Ready for a walk around Brixton

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.

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.

While you're in the area, pop into the Crafty Fox market at the Dogstar, Coldharbour Lane, SW9. Open from 11am til 5pm Saturday and Sunday!

SUNDAY (9th December)

Staying Lambeth local? Then head up the hill in Brockwell Park to the Brockwell Greenhouses to build yourself some Christmas Decorations with a Difference. The workshop is from 10:30 to 12:30 and a donation of £5 is welcome.

And whilst in Herne Hill, take a look at their Sunday City and Country Farmers Market from10am to 4 pm - foods and crafts. Buses into the area include 3, 196, 322, 68 and 37.

 Happy to hop on a bus, then head to the Southbank for a Chocolate Festival. A chance to let the children nibble lots of chocolate. It runs on Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. Also check out the Christmas Market while you are down there. Travel here on the 59 or catch the Underground to Waterloo.

And finally, travel a little further to the Horniman Museum's Christmas Fayre! Do some more xmas shopping, lets the kids do some activities and listen to a choir sing carols. Head out on the P4 bus to Forest Hill.

 Happy weekend everyone!!

Books, Babies and Clapham!

My search for good things for kids, fun stuff for families and baby friendly cafes take me out and about into Lambeth. A couple of weeks ago, I trotted into Clapham to seek out their baby friendly cafes.

Now the first way to find these places is to look in and see how well I can get my pushchair through the door and into the building. Many spaces lack this basic welcome. And then the next thing I look for is high chairs to feed the little one and a good toilet in which I can change the baby or go to the loo whilst keeping an eye on my little one.

And so in my perambulations, I came across Under the Greenwood Tree; a bookshop which also serves coffee and cake and baby food (for the little ones of course - not to go with the cake)! As you enter the building, there is a long ramp that takes you into the shop. This not only makes it accessible to buggy mums but to disabled people. The shop is full of goodies, lots of children's books and toys for little kids and some that big kids would be very pleased to receive.

Under the Greenwood tree - Clapham Old Town

You can also stop and have a coffee and (like I did) give the little one some food. So my young un sat in the high chair whilst I fed her. They also sell some baby food in case you have been caught short -starving baby and no puree! For the slightly older child, there are some toys for them to play with. So it is a really good space to take a break.

Boo-boo enjoys contemplating her next read as she has her lunch.

However what makes it superb asides from the lovely things to buy is the fantastic toilet! For a start, you can comfortably get the buggy in and move around. And then, the toilet is kitted out for every kind of small child toilet moment procedure Whether toddler step, potty, nappies and nappy wipes, you name it and its probably in there. It's also a very cosy warm toilet. Possibly the best baby change and toddler toilet experience in Lambeth!

This shop is located in 11 The Polygon, Clapham, SW4 0JG. It can be reached by buses 88, 37, 155, 322, 35, 345 and 137. For further info, call them on 020 7627 4557. They hold a storytime session at 11am on a Saturday morning (which I haven't been to).

However, I have been to the Wednesday storytime session (for pre-school children) at Clapham Books. This is on at 11am in the back of the shop which has a whole area dedicated to children's books. Myself and the baby Boo-boo, travelled to see what this storytime has to offer. The books are read by a lady called Seta who does a fantastic job. There are some stools the children (or grown ups) can sit on and a play rug that goes on the floor. With the range of books in the kids department, the session can be geared to whoever comes along. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone in the area.

Clapham Books is located at 120 Clapham High Street Clapham, SW4 7UH. The same buses as above will get you into the area. For further info, call them on 020 7627 2797

And finally, ready for some more storytime? Well, Clapham library, in it's wonderful new space, offers toddlers' storytime, rhymes and singing 3 days a week! So on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 10:30am pop along to the Mary Seacole house where the library lives, descend the ramp and hang out with Clapham's little ones as they listen to stories.

Clapham library is at Mary Seacole Centre, 91 Clapham High Street, SW4 7DB. . Buses are already mentioned. The area is served by two tube stations (if you are brave): Clapham North and Clapham Common. And the overground passes through here at the Clapham High Street station.

So mums and dads, pop over to Clapham for some book based activities and try not buy to much for yourself from the lovely shops in the area!