Remember, Remember the 5th of November

It's that time of year when autumn has truly taken hold: dark mornings and darker evenings; the beautiful blue of a sky with the Sun sitting ever lower. The russet and golden tones dominate the trees; leaves litter the streets; scarves are pulled from the depths of the wardrobe to shield us against that autumnal chill; and when I catch a glimpse of the Houses of Parliament I think "what if?"

Now whilst I'm not sure how I feel about burning Fawke's effigy on a bonfire, I do think it gives us a reason to stop, think about and admire the stunning architecture that surrounds us here in London. I for one am thankful that the plot was foiled. 

With this in mind, I've been having a little look to see where you can catch some fireworks this year and boy have you been spoilt. With offerings from Vauxhall and Crystal Palace, to name just a couple, there is plenty of choice (and if you fancy braving the cold, you can definitely catch more than one display).

In what seems to be a controversial decision, Lambeth Council has organised this years event to take place in Brockwell Park once again. Despite some concerns over transport links (or lack of) it's set to be a good-un. This years theme is 'The Four Seasons'; different zones will be located on the park to represent Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and to top it off, the display itself has been created by the team behind the London Olympics fireworks!

Part of a two-week Fire Festival, Vauxhall Pleasure Garden will have a full evenings entertainment. Beginning with the lighting of the bonfire, you can expect gymnasts, artists and parkour dancers to provide an insight into the origins of fire. 

Hopping out of Lambeth, Battersea Park's popular display has a 'Shrieks and Skulls' themed night - what with it being so close to Halloween and all. Unlike other events organised by their respective Council, this is going to cost you and the sooner you book your tickets the better (£6.50 until 27th October and then the price increases). Under 10s go for free, but be aware that they still need a ticket!

Southwark Park's night kicks off at 5pm and throughout the evening you can expect to see fire and light performances as well as enjoy the family fun fair. Southwark, like Lambeth, have been able to host another Bonfire Night that is free - a good choice if you are saving those pennies for Christmas!

Perhaps the most family-friendly of all the offerings however, is Crystal Palace Park. With not one, but two displays, you may feel happier about having your little one out after dark. Whilst the main display is set to music and is full of the loudest fireworks you could imagine, the children's display will be using those that are quieter and more colourful. 

You can see all the events below, with as much detail as is humanly possible! So take a look and let us know which event takes your fancy. Perhaps you've heard of another event that pips these? Don't be shy, sharing is caring and we'd love to hear what you're thinking of doing or not doing as the case may be!

It's also important to remember that safety is paramount on Bonfire Night. Keeping you safe are the good people @BonfireSafety; a beautifully designed, as well as informative, document has been filled with some little known facts, with some handy 'dos & don'ts' to keep you safe. Be sure to check it out here.

**If you are interested in going a little further afield then take a look at the spreadsheet created by IanVisits, he has gone the extra mile and collated all the information for you**

-----------------

Battersea Park

DATE: Saturday 2nd November

GATES: 18.00

BONFIRE: 19.30

DISPLAY: 20.00

PRICE: £6.50 until Sunday 27th Oct // £8 from Monday 28th October - Friday 1st November // £10 Saturday 2nd November before 6pm (buy tickets online), Children under 10 years go free, but still need a ticket.

-----------------

Brockwell Park

Dulwich Road

London

SE24 0NG

DATE: Tuesday 5th November

GATES: 17.00

PRICE: Absolutely free

-----------------

Crystal Palace Park

Thicket Road

London

SE20 8DT

DATE: Tuesday 5th November

GATES: 18.00

CHILDREN'S DISPLAY: 19.00

MAIN DISPLAY: 20.30

PRICE: £6 Adults // £4 Children (3-10yrs) // Children under 3 years go free.

-----------------

Southwark Park

Gomm Road

SE16

DATE: Tuesday 5th November

GATES: 17.00

DISPLAY: 19.00

CLOSE: 20.30

PRICE: Absolutely free!

-----------------

Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

SE11 5HY

DATE: Friday 1st November

GATES: 18.30

BONFIRE: 19.00

STORY: 19.00

DISPLAY: 20.00

PRICE: Absolutely free!

-----------------

And then there were four...

With Ruth and Toddler Boo back in town and Baby A and me in tow, there is lots to be looking forward to as far as Little Lambeth is concerned. I for one am very excited!

Since moving to Lambeth a few months ago, I've struggled to find things to do with Baby A. It wasn't until I was pointed in the direction of this here blog that I realised just how much was going on. 

Thanks to Ruth, I'm now able to give a little something too and I'm glad that I have a very valid excuse to get out and about to experience things I might have been too nervous to do before. 

Keep an eye on the blog, there are lots of ideas floating about for up and coming posts - as well as a few drafts waiting in the wings. In between all of that, we'll try to keep you abreast of things happening in the local area. Don't forget Half Term is just around the corner so we'll be keeping our eyes and ears peeled for fun things to do with the family.

For now, check out the Sure Start Children Centre's page. We've been adding a little something, something for you all by linking in activity timetables for CC's across Lambeth. Hopefully to make it a little more convenient for you to access the information - it is a minefield!

We've signed up to Instagram (@LittleLambeth), it would be great to see your photos from around Lambeth. As ever, there is the Twitter (@little_lambeth) and Facebook presence so 'follow', 'hashtag', 'like', 'tweet', 'comment' and 'tag' away - it's always good to hear from you.

**In other news**

The creator of Little Lambeth has a new venture! By the sounds of it, Sarah is baking up a storm and I'm hoping to get my hands on some of her artisan gingerbread very soon. Have a gander at her Facebook page for Honey and the Moon and show your support for one of our own. We wish you the best of luck Sarah!

Unique School in Lambeth

There's more to school than just literacy - and this is just what the people at The Family School at Larkhall (off Brixton Hill) feel. The Family School is a small, alternative school "where children are free to be themselves and where learning is a natural part of enjoying and exploring life".
I attended the  PARENT AND CHILD (UNDER 4s) GROUP which meets on Monday and Thursday mornings each week during term time from 9.45am-11.45am and cost £6 per session per child (siblings under 14 months attend for free) and was very excited to find a wide range of resources including a lovely library of books, musical instruments, a pretend shop, plenty of toys, a lovely outdoor play area and plenty of space to explore. There's also a shoes-off policy (which I am a big advocate of!) and no set activities such as singing so it's great to let little ones play and learn however they wish. It's exciting to know that Lambeth has such a range of different schools on offer - don't forget to also check out The Waldorf School of South West London too for another alternative approach to education!