Lambeth - What's on for the family - February 9th-10th 2013

Feeling a bit warmer out there? When will Spring start to show it's pretty face? Hopefully soon.

Let's see what's on this weekend:

SATURDAY (9th February)

Today is National Libraries Day and some of the  libraries will be holding family activities.

 West Norwood Library, situated at14-16 Knights Hill, SE27 0HY, has the following activities:

 10 - 10:45am      Fun with Newspaper (6 months - 4 years) 
 11am - 1:45pm   Badge making and crafts

To get to West Norwood, you can catch buses 2, 68, 315 432 and 322.  The area is also served by the overground at West Norwood Station.

 

Carnegie Library, located at 188 Herne Hill Road, SE24 0AG, has a special Storytime at 2pm with free tea, coffee and biscuits afterwards! 

Hop on the P4 bus to get to the library.
 

 Brixton Library, off Windrush Square, SW9,  will be holding crafts, activities, treasure hunts and storytime starting from 2pm.

If you are down Brixton way, pop into Art Nouveau, 77 Atlantic Road, SW9 for some bric-a brac, cake and tea.

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.

From Art Nouveau to Arts and Crafts, Tuesday saw the opening of a new exhibition at the Cuming Museum about ceramicists, the Martin Brothers. Many pieces of their work are full of strange creatures and funny faces which will be curious to children.

The museum always has lots of things to encourage children to interact with the exhibitions. It opens 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday, and is located at the Elephant and Castle end of the Walworth Road.

To get to the museum, you can catch a 35 or 45 along the Walworth Road or go to Elephant and Castle on the 133, 155 or 415 and it's a short walk from there. 

SUNDAY (10th February)

For classical music fun, head to the Southbank Centre and have a go at a musical instrument or join the Human Orchestra workshops from 10.30am to 2.30pm in Royal Festival Hall foyers.
The 59 to Waterloo will take you there.

And this weekend sees the beginning of the Chinese New Year and it's the year of the Snake! Visit Trafalgar Square to catch the entertainment on the stage from 1pm followed by fireworks at 5.55pm

Best view is from daddy's shoulders!

Also time to mentioned that if you head to Trafalgar Square you can pop to the National Gallery for family events. Under fives have the Magic Carpet Storytelling at 10:30am and 11:30 am; and five to eleven year old children have a hands-on art workshop running at 11am to 1pm and 2am to 4pm.

Found the magic carpet! Now when's the story time?

For both activities, meet in the Pigott Education Centre Foyer. The National Gallery is located in Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN. Hop on the number 3 bus or 159 to get there.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

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!