Lambeth - What's on for the family - September 1st -2nd 2012

Another week, another weekend. Hope you all had a good bank holiday. We popped along to the Leonard Street party and then wandered along to Spitalfields City Farm where the baby proceeded to sleep whilst we enjoyed viewing the animals. The joys of sharing stuff with the children!

So what’s on this weekend? Well, unlike last weekend we have some good local bits and pieces. Southwark has its Elephant and Nun festival which celebrates community from the Elephant and Castle through to Nunhead. We have listed a couple of events which are fairly local to Lambeth with the usual details of bus routes.

SATURDAY 1st September

Performing at Camberwell Green on Saturday at 12:30pm  and 2:30pm will be one of Barcelona's finest street clowns, Leandre. Buses 35, 45, 36 and 345 all run past the green.

Just down the road in Burgess Park,  Circumloqui present Ne Ne Titere Pas, a mixture of mayhem and theatrics presented by a puppet and a musician on top of one of those three-wheeler french little vans. Press the link and watch the clip - it looks like good fun entertainment for little and big kids! Head towards Chumleigh gardens within the park. Showtimes are at 1pm and 3:30 pm. Buses to the Camberwell Road side of the park are the 35 and 45.

If you want a bit more of an outing, then attend the  Peckham Rye Fete on the common from 12pm to 5pm. They have a dog show!! Borrow a pooch and enter him! They have a tea tent! Nom cake! They have Punch and Judy show and a Pimms tent! Sit the kids in front of the puppets and leisurely sip a glass of Pimms. An entertaining afternoon has been conjured up on the common so pop along. The number 37 will take you there!

If you are down that way don’t forget to check out the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre in East Dulwich off Lordship Lane. We mentioned it in an older blog post and then visited the other week. The baby had a go at pressing some buttons and although the exhibition is little, it was very enjoyable – definitely a family winner!

So that’s a good choice of local events happening. However for those who like a good long bus ride adventure, up in Kings Cross (at the end of the 59 route) they are having an ice cream festival. Now as a kid I loved ice cream, so free ice cream is always something I find exciting. This event has a petting zoo and an opportunity to milk a cow as well as the story of ice cream in London and lots of free ice cream samples. It is a bit in the middle of no-wheresville in Kings Cross so good if you are pushing a little one in a buggy or have kids who don't mind a little bit of walking.

SUNDAY 2^nd September

There are more events at the Elephant and Nun festival today.

The Burgess Banquet is a music and food event held at Burgess Park from 12 to 5pm near the lakeside. It features an afternoon of live music, cooking demonstrations and food-themed arts and crafts activities. Buses that run from Brixton to near the park entrance are the 35 and 45.

Caramba is a celebration of Latin music and dance held at St Mary’s Churchyard (Newington Butts, SE11) – that’s the bit of land next to the (now being dismantled) Elephant and Castle Leisure Centre. There is also a children’s play area there. Events are on between 12 to 6pm. The 133, 45, 35, 155 and 415 all go past this green space.

If none of this is quite your cup of tea, the Tate Modern has a family day in the newly opened up tanks beneath the main structure. Entitled Sound and Performance, it is described as a “participatory event inviting visitors of all ages to explore, collaborate and create, in an experiential day of sound and performance”. So parents who are experts at singing songs and making shapes with the little ones should be able to take this to the next level and make it arty. The family event is on between the hours of 11am to 5pm. I haven’t been to the tanks yet but my daughter has….

Another thing to check out while you are there, is the Under Fives Zone on the 4^th floor – an opportunity for your little ones to clamber and explore giant shapes from a cubist still-life drawing! To get to the Tate Modern on bus, the 45 which passes through Brixton stops at Blackfriars Bridge Road. Alternatively, there is always the tube to Southwark.

For those who really want to stay in Lambeth or if you loved yesterday’s Southwark dog show so much that you want MORE, there is a fun dog show from 2 til 4pm opposite the cafe on Streatham Common which is situated by the car park at the intersection of Covington Way and Streatham Common south.

Have you got a dog you want to enter or do you just want to have a look at all the dogs. Events include cutest puppy, dandiest dog, bonniest bitch, dog and spoon race and includes stalls and raffles. Event should come with a warning as undoubtedly some kids will be asking their parents for a puppy! Buses to Streatham Common are 159, 50, 333, 118, 109 and 250.

Have a great weekend!

Lambeth - What's on for the family - August 24th -26th 2012

It's the bank holiday weekend - time to raise our glasses, plastic baby cups/bottle and toast the end of the summer. Here's to the end of one season and the beginning of the smells and sights of Autumn.

So what to do, what to do? Well, we are not sensing any major free local events to go to! Perhaps I'm missing a trick. So I'm just going to have to suggest some general local free things and some other events a bus ride away!

SATURDAY (24th August)

So Saturday, if the sun is out head to Slade Gardens, Robsart Street, SW9 in the Stockwell/North Brixton area (Bus 159, 3 133 and 59). It's a rather small flat piece of land with several playgrounds, from a recently added one for the under-fives, to the big adventure playground next door.

It certainly suits a family with kids of different ages who want to let off some steam. It lacks a bit of shade and really can't compete with the big parks, however, take a picnic and unleash the children and it might keep everyone happy for a couple of hours.

Parents, you can always stop in the new pub the Crown and Anchor, by the exit onto Brixton Road. It's children friendly so you can get some lunchtime food for the kids, and for the grown ups, they have a wide range of beers, ales and ciders for you to try (not that I'm encouraging you to get drunk whilst parenting!). No baby changing facilities and the toilets are downstairs, however they are probably the nearest set of loos if the children are doing the "I need a wee" hop.

Of course, this is very much an outdoor activity and we know what the British summer is like, so for something in doors, take a visit to the Tate Britain. A number 2 or 88 bus ride across the river takes you to view some art. Fabulous.

And they cater for a wide range of ages! Liminal is a family event every weekend betweeen 11 til 3pm. Go to the information desk for details. Website says it " invites families into a physical, material and social experience of sculpture through touch, interaction and collaboration" so basically a chance to not have to tell the children not to touch the artwork. Sounds good. I'll check that out soon and properly review it!

SUNDAY (25th August)

If you don't do local and want to travel, this weekend is the Leonard Street Party at Shoreditch... yes, I know it sounds mile away but it's only a bus route from Brixton or Clapham. Yes, the 35 takes you to the home of the hipster. From 12pm to 8pm, there'll be music, DJs, food and games. Not specifically aimed at children, it probably works better for parents with buggies rather than a gaggle of toddlers. So whilst the little one is locked in her baby wagon, you can bop around the pushchair like it's a handbag and stuff your face with streetfood. Cool!

Of course, if you in the area, check out the Hackney City Farm or Spitalfieds City Farm - both a walk or bus ride away. I'm not going to write them up as, well, we are starting to spread out of the realms of local. So links included and you can make your own mind up.

What if you want to be local, well one for parents with buggy bound children is the Streatham Society local history walk - an opportunity to learn a few local stories and meet some of your neighbours.  The walk starts at 2:30pm at Streatham Station. Buses to Streatham include the 109, 50, and 159.

MONDAY (26th August)

We mentioned farms earlier and a not so local but not too far away farm is Deen City Farm near Colliers Woods. So from any of Lambeth Tube stations, make your way on the northern line to Colliers Wood. Then follow the signs to Merton Abbey Mills which sits on the River Wandle. You can stop there for a bite to eat or look at the shops and the water wheel.

But on, on, find the Wandle, and take a walk up it, heading away from Wandsworth and up towards Carlsharlton. The farm isn't too far away (though alternatively if you drive that might just be easier....) Anyway, on Monday, the farm has a summer extravaganza with a BBQ, stalls, games and a bouncy castle as well as the usual farm animals to look at. On the couple of occasions I've been, they have had a white peacock - very impressive (probably more for the grown ups than the kids). And the adults get to make funny noises at the animals, something that isn't so easy to get away with when one is childless. This outing works best for the littleuns in buggies or with older children. There is probably a bit too much walking for toddlers.

Usually I try to list the free and cheap however I thought I'd throw this next event in here. It is free for under 15s however does cost £14 for adults. It is the Festival of Flowers at Southwark Cathedral (from 23rd to 27th August). This is probably a nice thing to take a little one to as there is opportunity to see and smell  a variety of flowers in a beauiful setting whereas the older child might just find it all rather boring! Buses to Southwark Cathedral are the 133 and 35 - get off at London Bridge.

Have a good bank holiday and let me know if you visit any of these places!