Free Half Term Fun! 18th - 22nd Feb 2013

Yep, I've been so busy that the weekend thread didn't happen.

*insert sad face*

However, I've taken time out and am sitting in the wonderful Treehouse deskspace/creche facility to find some free events and write a half term post!

*insert happy face*

So what's on where?

Brixton Library, Brixton Oval, SW2 1JQ

On Monday, from 1pm to 4pm, celebrate the Chinese New Year with story telling and crafts!

West Norwood Library,  14 - 16 Knights Hill, SE27 0HY

On Monday, they are also celebrating the Chinese New Year with an arts and crafts session.

Cuming Museum, Old Walworth Town Hall 151 Walworth Road SE17 1RY

On Tuesday 19th February, have a go at crafting with clay from 2:30 to 4pm. 
On Thursday 21^st February between 2:30pm and 4, enjoy story telling with Olivia Armstrong.

South Bank Centre, Southbank Centre, Belvedere RoadSE1 8XX 

The Imagine Children's festival is on til the 24th of February. Here's a couple of things free fun things I spotted!

Bop along to a bicycle powered children’s disco on the 18^th February at the Clore Ballroom from 11.30am.

On the 20^th February, check out the Big Bingo Show with Timberlina and Hey Baylen – a riotous show with themed bingo rounds and impromptu dance routines. Held in the Clore Ballroom, it is on at 12pm, 1:30pm and 3pm. 

Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG

On Thursday and Friday, visit the Open Studio and play around with different art materials and ideas.  Open from 11am to 3pm.   

National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

Sunday and Monday is the Imaginary Worlds Family Festival with loads to do for all ages!

Pram Tour at 10:20am from Room 4 on both days.
Stay and Play 10:30am to 5:30pm in the Learning Centre on both days

Chill and Watch - film shorts in the Creative Space and Sunley Room Cinema - 10:30am to 5:30pm.

Vauxhall City Farm

Pop in on Friday from 11am to 4pm, for a chance to learn about animal feeding and handling and have a go at crafts!

Well there's a few things to do. Many more of the big museums have free family events on, so check out their websites.

Have a good one!

*insert joyous happy face*

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!

Family Learning Festival 2012 in Lambeth - Events for under fives!

Over the next few weeks the London boroughs are having family learning festivals so I have rounded up (copied and paste) some local events for under fives in Lambeth and surrounding boroughs. Addresses of venues are at the bottom of this post!

EVENTS

“You can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

Decorate your own gingerbread man with storytelling, singing, puppets and fun!

Thurs 1st November 2012, 1.30-3pm

Battersea Park One O’clock Centre

Jactito Puppet Theatre

Geoffrey the Lonely Giraffe is thrown out of Giraffe Land because he has a short neck. He tries to fit in with the other creatures he meets by turning himself into a tortoise, a rabbit and a bird, but his disguises don’t work... at last Georgina the Giraffe resolves the problem in a totally unexpected way.

24 October, 10.30am

Streatham Library

Storytelling with Margaret Bateson-Hill

Master storyteller Margaret Bateson-Hill tells stories from around the world.

29 October, 2.30pm

Old West Norwood Library

31 October, 10.30am

South Lambeth Library

2 November, 10.30am

Minet Library

Yoga Stories


Have fun learning, yoga, making animal poses and stretches.

5th November 1:45pm 

Thomas Calton Centre

Toby and the Sausages - puppet theatre

When Toby is left in charge of Mrs Chippolata’s sausages with strict instructions not to eat them before tea time things start to go badly wrong - An interactive puppet show or families with children under five.

26 October, 10.30am

Minet Library

2 November, 10.30am

Clapham Library

9 November, 10.30am

Carnegie Library

Storytelling with Sandra Agard

Come along and join in with and listen to stories by the ever popular Sandra Agard.

19 October, 10.30am

Waterloo Library

Bollywood Punch and Judy

Upbeat and funny, Professor Patel’s Punch and Judy Show is a wonderful combination
of the traditional and modern with a dash of Bollywood panache for all the family.

30 October, 10.30am

Brixton Library

VENUES



Thomas Calton Centre
Alpha Street, London, SE15 4NX
Tel:(0)20 7639 4875

Buses: 37,  36, 345 


Battersea Park One O’clock Centre
Near Adventure Playground
SW11 4PY
Tel: 020 8871 7541

Bus: 345 (Get off before Battersea bridge and walk down Parkgate Road)

Brixton Library, 
Brixton Oval,
SW2 1JQ
Tel: 020 7926 1056

Buses: 3, 35, 37, 133, 159,109, 45,345 and 59

Clapham Library
Mary Seacole Centre
91 Clapham High Street
SW4 7DB 
Tel: 020 7926 0717 

Buses:  88, 35, 37, 155 and 322 

Streatham Library
63 Streatham High Road 
SW16 1PN  
Tel: 020 7926 6768

Buses: 50, 57, 60, 109, 118, 133, 159, 201, 249, 250, 255, 315, 319, 333. 

Carnegie Library
188 Herne Hill Road
SE24 0AG  
Tel: 020 7926 6050

Bus: P4

Old West Norwood library
14 - 16 Knights Hill
SE27 0H 
Tel: 020 7926 8092

Buses:  2, 68, 196, 315, 322, 432, 468, X68

Minet Library 
52 Knatchbull Road
SE5 9QY 
Tel: 020 7926 6073 

Buses: 159, 3, 133 and 59

Waterloo Library 
114-118 Lower Marsh
SE1 7AE 
Tel: 020 7926 8750 

Buses: 159 and 59

South Lambeth Library
180 South Lambeth Road 
SW8 1QP  
Tel: 020 7926 0705

Buses: 2 and 88 



 

Lambeth - What's on for the family - October 13th-14th 2012

We've been lucky with the weather as the sun is still striking out and blessing us with it's rays! So what mini adventures can be had this weekend then?

SATURDAY (13th October)

As mentioned last week, this month is the Big Draw event - a celebration of drawing with lots of  happenings across the country (and in a space near you!). Last weekend the Brixton Windmill and Brixton Library hosted  a selection of art activities.

The library event is repeated this weekend on Saturday between 2pm and 4pm. There will be drawing and reading based upon the theme of children in Victorian Times. Open to all of the family and easy to get to; buses running through Brixton including the 3, 2, 195, 415, 133, 59, 159, 37 and 345.

The Big Draw is also on at Myatts Field Park this Saturday. Between 1pm to 5pm, there is an opportunity to have a go at drawing in workshops located around the bandstand. There is also a chance to hear the  London City Reggae Choir perform.

Bandstand and Little Cat Cafe at Myatts Fields Park

Myatts Fields is located on Cormont Road( SE5 9RA). Buses 36, 185 and 436 to Camberwell New Road, Buses 3, 59, 159  and 133 along the Brixton road. It's a ten minute walk from there.

And from drawing by hand to a bit of computer fun and photoshop technology, we can head to the British Museum (using the wonderful 59 bus) to play with the Green screen time machine, a family activity where you can place an image of yourself with museum objects. Fun for kids who know what's going on and parents who want to do comedy pics with unaware little ones!

The screen is located in the Samsung Centre and is open from 11:30am to 3:30pm. It's free but limited spaces. Otherwise the rest of the museum is always amazing to have a look around!

SUNDAY (14th October)

From a big museum to a little museum, pop into the Cuming Museum on Walworth Road. It contains the collections of the Cuming family and a room of local history information, very much designed with children in mind. There is also an exhibition about Charles Dickens on until Saturday 24th November. 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.

The FREE button pressing exhibition in East Dulwich is back again with a second round of  Cabaret Mechanical Theatre automata! Hop on the 37 bus from Brixton to East Dulwich (catch this bus on Acre Lane opposite the Town hall) to visit the exhibition at Space Station 65, located off Lordship Lane at 65 Northcross Street. Exhibition is on til 6th Jan 2013 and opens Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm.

Boo-boo wondered whether it was in a plastic case to stop her from chewing it.

 
And if this automata has whetted your appetite for robots, then head to the Southbank to see Six Robots named Paul, a Merge Festival exhibit in which six robots draw a portrait of a sitter. As I understand it, you can book to be drawn by the robots and these pictures become part of an exhibition. How cool is that! Well, not sure how much small children will like the piece but it would certainly be curious to them for a while (five? ten? fifteen minutes? And then use bribery for a longer session.)

This exhibit is located at NEO Bankside, Pavillon A, 50 Holland Street, SE1 9FU (behind the Tate Modern) and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 12 to 7pm. Last day of the exhibition is October 21st. To get to Bankside on bus, the 45 which passes through Brixton stops at Blackfriars Bridge Road. Alternatively, there is always the tube to Southwark.

Not interested in robots but want to see something real, then head down to the Battersea Dogs and Cats home to go on a tour of the building! Yay for persuading mummy and daddy you need a pussy cat! Tours are on Saturday and Sunday at 11am or 3:20pm (Sunday) 4:20pm(Saturday). Donation entry price of £2. The home is located at 4 Battersea Park Road, SW8 4AA and can be reached by taking the P5 to Ascalon Street. Get off here and walk up Savona Street to get onto Battersea Park Road- you should come out opposite the Power Station.

Well, there's a weekend of robots, drawing, dogs and cats and in the immortal words of Looney tunes, "That's all folks!"

 

Lambeth - What's on for the family - October 6th-7th 2012

The heating has been put on at home, an extra blanket on the bed and the search is on for a good winter coat for baby Boo-boo. So I was hoping for a few events indoors however it looks like we will be getting out hats, gloves and scarves because this weekend's offerings are outdoors!

So lets take a look.

SATURDAY (6th October)

Now it's all gone a bit arty this weekend as it is the Lambeth Open, an opportunity to poke one's nose into the studios of the local art community. Unfortunately it's not necessarily a child friendly event though if you have a baby in a sling, I'm sure this event is accessible to you. Anyway, I thought I'd put it out there for those who want to brave it! Let us know how it goes.

Neighboring borough Wandsworth also have a similar event with their Wandsworth Artist Open House. They have a couple of arty trails mapped out in Battersea and Balham/Tooting area so fairly easy for Lambeth folks to get to!  Again probably not on for those with toddlers who might run riot around valuable art works!

However these events also coincide with the Big Draw. YAY! say the parents, because this has some things that children of all ages can get involved with!

First up, the Brixton Windmill is holding a Big Draw event. Travel up the hill on buses 159, 109, 133, 45 and 333 to Windmill Gardens and get involved in their Flour Power event from 1pm to 4pm. This involves helping create a large participatory Rangoli drawing, "a traditional folk art from India, involves creating large designs on the floor using bright colourful materials such as flour, seeds and pulses". There will also be chalks around so kids can chalk the paths with pictures and patterns. There will be tea, coffee and cake available and the gardens has a kids playground so this makes a good opportunity to let the children have some fun and mum and dad eat cake!

If that doesn't do it for you, make sure you factor in some time to pop down to Brixton Library where they also have a Big Draw event from 2pm to 4pm. This will be a reading and art workshop based around the theme of children in Victorian times. Open to all of the family and a great chance to do something and stay very local. Lots of buses run through Brixton including the 3, 2, 195, 415, 133, 59, 159, 37 and 345.

Now I reckon some of you don't mind a bus ride into central London so just to let you know the Big Draw is also on at the National Gallery which is only a bus ride away being served by the 159 and no. 3. This event is on between 11am to 3pm in room 9 and consists of working on a collaborative art installation, drawing the pics in the gallery with different materials and learning new skills. The event is repeated on Sunday.

So we've finished indoors for today. But we're off outdoors again tomorrow!

SUNDAY (7th October)

Coats still on? Couldn't let you get to comfortable! We are off to visit the West Norwood Feast, a selection of markets selling local items whether that be printed illustrations, hand made jewellery to home grown veg and cooked on the spot burgers and burritos! Yummy! We certainly enjoyed it last month. There seems to be a hub of activity around St Luke's church where the hot food is served and where the children can go mental in their own little area. It really has provided a children friendly space! The feast runs from 10am til 4pm every first Sunday. Buses into the area are the 2, 68, 432, 196 and 322.

Boo-boo enjoys eating outdoors at the West Norwood Feast!

Heading from deep south Lambeth into North Lambeth, we can take a moment and try a  bit of gardening with the Elefest Mobile Gardeners on Wansey Street and be part of creating a jigsaw pavement mural, help plant a sofa (?!) or adopt a box for seed planting.This event runs from 12pm to 5pm and is located on Wansey Street which is just around the corner from the Cuming Museum. Local buses to the Elephant are the 133, 415, 155, 35 and 45.

Whilst we are at the Elephant we can either make a choice to head to Camberwell or the South Bank. Now what's on where? Well, one for buggy parents is the free Camberwell Radical History Walk featuring stories of anti-fascists, rioters and squatters! Meet at 2pm, on Camberwell Green, by the corner of Camberwell Church Street, London, SE5. Transport through Camberwell is buses, 36, 45, 185, 35 and 68.

Not for you? Then perhaps head to the Southbank Centre for the Real Bread Festival! Yes, it's all about bread but more importantly there is an opportunity for the family to get their hands dirty and have a go at making bread. Check out the Brockwell Bake arena (yes Lambeth folk, our Brockwell as in park) and have a go at making pizza. There is an opportunity at 11am, 1pm and 3pm to learn about the best methods of baguette making. Travel here on the 59!

And while you are down the Southbank don't forget to check out the great playground in Jubilee Gardens next to the London Eye!

Ok folks, I think we have had food, gardening, art viewing, art creating and a spot of radical history. Hopefully you have found something that either yourself or the little one can enjoy!

Happy weekending!

Half Term Highlights Spring 2012

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Half-Term Highlights in Brixton and beyond (also featured on the brilliant BrixtonBlog)

There’s something for everyone this half-term in and around Brixton whether it’s creating fabulous fearsome dragon masks, building robots, playing basketball or a spot of cookery.

Kids City is on daily from Feb 13^th-17^th at Sudbourne School with a wide range of activities for 3-11yr olds including wacky relays, basketball, building a robot or clubhouse, a fantastic fancy dress party and much, much more!

Head to Brixton Rec for something sporty, where the Kool Crew will be running a range activities for ages 5-11 daily from 8.30am-5.30pm.

Monday 13^th Feb

Dragon Crafts

Brixton Library 2.30-4pm all ages welcome and FREE!

Tuesday 14^th Feb

Dragon Crafts, Mask Making and Bracelet Making

Brixton Library 10.30-12 – all ages welcome and FREE !

Wednesday 15^th Feb

Whippersnappers Inclusive Fun Day at Brockwell Lido for 5-13yr olds.

Activities include: Cookery, Drumming, Glee club singing session, Circus skills and more!

The whole day is 10-5pm but feel free to just come for half a day.

Vauxhall City Farm Family
Family drop in sessions 11-4pm

Help feed the hens, hunt for bugs or make a farmyard craft to take home and

there are brilliant peepholes for little ones to see all the wonderful animals.

Thursday 16^th Feb

Vauxhall City Farm Family family drop in sessions are on again from 11-4pm

Friday 17^th Feb

Dragon Crafts, Mask Making and Bracelet Making all ages welcome and FREE !

Carnegie Library

188 Herne Hill Road  SE24 0AG

10.30 -12 for under 5s

2.30-4pm for everyone