It's a Sling Thing !

After months of daydreaming from afar, Milo and I finally made it to the fabulous South London Sling Library. The founder, Emily, provides the opportunity to try out a very wide range of slings and wraps and they can even be rented out for a small fee!

Although Milo, at nearly age 2, is erring on the side of 'heavy and wriggly' and we were surrounded by lovely, sleepy, obliging babies, Emily was extremely helpful at demonstrating plenty of different types and styles of sling and helpful advice.

We tested the Scootababy - which worked the best for us; it is a shoulder carrier and Milo was relatively happy to be slipped in and out, he got decidedly fidgety with all the other carriers. He also seemed content to be carried on my back - something I haven't tried before!

 As we are leaving Lambeth I was unable to rent a sling, but there were plenty of happy mums and dads who had. Just a warning, the session became very busy so be prepared to wait but it's worth it! There is a box of little toys, tea and biscuits for the grown ups and changing facilities so persevere, and you will soon realise there's more to life than a Baby Björn!

Follow the library on twitter @SLSlingLibrary

Lambeth - What's on for the family - August 11th -12th 2012

Wondering where to take the kids this weekend? Here's a few suggestions:

SATURDAY

This Saturday 11th August,  Foyles bookshop on the South Bank is hosting the Vintage Children's Classic Family Fete, an opportunity to discover some new stories. Kids can get their face painted, make a mad hatter's hat for mum or dad (or themselves, of course!) and be a pirate for a day. The event runs from 11am to 5pm. To get there, you can brave the tube to Waterloo or from central Brixton, get the 59 bus.

Everyone, old and young, loves a maze so if you have headed to the South Bank, pop into the Clore Ballroom, located in the Royal Festival Hall, to see aMAZEment, a labyrinth of books. A quick win- win of family entertainment, this maze should surely offer ten minutes of bafflement. Open from 10am to 11pm, until 26th August.

SUNDAY

Today is your opportunity to get the family into a little bit of art! The Friends of Windmill Gardens have organised an event at Windmill Gardens, Brixton Hill, SW4. Art in the Park encourages all ages to exercise their arty side. There will be t-shirt painting and mask making for the kids and the grownups can have a go at their artistic interpretation of the windmill with support from a professional artist. Find your inner Van Gogh (famous local arty resident!)

Also there will be an opportunity for the kids to have a go with spray paints - is your child the next Banksy?

Event runs between 1pm to 4pm at Windmill Gardens, nr Blenheim Gardens, SW2. Map here

Alternatively,  if your kids love to press buttons, hop on the 37 bus from Brixton to East Dulwich (catch this bus on Acre Lane opposite the Town hall) to visit the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre at Space Station 65, located off Lordship Lane at 65 Northcross Street.

So what is it you ask? Lots of automata usually with buttons to press to make them work. You'll all head home trying to figure out how to make one! Open on Tuesday to Sunday between 11pm til 6pm. Showing til the 7th September.

Any events you think we should know about local to the Lambeth area, drop me a mail (see my profile for contact details!)

Singing the rain away at Pram Chorus

Last Tuesday Milo and I headed to Pram Chorus. If you're tired of singing The Wheels on The Bus then this is the group for you! Mummies sing while the babies play (in theory) or even join in! Ruth, who runs Pram Chorus was very warm and welcoming and instantly put us at ease with some fun and slightly comedic yet certainly necessary warm up exercises before we began singing a few tunes. Admittedly I do tend to sing Wind The Bobbin Up at least 5 times a day (at the bus stop, during nappy changing as well as regularly marching through Brockwell Park) but I haven't really had a chance to do what I would call 'proper' singing so it was great to have a go. We sang a fab tune from the 'deep south' and had a wonderful choice of other tunes from Zulu to Rock'n'Roll ! There are still places on the regular Tuesday morning session (best for afternoon nappers and for a hearty, rousing start to a grey day!), there's also a Thursday afternoon session but at the moment it's full. It's all happening in Streatham - a little off the beaten track for me but definitely worth the effort! Contact ruth@PramChorus.com for further info!

Little Lambeth & Streatham Mums do coffee

Little Lambeth is teaming up with Streatham Mums to host a coffee morning 

When ?? Next Tuesday 24th April from 10.30am

Where ?? At the delectable Earl Grey and Rose very near Streatham Hill from 10.30am

We would be delighted if you would join us as it would be fab to meet some lovely local mums/dads/aunts/uncles etc and of course our little'uns. It isn't very big but as you'll see it is rather fabulous and quaint with great cakes/coffee/sandwiches. I'm afraid there's no nappy changing but there were some toys last time we went. We've been trying to think of the best central Lambeth cafe with a baby area & baby changing so suggestions are more than welcome otherwise I may end up starting my own baby friendly café.....

 

For those of you who don't know what I look like -

here I am in the café where they shot Amelie!

Also don't forget to check out the extremely handy Streatham Mum's Network on Facebook which is an excellent message board for any questions, ideas, recommendations, events coming up in Streatham.