We’ve got you (and your young Londoners covered) with our usual array of fabulous family friendly events and activities from toddler friendly artistic fun in galleries to creative museum workshops and lots of energy burning outdoor sessions. This month we’ve done something a little different and taken out all the family friendly shows for their own feature. Enjoy and here’s hoping to some warmer weather.
Family Activities
Make a seed bomb to help pollinators in your garden, test your survival skills at a den building session or see if your village can withstand a flood at mini wetland villages.
When: all Saturdays and Sundays in March 2020
Where: London Wetland Centre
How much: £11.70 for an adult and £7.11 for children aged 4 and above. More info here
Recorder Festival
Calling all young recorder players! Join us for a unique opportunity to play as a mass ensemble accompanied by a professional live band in the inspiring surroundings of the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall. Beginners are very welcome! Recommended for ages 6 -12
When: 1 March 11 until 1:30pm
Where: Royal College of Music
How much: £10 more info and booking here.
Greek Carnival children’s celebration
For any Greek enthusiast out there, go to the Hellenic Centre for an afternoon filled with fun activities for the whole family. Start by baking laganes, a delicious bread eaten in Greece just before Lent, and then learn a few fun facts about Greek Carnival before enjoying a proper Greek Carnival party, filled with great music, balloons & serpentines.
When: 1 March 2020 2pm til 4pm
Where: Hellenic Centre
How much: £12 per adult and child. More info and booking here.
Sunday Spot play space
Drop in to this interactive family play space designed by artist Judith Brocklehurst. Discover an array of exciting materials and equipment to play with, from giant sheets of cardboard to torches, fans, speakers and much more.With new instructions and materials each week, get creative in the studio – build, cut, stick, draw and dance!
When: 1, 8, 15th and 22nd of March from 2 until 4pm
Where: South London Gallery
How much: free more info here.
Swan Lake children’s repertoire workshop
Discover the world of classical ballet through dance, music, acting, basic make-up and storytelling. Uncover the story of this timeless classic and learn about the main characters in the ballet with an opportunity to focus on a scene in detail.The workshops are taught by professional artists, with live piano accompaniment and close with a presentation for parents and guardians.
When: 1 March 10am til 3pm
Where: Royal Academy of Dance
How much: from £16 more info and bookings here.
Vegan Family Picnic
Join local vegan families for a community picnic in the beautiful grounds at Dalston Eastern Curve Garden. Picnicking vegan families (and vegan curious families). You might like to bring a blanket to sit on, and vegan children’s books if you have them. The garden has a few toys outside, but you could bring more if needed. There’s a covered area and greenhouse for inclement weather.
When: 1 March 2020 11am til 1pm
Where: Dalston Eastern Curve Garden
How much: free although you will need to provide your own food or buy something in the cafe. More info here.
Pottery
Popular creative activity led by community potter Pedro. Pottery helps children awaken artistic sensibilities, develop manual & fine motor skills – and have a great time!
When: 3 March (and Tuesdays going forwards)
Where: Kentish City Farm
How much: £4 per child more info and bookings here.
Southwark schools ukulele festival
Primary school ukulele players from across Southwark come together in a concert sharing their progress on the instrument. Led by Joe Thorp, this concert incorporates a range of great songs to show just how much fun playing the ukulele can be.
When: 4 March 1pm
Where: Southbank Centre
How much: free. More info here.
Pictures Tell Stories
Celebrate World Book Day with children’s author Paul Watkins who will be presenting four exciting new books featuring children who travel to exciting places! Includes a colouring-in workshop! Free! Event suitable for ages 5+
When: 5 March 2020 4pm
Where: Paddington Children’s Library
How much: free and more World Book Day events here.
Bringing up boys
Parents often feel like they’re getting it wrong, but is there a right way to bring up boys? Are we giving boys the tools they need to contribute to a gender-equal world?And how can we encourage them to identify damaging learned behaviours without harming their self-esteem? Join a panel of speakers, parents and psychologists to examine the relationships between parents and sons and ask if there’s a best way to bring up boys.
When: 6 March 12pm
Where: Southbank Centre
How much: Part of the Women of the World festival , a day pass is £40. More info and bookings here.
Rangoli drawing workshop
Join visual artist Kulwinder Bajar in creating a large scale Rangoli drawing using colourful dry beans, lentils and rice to celebrate women’s creativity all around the world.
When: 7 March 1pm – 2:30
Where: Poplar Union
How much: free but booking advised. More info here.
Family Takeover: Make & Create
Take over the Learning Centre at the British Library to celebrate World Book Day. Enjoy playful multisensory activities inspired by some of the wonderful stories and characters in their collection. A selection of children’s books are available to read and enjoy. Discover a range of materials on hand to inspire you to make, create and invent something to take home. Plus don’t forget to pick up the Building Family Trail to explore the Library through puzzles, drawings and games. Families are welcome to drop in at any point during the session. Stay for 10 minutes or the full four hours!
When: 7 March 2020 11am until 3pm
Where: British Library
How much: free more info here.
Interactive Story Tour
Have you ever wondered what’s going on in a picture? Who is that pensive woman with big arms? Why is that young man shutting his eyes so tight? Why are they waving a flag from the top of that building? Go to the Leighton House Museum with Sarah Rundle’s Story Tour, looking at some of the paintings in Leighton House. Who knows? – we might even, between us, be able to come up with some happy endings. Suitable for children aged 7 and above.
When: 7 March 2020
Where: Leighton House Museum
How much: £3 per child and free for adults. More info and booking here.
British Science Week family fun
Celebrate British Science Week on board Cutty Sark where you can build winches and see conservation in action, learn about gilding and get hands applying gold leaf on your own mock gingerbread ship.
When: 7 & 8 March 11:30 until 1:30 and 2pm until 4pm
Where: Cutty Sark
How much: £13.50 for an adult and £4.75 for a child between 4 and 14 with under 4s going free. More info and booking here.
When brands take a stand
Take #ad to a whole new meaning with this exhibition that explores the brands which have helped to shape and influence society. When Brands Take a Stand poses questions about the nature of brand advertising and the large-scale effects that marketing communications can have – from our perception of ourselves to how we engage with each other. From commercials to posters, packaging and more, the unique and thought-provoking retrospective will examine what happens when world-renowned brands assert their societal or political beliefs, respond to societal issues, or stand up for the likes of equal rights and LGBTQ+ pride.
When: 10 March – 31 October 2020
Where: Museum of Brands
How much: £9 more info and booking here.
Garden Explorers
The weekly drop-in will begin with a welcome back morning where you will start garden journals to follow the seasons of the year and finish with fruit tasting in the under-fives classroom. Wellies & rain proofs needed if the weather is inclement.
When: 10 March 10am until 12pm
Where: Kentish Town City Farm
How much: £3 per child more info and booking here.
Opera for kids
The Royal Albert Hall is a perfect setting for little ears and families to enjoy an operatic performance in a relaxed environment. Performed by members of Albert’s Band, this concert features a carefully selected ‘proper’ classical repertoire but presented in a relaxed environment for children to express themselves, with no expectation to stay still or be quiet. Buggies, babies and budding musicians all welcome!
When: 14 March at 11 am and 1:30
Where: Royal Albert Hall
How much: £12 adults and £6 for children. More info and bookings here.
Science City
Discover science across the City with a forensic investigation at the City of London Police Museum, creative chemistry at The Salters’ Company, and cunning conservation at Guildhall Art Gallery to celebrate British Science Week.
When: 14 March 11am until 4pm
Where: Guildhall Art Gallery, City of London Police Museum.
How much: free more info here.
St Patrick’s Day Parade
This rowdy but fun parade attracts thousands of revellers into Trafalgar Square. This year’s theme is #Londonisopen and you can expect a variety of lively music, lots of food stalls and free entertainment a plenty. There will be games, arts and crafts as well as walkabout performances.
When: 15 March 12pm – 6pm
Where: Trafalgar Square
How much: free more info here.
Fun family photos
Develop your photo editing skills and use the green screen to create a picture of your family interacting with some of the Museum’s most fascinating objects. Become a sailor on a galleon, a chariot racer or see yourself next to a golden unicorn.
When: 15 March 11am until 4pm
Where: British Museum
How much: free more info here.
Family Well Being activity afternoon
Relax, reconnect and enjoy each other’s company on this special afternoon of mindfulness activities for families. Try out some fun and playful, multi-sensory sessions, including mindful movement and drawing in the museum and park. Discover how they promote health and wellbeing for all the family. Activities delivered in partnership with West London Buddhist Centre.
When: 15 March 1 until 4pm
Where: Gunnersbury Park and Museum
How much: £4 or £5 more info here.
No rubbers no mistakes
The title may be a bit misleading but it does refer to drawing, I promise! There is no such thing as a mistake in this session – any mark that is put on your paper has to be used. How good are you at drawing with your eyes closed? What about using your wrong hand? Can you use a fork as a pen? We will play with lots of different ways of making a mark on a page.
When: 21 March 12 until 5pm
Where: Cartoon Museum
How much: free with entry to the museum which is £8.50 for an adult and free for under 18s. More info here.
Mother’s Day Family Rave
Celebrate mother’s day in style and get moving and grooving with the sensational BFLF family ravels. This is part of the BFLF x Camp Bestival ‘Lights, camera, action!’ warm up tour so expect lots of extra festival inspired fun as well as the usual array of crafts, family friendly tunes and more. Plus you can win one of three family guest passes to Camp Bestival.
When: 22 March 2pm – 4:30pm
Where: Queen of Hoxton
How much: £10 adults and £7 for kids. More info and booking here.
Keyboard Festival
Encounter virtuoso live performances, top of the range Steinway grand pianos, electronic keyboards, arts and crafts, storytelling and heritage objects from the RCM Museum. Suitable for all the family but recommended for children aged 4 and above.
When: 22 March 11am until 1:30pm
Where: Royal College of Music
How much: £20 for one adult and one child. More info and booking here.
From bud to blossom family day
As the Fulham Palace garden springs up activities move outside with the garden team learning what it takes to care for nature. Plant a seed, create a flower crown, and get involved with sensory storytelling.
When: 22 March 11am until 3pm
Where: Fulham Palace
How much: free more info here.
Winter Sunday Create and Make
Make your own puppet inspired by Walter Van Beirendonck’s puppet costumes for ‘The Magic Flute’, currently showing in the Beazley Designs Of the Year exhibition. Learn how to design, thinking about movements for your puppet, using colourful paper, recycled containers, string and tape.
When: Sunday 29 march 11am until 4pm
Where: Design Museum
How much: free more info here.