It’s almost end-of-term and you’re most likely wondering how you’re going to keep your little ones entertained.
Here’s a list of what we know about so far – but please, please, please come back and check for new listings as we will be updating this throughout the summer as we hear of more things happening.
MVM EVENTS
MVM Summer Pub Night – Wednesday 11 July, from 8pm, Red Squirrel, Elgin Avenue (corner of Chippenham).
SPECIAL NOTE: MVM Meetups (Soft Play Session & Coffee Morning) will still happen throughout the summer holidays. If you’re new to the group, please get in touch and we’ll send you the details.
MVM Rose Garden Meetup – Tuesdays from 3.30 – Contact Susan to let her know you’ll there so she can look out for you. If it’s raining, the meetup will happen in the Pad Rec café.
MVM Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – Saturday 1 September, 2-4pm, Rose Garden, Paddington Rec – Maida Vale Mums proudly presents the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party! Please bring food, drink and a blanket and come and join in the fun! There will be activities for the little ones, and a prize for the best Alice in Wonderland fancy dress. We look forward to seeing you there!
WHAT’S ON
Find out about classes for mums only, mums and babies, under 5′s, free events at the local libraries and more by going to ‘What’s On‘ on our website. Many of the classes and venues have summer timetables.
If you happen to go to anything or hear of something that you think other MVMs would like, please let us know and we’ll spread the word.
CHILDREN’S CENTRES
Summer Holiday Drop-ins at the Children’s Centres
North West Locality:
Essendine drop-in – CLOSED for the summer holiday – Karen will most likely be based at Queen’s Park Children’s Centre.
Rumpus at Mary Paterson drop-in – CLOSED for the summer holiday.
Queen’s Park Children’s Centre – OPEN all summer.
Queensway Children’s Centre – CLOSED for the summer holiday.
Westbourne Children’s Centre – OPEN all summer.
Bayswater Children’s Centre – OPEN all summer except for Notting Hill Carnival.
North East Locality:
We think that Maida Vale Children’s Centre is open all summer but have not received confirmation.
Paddington Green Children’s Centre OPEN all summer – schedule as follows:
Monday-Friday 9am-11.30am
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 1-3.30pm
LIBRARIES
Story Lab Events in Westminster Libraries
As part of their Summer Reading Challenge, Westminster Libraries are having events all summer long for children of all ages. There are fantastic events for under 6′s! Please download the calendar for your nearest library from the Westminster City Council site.
SUMMER PROGRAMMES, WORKSHOPS, PERFORMANCES, MUSEUMS
Izzy Jones Creative Studio Summer Schedule
Summer Holiday Art Adventures
2 hour workshops for 3-8 year olds running M-F from the 23rd of July to the 31st of August – £20 each & include all materials, juice and a snack. Every day is different from experiment with foam clay to making a canvas clock to designing an outfit for their favourite dolly or teddy. Checkout the link above for the full schedule of activities and times.
Children can be left with workshop leaders. All staff are experienced & CRB checked.
Book a week of Art Adventures & save 15%!
Spaces are limited, please book in advance.
Gruffalo Summer School
Monday 30 July thru Friday 3 August, 10am-12noon
An interactive course incorporating dance, puppetry, storyelling and drama for 4-8 year olds. Great for confidence-building & culminates in an informal performance for parents and care-givers. Run by highly energetic professional actress and drama teacher Amanda Wright. £75 for the course.
Drop-in Painting Sessions
Monday thru Saturday 10am-6pm
Drop in for a spontaneous painting session whenever you fancy. Pay a £5 studio fee for all the materials, help and advice you’ll need, plus the cost of the items you’d like to decorate ranging from paper maché to wood to fabric to ceramics to canvases. You do the creating and they’ll do the varnishing, firing, glazing and clearing away!
Everyman Maida Vale Baby Club
Meet up with other new mothers to see a film as well as before and / or after getting a coffee in the café area which you can do even if you haven’t seen the movie. Wednesday mornings. The Lexi in Kensal Rise also has a baby screening.
Nomad Summer Season 2012
Lexi Cinema presents The Nomad in Queen’s Park – Saturday, 18 August – The Goonies, Saturday, 8 September – The Graduate and Saturday, 22 September – The Big Lebowski – OK, not something to do with the children but fun to do without them. Capacity limited. Book early.
The Puppet Theatre Barge is now showing The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse (suitable for 3 to 8 years old). The last performance is the 15th of July before they move to Richmond on Thames for the rest of the summer.
Kiddikicks Summer Holiday Programme
Monday 23 July – Friday 24 August, Paddington Rec – daily football classes (10am-11am ages 2-3.5. 11am-noon ages 3.5-5yrs). Book by the week – book three weeks and get fourth week free. Prices from £52 per week.
Also make sure to check out our Parks & Playgrounds, Day Trips and Museums pages for more ideas. Museums are a great place to go with kids – they have activities regularly throughout the year as well as some having special events for summer.
Here’s a few:
The V&A Imagination Station (free drop-in activity where kids can make things taking inspiration from the museum) is open Monday thru Friday from 13 August thru 3 September from 10.30am-5pm. Additionally there will be pop-up performances for children ages 3+ on certain Saturdays throughout the summer.
Three giant crocheted lions will be arriving on the west lawn of the Natural History Museum from 20 July (thru 9 September).
Everyone of all ages is welcome at Family Day: Sound and Performance at the Tate Modern on Sunday 2 September from 11am-5pm while Liminal weekend sessions from 11am-5pm at Tate Britain will remain throughout the summer.
Southbank Centre has a lot going on in terms of family and children events – one in particular that stood out as it’s for all ages is Shlomo: A Beatbox Adventure for Kids – performances until Friday 10 August.
It could be your last chance to experience the Science Museum’s Cockroach Tour taking place every weekend until August and of course the Science Museum has such and amazing under 5s area.
The British Museum has a fantastic summer calendar for older children – but there is Digital Photography Day for over 3s on 21 July from 11.30am-3.30pm with activities taking 30-60 minutes.
EVENTS
The WECH Summer Festival – Sunday 8 July, 1-6pm, Tamplin Mews Garden, Corner of Chippenham & Warlock Road, W9 – Bouncy castle, children’s art activities, face painting, toys & kids clothes stall, henna tattooing, climbing wall, DJ & steel band, plant stall & more. Free entry. All welcome.
St George’s Hanover Square School Summer Fair – Sunday 8 July, 12noon-5pm, Mount Street Gardens, Mayfair – Bouncy castle, inflatable slide, 6 Lane Scalectrix racing, treasure hunt, fire engine, face painting, hair braiding, tattoos, craft, used toys and books stall, BBQ, international food, Fulham Brass Band, Gospel choir, Punch&Judy, Cathy Cassidy singing her books, Rich Hall & his Hoedown Band and a lot more. Free entry. – thanks MVM Souad for sharing.
Beethoven Centre presents JUST DANCE Talent Show – Sunday 15 July, 3-6pm, Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue, Queen’s Park W10 4JL – Come watch the show _ there is something for everyone – BBQ, face paints, arts & crafts. Performances by the Avenues dancers, Midlands Beatbox Champion Beatfox and Mala CHERGA Theatre Contemporary Dance Group. Also looking for applicants for the talent show – all ages welcome – chance to perform on the stage at the Queen’s Park Summer Festival – and Volunteers for the event (contact Beethoven Centre on 020 8825 1067).
London Outdoor Arts Festival: Showtime – Tuesday 24 July, 12 noon-5pm, Pad Rec – Outdoor theatre and acrobatics, music, comedy and a chance to meet the gardeners from CBeebies. Free.
Sports Massage Clinic – Thursday 26 July, Amadeus Centre, Shirland Road, W9 2JA – Essentials for Health students will help with any aches, pains or niggles that you may have. The session will cost you £10 and all payments go to our children’s charity – Plan UK.
Queen’s Park Summer Festival – 28 July, 12 noon-6pm, Queen’s Park Gardens, Ilbert Street – Olympic events, face painting and local and professional acts on the main stage. Free.
LolliBop – The Big Bash for Little People – 17 August thru 19 August.
Notting Hill Carnival – Sunday 26 August and Monday 27 August.
Dora the Explorer LIVE at the Apollo Theatre – 28 August thru 16 September.
Little Creatures Family Festival at London Zoo – 1 thru 2 September, 10am-8pm.
Bandstand Marathon – Sunday 9 September, 1pm, Pad Rec Bandstand – Live music performances. Free.
Queen’s Park Day – Sunday 16 September, Queen’s Park
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
For more ideas for activities for kids and families in London, have a look at Time Out.
Will definitely have to check out the Emirates Air Line. Transport always wins for kids. My friend went a couple days ago when it opened and she said that although she’s been cynical about it, she really enjoyed it, “the views are fab but it still takes you to absolutely nowhere…”
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