🏨 10 things to do in London this weekend with the kids (22–23 November)

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Hey DILFs,

For something a bit different this weekend…

On Friday, Southwark Cathedral is hosting its annual Robes SleepOut – an overnight fundraiser where ordinary people give up their warm beds to raise money for those who don’t have one. The event supports Robes, a local charity that helps those experiencing homelessness in Southwark and Lambeth through winter shelters and year-round support.

Robes is small, but it does a lot – offering beds, meals, housing advice and a sense of stability to guests every night across 30 local churches.

The SleepOut is open to anyone aged seven and up – younger kids sleep inside the cathedral with a parent, while everyone else braves the courtyard. Participants are well looked after, with free hot drinks and snacks running through the night and a cooked breakfast in the morning. There’s also an evening of entertainment inside the cathedral, open to everyone (non-sleepers can join for a small fee). It’s cold, it’s noisy and the paving stones have no give whatsoever, but for one night you’ll be helping others find warmth and safety through winter.

Registration closes tomorrow, Thursday 20 November, at 17:00, so please hurry if you want to take part! Here’s a factsheet with more info, and here’s where you register.

And now for some slightly warmer, possibly less charitable, things you can do this weekend too…

Enjoy!

Jeff

1: Munch green scones and roast beast sandwiches while the Grinch guides you past London’s landmarks

Grinchmas Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Bus Tour 
Saturday and Sunday, 12:30, 15:00 and 17:30 (and daily until 31 January) 
Departs from Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 9TP 
Adults £52, children £47 
Age guidance: 5+

Another day, another Afternoon Tea London Bus Tour from Brigit’s Bakery – which has been cranking out these themed rides like nobody’s business recently. The profit margin must be insane, but I actually think they’re worth the price because you get SO many things in one experience.

First there’s the Afternoon Tea itself, which goes all in on the Grinch theme with a Roast Beast turkey sandwich, a Cuddly as a Cactus cucumber sandwich, Max’s favourite choux, a Cindy-Lou tart and even green scones.

I haven’t been on this particular tour, but having clocked up four of Brigit’s other Afternoon Tea Bus Tours – which is more than any sane person should – I can confirm the food is fresh, generous and genuinely good. (Tip: the scones come out after everything else, so leave some room.)

Then there’s the onboard entertainer, whose job it is to delight you with a range of Grinch-themed activities – from singing and jokes to an assortment of pranks that you may or may not appreciate.

You’ll also get a fabulous tour of London – past Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Nelson’s Column, Downing Street, Green Park, Piccadilly Circus and many others. And if you opt for the 17:30 tour, you’ll get to do it all when the Christmas lights are switched on.

So that’s entertainment, a London tour, AND an Afternoon Tea combined in one event. There’s more! Christmas crackers on board, cosy and comfortable green blankets to sit on, free hot drinks refills, a Grinch flask to go home with, and the option to box up your leftovers (which puts them into “S” tier in my view).

Find out more: https://b-bakery.com/london/bus-tours/grinch-afternoon-tea-bus-tour 

2: Curl up in a penguin hug of a show that proves not everything needs a villain

Me 
Saturday and Sunday at 10:00, 11:45 and 14:30 (plus other days until 25 January) 
Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 2DN 
Adults £17, children £15 
Age guidance: 2–5

Tickets going fast!

I have to admit… when I first read the description for this show, I thought meh – even though I’ve never met a penguin I didn’t like. It just sounded a bit nothingy: “A lovely and touching story about a parent penguin and their love for their child.” Sweet enough I guess, but not exactly gripping stuff.

But after reading the reviews and seeing the photos, I’ve fully come round. The story, adapted from Emma Dodd’s much-loved picture book, is simple because it follows the book to the letter –​​ which is gentle, repetitive, reassuring, and exactly the way very small humans like it. it’s about a tiny penguin discovering a world that’s enormous, cold and alarming, and finding comfort in the warmth of a parent who’s always there. The reviews say it’s tender and full of heart, and the photos back that up: quiet light, falling snow, and penguins that look exactly like the ones your child will beg you to buy in the little gift shop outside the auditorium.

There’s no villain, no jeopardy, and no big moment when everything changes. But not every show needs to be Hansel and Gretel. Sometimes it’s enough simply to enjoy the penguins.

Find out more: https://www.littleangeltheatre.com/whats-on/me/ 

While you’re there… 

👍️ OK this is a bit of a cheat “while you’re there”, because you’ll need to wait until early December to combine a trip to see Me with the Me puppet-making family workshop – which takes place at Little Angel Studios, around the corner from the theatre. Using craft materials, you’ll create your very own penguin puppet and bring it to life.

The workshops run from 6 December to 23 December, and they’re timed so you can see the production first, then nip over to do the puppet-making.

👍️ If you’re REALLY bloomin’ quick, you can snap up one of the remaining tickets for The Storm Whale at Little Angel Studios. Maybe do Me in the morning, and this in the early afternoon? The Storm Whale is about a boy who rescues a whale, loses the whale, and then waits all winter to see if the whale will come back. (I’m pretty sure I’m underselling it here: it’s meant to be spectacular. Here’s a review of the same production from a few years ago.)

There are barely any tickets remaining for this weekend, but you might have more luck booking for future weekends.

3: Step into Dickens’s living room for ghosts, goblins and Victorian special effects by candlelight

A Gothicly Grand Magic Lantern Christmas 
Saturday and Sunday, 11:30, 13:00 and 15:00 
Charles Dickens Museum, 48–49 Doughty Street, WC1N 2LX 
Adults £15, under-16s £10 
Age guidance: suitable for all

If you’ve ever wondered what Victorians did before Netflix, the answer is: they projected goblins onto walls. This week at the Charles Dickens Museum, you can see how with the Magic Lantern Christmas Shows – a kind of 19th-century PowerPoint, only with more ghosts.

The shows are run by two magicians of the pre-electric variety, who use an original triple-lens lantern to create flashing, sliding, slightly bonkers spectacles that Victorians found absolutely mind-blowing. There are ghosts, goblins, a bit of festive chaos and – this being Dickens – a lesson or two about human greed.

It’s all taking place in Dickens’s old home on Doughty Street – the same house where he wrote Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. Afterwards you can head to the museum’s Artful Tea Room for soup, quiche or a cream tea that’s far less grim than anything Oliver ever got.

Find out more: https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/a-gothicly-grand-magic-lantern-christmas 

While you’re there… 

👍️ Coram’s Fields is around the corner and I will question your child’s honesty if they say they don’t like it there. It’s a seven-acre space with multiple playgrounds (each with different facilities), sand pits, a cafe, lawns, picnic tables and a wildlife garden. Adults are only allowed in if accompanied by a child, which makes the place feel extra wholesome and friendly.

The only downside? As with most places that contain “Fields” in the name (St Martin-in-the-Fields, mentioned below, being an exception), it’s outside. And it’s November. You’ll be standing around outside in November.

👍️ Lamb’s Conduit Street is lovely for restaurants and cafes at all price points, as well as shops that sell stuff you don’t need but have just decided you really want.

4: Launch the Christmas season with with a chaotic family singalong, Christmas trees and mulled wine

Mrs H and the Sing-along Band Christmas Launch 
Saturday 22 November, 11:00–12:00 
Big Penny Social, 1 Priestley Way, E17 6AL 
£6 per person 
Age guidance: suitable for all 

I’ve been open about my love for Mrs H before, and I’m beginning to wonder if it’s more an infatuation or obsession than a simple, harmless, parasocial relationship. Because the moment I saw she was performing at Big Penny Social, my heart kind of leapt and I started to feel emotional.

But you see… Mrs H and her Sing-along Band have been part of my life for years now – ever since I began taking my youngest to her singalong sessions in Exmouth Market’s church hall when he was a baby. And TBH I think her name would cause a bit of an emotional overload among many of her audience members: she’s a local legend because she’s special, and because she really puts the work in.

For starters, it’s a whole bloomin’ band. Mrs H is at the helm, but she’s joined by a rotating crew of proper musicians playing accordion, double bass, banjo and guitar. Together they perform a selection of mostly original songs – sometimes about duck races, sometimes about dog poo. Rarely about cats and fiddles or lame twinkly stars or zoom-zoom-zooming to the bloody moon again – unless they’ve added their own unique twist.

They’ve been around since 2005, released several albums, and even put together YouTube sessions that kept a lot of parents sane during lockdown. There’s a generosity and sense of fun in everything they do, and the result always feels like a proper community gathering.

This weekend, Big Penny Social has managed to nab them to kick off its Christmas season. The whole building is turning into a festive free-for-all, with decorations, the launch of their Christmas tree market (mulled wine included) and the unveiling of new curling lanes out in the garden. But the main event is Mrs H and her band – an hour of music, laughter and singing that’ll leave you hoarse and happy by lunch.

Find out more: https://bigpennysocial.co.uk/whats-on/mrs-h-christmas 

Semi-related: Mrs H and the Sing-along Band are holding two Christmas concerts in Exmouth Market on 6 December. At the time of writing, there are just two tickets left for the 11:00 show, but plenty remaining for the afternoon performance. 

While you’re there… 

👍️ As mentioned above, there’s lots to do at Big Penny Social after Mrs H’s show. The decorations are up, the new ice-free Curling Lounge is open to children as well as adults, and the Christmas tree market is in full swing (trees from £45; free hot chocolate or mulled wine with every order).

5: Explore the meticulous madness of Wes Anderson and his pastel universe

Wes Anderson: The Archives 
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00–18:00 (and daily until 26 July) 
Design Museum, 224–238 Kensington High Street, W8 6AG 
Adults £19.69, 6–15s £9.84, under-6s free

It’s here! It’s finally here! The exhibition I’ve been waiting for has arrived – and no, my children have never seen a single Wes Anderson film, but that’s beside the point.

The Design Museum’s new Wes Anderson: The Archives exhibition is a deep dive into the world’s most symmetrical filmmaker. It’s got everything: the pink facade of The Grand Budapest Hotel (the actual model used in the film), the vending machines from Asteroid City, and Mr Fox himself, still looking smug in corduroy.

You don’t need to know the plots to enjoy it – the objects are a show in themselves. There are miniature trains from The Darjeeling Limited, a tiny rat on a tiny motorbike from Fantastic Mr Fox, and the original Boy with Apple painting that caused all that trouble in The Grand Budapest Hotel. In real life it was commissioned from British artist Michael Taylor, who had to make it look convincingly old and valuable, but not so impressive that it distracted from the actors.

Anderson’s films are built around tiny models – and most of the miniatures you’ll see weren’t made for this exhibition but actually appear in the films, shot to look full-size through careful old-school camera trickery. There are also sketches, notebooks and storyboards from The Royal Tenenbaums and Moonrise Kingdom that show just how detailed his process is – down to the shade of yellow on a tent or the tilt of a pencil.

We’ve been showing the kids Accidentally Wes Anderson pictures for years, so they already know the aesthetic – pastel hotels, bold signage, tiny figures framed inside pleasing geometry, etc. I suspect they’ll love this more than they expect to – although I’m not looking forward to post-exhibition demands for matching luggage and sofa cushions that achieve perfect visual balance.

Find out more: https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/wes-anderson-the-archives 

6–10: More, more, more, more, more!

The Ugly Duckling 
Sunday 23 November, 11:00 and 14:00 
artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, N12 0GA 
£13.75 per person 
Age guidance: 2–7

“A heart-warming re-working of the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson.

Once upon a time there was a little Duckling called Dotty. Dotty didn’t look like her brothers and sisters; and as much as she tried Dotty just couldn’t ‘Quack’…it always came out as a ‘Honk’!

One day, Dotty waddles off far from her nest on the pond and arrives at Farmer Mary’s Farm. Follow Dotty as she clucks with Henny the Hen, crows with Reginald Rooster and gobbles with Tommy the Turkey.

Join WhatNot for this uplifting, gentle interactive performance, and share in Dotty’s escapades as she discovers the true meaning of family.”

National Children’s Orchestra Winter Concert 
Sunday 23 November, 15:00 
Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No. 1 Street, SE18 6HD 
Adults £21.60, under-18s £7.56, under-5s free 
Age guidance: suitable for all

“NCO are enormously proud to present their eldest musicians for their final performance with NCO before they move on to new adventures.

At just 13 and 14 years old, these are some of the UK’s most remarkable young musicians and their creativity, skill, resilience, determination and flair is truly impressive.

Conducted by Andrew Morley, they will play:

• Erich Wolfgang Korngold The Sea Hawk

• Bernard Herrmann ‘Prelude’ & ‘The Nightmare’ from Vertigo Suite

• William Walton’s Suite from Henry V

• Nino Rota arr Wadsworth La Strada

• Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition

In 2025, these musicians have taken part in two residential orchestral programmes featuring rehearsals, artist workshops, creative work and wellbeing sessions, as well as a complementary online programme. This concert is the final showcase of their incredible hard work.

NCO’s concerts are for everyone. Join us as we appreciate the sheer joy and energy that can only be experienced in the presence of a wonderful children’s orchestra, and be part of supporting the next generation of musicians.”

Aga Khan Music Programme 
Saturday 22 November, 12:00 
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX 
FREE – no ticket required 
Age guidance: suitable for all

“Enjoy an afternoon of free performances featuring students and graduates of the Aga Khan Music schools in Cairo and Kyrgyzstan, and talented artists from the global Ismaili community. Three showcases culminate in a joint performance celebrating the transformative power of music education.

This concert is part of the EFG London Jazz Festival and Aga Khan Music Awards 2025 collaboration, showcasing excellence in music from across the globe.”

Lagos to London 
Sunday 23 November, 13:45 
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX 
FREE – no ticket required 
Age guidance: 7+

“Join musicians across generations for a celebration of Nigerian music and culture and how it shaped UK jazz, with performances and workshops.”

See the website for the full schedule and line-up.

SoLo Craft Fair 
Saturday and Sunday, 11:00–17:00 (also 29 and 30 November) 
St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ 
FREE

“Spread across three stunning spaces – including the beautifully atmospheric Crypt Gallery – the market will showcase over 90 independent makers offering unique, handmade Christmas gifts.

Alongside the stalls, you can enjoy a programme of free creative workshops, from festive tea blending to twist-tie floral design. When it’s time to recharge, St Martin’s café will be open with a delicious selection of food and drinks.”