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🌝 5 things to do in London this weekend with the kids (26–27 October)

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Jeff – Dads in London
October 23, 2024

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Hey DiLFs!

I’m glad it’s not just me: it turns out that loads of you are getting your Christmas plans sorted early this year. Since I launched The Big London Christmas List 2024, tons of readers have grabbed it – and the feedback has been great. I’m particularly enjoying the messages about how you’re actually looking forward to the festive season now (I didn’t realise how many people normally dreaded it!).

If you haven’t got your hands on it the list yet, don’t panic: there’s still time to book some of the best Christmas events in London. But be quick – some things, like Breakfast with Santa at Selfridges and Home Alone in Concert – are already sold out.

What’s left, you ask? Plenty! Here are a few stand-out options:

  • Hop aboard a magical train ride, complete with hot chocolate, actors, and a story everyone knows by heart. 

  • Stroll through tunnels of lights and trees that look like they’ve been decorated by an overenthusiastic elf.

  • Get crafty at a festive screening where children can try out instruments after the show – and meet a special guest in a red suit. 

You’ll find over 140 events on my list – from grottos to carol concerts to markets – and I’m updating it all the time with the latest releases. All I ask is for a small donation of £3 to access the full list. (This works out at about $3.93, which is the currency the payment platform works in. You won’t get charged any conversion fees). Just click below, and you’re good to go:

Thanks to everyone who’s already supported it! Now, onto this weekend’s events…

Jeff xx

Gaia ​​– earth installation
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00–16:30 (you’ll need to book a time slot), and other days until 2 November
Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge, SE1 9DA
Adults ÂŁ5, children (10 and under) FREE

THE BIG EARTH THING IS BACK! We visited this huge (but still 1.8 million times smaller than the real one) 3D artwork when it was last touring the country, and it had far more of an impact on us than we expected. I mean… it’s a big revolving globe that’s attached to the ceiling. We’ve all seen globes before; this is just a bigger one. So what’s going on? Why do so many people who visit feel so emotional and awestruck? 

Turns out it’s due to the Overview Effect – the experience astronauts have when they’re on the moon, looking at earth. They often “develop a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment”.  

By standing 211 metres away from the artpiece (is there a marker on the floor this time? I’m pretty sure there wasn’t when we last visited), we’re able to see the earth as it appears from the moon – which means we can experience the Overview Effect for ourselves. Hence the astonishment, wonder, and sudden obsession with caring for our big ol’ blue-and-green home. 

While you’re there… 

👍️ Go up Tower Bridge, lie down on the transparent floor and take a photo using the mirrored ceiling above you. When we went, it was UNBELIEVABLE how many visitors wouldn’t even set foot on the glass floor – and they squealed in shock when we did it. Wusses. There’s much more to do as part of the Tower Bridge experience, but the glass floor is the highlight – even if you just watch others “bravely risking their lives” when stepping on it. 

👍️ Borough Market is there practically next to the cathedral. If you haven’t been a million times already and don’t mind crowds, you’ll probably enjoy it. 

2: Give them a first taste of world cinema and feel superior

Momo in Dubai (U)
Sunday 27 October, 11:45
The Barbican, Cinema 2, Beech Street, EC2Y 8DS
£2.50–£5.00 per ticket (depending on seating area), plus £1.50 booking fee

Do you remember how cultured and sophisticated you felt after watching your first foreign language film – how, the moment the credits rolled, you felt the urge to find a “charming little bistro” where you could nibble on foie gras and figs while immersing yourself in a dog-eared copy of Ulysses?

Well imagine how your KIDS will feel after watching their own foreign film! It’ll be “No daddy: not the playground today. Can we discuss the nuances of Bauhaus design over kombucha instead?” 

Imagine no longer – by taking them to the Barbican for an “utterly charming family comedy” that’s spoken in the Keralan language of Malayalam. The story is about seven-year-old Momo, who travels to the UAE with his family on holiday. His desire to see the Burj Khalifa is a major plot point, and – spoiler alert – one reviewer has said that the film “literally ends on a high, ensuring the audience leaves the cinema hall with moist eyes”. So we can guess what happens there.  

As for the language, Malayalam is a bloomin’ tough one to learn – especially as Duolingo doesn’t have a course in it yet (although I’m not sure if knowing “Hello friend, I have underpants on” or “I am eating bread and crying on the ground” would be useful for the plot anyway). So, of course, there’ll be subtitles. And young children will get headsets – through which subtitles will be read aloud to them. Genius! 

Looking to find more balance and less stress? In his newsletter, London-based DiL reader and banker Tom shares how busy parents juggling work and family life can find happiness and peace of mind – without resorting to the usual clichéd advice like meditating, positive thinking or setting boundaries. Sign up for the Following Fulfilment newsletter here.

Family Station: Explore and Play
Sunday 27 October, 11:00–15:00
British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB
FREE

Venues and events LOVE a good rule or seven – especially when children are participating in some way. No food, no running, no shoes, no leaving and coming back in again, no kids under 5, no kids over 6, only two children per adult, no talking, no whispering, no touching anything, no smiling, no sneezing, no breathing…

I (usually) understand the reasons behind the rules, but sometimes it’s just nice to visit a place where you feel welcome and not like you’re about to do something tut-inducing. Which is why the description of the British Library’s drop-in Family Station has me breathing a pent-up sigh of relief. Here’s some of it, quoted in all its wonderful verbatimness: 

  • “It is completely drop-in, so arrive any time between 11:00 and 15:00 and stay for as long as you like. You’re welcome to arrive, leave, and come back whenever suits you best.” 

  • “While our Learning Assistants will be onsite, Family Station is completely family-led and informal. Meaning you can play, read and explore as a family, and help yourself to our various creative resources.” 

  • “There will be fun sensory items out to play with, a pop-up reading corner with braille and tactile editions, and art materials to experiment, draw and build.” 

  • “You can also borrow specially designed trails to explore the wider Library through your senses and enjoy playful interactions with our building and collection.” 

  • “The Family Station is fully accessible and suitable for children with SEND.”

Are you crying with happiness too? If not, maybe you don’t get told “Please keep your child away from the security rope” quite as often as I do. 

While you’re there… 

👍️ ​​Story Garden is right by the British Library, and it’s open to the public every Tuesday to Saturday. It’s “an abundant habitat where food and flowers are grown… Classrooms and meeting spaces have sprung up. Polytunnels and raised beds have appeared. Nature is multiplying.” 

If you happen to be nearby on a Saturday, there’s a Family Saturday every week: a mix of gardening, cooking and creative natural crafts for children and their parents/carers. Attendance is free but registration is essential. 

Get The Big London Christmas List 2024!

I’ve put together a list of over 140 Christmas events and activities that are available to book now – across categories including shows, pantomimes, carol concerts, grottos, markets, ice skating and more.

If you’d like to make use of it, I’m asking for a donation in return – but I’ve set the minimum to £3 so it’s within everyone’s reach. (This works out at about $3.93, which is the currency the payment platform works in. You won’t get charged any conversion fees.)

You’ll get access to the full list immediately, and I’ll keep adding to it all the way through until the big day. When something amazing is released that seems like it’ll sell out quickly, I’ll send you a special “Quick: book now!” alert.

FUNharmonics Family Concert: Stan and Mabel
Saturday 26 October, 12:00
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
Tickets from ÂŁ16 adults and ÂŁ8 children, depending on seating area

Stan and Mabel is the performance equivalent of hiding vegetables in chocolate cake: it’s a London Philharmonic Orchestra concert disguised as a story about a music-loving dog and cat who follow their neighbour to Italy. (Long story behind that one.) 

I googled the entire repertoire, and it’s all delightful and uplifting stuff. The event description also says there’s plenty of audience interaction throughout, which may or may not relieve you greatly – depending on how much your kids need to be stimulated, and how well your ears tolerate happy squeals. 

While you’re there… 

👍️ The children’s play area at Jubilee Gardens is one of the most original and exciting in London. There’s a slide, a climbing wall, ladders, ramps, wobbly boats and bridges, a toddlers’ playhouse, a big net construction thing, a walk-the-plank swing log, and so much more.

👍️ Waterloo Bridge has my favourite views in London. Look west to Big Ben, the South Bank and London Eye, and look east for Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and St Paul’s Cathedral. 

👍️ Did you know the Southbank Centre has a permanent pocket forest? Me neither! The Natura Nostra Forest is made up of 390 trees that will “grow over time to create a natural oasis in the centre of London”. 

Looking to find more balance and less stress? In his newsletter, London-based DiL reader and banker Tom shares how busy parents juggling work and family life can find happiness and peace of mind – without resorting to the usual clichéd advice like meditating, positive thinking or setting boundaries. Sign up for the Following Fulfilment newsletter here.

Family studio: cut-out worlds
Sunday 27 October, 11:00–13:00 and 14:00–16:00
Royal Academy, Burlington House, W1J 0BD
FREE 

I love a good Royal Academy exhibition – and not just because I enjoy sounding like a pompous arse by saying things like that. The building is gorgeous (albeit RIDICULOUSLY hard to find your way around), the staff are super friendly, and the art is often bonkers and impenetrable – but in a fun way. 

The only problem with the RA is that those exhibitions aren’t cheap. (They can bang on all they like about free entry to the gallery, but that’s like the Odeon showing off about free entry to the cinema foyer.) Everyone in my family has an Art Pass – which gets us 50% off most exhibitions around the country. At the RA? We’re lucky to get ÂŁ3 off a ÂŁ22 ticket. 

… So when they come along with something that says “Free – no booking required”, I’m in. In this case, it isn’t an exhibition but a family workshop. You’ll be invited to experiment with various construction techniques using cardboard, wooden dowels and blocks to “create models that hold a scene you see regularly – from your bedroom, school or bus window”. If you find yourself in need of some inspiration, you’re encouraged to visit the RA’s Architecture Window – which looks brilliant and (massive whoop!) is also free to visit.

Warning: it seems lots of other people are in the same “You said free? At the RA? I’m in!” boat as me. Family workshops here are incredibly popular – so you might be asked to wait or return later if the area looks at risk of becoming overcrowded. 

Extra! All the other stuff going on this weekend

Once again, there’s SO much to do – so I couldn’t end after just five activities. Here are a few more hits: 

Family Fun Day: Amazing Animals
Sunday 27 October, 11:00–16:00
The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, W1S 4BS
Adults ÂŁ17.06, children ÂŁ10.85

Mapping the Tube: 1863–2023
Saturday 26 October, 10:30–17:00 (and other days until 30 November)
The Map House, 54 Beauchamp Place, SW3 1NY
FREE

Lost Gardens of London
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00–17:00 (and other days until 2 March 2025)
The Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7LB
FREE with entry ticket (£15 adults, £8.50 children 7–18, FREE children 6 and under)

The Gruffalo
Saturday (14:00) and Sunday (11:00 and 14:00), and other days until 29 October
artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, N12 0GA
£12–£18 (depending on seating area)

TICKETS ARE RUNNING OUT FAST!

Screensaver Series (family performance and workshop)
Saturday 26 October, 14:00
The Place, 17 Duke's Road, WC1H 9PY
Adults ÂŁ14, children ÂŁ10

Get The Big London Christmas List 2024!

I’ve put together a list of over 140 Christmas events and activities that are available to book now – across categories including shows, pantomimes, carol concerts, grottos, markets, ice skating and more.

If you’d like to make use of it, I’m asking for a donation in return – but I’ve set the minimum to £3 so it’s within everyone’s reach. (This works out at about $3.93, which is the currency the payment platform works in. You won’t get charged any conversion fees.)

You’ll get access to the full list immediately, and I’ll keep adding to it all the way through until the big day. When something amazing is released that seems like it’ll sell out quickly, I’ll send you a special “Quick: book now!” alert.

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