🐾 7 things to do in London this weekend with the kids (5–6 July)

Get in front of 10,500 of the best people in London! Find out about sponsored ads here.

Hey DILFs, 

I have an update for you!

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the new Space exhibition at the Natural History Museum. I explained that, while it sounded incredible, I wouldn’t be going because I spiral into full-blown existential crisis mode any time I think too hard about space.

But THEN a lovely lady called Siobhan at the NHM emailed to say, more or less: “Pull yourself together. You’ll be fine. Here are some free tickets – go see for yourself. Honestly, it’s great. And seriously: get a grip.”

So I took my family along – because what’s a bit of cosmic unease in exchange for a free morning of children’s entertainment?

And it was BRILLIANT. You get to touch actual space rocks – including some that came from Mars – which is thrilling once you realise you’re literally touching another planet. My boys loved the Mars Rover game, where you try (and mostly fail) to collect rock samples. And the smell pods? They recreate the scents of space, and they smell suitably gross.

I highly recommend it – and will now be pretending to be emotionally unfit for all upcoming exhibitions in the hope of blagging more free tickets.

If you’ve already been or you choose not to believe my reassurances, no worries: here are plenty of other things you can get on with this weekend. 

Enjoy! 

Jeff xx

1: Cruise past Big Ben with a brownie and a mission

PAW Patrol London Bus Tour
Saturday and Sunday, 12:30, 15:00 and 17:30 (and other dates throughout the summer)
10 Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5AP
Adults £53, children £48
Age guidance: 2+

(Members of The Dads in London Club knew about this months ago – and many of us have secured the best seats on the very first buses! To become a member, sign up here.]

If you’ve ever been on the Peppa Pig Afternoon Tea Bus Tour, you’ll know that the bus route takes you past the London landmarks that appear in various episodes. It’s all very clever: there are even little screens at each table to jog your memory as you drive by the famous spots. I’ve never been on the Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour, but the gist seems similar. 

So when I first saw that Paw Patrol was joining the range of themed bus tours from Brigit’s Bakery – the ones that serve Afternoon Tea while you cruise/trundle past the sights – I was a bit confused. Paw Patrol is set in the fictional town of Adventure Bay, in the very real country of Canada. The pups have never as much as cocked a leg near Big Ben. So… huh? How does that work?

Ah! Of course! Brand logic at its nimblest: plonk a popular thing on top of another popular thing and watching the bookings roll in. No complaints from me: I admire the opportunism. 

Instead of visiting places from the show (because there aren’t any), this tour becomes its own Paw Patrol story. It’s framed as a rescue mission: each table has a “mission screen” with puzzles and games, and the answers are hidden in clues you spot through the window as the bus passes iconic London sights.

Unlike a certain Baker Street detective who believed “the faculties become refined when you starve them”, Brigit’s Bakery takes the opposite approach: you’ll solve riddles and hunt for Mayor Goodway with a full Paw Patrol-themed Afternoon Tea in front of you. 

I say “themed”, but it’s mostly a standard Afternoon Tea with a few dog-flavoured puns layered on top – like “Pup-tacular egg & cress sandwich” (still egg and cress), “Marshall’s strawberry tartlet” (still a small strawberry tart), and “The Choco-letta brownie” (OK, that one’s actually quite good).

There’s also an onboard entertainer who – judging by past Brigit’s Bakery buses – will be very good at pretending “We’ll Be There on the Double” is an entirely new addition to their playlist, and that he isn’t currently in therapy for all the times he’s listened to it. 

It’s such a fun way to combine two quintessential London experiences, and even though it’s expensive, it’s actually not bad when you consider you’re getting three things for the price of one: Afternoon Tea, a London bus tour, and child-friendly entertainment.

2: Discover treasures for your fanciest bookshelf

The Folio Society Pop Up Sale
Saturday 5 July, 09:30–16:30
Glaziers Hall, Bridge Room, 9 Montague Close, SE1 9DD
FREE

I’d never heard of the Folio Society. But when I looked them up, I realised I’d seen their expertly bound, beautifully illustrated books plenty of times – in classic TV shows and films, on hotel bookshelves, and in the “library” (spare bedroom) of one of the more pretentious people I happen to be acquainted with. 

Folio is a publisher that makes just 50 books a year. While most publishers “spray and pray” – signing up dozens of authors and crossing their fingers that one of them turns into the next big thing – Folio skips the gamble entirely. It waits to see what’s already out there, picks its favourites, and then creates its own edition with gorgeously illustrated covers (look!), paper that feels like it’s from an entirely different tax bracket, cloth-bound slipcases, and spines built to last a generation or two.

It’s not all obvious chart-toppers, either. Alongside the heavyweights (Alice in Wonderland, The Handmaid’s Tale, etc.), there’s usually a cult classic or two that someone in the office has been quietly banging on about for years. 

As you might expect, Folio-published books aren’t cheap. The Wind in the Willows will set you back £70 if you buy a Folio edition, whereas you can buy it on Amazon for as little as £5.99. The Game of Thrones Collection is £825 if you want the Folio version, or £31.24 if you’re happy with the mass-market version – the one with an Amazon review that says: “I only read it for the boobs. Sadly there were no pictures.”

Which is why this next bit is so exciting: a Folio sample sale. The stock is limited, the prices are lower, and the edges are possibly ever so slightly scuffed – but still more elegant than anything else on your bookshelf. The sale will include ex-display copies, slightly damaged books, ex-Folio library copies, end-of-stock books, and production and editorial sample copies of recent titles. 

Go early: it’s bound to get as fist-fighty as a Primark sale – but with more cardigans and fewer cracked iPhone screens.

Find out more: https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/sample-sale 

While you’re there… 

👍️ The original Golden Hinde was the first galleon to circumnavigate the globe between 1577 and 1580, captained by Francis Drake. The Golden Hinde you’ll find in Bankside today is a full-scale replica – one that has also circumnavigated the globe – and a fully legit ship in its own right. 

The guides on board are fantastic: they know everything about the history of the ship, and have a fantastic way of explaining the challenges of navigating the seas and living in such cramped conditions in the 16th century. There are also lots of hands-on activities and interactive bits for kids, and tbh it all feels like a steal at £6 per person. 

👍️ The Clink Prison was founded in 1144, and was burnt down in 1780 by rioters. There’s now a Clink Prison Museum a few doors down from the original site, and it attempts to recreate the conditions of being an inmate there. 

It’s HORRIBLE, in an interesting “glad I wasn’t alive then” kind of way. Gory as hell, and at times a bit scary. My boys didn’t mind it because they kept thinking all the blood was dirt (“Why is everyone in prison so muddy?”), and they loved the selfie room. They each received a lollipop at the end for counting how many rats they noticed throughout the exhibition… even though they were about 12 rats out. Thank you to the man at the ticket window for letting it slide and making my walk home less tantrummy. 

3: Enjoy free Wimbledon screenings with deckchairs, shade and snacks

Wimbledon Screenings
Saturday and Sunday, various times (and other dates throughout Wimbledon)
See below for venues
FREE

I’ve always wondered if I should try to get tickets for Wimbledon. I’m British, so it’s a thing I should probably do – like pretending not to mind when bin day changes, or saying “lovely weather” during a hailstorm. And it does seem like a nice, civilised experience – all polite clapping and light Pimms-based bonding – with the possibility of some funny and memorable moments that end up in a Daily Mail sidebar under the words “Fans were left in stitches”. 

But then I remember that a) I’m scared of being whacked by a stray Slazenger, b) I’d be permanently paranoid about making a stupid expression that gets captured by the BBC cameras, and c) ​​I hate overpaying for tickets unless it’s half term and I’m desperate. 

Is there a solution to this conundrum? Yes! And it doesn’t involve “going with the flow and chilling out about it”, because that’s not a solution: that’s something people say when they’re silently begging me to stop talking about it.

What I do – and what you can do too – is watch the tournament on one of the many big screens around London. They’re free, you won’t get whacked by a ball,  and the whole world won’t witness your warped expressions. You still get all the atmosphere, cheeriness and low-level national pride, and – even better – many of the venues have food, shade, beanbags and other distractions for those whose attention span doesn’t quite stretch to five sets.

Here are some of the best: 

St James’s Market
🎾 Now until 13 July
🎾 Between Haymarket and Regent Street
🎾 Deckchairs
🎾 Free – no booking required

Portman Square Garden – Summer in the Square
🎾 8–13 July (second week of Wimbledon only – please don’t go this weekend!)
🎾 Portman Square Garden, 0 Portman Square, W1H 6LJ
🎾 Deckchairs; pop-up kitchen (a rotating line-up of some of Marylebone’s restaurants); creative and wellbeing sessions; family theatre workshops, dance classes, arts and crafts; drinks bar
🎾 Free – no booking required 

Canary Wharf – Summer Screens
🎾 Now until 27 September (showing all Wimbledon games plus other sports and films throughout the summer)
🎾 Canada Square Park, E14 5AH
🎾 Bring a picnic blanket
🎾 Free – no booking required

Everyman on the Canal – King’s Cross
🎾 Now until 17 August (showing all Wimbledon games plus various films throughout the summer)
🎾 Granary Square, N1C 4PW
🎾 Beanbags; sweet and savoury snacks, cocktails, wines, beers and soft drinks
🎾 Free – no booking required

Covent Garden Market – Summer on the Big Screen
🎾 Now until 13 July
🎾 Covent Garden, WC2E 8RF
🎾 Deckchairs; strawberries & cream, Pimm’s and strawberries & cream-flavoured popcorn (!); plenty of other things to do while you’re there (https://coventmarket.com/welcome-summer/)
🎾 Free – no booking required 

4: Explore global life through the lens of food

World Food Photography Awards
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00–17:00 (and other dates until 7 September; closed Mondays)
Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, E2 8EA
FREE

I haven’t visited yet, so I can’t confirm whether every photo has Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini artfully lurking in the background – but it wouldn’t surprise me. Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini is the sponsor of the World Food Photography Awards, and I’ve just realised that every damn thing about this blimmin’ event is a promotional opportunity.

Award categories include “Marks & Spencer Food Portraiture”, “Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year”, “Fortnum & Mason Food at the Table”, “Tiptree Cake Award”, “Hotel Art Group Food Stylist Award”, “Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer” and so many more it’s hard to believe no one’s yet nabbed “McVitie’s Most Emotional Biscuit Moment”.

But this isn’t just about glossy logos and careful plate styling. Alongside the moody sourdough and perfect patisserie, you’ll find images of feast and famine, food grown and food wasted, food eaten in war zones and at weddings, crop failures, food banks and restaurant kitchens. Viewed all in one go, I can imagine it being a bit overwhelming – like someone emptied the entire Waitrose magazine archive and spliced it with Dispatches – so let’s hope the gallery designers keep things simmering gently rather than tossing you from famine to fondant in under ten steps.

It looks like it’s definitely worth a visit – and a reminder that food is never just food. I’ll just try not to be surprised if there’s a discreet “sponsored by Bimi®” watermark nestled in the broccoli florets of a “family stir‑fry” shot.

Find out more: https://museumofthehome.org.uk/whats-on/world-food-photography-awards 

While you’re there… 

👍️ Columbia Road Flower Market is open between 08:00 and 15:00 on Sundays only, and it’s less than a ten-minute walk away. One idiot reviewer brought down the average Google rating by complaining that he’s allergic to flowers, while another gave it one star despite having never visited. One very valid reason for many other one-star reviews is how busy it is: it’s heaving by the afternoon. But if you go early and don’t intend to drive there, you should be fine. And the flowers are beautiful. 

👍️ Shoreditch Park Playground was rebuilt a couple of years ago, and Hackney Council has done an excellent job with it. There’s a fantastic hillside slide with climbing tower, balance beams, a sand-play area, and a variety of equipment for wheelchair users – including a “chair swing” and an accessible roundabout. The one drawback is that they’ve planted a load of wildflowers around the place, which are now taller than many three-year-olds; they’re very pretty but can make it hard to spot your kids easily. 

👍️ The Towpath Cafe is a bit of an institution. It’s so famous that – in common with the Granny Smith apple, John Travolta and Iceland (the supermarket) – it has its own Wikipedia page. The menu is one of those “big list handwritten on a blackboard” things, where you have to guess the portion size by how much it costs. There’s a focus on high-quality ingredients, and the location is hard to beat. 

5: Celebrate Pride in one of London’s loveliest churches

Pride Party at St James’s Piccadilly
Saturday 5 July, 11:00–19:00
St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL
FREE

I visit St James’s Church more often than you'd expect from someone with absolutely no religion. I bloomin’ love this place.

In addition to what I’ll call the “bog standard church happenings” (Eucharist, Morning Prayer, “Queer Croissants”… all the usual), the church has the most exciting and inclusive events calendar I’ve ever come across. We’re talking candlelight concerts, a free monthly gospel and soul music festival in the courtyard, free live performances every Saturday lunchtime, an evening of epic film and TV soundtracks, a walking group, art exhibitions, free counselling, Sunday breakfast for people who are homeless or on low incomes, and loads more.

Their Christmas carol concerts are hugely fun, and the clergy give sermons that are interesting and properly funny.

Also: the building is a Sir Christopher Wren original. Meaning: not too shabby.

Anyway! Fresh off the backlash from hosting a drag show in the church, St James’s is throwing its very own Pride Party this Saturday. There’ll be street food, drag DJ sets, face-painting (because face painting seems to be essential at every summer event), an arts & crafts stall, local craft beer and rainbow slushies. So basically your standard summer fair – just with better DJs and drinks that look like they’ve been filtered through a packet of Skittles.

You don’t need to identify as LGBTQ+ to join in, and you don’t need to be Christian. Just bring your best liturgical dance moves and enjoy the experience. 

Find out more: https://www.sjp.org.uk/whats-on/pride-party/ 

(Note: this event is most definitely open to all ages and is child-friendly, but I’m not sure how many other children will actually be in attendance.)

While you’re there… 

👍️ OK not so much “while you’re there” as “if you can’t make it to Saturday’s Pride Party, visit on Sunday instead for Soul at Saint James”. It’s the gospel and soul music festival in the courtyard mentioned above, held every month between 14:0​​0 and 16:00. It’s completely free, and aims to “be a place of meaningful celebration and reflection through music, especially for people that may not feel comfortable being inside a church… Everyone is included and celebrated.” 

More more more! 

Make that “More more”: just two extra things to mention this week: 

Parsons Green Fair
Saturday 5 July, 10:30–17:30
Parsons Green, New King's Road, SW6 4XG
FREE

Wapping Green Summer Shindig (and opportunity to visit the Wapping Marine Police Museum)
Saturday 5 July, 11:00–18:00 (Police Museum open 11:00–17:00)
Wapping Green, Wapping Lane, E1W 2QL (note: the museum is next to the riverside, which is a few minutes’ walk from the fair on Wapping Green)
FREE

Seeking impartial news? Meet 1440.

Every day, 3.5 million readers turn to 1440 for their factual news. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you a complete summary of politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a brief 5-minute email. Enjoy an impartial news experience.

Join for free today!