WHAT’S ON
What’s on Compiled by Robina Cowan
All details are as provided when going to press. However, in case of changed plans, do double-check before setting out.
HALF TERM CAMPS
Perform: The Ice Queen Venues in Blackheath and Dulwich www.perform.org.uk/icequeen 12-14 February Join Perform and The Ice Queen this February half-term! Three days of Frozen-themed fun awaits your child in a glittering drama, dance and singing adventure with Elsa, Ana and friends. Ending with a dazzling performance, this is the coolest half-term treat. Ages 4-10.
how to find signs of animals in the garden. Activities include trail making, animal sounds, stories and games. Book first. The Kids’ Table: Peckham Levels Rye Lane SE15 4ST www.peckhamlevels.org Sundays and 14 & 16 February The Kids’ Table is a pop-up children’s corner service that provides supervised crafts, games and creative table-top fun while parents enjoy some ‘me’ time. Ages 3-10. FREE. Borough Market London Bridge SE1 9AL www.boroughmarket.org.uk 13-17 February London’s iconic Borough Market is hosting a selection of free half term events for children to get involved in, including treasure hunts, try and take home recipes, ‘you are what you eat’ themed face painting and more.
Funky Monkey Keyboard Workshops Various locations www.funkymonkey.info 12-16 February Funky Fingers workshops are imaginative, fun-packed workshops from Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes which introduce basic keyboard techniques including reading and writing music, performance skills, plus extra fun and games. Ages 4-8.
Mum2mum Market Various venues www.mum2mummarket.co.uk 3 February in Bromley Nearly new baby and children’s clothes, toys, books and baby equipment.
Global Camps Kelvin Grove School SE26 6BB www.globalcamps.co.uk 12-16 February A unique mix of language learning, sports coaching, art & craft and outdoor adventure to keep young ones active and engaged during all school holidays. Ages 4-12.
10 February Shelf: The Kids’ Show Join best friends Rachel and Ruby for a kids’ comedy show that’s full of sketches, songs, pranks and silliness. Fun for all the family! Ages 3+.
SPECIAL EVENTS Air Giants: The Glowbot Garden Strand Aldwych WC2R 1ES www.airgiants.co.uk 17-20 January A spectacular outdoor promenade experience featuring a series of wonderful interactive creatures. Interact with huge pneumatically controlled creatures among a dreamscape of giant vines, arches and ferns. FREE. Imagine Children’s Festival Southbank SE1 8XX www.southbankcentre.co.uk 7-17 February Inspiring creativity for ages 0-11, this fabulous festival returns with over 100 events, author meets and book fun this half term. Book your tickets for brilliant theatre, comedy, music, literature, poetry, dance and flat-out family fun – including FREE events every day! Family Nature Detectives Centre for Wildlife Gardening SE15 4EE www.wildlondon.org.uk 12 & 13 February Tune into your senses and learn 14 Families South East London
THEATRE & SHOWS Blackheath Halls Lee Road SE3 9RQ www.blackheathhalls.com
24 February The Magic Word Let’s All Dance Ballet Company is back with another family-friendly ballet, where the beautiful Forest Queen meets the Forest Elf in a magical forest. All ages. The Broadway Theatre Catford Road SE6 4RU www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk 15 February Milkshake! Live on Holiday Join your favourite Milkshake! friends in a brand-new, all singing, all dancing family show. Stanley Arts Centre South Norwood Hill SE25 6AB www.stanleyarts.org 3-18 February Journey of a Refugee This powerful and moving production explores the journey and arrival of a refugee and the universal theme of people searching for a place they can call home. Ages 8+. 18 February The Great Big Dinosaur Show Join poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko for a family show full of
poems, raps and songs about all your favourite pre-historic protagonists (and some you haven’t heard of yet!). Ages 4-11. Bromley Churchill Theatre High Street Bromley BR1 1HA www.churchilltheatre.co.uk 14 & 15 February Claytime A play with clay where the earth’s natural material spurs imaginations. Join in and create fabulous forms, amazing animals and morphing monsters. Ages 3-6. Shakespeare’s Globe New Globe Walk SE1 9DT www.shakespearesglobe.com 10-17 February Workshops This half term’s live storytelling and interactive workshops include Macbeth, The Winter’s Tale, The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ages 5-12 plus grown ups. Unicorn Theatre Tooley Street SE1 2HZ www.unicorntheatre.com 20 January – 18 February The Three Billy Goats Gruff Following a hugely successful run last Easter, Stiles and Drewe’s joyful hit musical The Three Billy Goats Gruff returns to the Unicorn for a strictly limited run. Don’t miss out! Baby, Middle and Big are three very hungry goats and there is absolutely no grass left to eat on their side of the valley. Come on their adventure as together with Little Bo-Frilly they hatch a plan to cross the bridge to the lush green grass on the other side. They just need to outwit that horrible tricksy troll first. Ages 3-7. 17 January – 18 February Ready Steady Lift Off! A Line Art returns to the Unicorn with their unique brand of interactive arts and musical theatre for the whole family. Ready Steady Lift Off! is an immersive theatre show combining live performance, music, storytelling and painting into one interactive theatre show. This fun, craft-based theatre experience will get the family colouring and creating together and once you’ve decorated your rocket, you will orbit around space! Ages 3–8. Southbank Centre Southbank SE1 8XX www.southbankcentre.co.uk 7-17 February Mish Mash Family Trail Gather your family and friends and prepare for an interactive and colourful art journey across the site. Ages 3+.
7-9 February The Sticky Dance Three dancers shimmy through the audience in this tactile dance performance for young children. Ages 3-5. 9 February Rug Rhymes What rhymes with rug? National Poetry Library puppets Federico and Firebird can’t wait to tell you at a session of nursery rhymes, poems and rhyming stories. Ages 0-5. 10-16 February Wellbeing Wind Down FREE mindfulness sessions designed to help the family relax. Bring Your Own Baby Comedy Various venues www.byobcomedy.com A funny, friendly afternoon of top comedy, where baby can come too. Shows feature a new line up of comedians each month. Ages: adults + under 12 months. 25 January in Greenwich 30 January + 27 February in Crystal Palace 5 February in Bromley 1 February in East Dulwich Kings Place York Way N1 9AG www.kingsplace.co.uk 4 February Megson Family Folk Show The award-winning Megson duo blend an infectious mix of heavenly vocals, lush harmonies and folk songs old and new, into concerts for younger children. Ages 0-8. Little Angel Theatre Dagmar Passage N1 2DN www.littleangeltheatre.com Until 27 January WOW! It’s Night-time Discover the wonders of night-time in this stunning adaptation of Tim Hopgood’s nocturnal sequel to Wow! Said the Owl. Ages 2-5. Until 4 February Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book A musical adaptation of the bestselling book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, featuring the bookloving Charlie, a pirate, puppets and enchanting songs. Ages 3-8. Puppet Theatre Barge Blomfield Road W9 2PF www.puppetbarge.com 3-25 February and 2-24 March The Insect Circus Forget reality and become immersed in the strange and beautiful world of the Insect Circus, performed by puppet beetles and grasshoppers, wasps and dragonflies. Ages 4+. Familiesonline.co.uk
WHAT’S ON MUSEUMS & MONUMENTS Brunel Museum Railway Avenue SE16 4LF www.thebrunelmuseum.com Housed in the Grade II listed Thames Tunnel Engine House, the museum celebrates the extraordinary tunnel, viaduct and bridge building engineering of Sir Marc Isambard Brunel and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Until 31 January Tunnelling Today Tideway is building a 25km Super Sewer under the Thames to stop those nasty sewage spills and clean up our river for the good of the city, its wildlife and you. Visit the museum to learn about the history of the ‘great stink’ and why the Super Sewer is needed. National Maritime Museum Greenwich SE10 9NF www.rmg.co.uk/nationalmaritime-museum 3 February Lunar New Year Take part in family-friendly workshops, discover museum objects connected with south east Asia and don’t miss the spectacular lion dances held on the Great Map, right in the heart of the National Maritime Museum. Sundays Discover Sundays Each week a different guide takes families on a journey into the museum’s collection, featuring stories and creative activities. FREE. Royal Observatory Greenwich Blackheath Avenue SE10 8XJ www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory Daily shows The Sky Tonight A live show taking visitors on a tour of what can be seen in the night sky, complete with a fly-out to the edge of the visible universe. Ages 7+. Weekends and holiday weekdays Ted’s Space Adventure Explore the solar system with a bear named Ted, learning about the things we find there and how they affect us. Ages 3-7. Cutty Sark King William Walk SE10 9HT www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark First weekend of every month Family Fun Weekends Climb aboard for family-friendly
workshops and activities for all ages.
by Liotard’s The Lavergne Family Breakfast. Families of all ages.
Weekends and holiday weekdays Meet the Characters Meet the Captain, chat with the cook and take a tour with Nannie the Figurehead!
London Transport Museum Covent Garden Piazza WC2E 7BB www.ltmuseum.co.uk The museum is a great place for families to have fun together and discover the history of London’s famous transport network. There are interactive displays throughout many of the galleries, term-time singing and story sessions, plus school holiday specials.
HMS Belfast The Queen’s Walk SE1 2JH www.iwm.org.uk/hms-belfast 16 February We Were There A family day where visitors can meet IWM’s veterans and hear an array of personal stories, recollections and powerful memories of life at sea on board HMS Belfast. Ages 7+. Dulwich Picture Gallery Gallery Road SE21 7AD www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Art Sundays Be inspired to make art together as a family in these FREE creative workshops at the Gallery. Family Fridays FREE, expressive art-inspired activities for families. V&A Museum Cromwell Road SW7 2RL www.vam.ac.uk/families Until 28 February Caribbean Collection Family Activity Go on an adventure to discover the museum’s Caribbean Collection of Art and Design, with FREE selfguided activities. Young V&A Cambridge Heath Road E2 9PA www.vam.ac.uk/young
The Design Museum Kensington High Street W8 6AG www.designmuseum.org Ongoing Skateboard The first major UK exhibition to map the design evolution of the skateboard from the 1950s to today – a story of design, daring and disobedience. The Postal Museum Phoenix Place WC1X 0DA www.postalmuseum.org Ride through hidden tunnels and discover stories of Britain’s postal heritage. The museum is packed with incredible objects, exciting stories and fun-filled interactive displays. The Postal Play Space has sackloads of indoor play fun for under 8s. Natural History Museum Cromwell Road SW7 5BD www.nhm.ac.uk Until 14 January Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur Your last chance to learn how Patagotitan mayorum stayed safe, found food and kept cool. Follow its
journey from tiny egg to towering head and shoulders above other Cretaceous critters. Once a month Dino Snores for Kids Spend a night amongst the museum’s incredible collections, with an evening of awesome learning activities before bedtime, and breakfast in the morning. Ages 7-11. Science Museum Exhibition Road SW7 2DD www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Power Up Enjoy playtime in the museum’s hugely popular hands-on video gaming zone, featuring over 160 consoles and hundreds of video games dating back through five decades of gaming. Ongoing Turn It Up: The Power of Music Discover your inner music-maker while learning about the science behind music, how technology is changing the way it is made and enjoyed and how music can impact the way we live our lives. Museum of London Docklands West India Quay E14 4AL www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ docklands Until 14 April Fashion City Discover the stories behind London’s leading Jewish fashion makers who founded retail chains still on the high street today and dressed the rich and famous, including David Bowie, Princess Diana and Mick Jagger.
Until 8 September Japan: Myths to Manga Take an exciting and atmospheric trip through Japanese history, exploring how landscape and folklore have influenced Japan’s culture, technology, art and design. The National Gallery Trafalgar Square WC2N 5DN www.nationalgallery.org.uk 13-15 February Decoding Pictures Have fun choosing paintings and discover how to decode them with friendly Gallery Educators. Ages 5-13 plus their grown ups. 13-15 February Imagine Stories Pretend play with quirky props and pictures, themed to a story inspired
www.globalcamps.co.uk
Climb aboard for a Cutty Sark adventure Bring the family to Cutty Sark in Greenwich this February half term and enjoy an action-packed day out on this worldfamous historic ship. Meet the cast of colourful characters from the ship’s past, including the fearless Captain Woodget. Explore the main deck and take in the breathtaking views of London. Find your sea legs and peep through the port hole, see the cabins where the ship’s crew lived and play interactive games to chart Cutty Sark’s journey at sea. Touch the ship’s hull and see part of the world’s largest collection of ship figureheads. There’s also a FREE family trail to follow. Families of all ages will love discovering what life was like on board as a 19th century sailor and joining in musical storytelling sessions inspired by Cutty Sark’s crew.
Ofsted registered Holiday Camp for ages 4-12 Familiesonline.co.uk
Book your tickets for Cutty Sark today at www.rmg.co.uk/ cuttysark Families South East London 15