Living in London or during Holidays, let’s enjoy with your family the specific atmosphere of the city during summer time. With thanks to Time Out London, there are some ideas of things to do on this specific week of July in various lovely and sunny places.
CHINATOWN FAMILY DAY – SUNDAY 27 – Chinatown (Tube: Leicester Square)
Time Out Says “Chinatown’s already colourful and enticing streets will be filled with activities and entertainment for visitors of all ages. Lisle Street’s stage will feature traditional Chinese acts such as ribbon dancing and drumming, while the Gerrard Street stage will host martial arts and circus performers. Magicians, jugglers, stilt walkers and Shaolin warrior monks will get the crowds warmed up for a spectacular lion dance procession. Kids can also get stuck into the treasure hunt, face-painting sessions or workshops in origami, calligraphy and mask-making. All activities are free.”
V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD SUMMER FESTIVAL – SUNDAY 27 – V&A (Cambridge Heath Road – E2)
Time Out Says “This free annual family event is back for 2014 with a day of fun for all ages. The museum grounds will be filled with colourful live acts, rickshaw rides, arts and crafts, games and food. Entertainers performing and adding to the festival atmosphere include the Pantomime Pony Troupe, Blind Buffalo Swing Trio and South London Samba.”
ARCHIKIDS FESTIVAL – SATURDAY 26/SUNDAY 27 – Various Venues in London
Time Out Says “Let your kids run riot in the Square Mile at a festival that hopes to turn five-to-eleven-year olds into ‘architectives’. Some of the City’s most iconic buildings are opening to families for workshops and activities that will help children explore aspects of design and construction. Highlights include a Lego session at the Gherkin, skyscraper sketching from One New Change’s viewing platform and a scooter exploration train in Exchange Square. Activities are free and no booking is required.”
PROM 11: CBEEBIES PROM – SATURDAY 26/SUNDAY 27 – Royal Albert Hall (Tube: South Kensington)
Time Out Says “A special event for young children and their parents, with Stephen Bell conducting the BBC Philharmonic to perform Barrie Bignold’s Around Sound (World Premiere), Holst’s St Paul’s Suite Finale ‘The Dargason’, Wood’s Fanfare On British Sea Songs ‘Hornpipe’ and a selection of music from CBeebies programmes, with presenters Ben Faulks, Gemma Hunt, Chris Jarvis and Steven Kynman who all feature in some of the shows.”
FREE FAMILY EVENTS AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY – UNTIL AUGUST 19th – Westminster Abbey (Tube: Westminster/St James’s Park)
Time Out Says “Westminster Abbey’s popular series of summer holiday events returns, with workshops on making a crown, dancing for the Queen and learning to be a knight. Along with the workshops are storytelling sessions, performances and singalongs for all ages, on subjects as diverse as the Elizabethans, great explorers, saints, and plants and patterns. The events are suitable for children aged five-plus accompanied by an adult, and take place in the College Garden or, if it rains, in the education centre. Each date has three sessions – 1pm, 2pm and 3pm – and booking is recommended.”
THE GREAT ANIMA ORCHESTRA – FROM JULY 27th TO AUGUST 31rd – Horniman Museum (Rail: Forest Hill)
Time Out Says “Bernie Krause is an expert in natural sound. He’s archived the noises made by more than 15,000 species and documented whole ecological soundscapes, four of which will be featured in this sound installation at the Horniman Museum. Get lost in the sounds and sights (Krause’s spectogram will provide some visuals to go with the audio) of an orangutan research site in Borneo, a ranch in Zimbabwe, the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and the Sumatran Aceh Province. The installation will open on July 27 with a day of live music and animal-themed activities for all ages, including making rainforest mask making and storytelling sessions.”
FREE ACTIVITIES AT ARCELORMITTAL ORBIT – UNTIL AUGUST 31st – Olympic Park (Tube: Stratford)
Time Out Says “Head to the top of the UK’s tallest (and squiggliest) sculpture for crafty family activities this summer. Kids of all ages will become sculptors, artists and architects during workshops curated by visual artists and art educator Natalie Ryde, who has been artist-in-residence at Kensington Palace. Sessions take place from 2pm until 4pm daily, and are included in the cost of admission.”
CHILDREN’S CHOCOLATE MAKING WORKSHOPS – FROM JULY 25 TO AUGUST 30 – Chocolate Museum (Ferndale Road – SW)
Time Out Says “Make kids get creative to satisfy their sweet tooth at these two workshops in the Brixton museum dedicated to all things cocoa. Children can get stuck into making and decorating chocolate truffles and lollipops in all manner of delicious flavours. The hard part will be saving the fruits of their labours until you get home. Email info@thechocolatemuseum.co.uk to book.”
WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD – UNTIL AUGUST 10 – Cadogan Hall (Sloane Terrace – SW)
Time Out Says “This show for children about a crafty ladybird and a farmyard of animals is based on the picture book by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. Graham Hubbard directs the family piece with Jon Fiber and Andry Shaw (‘The Gruffalo’) on the composition and sound design. Ages 3-plus.”