September 2023 Part 1: What's on London with kids

This newsletter will blast away any back-to-school blues. It’s so jam packed with fantastic family events that I’ve split it into two parts to avoid angering the email servers.

In this, Part I, there’s 20 things to do in September, 10 Heritage Open Days not to miss with kids, plus what’s on this weekend. Part II features autumn’s Under 5s cultural play sessions and 20 things to do at Open House with kids. Make sure you open both emails as some of these fab events will book out.

What have we been up to? Our bank holiday weekend felt like a proper break thanks to a glamping stay at the charming Woolton Farm. With live music, award-winning ciders and wine, sourdough pizza and a bouncy castle, we had the perfect combination of relaxation and fun at their Summer Fete, before bedding down in a bell tent in their orchard. And we discovered for ourselves why the nearby The Beaney has been shortlisted for most family friendly museum of the year - it’s one for your day trip wishlist!

Back in London, we played tourist in our own city by revisiting a few classics. A ride on IFS Cloud cable car took us over the Thames to NOW Gallery where we stamped designs inspired by their Simone Brewer exhibition. We also braved the glass walkway at Tower Bridge before Museum Girl cracked the safe by herself for the first time at the Bank of England Museum.

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September 2023: What’s on London with kids

Summer isn’t over yet! September packs in fun festivals and family activities. Here’s my pick of child-friendly events to make the most of September.

1. Totally Thames celebrates our river with events across London. Family highlights include Mythical mask making; St Katharine’s Docks classic boat festival; Royal Wharf summer fete; theatre performance Once up on a cube at Syon House and Laban Building; Saltley geyser erupting; and Create your own pop up Tower Bridge. Until 30 September. Free, mixture of drop in/book.

2. Expect a cacophony of roaming performers for Bartholomew Fair. There are live theatrical acts and a spectacular each evening around 18:00. Head to The Garden for advice on the best bits with kids and on weekends join in with Tootles and Nibs family workshops. Thursdays to Sundays until 16 September across The City. Free, drop in.

3. Create magical worlds of shadow and light at UNIQLO Tate play: Make studio at Tate Modern, SE1. Every weekend and Wednesdays from 2 September until 18 October. Free, drop in.

4. Build, engineer, play and imagine to create a sculptural environment that speaks to your experience in The Hundred Club x RESOLVE at Woolwich Works, SE18. 9 September. Free, book.

5. Find musicians and dancers in a 70-chamber labyrinth of colour at Colourscape music festival on Clapham Common, SW4. Weekends see different musical and dance performances daily, whilst weekdays you can visit at a reduced price, without music. 9-17 September. Paid, book.

6. Connect with nature and discover organic food growing together at Kensington Allotment Garden harvest festival, W2. With seed sowing, storytelling and children’s games. 10 September. Free, register.

7. Kit out paper doll paper explorers in Creative workshop: Polar explorer's sea chest at National Maritime Museum, SE10. 10 September 2023. Free, drop in.

8. See behind the screen shots, set pieces, models and original artwork in Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers turns 30! at the Cartoon Museum, W1. 12 September-16 April 2024. Paid.

9. Explore the 12th Edition of Sculpture in the City with children’s tours, mini art critics TV training, collage making, poetry and architecture workshops in Sculpture Fest, EC3. 16 September. Free, book.

10. Make your very own collage mirror card to give to a loved one at the Petrie Museum’s Collage Club family workshop, WC1. 16 September. Free, drop in.

11. Celebrate the design capital of the world at London Design Festival. The two most promising landmark projects for families are Aura and Halo. I also have my eye on making flowers and art in The LEGO Piece garden; the colourful sculpture Rangoli mirrored cosmos and Donna Wilson’s tactile, wooly wonderland. 16-24 September. Free, drop in.

12. Buddhist psychology meets Rubin Museum artist-inspired experiences in the Mandala Lab at Canary Wharf, E14. 16 September-25 November. Free, drop in.

13. Frieze Sculpture returns to The Regent’s Park, NW1 with a new curator and new works from well known artists to young practitioners pushing boundaries. 20 September–29 October. Free, drop in.

14. Hear the Wolf’s side of the story in this alternative spin on a classic fairytale. Big bad me at Little Angel Theatre, N1. 23 September-19 November. Paid, book.

15. Celebrate community, language, nature and travel with hands on crafts, performances, BSL storytelling, sensory activities and more at Family day: Our world at British Library, NW1. 23 September. Free, drop in.

16. Create your own optical illusions to confuse and disorientate at The dazzle design studio at Imperial War Museum London, SE1. 23-24 September. Free, drop in.

17. Wander amongst the musicians, explore and get creative, before an uplifting orchestral performance in The Multi-Story Orchestra: In too deep at Royal Festival Hall, SE1. 24 September. Free, book.

18. Assemble a structure for playing in at Family studio: Modular spaces at the Royal Academy, W1. 24 September. Free, drop in.

19. Climb into a hammock, try out a rocking desk, or scale a ladder in ANTIFURNITURE at Design Museum, W8. 26 September-29 October. Free, drop in.

20. Find out about some of the fanciest fashions of the 16th century and try on armour in Hands on armour: Bougie knights at Wallace Collection, W1. 30 September. Free, drop in. Ages 5+.
    

Don’t miss Part II of this newsletter with autumn’s Under 5s cultural play sessions and Open House family highlights. Plus I’ll share more September events as they are announced over on my Instagram stories.

10 Heritage Open Days 2023 to visit with kids

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture. Running 8-17 September 2023, this year’s edition is packed with 5000+ special events - and all FREE! Get special access to places not usually open to the public or that normally charge an entrance fee. Here’s my selection of the best family-friendly Heritage Open Day events in London.

1. Enjoy free entry, themed tours and the opportunity to dress up like a guardsman at The Guards Museum’s Family fun day, SW1. 9 September. Free, drop in.

2. Learn to build and play an organ in Family organ building workshops: Wooden one-octave organ for young technologists at Union Chapel Open Day, N1. 9 September. Free, book.

3. Explore the magic and history of the world’s first dinosaur sculptures in Dinosaur days at Crystal Palace Park. With live actors, arts and crafts, a dino trail and missing mammals hunt. 9-10 September. Free, drop in.

4. Family friendly treasure- and toy-themed tours of The Prince Phillip Maritime Collection Centre. 9 & 11-15 September. Free, book.

5. Enjoy free entry to The Golden Hinde, SE1 and see their Central London shipyard. 10 September. Free, drop in.

6. Make your own stained glass window design from quilling coloured paper in this Family workshop at Headstone Manor Museum, HA2. 10 September. Free, book. Ages 5+.

7. Decorate an engine wheel and see a Victorian marvel of engineering in steam at Markfield Beam Engine Museum, N15. 10 and 16 September. Free, drop in.

8. Egyptology after dark: Museum late at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian & Sudanese Archaeology, WC1. With children’s colouring in. 14 and 16 September. Free, drop in.

9. Take a heritage bus ride along route 38, between Victoria and Hackney. 16 September. Free, drop in.

10. Experiment with flavouring your own hot chocolate and decorate your own cup in Maya chocolate workshop with The Chocolate Museum, SE15. 16 September. Free, book.

Search Heritage Open Days website to find more free events near you.

Weekend activities: 2-3 September 2023

Weekend plans looking a bit sparse? Here’s a few more ideas. Click the links for timings and any booking information. All are free unless stated otherwise.

Both days

1. Make your own LEGO Harry Potter Wand to take home at LEGO store Battersea Power Station.

2. Liberty Festival celebrates deaf, disabled and neurodiverse artists, Croydon.

3. Performance, art, creative workshops and face painting at Camden Inspire, NW1. Free/£.

Saturday 2 September 2023

1. Celebrate theatre with RichmondLive at Marble Hill House, TW1.

2. Train day! at London Museum of Water and Steam, TW8. £.

3. See any film for £3 + booking fees on National Cinema Day.

4. It’s the final Story Saturdays at Westminster Abbey, SW1.

5. Mask making with Sunshine International Arts at Camberwell Fair, SE5.

Sunday 3 September 2023

1. Family-friendly festival and performance Wemba's dream at Wembley Park, HA9.

2. Cool Science family day at The National Archives, TW9.

3. Artefact handling, storytelling and craft activities at Foreshore Festival at Fulham Palace, SW6. Free.

4. Embrace the art of garment design - with newspapers - in Yesterday’s news or today’s fashion at Art in the Docks, E16.

5. Rattles & Hums Music Workshop and block printing workshop at Open Sundays at Pitzhanger, W5.

6. Live music, dog show, petting farm, stalls, fairground and more at Brentford Festival in Blondin Park, W5.

7. Storytime and book signing at Brompton Cemetery annual Open day, SW5.

I’ll pause here - expect more September events shortly.

Until then,

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