Dear lovely London Mums,
Can we talk about half term for a moment?
You know the drill. The excitement of the school run being off the cards for a week. The lie-ins that never quite happen. The “I’m bored” chorus starting approximately 47 minutes into day one. And the small matter of actually keeping children entertained while you try to work, or just… breathe.
Well, I’ve got something that might just save your October.
Remember The Strings Club? The award-winning holiday camps I’ve been raving about for a while now, the ones where children learn guitar, violin or ukulele, get creative with arts and crafts, make new friends, and finish the week with a Grand Concert? Yes, those. Well, they’re back for Spooktacular Celebrations this October half term, and honestly, the line-up sounds like so much fun I’m almost tempted to sign myself up.
What’s in store?
Children aged 4–11 can look forward to a week packed with:
- Guitar, violin & ukulele sessions: proper instrument tuition (with free instrument hire if they attend more than one day)
- Ghoulish Singalong: learning the moves to Monster Mash and getting thoroughly silly to spooky tunes
- Mask Makers: designing their own spooky masks, from friendly ghosts to wild monsters
- Fright Night Composers: working together to create Halloween-inspired music, from eerie openings to spine-tingling endings
- Zombie Kickball – a fast-paced outdoor game with a Halloween twist
- A Grand Concert at the end of the week, where they perform everything they’ve learnt for their new friends
If your child is aged 8–11, there’s also the Dulwich Strum Stars programme, perfect for older kids who want to build on their skills.
And for you…
Because let’s be honest, half term is about the parents too:
- Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award Winner 2026
- Rated ‘Above Standard’ in their three most recent Ofsted inspections
- Over 500 verified 5 star reviews from families
- Ofsted-registered childcare
- Accepts all major childcare vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare
- Flexible booking from a single day to a full week
- Daily parent updates and private photo galleries
That last one is worth its weight in gold, I have to say. Who doesn’t love a sneaky mid-morning peek at what their little one is up to?
Venues across London
The Strings Club runs camps at school settings across the city, including several locations that still accept bookings this half term:
- Blackheath
- Brockley
- Bow
- Nunhead
- Dulwich Strum Stars (ages 8–11)
- Ealing
- Kingston
- Leamington
- Richmond
If you’re local to any of these, do take a look, these camps are a proper lifeline for families, and it would be lovely to see them full this October.
EXCLUSIVE FOR LONDON MUMS: 10% off your first booking
Because I love you all, I’ve got an exclusive code for London Mums readers. If it’s your first time booking with The Strings Club, just use LONDONMUMS at checkout for 10% off.
New to The Strings Club? This is the perfect time to give it a go.
I genuinely love what The Strings Club does. My friend’s son has come home buzzing from their camps, and I’ve watched how their combination of music, creativity and proper old-fashioned fun brings shy children out of their shells and gives confident ones somewhere to shine. In a world of screens and constant noise, there’s something really quite special about a week that ends with children playing instruments together on a stage.
And if the week includes a few Halloween masks and a Zombie Kickball match? Even better.
Dates: w/c 26 October 2026
Venues across London
Book here: www.thestringsclub.org
One less thing to organise this half term. You’re welcome.
With love (and a spooky soundtrack),
Monica
Editor & Founder, London Mums Magazine
www.londonmumsmagazine.com
@londonmums
P.S. Places are filling up fast, especially at the venues that need a bit of support. If you’re planning to book, don’t hang about and don’t forget to use LONDONMUMS for 10% off your first booking.
P.P.S. If your child has a friend who might like to join them, why not team up? Everything’s better with a buddy, especially when there are spooky tunes and Zombie Kickball involved.
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
