Attractions

Winter 'Wonderland'.....Hmmmm I don't think so!

Perhaps I just had a particularly nasty encounter with the UK’s largest Christmas destination, however it was just so horrific that I felt compelled to write about it and warn others of my rather interesting trip to ‘Winter Wonderland’. Having actually worked at the event the first year it was established, I naively thought that I would have a good understanding of what to…
Read more
Get Creative

Educational fun for the whole family

Parents always wonder how they can keep their children involved in educational activities over the school holidays or even throughout the school term. The more involved everyone gets the less likely you’re chlid will feel like they are being punished or being treated differently. Using expressions like “it’s time to work on”, or “you’re not working hard…
Read more
Activities

Covent Garden at Christmas, with LEGO installation and live reindeer

Covent Garden has announced its calendar of activity to welcome in this year’s festive season. The official Christmas launch event with the switching on of the Christmas Lights and the reveal of a 60ft tall tree will take place from 6pm on Wednesday, November 6th. From November 9th, there will be live reindeer in the piazza every Saturday from 12-4pm that you can pet and feed &#8211…
Read more
Attractions

Christmas in Greenwich

Like every year one of the most relaxing and charming areas of London during the Christmas time is Greenwich with its eclectic mix of local designer-maker shops and stalls. It is one of the most appealing corners of London. Greenwich Market will become a twinkling festive haven from 27 November when the children’s handmade Lantern Parade and Christmas Lights Switch On takes place. A visit…
Read more
Events

Meccano Exhibition comes to Hainault

A day of fun for all the family awaits you at the North East London Meccano Club’s annual exhibition on Saturday 7th December at Hainault Baptist Church. Just in case you haven’t heard of Meccano, it is a construction toy which was invented in 1901 by Frank Hornby. With it boys and girls can build models of anything they can imagine, from cars and cranes to fairground rides and bridges…
Read more
Activities

Coping with Cancer Stress?

Paul’s Cancer Support Centre is running a NEW ‘flexible’ online course in relaxation and coping skills. You can sign up from now until the 3 February for completion by the end of April 2014. A free trial of the course is available on the 11 December 2013. Getting a cancer diagnosis can be a very difficult experience that affects people in many different ways. At Paul’s Cancer Support…
Read more
Great Indoors

London Chess Classic returns to Olympia

A charity that promotes the playing of chess in schools is bringing the game out of the classroom to provide 1,000s of young children with the opportunity to experience the game firsthand. Chess in Schools and Communities has confirmed that the London Chess Classic, the charity’s annual flagship event, will welcome children from schools nationwide to participate in free chess activities and…
Read more
Activities

Join in the Great Sense Pompom Challenge

National deafblind charity Sense is calling on people to unveil their inner pompom maker as part of a new campaign to spread the word about sight and hearing problems and deafblindness. ‘The Great Sense Pompom Challenge’ aims to collect thousands of pompoms from around the UK and beyond – any colour, any material, any size. The plan is to raise awareness of sight and hearing loss by weaving…
Read more
Central London

Christmas in Covent Garden with new Lego Snow Globe

Following the success of the LEGO Advent Calendar in 2012, LEGO has returned to Covent Garden this Christmas with the world’s first LEGO Snow Globe. Featuring miniature scenes of London at Christmas, including major landmarks and twinkling under LEGO snow, the LEGO Snow Globe will delight visitors of all ages. The LEGO Snow Globe will be installed on the West Piazza until December 22nd and is…
Read more
Get Creative

‘Grow’ your child’s imagination

A few weeks ago I met up with best-selling authors, David Almond and Sally Gardner to discuss their award-winning children’s books, ‘Skellig’ and ‘Maggot Moon’. Both books celebrate the power of the child’s imagination: in ‘Skellig’, Mina learns about life through William Blake’s angels and baby blackbirds while in ‘Maggot Moon’ Standish…
Read more