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 School's out for a whole week for summer half-term. Great if you're at school but for parents the challenge is 'what to do with the kids'. Don't panic. If you're in London there's plenty to keep the sprogs entertained from the circus to Sounding Out at the Royal Opera House. Can't possibly fit it all into one day? No problem. Just choose a family-friendly hotel, stay the night and make a proper holiday of it.
 Amazing Butterflies Natural History Museum, East Lawn, SW7 5BD 5th April 2008 - 17th August 2008 If you go to the East Lawn of the Natural History Museum this summer you can live through a butterfly's whole lifecycle. Enter the maze as a caterpillar and, avoiding the poisonous plants and predators, collect the special stamps as you go. If successful, you'll emerge - just like a butterfly - at the butterfly house where you can walk among the real-life tropical butterflies from America, Africa and Asia. Visitors inspired by what they've seen are encouraged to get involved in The Butterfly Monitoring Scheme where volunteers monitor the number and type of butterflies along a two to four kilometre route. Go to www.ukbms.org to register and to www.butterfly-conservation.org for more information. Photo: NHM Venue: Natural History Museum, East Lawn Address: Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD Phone: 020 7942 5000 Date: 5th April 2008 - 17th August 2008 Time: Daily 10am - 5pm Pricing: £5 (Adults), £3.50 (Children & Concs) Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube Amazing Butterflies - Information   Cirque BijouArts Depot, N12 0GA 30th May - 1st June 2008 Bristol-based circus troupe Cirque Bijou bring their exotic acrobatics to North Finchley, to the Arts Depot stage for the half-term holiday. Their cabaret show includes the pyrotechnic display 'Fuse', an explosive 20 minutes of fire, pyrotechnic props, contemporary circus, dance and acrobatics. This part of the show was first seen in Summer 2005 at both Glastonbury and Henley festivals. You may have been lucky enough to catch the Cirque Bijou circus troupe last year when they brought their 'Sequins and Sawdust' show to the South Bank, a story based on the life of the circus. Now, with a series of short displays, they make a welcome return with performers expertly balancing on stilts and spinning overhead in gravity defying aerial displays adding to the pyrotechnic explosions. Ages 6+ Venue: Arts Depot Address: 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, N12 0GA Phone: 020 8369 5454 Date: 30th May - 1st June 2008 Time: Daily 3pm, plus Sat 7.30pm Pricing: £12 (Adults), £10 (Concs), £40 (Family) Nearest Station: West Finchley Tube Cirque Bijou - Information  A Country Affair on Clapham CommonClapham Common, SW4 9DA 24th - 26th May 2008 From traditional maypole and Morris dancing to exotic Bollywood dancing, A Country Affair on Clapham Common brings the country to the common in style. And the variety of choice at the music stage is just as diverse. If Irish folk music isn't your kind of thing what about African world music or acoustic rock? Just like a good old-fashioned country steam fair, there's even a mini steam train for kids to ride on, dizzying fairground rides and locally-sourced food. Farm animals and ferrets entertain the kids while Pimms and champagne is on tap to help parents relax. New this year is the ancient sport of hen racing. A Country Affair is also on at Hampton Court later this summer (August). If you'd prefer to spend the Bank Holiday getting away from it all in the countryside but can't get out of town this is a great way to get the best of both worlds. Venue: Clapham Common Address: Clapham Common Road, SW4 9DA Phone: 020 8977 0705 Date: 24th - 26th May 2008 Time: Daily 10am - 6.30pm Pricing: £7 (Adults), £6 (Senior Citizens), £3 (3-15 years), Free (Under 3s) Nearest Station: Clapham Common Tube A Country Affair on Clapham Common - Information  D-Day Week - HMS BelfastHMS Belfast, SE1 2JH 26th May 2008 - 31st May 2008 The Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944 - Operation Overlord - came after five years of war with Germany. It was the biggest and most complex combined operation in history, involving co-operation between the naval, air and ground forces on an unprecedented scale and marked the beginning of the end of the Second World War. This half-term, the World War Two cruiser HMS Belfast remembers the historic D-Day landings with special re-enactments and screenings of original film footage. Venue: HMS Belfast Address: Morgan's Lane, Tooley Street, SE1 2JH Phone: 020 7940 6300 Date: 26th May 2008 - 31st May 2008 Time: 10am - 6pm Pricing: £10.30 (Adults), £7.20 (Concs & Students), Free (Under 16s) Nearest Station: London Bridge Tube / Rail D-Day Week - HMS Belfast - Information  The Family ShowOlympia Two, W14 8UX 31st May - 1st June 2008 Having kids is no small undertaking, least of all financially. Raising a child to the age of 21 costs an average of £180,000. In the summer holidays alone parents in the UK spend £5.3bn entertaining the kids. A further £9bn goes on independent school fees (if you're lucky) while hobbies and sports account for another £600m. The Family Show, specifically aimed at families with children from 5 years, is designed to guide parents on how best to spend on their kids with advice on all areas up to universities and gap year projects. It's not just about boring facts and finances, there's plenty for kids to do too from dance and drama to a Technozone where you can get your hands on the latest gadgets. As well as food, fashion and extreme sports zones there are seminars including one on 'How to Manage your Parents' - which should come in handy over the summer holidays when mum is nagging you to tidy your room yet again. Ticket price includes entry to The Green Show, run in parallel with and at the same venue as The Family Show. Venue: Olympia Two Address: Olympia Exhibition Centre, Hammersmith Road, W14 8UX Phone: 0871 2200260 Date: 31st May - 1st June 2008 Time: Sat & Sun 10am - 5pm Pricing: £7 (Adults), £4 (Under 18s), £20 (Family) Nearest Station: Kensington (Olympia) Tube / Rail The Family Show - Information  The Flight of Babuscha BaboonPuppet Theatre Barge, W9 2PF 10th May 2008 - 29th June 2008 The floating puppet barge, moored at Little Venice at this time of year, tells the story of Babuscha, a baboon whose ambition is to fly to the moon. Even more adventurous, she plans to do so in a hot air balloon. Through the expert animation of the wooden marionette puppets, the story of Babuscha's journey is told in a way that children aged three to ten will enjoy. On her travels she meets an elephant whose own story is just as endearing as she tries to escape the clutches of the ivory hunters. Ages 3-10 Venue: Puppet Theatre Barge Address: Blomfield Road, Little Venice, W9 2PF Phone: 020 7249 6876 Date: May 10th & 11th, 17th & 18th , May 24th - Jun 1st , 7th & 8th, 14th & 15th, 21st & 22nd, 28th & 29th 2008 Time: 3pm Pricing: £8.50 (Adults), £8 (Concs) Nearest Station: Warwick Avenue Tube The Flight of Babuscha Baboon - Information  Little Red ThingsHammersmith Lyric, W6 0QL 28th - 31st May 2008 Gomito Productions' staging of Little Red Things raked in a plethora of accolades when it was performed two years running at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. On seeing it there, Angie Bual of the Lyric Hammersmith liked it so much that she booked the theatre group in to do not one but two performances this spring. If you enjoyed their 'The Sun Dragon' staged here at the Lyric in March this year you'll love 'Little Red Things'. Clever puppetry, live music and the cast of five skillfully enable the story about stories to capture the audience's imagination. We follow Taylor as she strives to save the forest of inspiration from a black swamp - the reason stories are dying out. Currently being developed for TV, this four-day run is your chance to see the original production live. High class half-term entertainment. Ages 4+ Venue: Hammersmith Lyric Address: King Street, W6 0QL Phone: 0871 22 117 29 Date: 28th - 31st May 2008 Time: Various. 10.30am, 12.30pm & 3.30pm Pricing: £8 (Adults), £6 (Concs & Under 16s) Nearest Station: Hammersmith Tube Little Red Things - Information  The Science of SurvivalScience Museum, SW7 2DD 5th April - 2nd November 2008 Kids in classrooms today are the ones who'll inherit the planet in fifty years' time - educating them about the problems that come with it seems like a very good idea. And that's exactly what The Science of Survival exhibition aims to do. With the help of interactive displays and through cartoon characters, Buz, Eco, Tek and Dug, the impact we have on our environment and the strain on global resources is made clear. Fast forward to the futuristic world of 2050 and you'll see how we could be living. Areas are divided into Drinking, Eating, Enjoying, Moving and Building, each is addressed in terms of balancing human needs with resources. In the Moving area, for example, alternative vehicle fuels are explored including plants, electricity and hydrogen. The decisions you make as you travel through the exhibition all contribute to how the Future City looks at the end. The message is a positive one: we can still affect climate change for the better in the future by the decisions we make today. Venue: Science Museum Address: Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD Phone: 0870 906 3890 Date: 5th April - 2nd November 2008 Time: Daily 10am - 5.45pm Pricing: £6 Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube The Science of Survival - Information  Sounding Out for FamiliesRoyal Opera House, WC2E 9DD 27th - 31st May 2008 Go behind the scenes of the Royal Opera House this summer half-term on a musical and historic journey. Celebrating its 150th anniversary, the venerable Opera House opens its doors to let families have a go at putting together their own musical. You can try your hand at playing an orchestral instrument, see and hear members of the orchestra or take a special 'Ghost Tour' (Thursday 29th May, 13:00-13:40 and 14:30-15:10, meet at the Main Foyer) where you'll discover more about the building itself - who built it, what it was like 150 years ago and what goes on inside. Many of the events taking place over half-term, from Tuesday 27th to Saturday 31st May, are free including the whole day's activities for the Family Open Day on Tuesday 27th May from 12:00-16:00. Try your hand at playing an orchestral instrument, take part in demonstration sessions with staff from the production departments, and have a go at creating your own designs. Click on the link below for full details of all events. Photo: Johan Persson Venue: Royal Opera House Address: Bow Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9DD Phone: 020 7304 4000 Date: 27th - 31st May 2008 Time: Various. Wed 28th May 10.30am to Sat 31st May 2pm Pricing: Various. Free (Family Open Day 27th May), Workshops £5 (Adults), £3 (Under 16s) Nearest Station: Covent Garden Tube Sounding Out for Families - Information  Family Hotels in LondonIf you're bringing the kids to London for half-term, finding a family-friendly hotel can be the making of your holiday. We've found some tried and tested hotels where children are welcome and if you book through LondonTown.com you're guaranteed to get the lowest possible price too. Citadines South Kensington has basic but clean and practical family apartments with flexible living spaces and fully fitted kitchens so you can cater for your kids and relax as if you were at home. This hotel is within easy reach of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, both great places for kids to throw frisbees or kick balls. You can't get much more central than Citadines Trafalgar Square which is ideal for those who want to take in a West End show - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is just one of the musicals within easy walking distance of the hotel. Both are good budget options if you're bringing the family - leaving you plenty of cash left over for enjoying the half-term entertainment. Venue: Citadines South Kensington Address: 35a Gloucester Road, SW7 4PL Phone: 020 7437 4370 Nearest Station: Gloucester Road Tube Book Citadines South Kensington Venue: Citadines Trafalgar Square Address: 18-21 Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5EA Phone: 020 7437 4370 Nearest Station: Charing Cross Tube / Rail Book Citadines Trafalgar Square |
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