🦊 August Rush

Morning, London! Happy Thursday. Still out of town this week and, just as I sat down to get this ready, my mouse battery decided to take a well-earned holiday of its own. Classic timing.

Can’t quite believe it’s August already. Hope London is treating you kindly, with warm parks, cold drinks, and kids who occasionally sleep past 6am. Whether you’re juggling camps, visiting family or just trying to stay afloat, here’s your weekly hit.

This is another light version of The Scoop. The full one will be back soon enough, once I’m back and fully recharged. Unlike the mouse.

Let’s dive in.

. LONDON SNIPPETS .
Bits that caught our eye

The editor-in-chief of the news snippets (yep that’s still me) is still out and about this week, and the intern remains not quite funny enough to take the wheel. So rather than risk a national incident, we’re skipping straight to the What’s On section. Normal service resumes soon.

. CASUAL EINSTEIN .
2 for 1: Wow your kid, and outsmart the other parents

Fun Fact: Your ears never stop growing. 👂📈 Unlike most of your body, your ears and nose keep getting bigger as you age. It’s not just wisdom that grows with time. Father Time apparently has a thing for flappy lobes.

London Fact: London’s narrowest house is just 1.6 metres wide. 🏠📏 You’ll find it squeezed into Goldhawk Road, painted navy blue, and barely wide enough for a big sneeze. Is the owner in our audience? Shall we host a Scoop event there?

. EVENTS SCOOP .
What’s on this week?

🐐 Meet & Bleat @ Spitalfields City Farm
Date & Loc: Jul 31, Shoreditch
Get nose-to-snout with the farm’s fluffiest residents in this drop-in animal encounter session. Farm staff will be on hand to answer curious questions.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🎁 Spot’s Birthday Party @ Pentland Theatre
Date & Loc: Jul 31, North Finchley
Everyone’s favourite pup is throwing a party — and you’re invited! Join Spot for games, songs and birthday surprises in this gentle, toddler-friendly show.
Age: 2+ | Price: from £14 | Info

🦆 The Rubber Duck Race @ Merchant Square
Date & Loc: Jul 31, Paddington
Hundreds of rubber ducks, one canal, and a whole lot of cheering. This wacky lunchtime race raises funds for COSMIC and is guaranteed to quack you up.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

⚽ Summer of Play @ Morden Hall Park
Date & Loc: Jul 31 onwards, Morden
Join every Monday and Wednesday for free outdoor fun, from giant chess and badminton to den building and creative crafts. No booking needed, just turn up and play.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🌟 Stars and Planets Family Day @ Westminster Abbey
Date & Loc: Jul 31, Westminster
Blast off on a cosmic adventure in England’s oldest walled garden. Explore the Abbey’s surprising links to space through hands-on, family-friendly activities inspired by great scientific minds.
Age: 3+ | Price: no cost (book req) | Info

👑 Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain @ Apollo Theatre
Date & Loc: Jul 31, West End
Plagues, power struggles and party Queen Victoria, all the nastiest, funniest bits of British history come to life in this fast-paced family show. Expect gore, giggles and guaranteed chaos.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £22 | Info

⚓ Summer at the Docks @ Museum of London Docklands
Date & Loc: Jul 31 - Aug 31, Canary Wharf
Dig, dance and discover London’s layered history with hands-on archaeology, live shows, Caribbean dance parties, and chilled creative workshops. Big energy or slow vibes, pick your adventure.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🚇 Transport Explorers: Live Show @ London Transport Museum
Date & Loc: Jul 31–Aug 5, Covent Garden
A high-energy, interactive theatre show for curious kids who love things that go. Expect laughter, learning and loads of transport-themed fun.
Age: 7+ | Price: from £12 | Info

🎨 Play Make Do @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Jul 31 - Aug 16, Southbank
A summer-long festival of family fun with everything from kite-making and salsa to storytelling, circus workshops, Tai Chi and play zones. Big vibes. Big imagination.
Age: Everyone | Price: some free, some paid | Info

🎣 The Bourdon Street Chippy @ Lazinc Gallery
Date & Loc: Aug 1 onwards, Mayfair
Step into a full-size fish and chip shop made entirely of felt. Artist Lucy Sparrow returns with her nostalgic, hand-stitched world, serving up playful, tactile art you can actually take home.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🏖️ Costa del Croydon @ Centrale Rooftop
Date & Loc: Aug 1-31, Croydon
Croydon’s favourite urban beach is back and bigger than ever, with sand, splash zones, live music, games, food stalls and even a chill-out space for little ones. Free fun in the sun, right on the rooftop.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

👻 The Baddies @ Cadogan Hall
Date & Loc: Aug 1-24, Chelsea
The witch, the ghost and the troll are back to cause chaos in this spooky, silly stage version of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s tale. Will they succeed in scaring the girl, or get out-baddied themselves?
Age: 3+ | Price: from £23 | Info

🗿 Archaeology Welcome Day @ Greenwich Park
Date & Loc: Aug 2, Greenwich
Get hands-on with real tools, uncover buried artefacts and learn about Greenwich Park’s hidden history. Drop in for storytelling, live demos and a peek at recent archaeological finds.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🕵️ Story Seekers @ Imperial War Museum
Date & Loc: Aug 2 and weekends, Lambeth
Pick up a trail and uncover the real-life stories behind the museum’s most remarkable objects, from bravery at sea to moments of survival.
Age: 5-12 | Price: no cost | Info

🎨 Summer Family Festival @ National Gallery
Date & Loc: Aug 4-8, Trafalgar Square
A whole week of free, drop-in art fun inspired by the Gallery’s portrait exhibition. Expect collage, zine making, painting, sculpture and more.
Age: 3+ | Price: no cost | Info

🌍 Protecting Our Planet @ Science Museum
Date & Loc: Aug 4 onwards, South Kensington
Drop in for free family activities with the Environment Agency. Discover how soil, water, air and food are all connected through hands-on stations, games and expert chats. Stamp trail included.
Age: 3-17yo | Price: no cost | Info

💀 Skulls & Skeletons @ Spitalfields City Farm
Date & Loc: Aug 5, Shoreditch
Curious minds welcome. Get hands-on with animal skulls and preserved creatures in this fascinating drop-in session all about what lies beneath.
Age: 5+ | Price: no cost | Info

🧠 Design Baby @ V&A
Date & Loc: Aug 6, South Kensington
Let your little ones take the lead in this playful architecture-inspired session, using weird and wonderful materials to build, connect and create. Expect pattern, texture, and plenty of imagination.
Age: 0-3 | Price: no cost | Info

🚴 Summer Cycle at Kew @ Kew Gardens
Date & Loc: Aug 7, Kew
Pedal through Kew after hours on traffic-free trails with live music, guided tours, summer snacks, and a scavenger hunt. Bring your own bike or hire one on-site.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £24 | Info

🖼️ Young Artists’ Summer Show @ Royal Academy of Arts
Date & Loc: until Aug 10, Mayfair
From vampire dogs to wizard frogs, this free exhibition showcases imaginative works by young artists aged 4–18 from across the UK. Big talent, small creators.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🎭 Tate Play: Thunder, Crackle and Magic @ Tate Modern
Date & Loc: Ongoing until Aug 25 , South Bank
Step into three wildly theatrical sets in the Turbine Hall, packed with dragons, puppets, and playful chaos. Costumes on, imagination in overdrive, it’s part stage, part playground, all magic.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🎶 Unearthed @ British Library
Date & Loc: until Aug 10, King’s Cross
From ancient herbals to Darwin’s plant kit, this exhibition digs into how gardens have shaped our world — and our wellbeing.
Age: Everyone | Price: £15 | Info

🐰 The Peter Rabbit Adventure @ Hampton Court Palace
Date & Loc: Ongoing, Hampton Court
Hop, skip and puzzle your way through the palace gardens with Peter Rabbit and friends. Expect riddles, trails, hands-on nature fun and a chance to meet Peter himself. Entry includes the Maze and Magic Garden.
Age: Everyone | Price: incl w/ admission | Info

🧱 The Play Pavilion @ Hyde Park
Date & Loc: Ongoing until August, Hyde Park
An immersive LEGO powered world where kids (and grown-ups) can build, explore and let imaginations run wild. Part art, part playground.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🌱 Feeding Tomorrow @ Science Museum
Date & Loc: Ongoing, South Kensington
A new free exhibition all about the future of food, how it’s grown, made, cooked and eaten, and how science is helping make it more sustainable for the planet.
Age: 7+ | Price: no cost | Info

🌍 Our Story with David Attenborough @ Natural History Museum
Date & Loc: Ongoing, South Kensington
Get ready to immerse yourself in the epic tale of people and planet in this new 360° experience, presented by Sir David Attenborough.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £20 | Info

🦖 Jurassic World: The Experience @ Battersea
Date & Loc: Ongoing, Battersea
Step through the iconic gates and explore 10 immersive zones from the blockbuster dino franchise.
Age: 3+ | Price: from £25 | Info

🦖 Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs @ Lightroom
Date & Loc: Ongoing, King’s Cross
Join Damian Lewis for a jaw-dropping immersive journey through dinosaur history, from towering titans to their present-day echoes. Big screens, big roars, and even bigger questions.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £15 | Info

📚 Story Explorers: Imaginary Worlds @ British Library
Date & Loc: Ongoing, King’s Cross
Sold out for July, but August has slots. Expect books, sounds, odd creatures, and a furry octopus.
Age: 2-9yo | Price: no cost (book req) | Info

🐯 The Tiger Who Came to Tea @ Theatre Royal Haymarket
Date & Loc: Ongoing, West End
The doorbell rings... and in walks a giant, tea-guzzling tiger. Packed with magic, singalongs and teatime chaos, this beloved family show is back for its 11th West End summer season.
Age: 3+ | Price: from £10 | Info

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