🦊 January blues & roll

Morning, London! Happy Thursday. Mid-January. That strange limbo where Christmas is a distant memory, school emails are back in force, and everyone’s quietly negotiating with their alarm clock.

The good news? The days are very slowly getting longer. Nothing dramatic yet, but enough extra light to remind us that winter does, in fact, end. Snow, on the other hand, continues to flirt with London and then ghost us entirely. Classic.

Anyway, January may be doing its thing but London too! Plenty going on across the city to keep small humans busy and grown-ups sane, which feels like a fair deal this time of year.

ps. I know I still owe a bunch of you a reply!

. LONDON SNIPPETS .
Bits that caught our eye

🛳️ Diana Playground Gets a Brand New Galleon. Kensington Gardens’ beloved playground is getting a shiny new ship as part of its £3 million refurb. Built in Germany by the same team behind the original, the new galleon will anchor where the old Peter Pan-themed one set sail back in 2000. Tiny pirates, prepare to board. Full story

📱 Tube Signal Blackouts Nearing Extinction. TfL says high-speed mobile is coming to most of the Underground by the end of the year, with more stations and tunnels lighting up every month. By 2026, even your most unhinged WhatsApp group will be able to reach you at 40mph under London. Full story

🚶‍♀️ Last Chance to Have Your Say on Oxford Street. The consultation on part-pedestrianising Oxford Street West closes this week, so if you’ve got strong opinions about buses, bollards or breathing room between Zara and John Lewis, now’s your moment. Full story

. BRAIN BITES.
Wow your kid, and outsmart the other parents

Fun Fact: Your body produces about one litre of saliva every day. 💧 That’s enough to fill a large drink bottle before your lunch break. Over a lifetime, that adds up to thousands of litres of spit, the unsung workhorse of mouth magic.

London Fact: London has a hidden lost river called the Lorteburn, and its course still shows up in the City’s street contours. 🌊🏙️ This ancient stream once ran near Aldgate toward the Thames. It vanished from maps by the 14th century but archaeologists have found dried stream beds beneath modern streets.

. EVENTS SCOOP .
What’s on this week?

🎧 Mini Morris: Bunny Ears and Bunny Tales @ William Morris Gallery
Date & Loc: Jan 15 (Thu), Walthamstow E17
A drop-in toddler-friendly craft session where little ones make bunny ears, sing songs and enjoy Brer Rabbit tales inspired by William Morris’s love of animals.
Age: 2–5yrs | Price: No cost | Info

🐞 Cirque du Soleil: OVO @ Royal Albert Hall
Date & Loc: Jan 15–Mar 1, South Kensington SW7
They are back! A dazzling, high-energy circus spectacular inspired by the hidden world of insects, with jaw-dropping acrobatics, colourful costumes and live music.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £45 | Info

🩰 Akram Khan’s Giselle @ London Coliseum
Date & Loc: Jan 15–18, Charing Cross WC2N
Seats going fast. A powerful reimagining of the ballet classic, blending contemporary movement with dramatic staging and live music.
Age: 10+ yo | Price: from £25 | Info

🐋 The Storm Whale @ Little Angel Studios
Date & Loc: Jan 15–24, Islington N1
A gentle puppet theatre adaptation of Benji Davies’ story about a boy and a rescued baby whale.
Age: 4–8yrs | Price: £15 | Info

🚀 Astronights @ Science Museum
Date & Loc: Jan 16 (Fri), South Kensington SW7
A night at the museum, literally. After-hours access, space-themed workshops, shows and activities, then sleep among the galleries. A proper childhood memory-maker.
Age: 7–11yrs | Price: £80 | Info

🐿️ Squirrel @ Unicorn Theatre
Date & Loc: Jan 17 onwards, London Bridge SE1
A thoughtful, visually rich theatre show about friendship, change and finding your place.
Age: 6mo–4yrs | Price: from £10 | Info

🎬 Family Film Club: Wolfwalkers @ Barbican Centre
Date & Loc: Jan 17 (Sat), Barbican EC2Y
A relaxed weekend screening picked especially for families, with a child-friendly atmosphere and space to enjoy a proper cinema outing together.
Age: 6+ | Price: £2.5 | Info

🎻 FUNharmonics: Peter and the Wolf @ Royal Festival Hall
Date & Loc: Jan 17 (Sat), Southbank SE1
A lively, interactive concert bringing Prokofiev’s classic to life and helping kids spot instruments as the story unfolds.
Age: 6+ | Price: from £18 | Info

🪡 Pinocchio @ Puppet Theatre Barge
Date & Loc: Jan 17-18, Little Venice W9
Puppetry, shadows, illusion and especially composed music combine to create a show with something for all ages; it’s inventive, visually and verbally witty with a big heart.
Age: 4–10yrs | Price: £12 | Info

🧵 Meet the Designer @ Young V&A
Date & Loc: Jan 17 & 24, Bethnal Green E2
Drop in to meet textile designer Amanda Vesthardt in The Shed and explore sustainable making, recycled materials, and experimental techniques in action.
Age: Families | Price: No cost | Info

🎼 Family Sundays @ Royal Opera House
Date & Loc: Various dates, Covent Garden WC2E
These go fast but still some dates available. A relaxed family day with creative activities, short performances and chances to explore music, dance and storytelling inside the Royal Opera House.
Age: Families | Price: £20 | Info

🎭 Zoom! @ Artsdepot
Date & Loc: Jan 18 (Sun), North Finchley N12
A playful, music-filled theatre show where a chance meeting with an alien sparks songs, puppetry and gentle environmental themes.
Age: 3–8yrs | Price: from £13.75 | Info

🏮 Family Day: Bauhaus Lanterns @ William Morris Gallery
Date & Loc: Jan 18 (Sun), Walthamstow E17
A hands-on family workshop inspired by Bauhaus design, making bold, colourful lanterns to take home.
Age: 4+ | Price: No cost | Info

👶 TOOOB @ Half Moon
Date & Loc: Jan 18 (Sun), Limehouse E14
A calm, sensory theatre experience exploring sound, movement and curiosity for babies and toddlers.
Age: 6–18 months | Price: £9 | Info

🦖 Dinosaur Weekend @ Spa Valley Railway
Date & Loc: Jan 18–19, Tunbridge Wells TN2
All aboard for a roar-some weekend with dinosaur encounters, themed activities and steam train rides through the Kent countryside.
Age: All ages | Price: from £15 (children free) | Info

🐧 Family Workshop: Penguin Party @ Little Angel Theatre
Date & Loc: Jan 18–19, Islington N1
A playful puppetry workshop where children create penguin characters through craft and imagination.
Age: 3–6yrs | Price: £10 | Info

💡 Winter Lights @ Canary Wharf
Date & Loc: Jan 21-31, Canary Wharf E14
The great light festival returns with glowing installations, interactive artworks and riverside wanders that feel especially magical after dark.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🎨 World of Colour @ British Museum
Date & Loc: Jan 23, Bloomsbury WC1B
Sells out super fast but worth keeping an eye. A family-friendly programme exploring colour across cultures through hands-on activities, storytelling and creative workshops around the museum.
Age: Families | Price: No cost | Info

📚 Story Festival @ Young V&A
Date & Loc: Jan 24 (Sat), Bethnal Green E2
A one-day festival of free performances and hands-on activities celebrating storytelling through music, puppetry, dance and creative workshops across the museum.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

🌱 Jack and the Beanstalk @ Jacksons Lane
Date & Loc: Jan 25–26, Highgate N6
A playful, modern twist on the fairy tale, packed with physical comedy and inventive storytelling.
Age: 3-10yo | Price: £14 | Info

⚡ Pokémon Pop-Up Shop @ Natural History Museum
Date & Loc: Jan 26 onwards, South Kensington SW7
A limited-time pop-up packed with Pokémon merch, plushies and collectibles, tucked inside the Natural History Museum. Expect excited fans and serious temptation.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🐷 Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show! @ New Wimbledon Theatre
Date & Loc: Feb 4–5, Wimbledon SW19
Peppa, George and friends hit the stage in a bright, gentle show full of songs, giggles and muddy-puddle energy.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £19 | Info

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. SPREAD THE LOVE .
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