Morning, London! Happy Thursday! Half-term is now but a distant memory (or a trauma, depending on how yours went). We’re about to take one last step into March territory, where people are already throwing around words like Summer Term and summer camps. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge that we are only 16% into the year—yet from the replies I got this week, it seems many of you feel like 2024 is already on its last legs. I get it. You’re not alone.

Now, onto a popular newsletter structure request—event listings by age. Many of you have asked for this in the Events Scoop section. I totally see the merit, but here’s the catch: most events have broad age ranges, so if we break it down that way, we’ll probably end up with a lot of duplicates. Plus, let’s be honest—most age recommendations are just that, recommendations. You are the ultimate judge of what your kid will might enjoy (except when it comes to Peppa Pig live shows—those are strictly for the strong-willed). That said, if you feel strongly about this, let me know—reply back, send a fax, or find me in a coffee shop (you’re buying). I’ll play around with a few changes.

And now, London trivia—a rare moment where most of you got it right! Yes, the London Underground has 272 stations, compared to NYC’s 472, Paris’ 308, and Tokyo’s 285.

Let’s see what else we’ve got for you today:

• 🎙️ London Snippets: Bits that caught our eye

• 🧠 Casual Einstein: Two new playground-worthy facts

• ☎️ Trivia: Know your London?

• 📅 Readers’ Favourite: Family events this week

But first—the weather. And for once, there’s actually a reason to be cheerful: sunshine all week! That competitive mum at school drop-off might just crack a smile.

. LONDON SNIPPETS .

Bits that caught our eye

☀️ Grab your sunscreen! This might not be a ‘news snippet’ in the traditional sense, but if a paper is predicting ten days of sunshine, it definitely deserves a spotlight. After one of the greyest winters in years, London is finally set to bask in ten days of glorious spring sunshine! Full story

🌆 London’s Skyline is Going Up—Way Up! 🏗️ Get ready for a skyline shake-up—the City of London is about to get a lot taller (and a lot busier with cranes 🏗️). 13 skyscrapers are set to rise, reshaping the horizon and adding even more glass, steel, and sky-high ambition to the Square Mile. Full story

🚉 Non-Stop to the Alps? It seems the owner of St Pancras station (had no idea someone could actually own a station 🫠) is optimistic about expanding international train services to include destinations like Germany and Switzerland. Direct trains from London to Bordeaux, Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva, Marseille, and Zurich? Count me in! Full story

 . CASUAL EINSTEIN .

2 for 1: Wow your kid and outsmart the other parents

Here are two cool facts to help you sound like the smartest parent on the playground:

Fun Fact: Your stomach gets a new lining every 3-4 days. To prevent digesting itself, your stomach regenerates its lining every few days. Without this rapid renewal, the strong acids that break down food would also break down your own insides. Talk about a self-cleaning system!

London Fact: The London Underground could have been a mail delivery system. 📮🚇 Before it became the world’s first underground passenger railway, early proposals suggested using the Tube tunnels for mail deliveries instead of people! In fact, a miniature underground postal railway—the Mail Rail—ran beneath London for over 75 years.

. TRIVIA .

Think you know your London?

. EVENTS SCOOP .

What’s on this week?

🔥 After Dark Festival @ University of East London
Date & Loc: Feb 27th, Docklands
The UEL After Dark Festival returns this winter, with the theme of Fire & Circus! Hosted at our Docklands campus, creativity, culture and connection will be taking centre stage. Prepare to be captivated by fire displays, dazzling acrobatic performances and hands-on workshops to spark your creativity.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🐘 Mudlarks Family Gallery @ London Museum
Date & Loc: Feb 27th-Mar 9th, Docklands
Mudlarks brings the docks to life through interactive play, which keeps little ones occupied and stimulates their development. Find out what the docks were used for and what life would've been like for sailors many years ago.
Age: Under 8 | Price: from £3 | Info

🕺 Family Freestyle @ Sadler’s Wells
Date & Loc: Feb 28th, Angel
Does your child love to move? Family Freestyle will get you and your little ones dancing together and having fun. Come along and discover a wide range of dance styles, as your child develops their coordination, creative thinking and social interaction.
Age: 2-4yo | Price: £4 | Info

📖 Rug Rhymes @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Feb 28th, Southbank
Come and get snug as a bug while National Poetry Library puppets Federico and Firebird share some of their favourite poems, nursery rhymes and rhyming stories.
Age: 0-5yo | Price: £4 | Info

🌿 Kids Garden Club @ Clitterhouse Farm Project
Date & Loc: Feb 28th, Cricklewood
The Garden club aims to inspire love for nature, engage imagination and provide opportunities for creativity through nature craft projects.
Age: Everyone | Price: donation | Info

🎭 Trash! @ Peacock Theatre
Date & Loc: Feb 28th-Mar 1st, Holborn
Enjoy free DJ sets, design workshops, pigment mixing, drawing sessions, costume design, art films, classical performances, and guided tours of the National Gallery.
Age: 5+| Price: £18 | Info

✨ Snow White and Red Rose @ New Wimbledon Theatre
Date & Loc: Feb 28th - Mar 2nd, Wimbledon
Two sisters, Snow White and Rose Red, live in a pretty cottage in a garden full of white and red roses. Their kind hearts and happy dispositions help a Bear and a Wolf to get along so they can break a magic spell.
Age: 2-12yo | Price: from £15 | Info

🎨 Family Welcome Weekend @ The National Gallery
Date & Loc: Feb 28th-Mar 2nd, Trafalgar Square
Enjoy free DJ sets, design workshops, pigment mixing, drawing sessions, costume design, art films, classical performances, and guided tours of the National Gallery.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🎲 Board Game Cafe @ Rose Cafe
Date & Loc: Mar 1st, Kingston
Join Shakes and Ladders and their collection of over 150 board and card games for a board game day in the Rose Cafe.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🎭 Angelica Sprocket’s Pockets @ Lyric Hammersmith
Date & Loc: Mar 1st, Hammersmith
Join for a captivating performance featuring Folksy’s signature blend of live music, puppetry, interactive fun, and a dash of delightful chaos!
Age: Everyone | Price: £10 | Info

🎭 Puffling Percy @ Half Moon Theatre
Date & Loc: Mar 1st, Limehouse
Percy is a puffling who loves his burrow a little too much. Map and Pap want him to venture outside and flap his wings, but Percy has other ideas.
Age: 4-11yo | Price: £8 | Info

🎭 The Littlest Yak @ Jacksons Lane
Date & Loc: Mar 2nd, Highgate
This musical adaptation of the award-winning children’s book written by Lu Fraser and illustrated by Kate Hindley will delight audiences young and old with beautiful puppets, catchy tunes and an uplifting tale of self-acceptance for all the family.
Age: 3+ | Price: £14 | Info

🎶 Marvel Studios: Concert Experience @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Mar 4th & 8th, Southbank
Embark on an epic cinematic journey with music from 23 of Marvel’s most iconic films played by a live orchestra in a momentous film concert.
Age: 8+ | Price: £35 | Info

🧸 Home Song @ Unicorn Theatre
Date & Loc: until Mar 9th, London Bridge
In this multi-sensory show, meet young Adwoa and her mum as they embark on a journey to find the true meaning of home, from the bustling streets of Kumasi to the vibrant heart of London.
Age: 6-18 months | Price: from £19.50 (adult + baby) | Info

🎨 The World of Tim Burton @ Design Museum
Date & Loc: until April, Kensington
This major exhibition invites visitors into his world through an exploration of the design of his unique aesthetic. While most well-known for his cinematic work, this show displays the full extent of his production as an illustrator, painter, photographer and author, as well as exploring key collaborations with designers. As a multi-disciplinary artist, his creations extend beyond the limits of mediums and formats.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £9.85 (under 6 free) | Info

🎭 The Pea and the Princess @ Polka Theatre
Date & Loc: until March 30th, Wimbledon
Leap into a high velocity adventure into the world of a Ninja Princess on a mega-mission, a practical Prince concocting the best inventions, a Queen with a slightly worrying crown obsession, and a very green baddy indeed.
Age: 3-7yo | Price: from £10 | Info

🔬 Wonderlab @ Science Museum
Date & Loc: Daily, Kensington
This hands-on experience will spark curiosity, fuel imagination, and change the way you see the world!
Age: 7-14y | Price: from £15 | Info

🌍 SOIL: World at your feet @ Somerset House
Date & Loc: until April, Embankment
This ground-breaking exhibition unites visionary artists and thinkers from around the world to explore the remarkable power and potential of soil.
Age: All | Price: From £10 (under 5 free) | Info

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. SPREAD THE LOVE .

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